[Tutor] Newbie questions with an anmbitious tweak!

[Jose Alberto Abreu]

"Cuny, Christophe (ANTS)" wrote:

> First of all, thank you for existing. We newbies appreciate the work that
> you guys put in supporting us.

We support each other... Although the List Moms put on a gargantuan
ammount of patience and wisdom with the rest of us (and we all love them
for that!), you are expected to answer your fellow newbie questions as
your knowledge of python grows...
  
> So can I start with a basic question. In tutorials, I get referred to "using
> a text editor such as notepad...". But using Python for windows I saw that
> the "built-in" editor has full syntax highlighting. So the question is: do I
> actually need another editor or are the tutorials referring to old versions
> of Python?

Its based on your preference, actually. Some people like to use
incredibly complex (yet infinetly configurable) text editors dating back
to the stone age. Some prefer to use the newer Integrated Developement
Enviroments like IDLE.
By the way check out Boa Constructor:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/boa-constructor
Its still green, but its gonna be awesome.
 
> I also have a question on GUIs. I have read a bit about Tk but to the
> newbie, constructing a user interface, for an application with menus and
> windows, using what seems to be another language is daunting, especially
> since trying to get to grips with core Python is enough for the newbie. It
> may be a question of "patience my friend" 

It is : )
But dont worry, you will with time see Tkinter (and later WxPython) as
your friend.

> but can I ask what the best and
> most seamless approach would be to create such an interface and actively
> link it to Python scripts? Has anyone ever developed a kind of RAD tool for
> Python, that would also integrate GUIs? Or rather than using an external
> language, is there such a thing as a Python module/extension that would
> include this capability?

Boa Constructor and other proyects are aiming to do this in the near
future. Also the people at ActiveState are developing a plugin for
Microsoft's Visual Studio to code in Python or Perl, but I would be
extremely leery of using Visual Studio for anything.
 
> Thank you for your help. I realise I am diving straight in with ambitious
> targets, but that's what it's all about and your help will be greatly
> appreciated.

Its ok to be ambitious, just remember that even Olympic runners learned
to walk the same way we all did.


-----
Jose Alberto Abreu  -   abreu@penguinpowered.com