openstreet maps: dynamically retrieve shp files in python
Dynamic retrieval of data from shapefiles is not suggested for large applications. The best practice is to dump the shapefile in databases like postgres (shp2pgsql) & generated the map using mapnik & tile them using tilecache.
I manage to install mapnik for python and am able to render maps using a provided shp file. Is there a possibility to retrieve dynamically the shape file for the map I want to render (given coordinates) from python? or do I need to download the whole OSM files, and import them into my own database? 
thanks