Hmmm...

How shall I phrase this...I have a project, not official, but if I can
get it done would make my work life IMMENSELY simpler, that I think I
can do best in Python, for a number of reasons:

1) IT Dept doesn't object to Python being installed on my PC (big one!)
2) According to everything I've read, it's really easy to learn (big two!)
3) It's a simple program for helping me parse and search LARGE text files.

Essentially the deal is this: Every month (EVERY MONTH) I get a text
file that has been processed by our mainframe billing system that contains...information, that is uniquely identified by several different fields - some can be duplicates, but there is ALWAYS one unique identifier.

Almost every month I have to go searching in these files to locate
information - either by one of those aforementioned identifiers, or by date/time information, etc. I can (and have been) use Notepad to do
this, but it's time consuming and prone to errors.

What I want to do is this:

1) Build a program that will import and either:
a) Natively understand the files or
b) Import, then convert the files
2) Allow me to search the files by any of the fields.
3) Upon finding records that match #2; return the entire row, and just
that row.

Now my question: Is Python even a good choice for this?

I know that Perl has been used to do things like this before, but Perl
is not acceptable to the IT department. I'm sure I could ask our
Database Programmer to build this in Access, but I'd rather not burden
him (he's already like 6mths behind), plus I'd like to learn this myself.

Any thoughts?

DN

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Re: Python
By: Digital Noise to DOVE-Net.Programming on Thu Sep 07 2006 08:37 pm

1) Build a program that will import and either:
a) Natively understand the files or
b) Import, then convert the files
2) Allow me to search the files by any of the fields.
3) Upon finding records that match #2; return the entire row, and just
that row.

Sounds like you want awk.

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Re: Python
By: Digital Noise to DOVE-Net.Programming on Thu Sep 07 2006 20:37:00

1) IT Dept doesn't object to Python being installed on my PC (big one!)
2) According to everything I've read, it's really easy to learn (big two!) 3) It's a simple program for helping me parse and search LARGE text files.

Perl was built specifically for this exact type of task.

Essentially the deal is this: Every month (EVERY MONTH) I get a text
file that has been processed by our mainframe billing system that contains...information, that is uniquely identified by several different fields - some can be duplicates, but there is ALWAYS one unique identifier.

I suppose you have to keep the data confidential, so we can't look at an example of the data. Does the format also have to be confidential? Or
could you produce a ficticious dataset in the same format?

Almost every month I have to go searching in these files to locate information - either by one of those aforementioned identifiers, or by date/time information, etc.

Sounds like a Perl coders dream. Except you never actually said what you
*DO* with the data once you've located it....

1) Build a program that will import and either:
a) Natively understand the files or
b) Import, then convert the files
2) Allow me to search the files by any of the fields.
3) Upon finding records that match #2; return the entire row, and just
that row.

Dunno what the uniquely identifying fields look like, but you could
probably combine #2 and #3 into a Perl one-liner, or very close to it.

perl -ne '/pattern/ && print;';

will do it. "pattern" can be as simple as plain-text to match or as incredibly complicated as a regular expression can get. Formatted output containing parts of the matched row are nearly as easy.

Now my question: Is Python even a good choice for this?

My question is why anyone would use Python for *anything*, INCLUDING a
"Hello, world!" program.

I know that Perl has been used to do things like this before, but Perl
is not acceptable to the IT department.

Well if you have a huge millstone tied around your neck, you'll find it
much harder to swim. I'd be really interested to hear *why* your IT department has decided to ban Perl.
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Re: Python
By: Angus McLeod to Digital Noise on Thu Sep 07 2006 23:52:00

Well if you have a huge millstone tied around your neck, you'll find it
much harder to swim. I'd be really interested to hear *why* your IT department has decided to ban Perl.

If I had to guess, I'd guess that it's so that the "real programming
tasks" can be given to a programming dept to make more expensive and
take longer.

---
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Angus McLeod wrote:

Re: Python
By: Digital Noise to DOVE-Net.Programming on Thu Sep 07 2006 20:37:00

1) IT Dept doesn't object to Python being installed on my PC (big one!)
2) According to everything I've read, it's really easy to learn (big two!) 3) It's a simple program for helping me parse and search LARGE text files.

Perl was built specifically for this exact type of task.

I know :(

Essentially the deal is this: Every month (EVERY MONTH) I get a text
file that has been processed by our mainframe billing system that contains...information, that is uniquely identified by several different fields - some can be duplicates, but there is ALWAYS one unique identifier.

I suppose you have to keep the data confidential, so we can't look at an example of the data. Does the format also have to be confidential? Or could you produce a ficticious dataset in the same format?

It's PPV data - I've copied and pasted a section from the PAL (PPV Auto Loader) file below - hopefully it'll keep the format:

=====================================================================================================================================
TITLEID:SHOWID:BASEID:LONG DESCRIPTION : SH DESC:START DATE/TIME: LEN :
CHNL# : RTG : SUBJ : PRICE : CNTRLR # :ORDER:INTSTI: -------:------:------:-----------------:--------:---------------:-----:-----------:-----:------:--------:------------:-----:------:
53987 :36869 :31059 :DORM ROOM GRL UNC:DORM ROO:09/01/06 06:00 :
059:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0009.95: : 30: 1:
53988 :36870 :31067 :WMN EROTC WRSTL13:WMN EROT:09/01/06 10:00 :
089:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0014.95: : 30: 181:
53989 :36871 :31058 :WILD GRLS BARTNDR:WILD GRL:09/01/06 11:30 :
059:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0009.95: : 30: 1:

As you can see, it's colon seperated, and does include headers on every
page (this is the result of the PAL file being processed by the system; however, the system provides no function to search these files, hence my problem).

Almost every month I have to go searching in these files to locate information - either by one of those aforementioned identifiers, or by date/time information, etc.

Sounds like a Perl coders dream. Except you never actually said what you *DO* with the data once you've located it....

I just need to locate the data because occasionally I have to change
things manually, and I need to locate like the Title ID; or Search by
the Date/Time, etc.

I know that Perl has been used to do things like this before, but Perl
is not acceptable to the IT department.

Well if you have a huge millstone tied around your neck, you'll find it
much harder to swim. I'd be really interested to hear *why* your IT department has decided to ban Perl.

As I understand it, Corporate IT doesn't want it installed on any
non-web facing machines that sit in the DMZ - why, I don't know, but...I
guess the other practical reason is I'm trying to build something that
anyone can use with a minimal of training (I do all of this work now,
but it might not always be that way).

DN

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Not quite - we don't have a programming dept. There are Network
Security issues that caused Corporate IT to make the mandate - not that
they explained with issues those might be, since we all sit behind a firewall...

Hawke wrote:

Re: Python
By: Angus McLeod to Digital Noise on Thu Sep 07 2006 23:52:00

Well if you have a huge millstone tied around your neck, you'll find it much harder to swim. I'd be really interested to hear *why* your IT department has decided to ban Perl.

If I had to guess, I'd guess that it's so that the "real programming
tasks" can be given to a programming dept to make more expensive and
take longer.

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Re: Python
By: Hawke to Angus McLeod on Fri Sep 08 2006 01:28 am

If I had to guess, I'd guess that it's so that the "real programming
tasks" can be given to a programming dept to make more expensive and
take longer.

