<< Chapter < Page Chapter >> Page >

Alternative approaches

There are at least three (and probably more) alternative online approaches that allow you to write and run Python code without a requirement toinstall Python on your computer:

All three of these approaches run in a browser and can even be used with a tablet or a smart phone.

Skulpt

Skulpt is an entirely in-browser implementation of Python. No local installation, plugins, or server-side support is required.

Just go to www.skulpt.org in your computer, tablet, or smart phone, scroll down to the Demo pane, type in your Python code and click the Run button below the Demo pane. The program output will appear inthe Output pane below the Run button.

You can learn more about using Skulpt, including how to embed Skulpt in your HTML pages in the module titled Itse1359-2410-Getting Started with Skulpt in this book .

Online code visualizer

See the section titled Visualize your script file with the Online Python Tutor later in this module for a discussion of an online code visualizer. This tool also runs in a browser and can be used with acomputer, a tablet, or a smart phone.

How To Think Like a Computer Scientist

How To Think Like a Computer Scientist - Interactive is an online interactive textbook that can be freely accessed in your browser ona computer, a tablet, or a smart phone. It uses the two tools described above plus video, self-check quizzes, and other features to teach Python programming.There are numerous opportunities within the book for you to write and run Python code completely within your browser.

(Note that as of February, 2015, the online video in the book seems to have an audio compatibility problem with my Android tablet. I have discussedthis with the author and I expect the problem to be corrected soon.)

Visualize your script file with the Online Python Tutor

When learning to program, it is often useful to be able to follow the execution of a program step-by-step. A free online tool called the Online Python Tutor makes this possible. (You have seen some output from this tool in earlier modules. I will provide a more detailed explanation of how to use the tool inthe module titled Itse1359-1065-Visualizing Python in this book . )

The following quotation was copied from pythontutor.com .

" Online Python Tutor is a free educational tool created by Philip Guo that helps students overcome a fundamental barrier to learning programming: understanding what happens as the computer executes each line of a program's source code. Using this tool, a teacher or student can write Python , Java , and JavaScript programs in the Web browser and visualize what the computer is doing step-by-step as it executes those programs."

Beginning with this module and continuing with future modules, I will recommend that you

  • Open the Online Python Tutor .
  • Copy the example programs, such as the code shown in Listing 2 , into the online text editor .
  • Select Python 3.3 in the pull-down list.
  • Click the button labeled Visualize Execution .

The screen will then change to include what you see in Figure 2 . Use the Forward and Back buttons to step forward and backward through your code, one instruction at a time, while observing the information thatappears on the screen to the right of the code window.

For example, Figure 2 shows the Online Python Tutor visualizer screen after the first threestatements from Listing 2 have been executed. The information on the right shows the values stored in the variables named a and b at that point in the execution of the program.

Figure 2 . Online Python Tutor visualizer screen output.

missing image

As you might expect, more complicated code produces more complicated output from the visualizer.For example, Figure 3 shows the output from the Online Python Tutor when visualizing a program from a future module titled Itse1359-1440-Class Variables in this book .

Figure 3 . Visualizing a program from a future module.

missing image

What's next ?

Obviously, there is a lot more that you will need to learn before you canwrite that "killer app" that takes the world by storm, but at this point, you have the tools to experiment with some simple scripts.

Practice, practice

I recommend that you look back into the earlier modules and convert some of the interactive programs listed there into scripts, execute them, and confirmthat the scripts behave as expected.

Cut-and-paste programming

In future modules, I will switch back and forth between scripts and interactive mode, depending on which seems to be the most appropriate at thetime.

I am a strong advocate of cut-and-paste programming. Cut-and-paste programming works well with scripts, and not so well with interactive mode.

Therefore, any time there is very much typing involved, you can usually expect to see me using scripts instead of interactive mode.

Miscellaneous

This section contains a variety of miscellaneous information.

Housekeeping material
  • Module name: Itse1359-1050-Introduction to Scripts
  • File: Itse1359-1050.htm
  • Published: 10/14/14
  • Revised: 01/31/16
Disclaimers:

Financial : Although the Connexions site makes it possible for you to download a PDF file for thismodule at no charge, and also makes it possible for you to purchase a pre-printed version of the PDF file, you should beaware that some of the HTML elements in this module may not translate well into PDF.

