Index: openacs-4/packages/xotcl-core/tcl/06-package-procs.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/xotcl-core/tcl/06-package-procs.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.14 -r1.15
--- openacs-4/packages/xotcl-core/tcl/06-package-procs.tcl	21 Nov 2008 10:55:13 -0000	1.14
+++ openacs-4/packages/xotcl-core/tcl/06-package-procs.tcl	23 Nov 2008 18:08:45 -0000	1.15
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@
     {-actual_query " "}
     {-original_url_and_query}
     {-init_url true}
+    {-keep_cc false}
     {-form_parameter}
   } {
     Create the connection context ::xo::cc and a package object 
@@ -71,27 +72,32 @@
     "defaults" for default values.
 
     init_url false requires the package_id to be specified and
-    a call to Package instproc set_url to complete initialization
+    a call to Package instproc set_url to complete initialization.
+
+    keep_cc true means that the original connection context
+    is preserved (i.e. not altered) in case it exists already.
   } {
     #my msg "--i [self args], URL=$url, init_url=$init_url"
 
     if {$url eq "" && $init_url} {
-      #set url [ns_conn url]
-      #my log "--CONN ns_conn url"
       set url [root_of_host [ad_host]][ns_conn url]
+      #my log "--CONN ns_conn url -> $url"
     }
-    #my log "--cc actual_query = <$actual_query>"
 
-    # require connection context
-    ConnectionContext require \
-	-package_id $package_id -user_id $user_id \
-	-parameter $parameter -url $url -actual_query $actual_query
+    # get package_id from url in case it is not known
+    set package_id [ConnectionContext require_package_id_from_url \
+                        -package_id $package_id $url]
 
+    # require connection context if needed
+    ConnectionContext require \
+        -keep_cc $keep_cc \
+        -package_id $package_id -user_id $user_id \
+        -parameter $parameter -url $url -actual_query $actual_query
+      
     if {[info exists original_url_and_query]} {
       ::xo::cc original_url_and_query $original_url_and_query
     }
 
-    set package_id [::xo::cc package_id]
     if {[info exists form_parameter]} {
       ::xo::cc array set form_parameter $form_parameter
     }
@@ -114,6 +120,7 @@
     }
 
     ::xo::cc export_vars -level 2
+    return $package_id
   }
 
   PackageMgr ad_instproc require {{-url ""} package_id} {
Index: openacs-4/packages/xotcl-core/tcl/context-procs.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/xotcl-core/tcl/context-procs.tcl,v
diff -u -r1.44 -r1.45
--- openacs-4/packages/xotcl-core/tcl/context-procs.tcl	9 Oct 2008 10:57:15 -0000	1.44
+++ openacs-4/packages/xotcl-core/tcl/context-procs.tcl	23 Nov 2008 18:08:45 -0000	1.45
@@ -176,28 +176,39 @@
     url
   }
   
-  # TODO edit revision loop
+  ConnectionContext proc require_package_id_from_url {{-package_id 0} url} {
+    # get package_id from url in case it is not known
+    if {$package_id == 0} {
+      array set "" [site_node::get_from_url -url $url]
+      set package_id $(package_id)
+      #my msg "--i setting pkg to $package_id"
+    }
+    return $package_id
+  }
 
   ConnectionContext proc require {
     -url
     {-package_id 0} 
     {-parameter ""}
     {-user_id -1}
     {-actual_query " "}
+    {-keep_cc false}
   } {
+    set exists_cc [my isobject ::xo::cc]
+
+    # if we have a connection context and we want to keep it, do
+    # nothing and return.
+    if {$exists_cc && $keep_cc} {
+      return
+    }
+
     if {![info exists url]} {
       #my log "--CONN ns_conn url"
       set url [ns_conn url]
     }
+    set package_id [my require_package_id_from_url -package_id $package_id $url]
     #my log "--i [self args] URL='$url', pkg=$package_id"
 
-    # create connection context if necessary
-    if {$package_id == 0} {
-      array set "" [site_node::get_from_url -url $url]
-      set package_id $(package_id)
-      #my msg "--i setting pkg to $package_id"
-    } 
-
     # get locale; TODO at some time, we should get rid of the ad_conn init problem
     if {[ns_conn isconnected]} {
       # This can be called, before ad_conn is initialized. 
@@ -209,7 +220,7 @@
     } else {
       set locale [lang::system::locale -package_id $package_id]
     }
-    if {![my isobject ::xo::cc]} {
+    if {!$exists_cc} {
       my create ::xo::cc \
           -package_id $package_id \
           [list -parameter_declaration $parameter] \