Still looks like you just want awk... or maybe even just grep.


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Re: Python

By: Hawke to Angus McLeod on Fri Sep 08 2006 01:28 am

If I had to guess, I'd guess that it's so that the "real programming tasks" can be given to a programming dept to make more expensive and take longer.

Still looks like you just want awk... or maybe even just grep.

Is AWK available for Windows (since that's the defacto platform here), and easily usable for someone other than me later down the road?

I'm trying to build more than a one-time use application, and one that can be utilized by others than myself without them having to learn a programming language.

DN

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Re: Re: Python
By: Digital Noise to Deuce on Fri Sep 08 2006 09:35 am

Still looks like you just want awk... or maybe even just grep.

Is AWK available for Windows (since that's the defacto platform here), and easily usable for someone other than me later down the road?

I assume it is... it was available for DOS at one point.

I'm trying to build more than a one-time use application, and one that can be utilized by others than myself without them having to learn a
programming language.

awk and grep are pretty much as much application as they're ever going to get already... it's all command-line driven.

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---
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It's available as part of Cygwin, which, while an option, isn't a great
one ('cause there's more than one step to getting it up and running).
The only 'awk' I've found is for *nix, but I'll keep looking.

But you're absolutely right - it's incredibly powerful, and I could
build simple programs with interpreted files. I really would prefer
something with a GUI that I could build, but this would definitely work
for my personal needs.

Deuce wrote:

Re: Re: Python
By: Digital Noise to Deuce on Fri Sep 08 2006 09:35 am

Still looks like you just want awk... or maybe even just grep.

Is AWK available for Windows (since that's the defacto platform here), and easily usable for someone other than me later down the road?

I assume it is... it was available for DOS at one point.

I'm trying to build more than a one-time use application, and one that can be utilized by others than myself without them having to learn a programming language.

awk and grep are pretty much as much application as they're ever going to get already... it's all command-line driven.

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Re: Python
By: Hawke to Angus McLeod on Fri Sep 08 2006 02:28 am

Re: Python
By: Angus McLeod to Digital Noise on Thu Sep 07 2006 23:52:00

Well if you have a huge millstone tied around your neck, you'll find it much harder to swim. I'd be really interested to hear *why* your IT department has decided to ban Perl.

If I had to guess, I'd guess that it's so that the "real programming
tasks" can be given to a programming dept to make more expensive and
take longer.

Oh well thats easy to explain. You see it involved the head of the IT staff,
a bottle of tequila, and a nice thick perl neckless across his neck. Now the memory if Perl is just too painfull for the IT manager. HE must avoid it everywhere. Try to view it from his perspective, He walks by your computer, you have what appears to be a simple perl script, But what does he see in his head. A 700 lb man wearing a leather girdle, happyface tattooed nipples, grabbing his hair and screaming "It's a sub routine not a leafblower" and
then gives him 40oz of loving.

So it does make sense to ban it in that contex.

-Dotel
Sysop of: StarDoc 134 BBS
Linux Hybrid BBS, 45+ Doors Internet links
Telnet or SSH2://bbs.doteltech.com

Beware The Jaws That Bite, for they belong to my attack penguin


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Re: Re: Python
By: Digital Noise to Angus McLeod on Fri Sep 08 2006 09:24 am

53987 :36869 :31059 :DORM ROOM GRL UNC:DORM ROO:09/01/06 06:00 :
059:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0009.95: : 30: 1:
53988 :36870 :31067 :WMN EROTC WRSTL13:WMN EROT:09/01/06 10:00 :
089:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0014.95: : 30: 181:
53989 :36871 :31058 :WILD GRLS BARTNDR:WILD GRL:09/01/06 11:30 :
059:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0009.95: : 30: 1:

I'll give you this: At least your sample data is entertaining. :)


o
(O)
BeLLy


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þ Synchronet

Belly wrote:

Re: Re: Python
By: Digital Noise to Angus McLeod on Fri Sep 08 2006 09:24 am

53987 :36869 :31059 :DORM ROOM GRL UNC:DORM ROO:09/01/06 06:00 : 059:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0009.95: : 30: 1:
53988 :36870 :31067 :WMN EROTC WRSTL13:WMN EROT:09/01/06 10:00 : 089:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0014.95: : 30: 181:
53989 :36871 :31058 :WILD GRLS BARTNDR:WILD GRL:09/01/06 11:30 : 059:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0009.95: : 30: 1:

I'll give you this: At least your sample data is entertaining. :)

What do you mean sample? :o

-Mindless Automaton
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Re: Re: Python
By: Belly to Digital Noise on Sat Sep 09 2006 12:55 pm

I'll give you this: At least your sample data is entertaining. :)

You have no idea - 99.9% of our PPV buys are adult related.

That one file has 8 channels in in, enough data for 30/31 days worth of events 24 hrs a day. There are another 4/5 files for the Adult-only channels as well.

DN

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LMAO exactly.

This is actual data from this month.

DN

Mindless Automaton wrote:

Belly wrote:

Re: Re: Python
By: Digital Noise to Angus McLeod on Fri Sep 08 2006 09:24 am

53987 :36869 :31059 :DORM ROOM GRL UNC:DORM ROO:09/01/06 06:00 :
059:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0009.95: : 30: 1:
53988 :36870 :31067 :WMN EROTC WRSTL13:WMN EROT:09/01/06 10:00 :
089:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0014.95: : 30: 181:
53989 :36871 :31058 :WILD GRLS BARTNDR:WILD GRL:09/01/06 11:30 :
059:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0009.95: : 30: 1:

I'll give you this: At least your sample data is entertaining. :)

What do you mean sample? :o

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Re: Python
By: Deuce to Digital Noise on Thu Sep 07 2006 20:35:00

1) Build a program that will import and either:
a) Natively understand the files or
b) Import, then convert the files
2) Allow me to search the files by any of the fields.
3) Upon finding records that match #2; return the entire row, and just that row.

Sounds like you want awk.

Well sed! :-)


---
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Re: Re: Python
By: Digital Noise to Angus McLeod on Fri Sep 08 2006 08:24:00

It's PPV data - I've copied and pasted a section from the PAL (PPV Auto Loader) file below - hopefully it'll keep the format:

============================================================================ TITLEID:SHOWID:BASEID:LONG DESCRIPTION : SH DESC:START DATE/TIME: LEN :
CHNL# : RTG : SUBJ : PRICE : CNTRLR # :ORDER:INTSTI: -------:------:------:-----------------:--------:---------------:-----:-----
53987 :36869 :31059 :DORM ROOM GRL UNC:DORM ROO:09/01/06 06:00 :
059:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0009.95: : 30: 1:
53988 :36870 :31067 :WMN EROTC WRSTL13:WMN EROT:09/01/06 10:00 :
089:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0014.95: : 30: 181:
53989 :36871 :31058 :WILD GRLS BARTNDR:WILD GRL:09/01/06 11:30 :
059:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0009.95: : 30: 1:

As you can see, it's colon seperated, and does include headers on every
page (this is the result of the PAL file being processed by the system; however, the system provides no function to search these files, hence my problem).

Is it safe to assume that each line of data is in the same format?

