Brilliant! Thanks so much. Makes perfect sense. Onward and upward then! On Thu, Feb 18, 2016 at 1:16 PM, Alan Gauld <alan.ga...@btinternet.com> wrote:
> On 18/02/16 14:10, Lisa Hasler Waters wrote: > > Alan, > > > > Thank you so very much! This worked perfectly! > > > > Now, if you don't mind and you have the time, can you please elaborate > > on when we (we being Python novices) would use the /Shell/ vs when it > > is best to use the /Editor/? > > > > You need to use the editor any time you want to create a file that you > can run > outside of IDLE. Especially for anything more than a dozen lines long - its > much easier to edit in the editor than to try to recall all the lines > you typed > in the shell. > > The >>> prompt is for experimenting, trying out ideas. Running the help() > command to read documentation etc. Anything interactive or temporary.. > > I often find when I'm working on a project that I'll be entering my code in > the editor but then want to find out how some module or function works. > I then switch to the shell, try it out interactively and once I'm > comfortable > switch back to the editor to create the final code. > > Another thing the shell is good for is informal testing of modules. You can > import them at the >>> prompt and then call the various functions/classes > interactively. > > Of course eventually you will want to learn about how to formally test code > too but for beginners the shell is often the best and most instructive and > fun way to start with testing. > > -- > Alan G > Author of the Learn to Program web site > http://www.alan-g.me.uk/ > http://www.amazon.com/author/alan_gauld > Follow my photo-blog on Flickr at: > http://www.flickr.com/photos/alangauldphotos > > -- Lisa Waters, PhD Technology Integration Flint Hill School _______________________________________________ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org To unsubscribe or change subscription options: https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