I also want you to know that, I receive no financial compensation from the Connexions website even if you purchase the PDF version of the module.

In the past, unknown individuals have copied my modules from cnx.org, converted them to Kindle books, and placed them for sale on Amazon.com showing me as the author. Ineither receive compensation for those sales nor do I know who does receive compensation. If you purchase such a book, please beaware that it is a copy of a module that is freely available on cnx.org and that it was made and published withoutmy prior knowledge.

Affiliation : I am a professor of Computer Information Technology at Austin Community College in Austin, TX.

-end-

Questions & Answers

A golfer on a fairway is 70 m away from the green, which sits below the level of the fairway by 20 m. If the golfer hits the ball at an angle of 40° with an initial speed of 20 m/s, how close to the green does she come?
Aislinn Reply
cm
tijani
what is titration
John Reply
what is physics
Siyaka Reply
A mouse of mass 200 g falls 100 m down a vertical mine shaft and lands at the bottom with a speed of 8.0 m/s. During its fall, how much work is done on the mouse by air resistance
Jude Reply
Can you compute that for me. Ty
Jude
what is the dimension formula of energy?
David Reply
what is viscosity?
David
what is inorganic
emma Reply
what is chemistry
Youesf Reply
what is inorganic
emma
Chemistry is a branch of science that deals with the study of matter,it composition,it structure and the changes it undergoes
Adjei
please, I'm a physics student and I need help in physics
Adjanou
chemistry could also be understood like the sexual attraction/repulsion of the male and female elements. the reaction varies depending on the energy differences of each given gender. + masculine -female.
Pedro
A ball is thrown straight up.it passes a 2.0m high window 7.50 m off the ground on it path up and takes 1.30 s to go past the window.what was the ball initial velocity
Krampah Reply
2. A sled plus passenger with total mass 50 kg is pulled 20 m across the snow (0.20) at constant velocity by a force directed 25° above the horizontal. Calculate (a) the work of the applied force, (b) the work of friction, and (c) the total work.
Sahid Reply
you have been hired as an espert witness in a court case involving an automobile accident. the accident involved car A of mass 1500kg which crashed into stationary car B of mass 1100kg. the driver of car A applied his brakes 15 m before he skidded and crashed into car B. after the collision, car A s
Samuel Reply
can someone explain to me, an ignorant high school student, why the trend of the graph doesn't follow the fact that the higher frequency a sound wave is, the more power it is, hence, making me think the phons output would follow this general trend?
Joseph Reply
Nevermind i just realied that the graph is the phons output for a person with normal hearing and not just the phons output of the sound waves power, I should read the entire thing next time
Joseph
Follow up question, does anyone know where I can find a graph that accuretly depicts the actual relative "power" output of sound over its frequency instead of just humans hearing
Joseph
"Generation of electrical energy from sound energy | IEEE Conference Publication | IEEE Xplore" ***ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7150687?reload=true
Ryan
what's motion
Maurice Reply
what are the types of wave
Maurice
answer
Magreth
progressive wave
Magreth
hello friend how are you
Muhammad Reply
fine, how about you?
Mohammed
hi
Mujahid
A string is 3.00 m long with a mass of 5.00 g. The string is held taut with a tension of 500.00 N applied to the string. A pulse is sent down the string. How long does it take the pulse to travel the 3.00 m of the string?
yasuo Reply
Who can show me the full solution in this problem?
Reofrir Reply
Got questions? Join the online conversation and get instant answers!
Jobilize.com Reply

Get Jobilize Job Search Mobile App in your pocket Now!

Get it on Google Play Download on the App Store Now




Source:  OpenStax, Itse 1359 introduction to scripting languages: python. OpenStax CNX. Jan 22, 2016 Download for free at https://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11713/1.32
Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.

Notification Switch

Would you like to follow the 'Itse 1359 introduction to scripting languages: python' conversation and receive update notifications?

Ask