I just need to locate the data because occasionally I have to change
things manually, and I need to locate like the Title ID; or Search by
the Date/Time, etc.

So you want to find (say) all lines where TITLEID = 53988? Or maybe where START DATE = 09/01/06? And then what, manually edit them? Or have some change applied programatically?

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Re: Python
By: Deuce to Hawke on Fri Sep 08 2006 09:25:00

If I had to guess, I'd guess that it's so that the "real programming tasks" can be given to a programming dept to make more expensive and
take longer.

Still looks like you just want awk... or maybe even just grep.

Yes. It would be nice to do do something like

doit --titleid=53988

but grep might do it.

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Re: Re: Python
By: Digital Noise to Deuce on Fri Sep 08 2006 09:35:00

Still looks like you just want awk... or maybe even just grep.

Is AWK available for Windows (since that's the defacto platform here), and easily usable for someone other than me later down the road?

You can get 'gawk' for windows.
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Re: Re: Python
By: Digital Noise to Deuce on Fri Sep 08 2006 22:36:00

I really would prefer something with a GUI that I could build, but this would definitely work for my personal needs.

You're operating within the restrictive framework of your corporate ID
policy.
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Re: Re: Python
By: Belly to Digital Noise on Sat Sep 09 2006 12:55:00

53987 :36869 :31059 :DORM ROOM GRL UNC:DORM ROO:09/01/06 06:00 : 059:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0009.95: : 30: 1:
53988 :36870 :31067 :WMN EROTC WRSTL13:WMN EROT:09/01/06 10:00 : 089:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0014.95: : 30: 181:
53989 :36871 :31058 :WILD GRLS BARTNDR:WILD GRL:09/01/06 11:30 : 059:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0009.95: : 30: 1:

I'll give you this: At least your sample data is entertaining. :)

Yeh! :-) I assumed it was not production data, but a test set selected
for our benefit.

---
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from the "Greatest hits" album
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See my answers:

Angus McLeod wrote:

Re: Re: Python
By: Digital Noise to Angus McLeod on Fri Sep 08 2006 08:24:00

It's PPV data - I've copied and pasted a section from the PAL (PPV Auto Loader) file below - hopefully it'll keep the format:

============================================================================
TITLEID:SHOWID:BASEID:LONG DESCRIPTION : SH DESC:START DATE/TIME: LEN :
CHNL# : RTG : SUBJ : PRICE : CNTRLR # :ORDER:INTSTI: -------:------:------:-----------------:--------:---------------:-----:-----
53987 :36869 :31059 :DORM ROOM GRL UNC:DORM ROO:09/01/06 06:00 :
059:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0009.95: : 30: 1:
53988 :36870 :31067 :WMN EROTC WRSTL13:WMN EROT:09/01/06 10:00 :
089:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0014.95: : 30: 181:
53989 :36871 :31058 :WILD GRLS BARTNDR:WILD GRL:09/01/06 11:30 :
059:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0009.95: : 30: 1:

As you can see, it's colon seperated, and does include headers on every page (this is the result of the PAL file being processed by the system; however, the system provides no function to search these files, hence my problem).

Is it safe to assume that each line of data is in the same format?

With the exception of each page header, and the final footer (summarizes totals for each title ID - Title ID's can be replicated, Show ID's
*must* be unique (You can have multiple showings for one title)), yes.

I just need to locate the data because occasionally I have to change things manually, and I need to locate like the Title ID; or Search by
the Date/Time, etc.

So you want to find (say) all lines where TITLEID = 53988? Or maybe where START DATE = 09/01/06? And then what, manually edit them? Or have some change applied programatically?

Actually, I just want to locate the information. Any changes are
applied through our billing system, but say I wanted to locate the Title
ID (so I can change the event) for a specific date and time. Or all
Title ID's with a specific date range, or any combination thereof.

These files are the result of the processing program - no changes made
to them will actually create any changes in the system. They're
basically a hard copy record of the processing that was done - the
processing being the building of the events and the assignment of Title
and Show ID's (Controller #'s come much later).

DN

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Angus McLeod wrote:

Re: Re: Python
By: Belly to Digital Noise on Sat Sep 09 2006 12:55:00

53987 :36869 :31059 :DORM ROOM GRL UNC:DORM ROO:09/01/06 06:00 : 059:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0009.95: : 30: 1:
53988 :36870 :31067 :WMN EROTC WRSTL13:WMN EROT:09/01/06 10:00 : 089:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0014.95: : 30: 181:
53989 :36871 :31058 :WILD GRLS BARTNDR:WILD GRL:09/01/06 11:30 : 059:01= 501 : : 6=6 : 0009.95: : 30: 1:

I'll give you this: At least your sample data is entertaining. :)

Yeh! :-) I assumed it was not production data, but a test set selected
for our benefit.

Sad part is that's real data :)

DN

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Angus McLeod wrote:

Re: Python
By: Deuce to Hawke on Fri Sep 08 2006 09:25:00

If I had to guess, I'd guess that it's so that the "real programming tasks" can be given to a programming dept to make more expensive and take longer.

Still looks like you just want awk... or maybe even just grep.

Yes. It would be nice to do do something like

doit --titleid=53988

but grep might do it.

See, I have no problems with using tools like 'gawk' or 'grep' (assuming
there was a Windows version of 'grep') to complete this task.

It's just that I'm not the only one that does it (I do 95.9856% of the
time), and it's a need that extends beyond me.

DN

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Digital Noise wrote:

What I want to do is this:

1) Build a program that will import and either:
a) Natively understand the files or
b) Import, then convert the files
2) Allow me to search the files by any of the fields.
3) Upon finding records that match #2; return the entire row, and just
that row.

Now my question: Is Python even a good choice for this?

Honestly, "it depends" to be honest, for a short term database use,
depending on the level of data, something that imports it into an access database is probably your most usable format (not to start arguments, and
this really only holds water if you are using windows, which you didn't
mention your OS).. if you have defined searches and queries and want a
gui interface, python is probably a decent choice...

I know that Perl has been used to do things like this before, but Perl
is not acceptable to the IT department. I'm sure I could ask our
Database Programmer to build this in Access, but I'd rather not burden
him (he's already like 6mths behind), plus I'd like to learn this myself.

LOL, started the reply before reading this... if you want to learn something and want GUI, python is a decent choice, as would be Java, or C#/.Net the latter two would be more practical for future job use... but have fun with
it. :)

Any thoughts?

see above.

--
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---
þ Synchronet þ theroughnecks.net - you know you want it

Angus McLeod wrote:

Dunno what the uniquely identifying fields look like, but you could
probably combine #2 and #3 into a Perl one-liner, or very close to it. --snip--
My question is why anyone would use Python for *anything*, INCLUDING a "Hello, world!" program.

See above, I don't care much for what I've seen of python, but it seems
like a good newbie choice especially if a GUI front end is desired.

I suggested Java or C# as a starter if this is the case though.. just my
own opinion... for the data processing perl is probably a best bet, even
for importing into a data store.. but as was mentioned it isn't an option.

I know that Perl has been used to do things like this before, but Perl
is not acceptable to the IT department.

Well if you have a huge millstone tied around your neck, you'll find it
much harder to swim. I'd be really interested to hear *why* your IT department has decided to ban Perl.

