[Tutor] how to edit program files in Python?

[Alan Gauld]

On 19/12/13 19:33, Laurie Stephan wrote:
> Hello,
> My son and I just opened "Python for Kids" and we're working our way
> through the lessons.  Sometimes he mistypes the lines and hits return
> and discovers after that that he made a mistake in the line.  But, when
> we try to correct the line, we are not able to.  We just get that loud
> beepy sound telling us it's not possible.

I'm going to guess that you are on Windows of some variety?
If so you should be able to go to Start->All Programs->Python
and see an item called Python GUI.

Drag that onto your desktop and use that to start Python.

It will give you the IDLE tool that others have mentioned.

There are some (free?) video tutorials on using IDLE on
the showmedo web site.

http://www.showmedo.com/videos/series?name=pythonOzsvaldPyNewbieSeries

Video 4 in the list is a starter.

Alternatively there is a more static one here:

http://hkn.eecs.berkeley.edu/~dyoo/python/idle_intro/index.html

Its quite an old version on XP but the principles are all still valid.

> So... is there any way to go back up to the previous line and correct
> the syntax?  As it is now we are starting the entire file over.  It's
> really cumbersome.  Is it supposed to be this way?

There are ways to do that in the cmd shell too but IDLE will make
it much easier!

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