[Tutor] Getting Started

[Alan Gauld]

On 19/12/13 00:11, Chris Acreman wrote:

> "But to go further we need to know which OS you are using?" -- Alan
>
> I'm using Windows 7.  The book assumes a Windows environment, but
> includes instructions for installing on other systems.

OK, I'd recommend getting Activestate's free Python distribution
and it will install enhanced help tools plus a new IDE called
Pythonwin  which is significantly better than IDLE IMHO.

But it is similar enough that you should be able to adapt
the IDLE instructions without difficulty.

> "If you tell us the website we might know where it's equivalent
> lives..." -- Alan
>
> The book recommends downloading Python fro free from
> www.courseptr.com/downloads.

Sorry, it doesn't help me. Maybe someone else knows.

> "Does the book by chance use IDLE?" -- Amit
>
> Yes, the book mentions IDLE and seems to assume that is the standard.

It is standard and comes with the standard Python distro.
It is itself built from Python and so also serves as a demo
of what python can do... But its a long way from state of
the art in IDEs.

If you look in Start-> All Programs->Python you should find
an icon labelled PythonGUI or similar and that should start
IDLE. It's worth dragging that icon onto the desktop if
you plan on using IDLE (Or do the same with Pythonwin if
you prefer it.)

> The "Python Screen" is what opens up when I click the Python button on
> the desktop.  The book calls it a "console window,

Yes, it's worth getting familiar with it. It provides the ultimate 
authority on things like error messages etc. If all else fails try 
running your programs direct from that window and you will see any 
output that a GUI might hide. But to make it an effective
development tool there are a bunch of registry flags that
you need to set. You can read about them by typing 'help cmd'
in the console itself.

> display only text."  It is a command line interpreter, with no apparent
> GUI tools.

If you click on the Window icon at top left you should get a menu that 
lets you switch on various options including changing font, size and 
editing mode so you can select text, cut n paste etc. But it's not
really intended to be a GUI it is a text based tool.

> "I used to live in Elgin, Scotland. Small world :-)" -- Alan
>
> Is Elgin, Scotland, also famous for barbeque sausage?  :-)

Nope, it's not famous for much! It is connected to Lord Elgin,
famous for stealing some ancient statues from Greece (The
Elgin Marbles) and which Greece are still trying to reclaim...
And of course the various other Elgin's around the world are
named after it, usually by adventurous sons of the town,
(or members of the eponymous Lord's family!)

-- 
Alan G
Author of the Learn to Program web site
http://www.alan-g.me.uk/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alangauldphotos