Probably ignorance... just a guess..

--
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---
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Re: Re: Python
By: Digital Noise to Belly on Sat Sep 09 2006 06:09 pm

You have no idea - 99.9% of our PPV buys are adult related.

That one file has 8 channels in in, enough data for 30/31 days worth of even 24 hrs a day. There are another 4/5 files for the Adult-only channels as we

Horny bastards, eh?


o
(O)
BeLLy


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þ Synchronet

Re: Re: Python
By: Tracker1 to Angus McLeod on Sun Sep 10 2006 01:12:00

Angus McLeod wrote:

Dunno what the uniquely identifying fields look like, but you could probably combine #2 and #3 into a Perl one-liner, or very close to it. --snip--
My question is why anyone would use Python for *anything*, INCLUDING a "Hello, world!" program.

See above, I don't care much for what I've seen of python, but it seems
like a good newbie choice especially if a GUI front end is desired.

I know that Perl has been used to do things like this before, but Perl
is not acceptable to the IT department.

Well if you have a huge millstone tied around your neck, you'll find it much harder to swim. I'd be really interested to hear *why* your IT department has decided to ban Perl.

Probably ignorance... just a guess..

Ignorance is right. Python is just as powerful (and dangerous) as
Perl. The holy was between Perl and Python is mostly unfounded. Most
anything you can do in one, you can do in the other. Sometimes, it's
easier in Python, sometimes in Perl. Overall, the result is the same.

Having said that, you could accomplsh what you need with any of the
methods mentioned so far. I'm surprised no-one has said to use vim
yet (also available for windows). ;-)

--
Coriolanus


---
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Re: Re: Python
By: Digital Noise to Angus McLeod on Sun Sep 10 2006 01:14:00

It would be nice to do do something like

doit --titleid=53988

but grep might do it.

See, I have no problems with using tools like 'gawk' or 'grep' (assuming there was a Windows version of 'grep') to complete this task.

Oh, you can get it alright. Go to

http://unxutils.sourceforge.net/

and grab the utilities and the latest updates. You will get gawk, agrep/, egrep/fgrep/grep, sed, cut, and a *mass* of others that may or may not be
of use. You can also go to

http://www.steve.org.uk/Software/bash/

and get a copy of bash which should make scripting a bit easier than
messing around writing .BATch files.
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Re: Re: Python
By: Coriolanus to Tracker1 on Sun Sep 10 2006 21:27:00

The holy was between Perl and Python is mostly unfounded.

Let me address this "holy war" briefly: I have no time for a language
that deliberately uses WHITESPACE as a significant syntactic element.
That's the *DUMBEST* idea I've ever heard in in the entire world of
Computer Science.

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Re: Re: Python
By: Digital Noise to Angus McLeod on Sun Sep 10 2006 01:14 am

See, I have no problems with using tools like 'gawk' or 'grep' (assuming there was a Windows version of 'grep') to complete this task.

It's just that I'm not the only one that does it (I do 95.9856% of the time), and it's a need that extends beyond me.

Well, you can always create batch files or whatnot... but if your target luser are incapable of using the command-line, you'll needs something with super-cow powers. Probobly an Access "database" would be the quickest method.

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Re: Re: Python
By: Tracker1 to Angus McLeod on Sun Sep 10 2006 01:12 am

See above, I don't care much for what I've seen of python, but it seems
like a good newbie choice especially if a GUI front end is desired.

Hard to beat MS-Access for this... you can crank out a GUI for simple stuff like this in minutes. It's RAD stuff is the main reason it's used so often.

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Re: Re: Python
By: Angus McLeod to Coriolanus on Mon Sep 11 2006 00:01:00

The holy was between Perl and Python is mostly unfounded.

Let me address this "holy war" briefly: I have no time for a language
that deliberately uses WHITESPACE as a significant syntactic element. That's the *DUMBEST* idea I've ever heard in in the entire world of
Computer Science.

I've seen a lot worse than that. It might be dumb, but it sure makes
it less likely that you are going to write crappy code that is hard to
read by the next poor sap that comes along.

That's not to say that if there is a way to write crap code that is
completely unreadable, someone will find it, no matter what the
language imposes for formatting.

The only thing that I have found where this can actually be a problem
is if you have an editor that insists on handling your tabs for you.
It is possible (and fairly easy) to get screwed up from that. That is
probably the biggest issue I have seen with the indent/outdent model.

Bottom line, try both. You may like one more than the other. I
personally use both and have been happy with that. If the whitespace
thing is too much of an issue for you, then don't use it, but don't
piss all over it just because of that (unless you want to, of course).
:-)

--
Coriolanus



---
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Re: Re: Python
By: Coriolanus to Angus McLeod on Mon Sep 11 2006 17:39:00

Let me address this "holy war" briefly: I have no time for a language that deliberately uses WHITESPACE as a significant syntactic element. That's the *DUMBEST* idea I've ever heard in in the entire world of Computer Science.

I've seen a lot worse than that. It might be dumb, but it sure makes
it less likely that you are going to write crappy code that is hard to
read by the next poor sap that comes along.

So the language designers are trying to make *style* a part of the
language definition. I will never support that. Some people like

fn() { if () {
} } else {
}
and other people prefer

fn() if ()
{ {
} } else
{
}
while some like

fn(){} if () {}
else {}

for small values of f() and simple if, and any attempt to force one or the other on the programmer is a BAD thing.
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Deuce wrote:

See above, I don't care much for what I've seen of python, but it seems
like a good newbie choice especially if a GUI front end is desired.

Hard to beat MS-Access for this... you can crank out a GUI for simple stuff like this in minutes. It's RAD stuff is the main reason it's used so often.

very much agreed.. was in reference to being able to do other stuff as
well... Access is a great tool for quick-n-dirty data work... even when connecting to an rdbms via odbc it works well...

--
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Re: Re: Python
By: Tracker1 to Deuce on Mon Sep 11 2006 08:40 pm

Hard to beat MS-Access for this... you can crank out a GUI for simple stuff like this in minutes. It's RAD stuff is the main reason it's used so often.

very much agreed.. was in reference to being able to do other stuff as well... Access is a great tool for quick-n-dirty data work... even when connecting to an rdbms via odbc it works well...

It works and you can swap an interface together quickly. I would most definately not say that it works "well" though.

However, if I want to grab som arbitrary data and sort/filter it, I'll reach for MS Access if I'm on a Win32 system.

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Angus McLeod wrote:

Re: Re: Python
By: Coriolanus to Tracker1 on Sun Sep 10 2006 21:27:00

The holy was between Perl and Python is mostly unfounded.

Let me address this "holy war" briefly: I have no time for a language
that deliberately uses WHITESPACE as a significant syntactic element. That's the *DUMBEST* idea I've ever heard in in the entire world of
Computer Science.

You must LOVE RPG-II. It is a great language if you like crossword
puzzles. RPG-II code looked so much like a crossword puzzle. I did just
enough to pass the class. And those 3270(whatever) data entry stations.
8 inch floppies. ewww, I'm getting chills just remembering the
antiquated stuff.

Ok rant is over.
So what do you think of RPG?

After the class I wanted to take a real RPG and aim it at the IBM
System-3 it ran on.

