Readings

The readings for Tuesday, January 19 are:

1. Scipy Lecture Notes

   • 1.2.5. Reusing code: scripts and modules

2. A Byte of Python

   • 11. Modules

Questions

Once you have completed these readings, please answer the following questions:

1. What is the difference between a script, module, and package. Can a single Python file be both a script and a module? Explain.

2. What happens when you perform an import in your Python program? Why is the following command dangerous?

   from math import *
   

3. Create a script, hello1.py that asks the user for their name and then prints out Hello, <name>!. Here is an example execution of your script:

   $ ./hello.py
   What is your name? Bob
   Hello, Bob!
   

4. Create a second script, hello2.py that takes one argument, name and prints Hello, <name>!. Here is an example execution of your script:

   $ ./hello.py Bob
   Hello, Bob!
   

5. Create a module called greeter.py that contains a single function:

   def greet(name):
       ''' Prints "Hello, <name>!" '''
       # TODO: Implement function
   

   Create a third script called hello3.py that utilizes your greeter.py module to implement the same program above (ie. take one argument name and prints Hello, <name>!.

Feedback

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding the course, please provide your feedback at the end of your response.

Submission

To submit your response, please commit your work (responses and scripts) to your Readings Bitbucket repository.

If you wish to utilize Git and Bitbucket in the terminal, here is a rough outline of the workflow:

1. If you don't have a copy of your Git repository yet, you need to clone it first:

   # Create local clone of Git repository
   $ git clone https://YOUR_USERNAME@bitbucket.org/YOUR_USERNAME/readings.git
   

   Of course, replace YOUR_USERNAME with your username :].

   Note: If you have already cloned it to your machine, you don't need to do this again. You only need to clone once.

   SSH_ASKPASS workaround

   If you try to do a git clone on the student machines and it starts but fails to ask you for a password, try running this command first:

   unsetenv SSH_ASKPASS
   

   This will force git to use the terminal to ask you for your password rather than popup a window.

2. Once you have a local Git repository go into the readings folder, record your answers in the reading01.md file, and edit your scripts:

   # Go into the readings directory
   $ cd readings
   
   # Record answers in reading01.md
   $ nano reading01.md
   
   # Write hello1.py script
   $ nano hello1.py
   
   # Write hello2.py script
   $ nano hello2.py
   
   # Write greeter.py script
   $ nano greeter.py
   
   # Write hello3.py script
   $ nano hello3.py
   

3. Once you have recorded your answers and written your scripts, you can not commit to the Git log and then send your changes to Bitbucket:

   # Add files to Git staging area
   $ git add reading01.md hello1.py hello2.py greeter.py hello3.py
   
   # Commit work to log
   $ git commit -m "Complete Reading 01"
   

   If you need to additional edits or modifications after you commit, you simply perform the add and commit to record each change.

   When you are done with your work, you can send it to your Bitbucket repository:

   # Send work to Bitbucket
   $ git push
   

Of course, you may choose to edit and upload files via Bitbucket's web interface, but I recommend you become familiar with Git's command-line workflow.