Program 1 - Installing and Using Python
In this assignment you will write your first Python program.
Your program should print out a sentence like this:
My name is Carol Ono and I am taking ECS 10 because
it is required for my major.
It has to include your name
(so unless your name is Carol Ono the sentence your program prints should be different from the example
sentence above), and the phrase "...and I am taking ECS 10 because...".
Feel free to tell us the real reason you are taking this course. There will be no retribution.
But, just to make it hard, you program MAY NOT include either a "1" or a "0".
So a program that included the statement below would lose points:
print "My name is Carol Ono and I am taking ECS 10 because it is required for my major."
Where to do the assignment
You can do this assignment either in the lab
or on your own computer, if you have one.
If you do the assignment in the lab, note that to get to
IDLE you choose "Class software", then "Python 2.5", and then "IDLE".
To do the
assignment on your own computer, you will need to
install Python.
We strongly recommend you install Python, and we strongly
recommend that you do it this week.
If you have a laptop, you could bring it to lab
hours and we would be happy to help you install Python.
The book suggests that you install Python from the CD at the
back of the book.
Ignore this, and download it as described
on the Web page. That way, you get the latest version.
Either way,
we suggest you begin by making a new folder on your Desktop,
called "ECS 10",
where you can keep your work.
To do this, put the mouse on an empty spot on the Desktop
and right click, select "New" and then "Folder".
When the folder appears, its name should be highlighted;
type "ECS 10" to rename it.
Getting started
This is similar to the "Game Over" program in
Chapter 1 of the textbook.
Before you write the program, familiarize yourself with
using IDLE by working through all the things that
pages 7-9 suggest that you try. Actually try them.
It really helps. Then
follow the instructions on page 10: open a script window,
type in your lines (or line...) of Python code, and then
run it by selecting "Run", and then "Run Module".
If you get as far as page 14, there is an error!
The magic line that makes the program pause for input is
raw_input("\n\n...
NOT
raw input("\n\n....
At this point
you will be asked to save your program.
Save it to your new folder on the Desktop, and name
it "prog1.py".
In Windows, it will
show up in the folder with the Python logo.
The program should then run immediately,
producing the output
IN THE IDLE WINDOW, not in the script window.
For instance,
running my version of the
program makes this appear in the IDLE window:
>>> ================================ RESTART ================================
>>>
My name is Prof. Amenta, and I am teaching ECS 10 because I taught it last year and I had a pretty good time.
Handing in the program
We will use myUCDavis to hand in assignments.
Enter myUCDavis and select
ECS 10 from your list of courses on the right.
Left-click "Assignments" near the upper left, and then "Project 1".
Click on "Drop-Off" and then "Browse". Get to your Desktop, and then
to the "ECS 10" folder you made, and finally select your file
"prog1.py".
The file name "prog1.py" should appear in the box next to the "Browse"
button.
Click "drop-off" to hand in your program.
Do NOT hand in a screenshot of your program's output.
Do NOT hand in a text file containing the words "My name is Carol Ono...".
We want the file containing your Python program, which we will run
when grading.
Saving your work
If you are working on your own computer, you can just leave the ECS 10 folder
on your Desktop for the rest of the quarter.
If you are working in the lab, you will need to take the
folder with you on your flash-drive or save it to your
personal file storage area on myUCDavis.
To save it on flash-drive,a
plug the flash-drive into the computer (the staff in the computer
classrooms can help you figure out how), open the flash-drive, and
copy the whole ECS 10 folder onto it by moving the folder from the
Desktop onto the flash-drive.