Artiken

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Re: Re: Python
By: Angus McLeod to Coriolanus on Mon Sep 11 2006 22:48:00

Let me address this "holy war" briefly: I have no time for a language that deliberately uses WHITESPACE as a significant syntactic element. That's the *DUMBEST* idea I've ever heard in in the entire world of Computer Science.

I've seen a lot worse than that. It might be dumb, but it sure makes
it less likely that you are going to write crappy code that is hard to read by the next poor sap that comes along.

So the language designers are trying to make *style* a part of the
language definition. I will never support that. Some people like

fn() { if () {
} } else {
}
and other people prefer

fn() if ()
{ {
} } else
{
}
while some like

fn(){} if () {}
else {}

And I tend to prefer:

def fn(): if ():
stuff stuff
else
more stuff

for small values of f() and simple if, and any attempt to force one
or the other on the programmer is a BAD thing.

For what it's worth, this is an interesting discussion of what you can
and can't do with Python indentation:

http://www.secnetix.de/~olli/Python/block_indentation.hawk

I do think Python is cleaner looking code without the extra curly
braces, but that is my personal preference. I'm not so sure it's a
travesty against computer science to use indent/outdent to define
blocks of code. That is almost as arbitrary as using curly-braces to
define the block. It is a means to an end, not something evil :-)

--
Coriolanus


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Re: Re: Python
By: Artiken to Angus McLeod on Tue Sep 12 2006 07:44 am

Angus McLeod wrote:

Re: Re: Python
By: Coriolanus to Tracker1 on Sun Sep 10 2006 21:27:00

The holy was between Perl and Python is mostly unfounded.

Let me address this "holy war" briefly: I have no time for a language that deliberately uses WHITESPACE as a significant syntactic element. That's the *DUMBEST* idea I've ever heard in in the entire world of Computer Science.

You must LOVE RPG-II. It is a great language if you like crossword
puzzles. RPG-II code looked so much like a crossword puzzle. I did just enough to pass the class. And those 3270(whatever) data entry stations.
8 inch floppies. ewww, I'm getting chills just remembering the
antiquated stuff.

Ok rant is over.
So what do you think of RPG?

After the class I wanted to take a real RPG and aim it at the IBM
System-3 it ran on.

Artiken

my GF hated my Python, it ate her rabbit....

This message has ended, go in peace...

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Re: Re: Python
By: Coriolanus to Angus McLeod on Tue Sep 12 2006 01:41 pm

For what it's worth, this is an interesting discussion of what you can
and can't do with Python indentation:

http://www.secnetix.de/~olli/Python/block_indentation.hawk

The only reason I hate the significant leading whitespace issue with Python is due exclusively to the tab/space war. In python you can, of course, use either one, but MIXING the two shall not be done.

As everyone knows, tabs are for formatting.
As everyone who has ever used proportional font s for anything knows, leading tabs are the ONLY way to line up text vertically.

So, tabs should be used for lining up text.

HOWEVER about 25% of the different ways that text is presented in a fixed-width font, when copied, will expand the tabs to spaces. For example, say I have PuTTY running with a connection to my home where I did some prototyping so I want to just copy/paste a couple choice code bits from there into my code at work. when using Python, I am *required* to reformat it to match the surrounding code... even if it already visually matches.

In that last paragraph however, I purposely withheld vital information... I use four-char tabstops (thanks DM). If I used 8-char ones, it would still "work".

Regarding the oft-quoted "It will look better" thing, the C construct:
if (thing) {
...
}
else if (other_thing) {
...
}
else if (something_else) {
...
}
else {
...
}

Is quite a bit more readable than the correctly indented version:
if (thing) {
...
}
else
if(other_thing) {
...
}
else
if (something_else) {
...
}
else {
...
}

Which I presume is what is REQUIRED by Python... unless Python includes perls hacktastic elsif thing and makes an if following an else illegal (as it is in perl)


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Re: Re: Python
By: Artiken to Angus McLeod on Tue Sep 12 2006 08:44 am

You must LOVE RPG-II. It is a great language if you like crossword
puzzles. RPG-II code looked so much like a crossword puzzle. I did just enough to pass the class. And those 3270(whatever) data entry stations.
8 inch floppies. ewww, I'm getting chills just remembering the
antiquated stuff.

Ok rant is over.
So what do you think of RPG?

After the class I wanted to take a real RPG and aim it at the IBM
System-3 it ran on.

I have one IBM System-36 left at the office that hasn't been dismantled for recycling yet. You pay shipping, and you have a target :)


o
(O)
BeLLy


---
þ Synchronet

Re: Re: Python
By: Coriolanus to Angus McLeod on Tue Sep 12 2006 01:41 pm

Re: Re: Python
By: Angus McLeod to Coriolanus on Mon Sep 11 2006 22:48:00

Let me address this "holy war" briefly: I have no time for a languag that deliberately uses WHITESPACE as a significant syntactic element. That's the *DUMBEST* idea I've ever heard in in the entire world of Computer Science.

I've seen a lot worse than that. It might be dumb, but it sure makes it less likely that you are going to write crappy code that is hard to read by the next poor sap that comes along.

So the language designers are trying to make *style* a part of the language definition. I will never support that. Some people like

fn() { if () {
} } else {
}
and other people prefer

fn() if ()
{ {
} } else
{
}
while some like

fn(){} if () {}
else {}

And I tend to prefer:

def fn(): if ():
stuff stuff
else
more stuff

for small values of f() and simple if, and any attempt to force one
or the other on the programmer is a BAD thing.

For what it's worth, this is an interesting discussion of what you can
and can't do with Python indentation:

http://www.secnetix.de/~olli/Python/block_indentation.hawk

I do think Python is cleaner looking code without the extra curly
braces, but that is my personal preference. I'm not so sure it's a
travesty against computer science to use indent/outdent to define
blocks of code. That is almost as arbitrary as using curly-braces to
define the block. It is a means to an end, not something evil :-)

Well the whole spaces vs. tabs things just makes it impractical. Source files modified by different authors, editors, or computers, makes it impossible to be sure that no tabs are going to creep into the source files and confuse the parser/compiler. Just stupid design, imho.

digital man

Snapple "Real Fact" #104:
There are more then 30,000 diets on public record.
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Re: Re: Python
By: Artiken to Angus McLeod on Tue Sep 12 2006 07:44:00

Let me address this "holy war" briefly: I have no time for a language that deliberately uses WHITESPACE as a significant syntactic element. That's the *DUMBEST* idea I've ever heard in in the entire world of Computer Science.

You must LOVE RPG-II. It is a great language if you like crossword
puzzles. RPG-II code looked so much like a crossword puzzle.

I used RPG on System/3X for nearly 20 years. I know it well.

Ok rant is over.
So what do you think of RPG?

It sucks worse than Python!
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Re: Re: Python
By: Coriolanus to Angus McLeod on Tue Sep 12 2006 13:41:00

And I tend to prefer:

def fn(): if ():
stuff stuff
else
more stuff

I tend to prefer having a choice.

For what it's worth, this is an interesting discussion of what you can
and can't do with Python indentation:

http://www.secnetix.de/~olli/Python/block_indentation.hawk

Interesting, but the basic premise is that I *should* like syntactic whitespace because it's GOOD for me. Twoddle!

I do think Python is cleaner looking code without the extra curly
braces, but that is my personal preference.

Ok, so you don't like the use off braces for block-scoping the source.
Fair enough. There are a host of other options, such as:

if (foo) if (foo)
(block) begin
else (block)
(block) end
end_if; /* or 'fi' */ else
begin
(block)
end;

But to tell you the truth, sometimes I like

while (condition) do block done ;

and sometimes I like

while (condition) { block } ;

and sometimes I like

while (condition) block end_while ;

but indentation don't work for me. Look at this code:

if foo:
if bar:
do_red();
else:
do_blue();

that else: clause is a single TAB character away from disaster.

I'm not so sure it's a travesty against computer science to use indent/outdent to define blocks of code. That is almost as arbitrary as using curly-braces to define the block. It is a means to an end, not something evil :-)

It's nearly as bad as Microsoft's habit of re-justifying and
re-capitalizing code fragments, as in VBA, and so forth. It is possible
to make something worse. I've seen compilers that required keywords to be
in a special emphasis (like BOLD or /italic/) or even in a special colour.

I once used an Algol-68 compiler that required the keywords be underlined! The keywords had to be typed as follows:

IF = I, Backspace, Underscore, F, Backspace, Underscore.
or IF = I, F, Backspace, Backspace, Underscore, Underscore.

I did some work on the parser for that compiler and let me tell you, the lexical scanner was an absolute trip!





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Re: Re: Python
By: Deuce to Coriolanus on Tue Sep 12 2006 14:02:00

and can't do with Python indentation:

http://www.secnetix.de/~olli/Python/block_indentation.hawk

The only reason I hate the significant leading whitespace issue with
Python is due exclusively to the tab/space war. In python you can,
of course, use either one, but MIXING the two shall not be done.

As everyone knows, tabs are for formatting. As everyone who has
ever used proportional font s for anything knows, leading tabs are
the ONLY way to line up text vertically.

So, tabs should be used for lining up text.

HOWEVER about 25% of the different ways that text is presented in a fixed-width font, when copied, will expand the tabs to spaces. For
example, say I have PuTTY running with a connection to my home where
I did some prototyping so I want to just copy/paste a couple choice
code bits from there into my code at work. when using Python, I am *required* to reformat it to match the surrounding code... even if
it already visually matches.

Mixed tabs/spaces is ugly for just about every language, but it _does_
have the more potent runtime side-effects in python, while other
languages will just _look_ worse in this situation. One is an
execution issue, the other is a visual issue when trying to decypher
code with odd indents. I am personally in the habit of using spaces
only for ALL code that I write for just those reasons. I have had too
many incidents where mixed whitespace has caused weird debugging
issues.

Python does have the runtime flag -t and -tt to help generate a
warning or error if mixed tabs/spaces confuse it. Admittedly, I have
never used it since all my code is spaces only.

In that last paragraph however, I purposely withheld vital
information... I use four-char tabstops (thanks DM). If I used
8-char ones, it would still "work".

Me too :-)

Regarding the oft-quoted "It will look better" thing, the C
construct:
if (thing) {
...
}
else if (other_thing) {
...
}
else if (something_else) {
...
}
else {
...
}

Is quite a bit more readable than the correctly indented version:
if (thing) {
...
}
else
if(other_thing) {
...
}
else
if (something_else) {
...
}
else {
...
}

Which I presume is what is REQUIRED by Python... unless Python
includes perls hacktastic elsif thing and makes an if following an
else illegal (as it is in perl)

Not at all. Python has elif, hack or not, you decide :-)

if (thing) {
...
}
else if (other_thing) {
...
}
else if (something_else) {
...
}
else {
...
}

becomes

if (thing):
...
elif (other_thing):
...
elif (something_else):
...
else:
...

--
Coriolanus


---
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Re: Re: Python
By: Deuce to Coriolanus on Tue Sep 12 2006 02:02 pm

Re: Re: Python
By: Coriolanus to Angus McLeod on Tue Sep 12 2006 01:41 pm

For what it's worth, this is an interesting discussion of what you can and can't do with Python indentation:

http://www.secnetix.de/~olli/Python/block_indentation.hawk

The only reason I hate the significant leading whitespace issue with Python due exclusively to the tab/space war. In python you can, of course, use eit one, but MIXING the two shall not be done.

As everyone knows, tabs are for formatting.
As everyone who has ever used proportional font s for anything knows, leadin tabs are the ONLY way to line up text vertically.

So, tabs should be used for lining up text.

HOWEVER about 25% of the different ways that text is presented in a fixed-wi font, when copied, will expand the tabs to spaces. For example, say I have PuTTY running with a connection to my home where I did some prototyping so I want to just copy/paste a couple choice code bits from there into my code at work. when using Python, I am *required* to reformat it to match the surrounding code... even if it already visually matches.

In that last paragraph however, I purposely withheld vital information... I four-char tabstops (thanks DM). If I used 8-char ones, it would still "work

Regarding the oft-quoted "It will look better" thing, the C construct:
if (thing) {
...
}
else if (other_thing) {
...
}
else if (something_else) {
...
}
else {
...
}

Is quite a bit more readable than the correctly indented version:
if (thing) {
...
}
else
if(other_thing) {
...
}
else
if (something_else) {
...
}
else {
...
}

Which I presume is what is REQUIRED by Python... unless Python includes perl hacktastic elsif thing and makes an if following an else illegal (as it is i perl)

I don't think Python supports the curly braces, so it'd be:

if (thing)
...
else
if(other_thing)
...
else
if(something_else)
....

But since I don't really know Python, I'm just guessing. :-)

digital man

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Norco, CA WX: 84.3øF, 34% humidity, 0 mph W wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

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Re: Re: Python
By: Coriolanus to Deuce on Tue Sep 12 2006 08:13 pm

Which I presume is what is REQUIRED by Python... unless Python
includes perls hacktastic elsif thing and makes an if following an
else illegal (as it is in perl)

if (thing):
...
elif (other_thing):
...
elif (something_else):
...
else:
...

So, is an if following an else a syntax error (as in perl)?


---
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Re: Re: Python
By: Digital Man to Coriolanus on Tue Sep 12 2006 18:53:00

Well the whole spaces vs. tabs things just makes it impractical. Source file modified by different authors, editors, or computers, makes it impossible to sure that no tabs are going to creep into the source files and confuse the parser/compiler. Just stupid design, imho.

The worst thing is when you have some nicely tab-indented code on your
screen. You cut'n'paste a fragment, but the process converts all tabs to spaces in the pasted section. *BLAMO!* Your program justb exploded.


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Re: Re: Python
By: Angus McLeod to Coriolanus on Tue Sep 12 2006 16:02:00

Ok, so you don't like the use off braces for block-scoping the source.
Fair enough. There are a host of other options, such as:

if (foo) if (foo)
(block) begin
else (block)
(block) end
end_if; /* or 'fi' */ else
begin
(block)
end;

Ok, now that's just silly. I would rather have {} than use begin/end.
That is a lot of extraneous typing with no good purpose. I never said
I don't like braces, I was just pointing out the minimal typing to
generate readable code.

But to tell you the truth, sometimes I like

while (condition) do block done ;

and sometimes I like

while (condition) { block } ;

and sometimes I like

while (condition) block end_while ;

All of these are almost identical in structure with Python, too.

but indentation don't work for me. Look at this code:

if foo:
if bar:
do_red();
else:
do_blue();

that else: clause is a single TAB character away from disaster.

Fair enough, but at least it will be a _readable_ bug ;-)

I once used an Algol-68 compiler that required the keywords be underlined! The keywords had to be typed as follows:

IF = I, Backspace, Underscore, F, Backspace, Underscore.
or IF = I, F, Backspace, Backspace, Underscore, Underscore.

I did some work on the parser for that compiler and let me tell you, the lexical scanner was an absolute trip!

I don't even know what to say to that. Ugh!

--
Coriolanus


---
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Re: Re: Python
By: Coriolanus to Angus McLeod on Tue Sep 12 2006 22:05:00

if (foo) if (foo)
(block) begin
else (block)
(block) end
end_if; /* or 'fi' */ else
begin
(block)
end;

Ok, now that's just silly. I would rather have {} than use begin/end.
That is a lot of extraneous typing with no good purpose.

So would I. But begin/end is how it's done in Pascal, so it isn't like it would never work.

I was just pointing out the minimal typing to generate readable code.

Hey, I like perl! :-) I'd probably have liked APL if it hadn't required
a special keyboard <shudder!>

but indentation don't work for me. Look at this code:

if foo:
if bar:
do_red();
else:
do_blue();

that else: clause is a single TAB character away from disaster.

Fair enough, but at least it will be a _readable_ bug ;-)

Thing is, a missing TAB like shown in this example here:

if (foo) { if (foo) {
if (bar) { if (bar) {
do_red(); do_red();
} else { } else {
do_blue(); do_blue();
} }
} }

doesn't cause the spaceship to crash. And if one of the braces goes
missing instead of a TAB, you don't get a silent logic-bug. You get a
program that won't run and a compiler that popints you directly to the problem.

I once used an Algol-68 compiler that required the keywords be underlined! The keywords had to be typed as follows:

IF = I, Backspace, Underscore, F, Backspace, Underscore.
or IF = I, F, Backspace, Backspace, Underscore, Underscore.

I did some work on the parser for that compiler and let me tell you, the lexical scanner was an absolute trip!

I don't even know what to say to that. Ugh!

Just had a quick look at the Algol 68 Wikipedia page, and it lists the
very environment I used. Algol 68R under GEORGE 3 in an ICL 1900 series mainframe. :-) I also note there is an GNU version called ALgol 68G, and
I'm pleased to learn about it because now I know to keep far away from it!
---
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from "The Invisible Band" album
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Anyone into Python? I have a few questions relating to nested loops

Thanks

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Re: Python
By: Mortifis to All on Sun Dec 09 2018 01:40 pm

Anyone into Python? I have a few questions relating to nested loops

I've done a bit of Python for work.

Nightfox

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Re: Python
By: Mortifis to All on Sun Dec 09 2018 01:40 pm

Anyone into Python? I have a few questions relating to nested loops

Ask away. I'm curious what your question is.

The Dawn of Demise BBS (tdod.org)

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Re: Python
By: Mortifis to All on Sun Dec 09 2018 01:40 pm

Anyone into Python? I have a few questions relating to nested loops

I've done a bit of Python for work.

Seems Python is very finicky about use of proper indentation :/ I am (trying) to code some random light sequences for use with my Raspberry Pi, mostly works, however, when I try to set a while ... for ... try while ... blah blah blah it complains about indentation. when I remove the first x = 0 ... while x < cycle: x = x + 1 it seems to work correctly.

here is my spaghetti code:

#!/usr/bin/python
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
import time
import random
import mutagen.mp3
import sys

GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
GPIO.setwarnings(False)

# init list with pin numbers
seq0 = [2, 3, 4, 17, 27, 22, 10, 9] # RPI GPIO PINS
seq1 = [3, 17, 22, 9]
seq2 = [2, 4, 27, 10]
seq3 = [2, 9, 3, 10, 4, 22, 17, 27, 27, 17, 22, 4, 10, 3, 9, 2]

from random import randint
rand = random.randint(0, 3)

mP3 = sys.argv[1]

from mutagen.mp3 import MP3
audio = MP3(mP3)
cycle = int(audio.info.length)
print ' Playing ', mP3, ' for ', cycle, 'seconds'

if mP3 == "letitgo.mp3":
rand = 1 # speeds timing up
SleepTimeS = 0.2
SleepTimeL = 0.1
else:
SleepTimeS = 1.2 # normal speed
SleepTimeL = 0.2

if rand == 0: seq = seq0
if rand == 1: seq = seq1
if rand == 2: seq = seq2
if rand == 3: seq = seq3

x = 0
while x < cycle:
x = x + 1

for i in seq:
GPIO.setup(i, GPIO.OUT)
GPIO.output(i, GPIO.HIGH)

# main loop

try:
while True:

for i in seq:
GPIO.output(i, GPIO.LOW)
time.sleep(SleepTimeS);
GPIO.output(i, GPIO.HIGH)
time.sleep(SleepTimeS);
GPIO.output(i, GPIO.LOW)
time.sleep(SleepTimeS);
GPIO.output(i, GPIO.HIGH)
time.sleep(SleepTimeL);

except KeyboardInterrupt:
print " Quit"

GPIO.cleanup()

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Re: Python
By: Mortifis to All on Sun Dec 09 2018 01:40 pm

Anyone into Python? I have a few questions relating to nested loops

Ask away. I'm curious what your question is.

My question is about indentation and nested loops ... seems at times I get syntax error as well (x += 1) . I can paste the code if you are a good reader :-P the code I pasted to Nightfox works except that it does loop through the while x < cycle: as a main counter.

What is need is a counter so that the GPIO pins blink only for the length of an mp3 then automagically shutdown when the song is over

In the code I pasted to Nightfox the lights blink until ^C is hit

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Re: Re: Python
By: Mortifis to Minex on Mon Dec 10 2018 11:37:55

What is need is a counter so that the GPIO pins blink only for the length of an mp3 then automagically shutdown when the song is over

What value does audio.info.length represent? Duration of the song in seconds / milliseconds / something else? File size?

I doubt if a counter is the right way to go. Seems like you could store the start time prior to entering the loop, and then make your While condition something like 'current_time - start_time < song_duration', so that the loop breaks once that amount of time has passed.

In the code I pasted to Nightfox the lights blink until ^C is hit

As expected, I assume.

---
echicken
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Re: Python
By: Mortifis to All on Sun Dec 09 2018 01:40 pm

Anyone into Python? I have a few questions relating to nested loops

I've done a bit of Python for work.

I appreciate you looking in this for me, I think I figured out the correct loop usage I need, python is soooo F$%&'n finicky -;P:

#!/usr/bin/python
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
import time
import random
import mutagen.mp3
import sys

GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
GPIO.setwarnings(False)

# init list with pin numbers
seq0 = [2, 3, 4, 17, 27, 22, 10, 9] # RPI GPIO PINS
seq1 = [3, 17, 22, 9]
seq2 = [2, 4, 27, 10]
seq3 = [2, 9, 3, 10, 4, 22, 17, 27, 27, 17, 22, 4, 10, 3, 9, 2]

from random import randint
rand = random.randint(0, 3)

mP3 = sys.argv[1]

from mutagen.mp3 import MP3
audio = MP3(mP3)
cycle = int(audio.info.length)
print ' Playing ', mP3, ' for ', cycle, 'seconds'

if mP3 == "letitgo.mp3":
rand = 1 # speeds timing up
SleepTimeS = 0.2
SleepTimeL = 0.1
else:
SleepTimeS = 1.2 # normal speed
SleepTimeL = 0.2

if rand == 0: seq = seq0
if rand == 1: seq = seq1
if rand == 2: seq = seq2
if rand == 3: seq = seq3

x = 0
while x < cycle:
x = x + 1

for i in seq:
GPIO.setup(i, GPIO.OUT)
GPIO.output(i, GPIO.HIGH)

# main loop

try:
while True and x < cycle:

for i in seq:
GPIO.output(i, GPIO.LOW)
time.sleep(SleepTimeS);
GPIO.output(i, GPIO.HIGH)
time.sleep(SleepTimeS);
GPIO.output(i, GPIO.LOW)
time.sleep(SleepTimeS);
GPIO.output(i, GPIO.HIGH)
time.sleep(SleepTimeL);
# 4 seconds to cycle loop
x = int(x + ((SleepTimeS + SleepTimeL) * 3))

except KeyboardInterrupt:
print " Quit"

GPIO.cleanup()

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Re: Re: Python
By: Mortifis to Minex on Mon Dec 10 2018 11:37:55

What is need is a counter so that the GPIO pins blink only for the length of an mp3 then automagically shutdown when the song is over

What value does audio.info.length represent? Duration of the song in seconds / milliseconds / something else? File size?

yes, audo.info.length is the time of the mp3 in seconds, int(audio.info.length) makes it a whole number

I doubt if a counter is the right way to go. Seems like you could store the start time prior to entering the loop, and then make your While condition something like 'current_time - start_time < song_duration', so that the loop breaks once that amount of time has passed.

isn't that just a counter of sorts as well? I discover the error of my ways, I was putting an unnecessary while: ahead of everything, the easy-for-me solution to self-terminate when the song finished playing was

mP3 = sys.argv[1]

from mutagen.mp3 import MP3
audio = MP3(mP3)
cycle = int(audio.info.length)

x = 0

for i in seq:
GPIO.setup(i, GPIO.OUT)
GPIO.output(i, GPIO.HIGH)
seq.reverse()

try:
while True and x < cycle:

for i in seq:
GPIO.output(i, GPIO.LOW)
time.sleep(SleepTimeS);
GPIO.output(i, GPIO.HIGH)
time.sleep(SleepTimeS);
GPIO.output(i, GPIO.LOW)
time.sleep(SleepTimeS);
GPIO.output(i, GPIO.HIGH)
time.sleep(SleepTimeL);
# 4 seconds to cycle loop
x = int(x + ((SleepTimeS + SleepTimeL) * 3.5))

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Re: Re: Python
By: Mortifis to echicken on Mon Dec 10 2018 15:13:06

isn't that just a counter of sorts as well?

Sure, as much as any clock is a counter incrementing with the passage of time. I don't mean that "using a counter" is inherently bad, just that there's a more straightforward approach that also lets you ditch a magic number.

Doesn't matter, you'll achieve the same result in the end.

---
echicken
electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-425-5435
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Re: Re: Python
By: Mortifis to Nightfox on Mon Dec 10 2018 12:16 pm

I appreciate you looking in this for me, I think I figured out the correct loop usage I need, python is soooo F$%&'n finicky -;P:

Good to hear you may have figured it out.

Yeah, Python has strict rules about indentation. Instead of using curly braces to mark blocks of code like other languages, all the lines in a block of code in Python must be indented the same way (same number of spaces or tabs).

Nightfox

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Re: Re: Python
By: Mortifis to echicken on Mon Dec 10 2018 15:13:06

isn't that just a counter of sorts as well?

Sure, as much as any clock is a counter incrementing with

the passage of

time. I don't mean that "using a counter" is inherently

bad, just that

there's a more straightforward approach that also lets you

ditch a magic

number.

Doesn't matter, you'll achieve the same result in the end.

I prefer straightforward approaches, I just started looking
at Python and am not very familiar with the structure and
functions.

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Re: Re: Python
By: Mortifis to Nightfox on Mon Dec 10 2018 12:16 pm

I appreciate you looking in this for me, I think I

figured out the

correct loop usage I need, python is soooo F$%&'n

finicky -;P:

Good to hear you may have figured it out.

Yeah, Python has strict rules about indentation. Instead

of using curly

braces to mark blocks of code like other languages, all the

lines in a block

of code in Python must be indented the same way (same

number of spaces or

tabs).

So much for being a lazy spaghetti coder with python lol

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Re: Re: Python
By: Nightfox to Mortifis on Mon Dec 10 2018 07:13 pm

Yeah, Python has strict rules about indentation. Instead of using curly braces to mark blocks of code like other languages, all the lines in a block of code in Python must be indented the same way (same number of spaces or tabs).

This is something I love about Python, personally.

Make sure you don't mix spaces and tabs for indentation in your code, or Python will likely complain.

--Josh

////--------------------------------------------------
BiC -=- http://breakintochat.com -=- bbs wiki and blog

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Re: Re: Python
By: Kirkman to Nightfox on Tue Dec 11 2018 09:26 pm

This is something I love about Python, personally.

Make sure you don't mix spaces and tabs for indentation in your code, or Python will likely complain.

I like that it helps keep code consistent, but one downside that bugs me is that text editors often assume you want to continue your indented code block in Python, and Python doesn't use curly braces, which text editors often use with other languages to know when you're done with a code block. In other languages, text editors can even know you're done with a one-line block of code without curly braces since that's how other programming languages work.

Nightfox

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Re: Re: Python
By: Kirkman to Nightfox on Tue Dec 11 2018 09:26 pm

This is something I love about Python, personally.

Make sure you don't mix spaces and tabs for indentation in your code, or Python will likely complain.

I like that it helps keep code consistent, but one downside that bugs me is that text editors often assume you want to continue your indented code block in Python, and Python doesn't use curly braces, which text editors often use with other languages to know when you're done with a code block. In other languages, text editors can even know you're done with a one-line block of code without curly braces since that's how other programming languages work.

I keep running into unexpected indent or unexpected unindent when using nested loops and such, which is obviously my lack of understanding of Python. Another problem I keep running into is, for example, x = x + 1 or x += 1 ... syntax error. I won't paste my troubled code but Python is definitely a finicky language

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I keep running into unexpected indent or unexpected unindent when using nested loops and such, which is obviously my lack of understanding of Python. Another problem I keep running into is, for example, x = x + 1 or x += 1 ... syntax error. I won't paste my troubled code but Python is definitely a finicky language

I don't know what you're using for an editor, but it's not working for you. NotePad++, Visual Studio Code, PyCharm, and Sublime Text will all help with syntax, formatting, and beautification. You will most likely need to install plugins to make them work with python code, but a good editor always helps.

Fireball

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