This module aims to provide an introduction to programming in the Python scripting language. This course is ideal for the student who already has some knowledge of computer programming.
Learning Outcomes
Topics covered in this introductory course include:
- Running and compiling programs
- Statements required to create and process objects in Python
- Introduction to the built-in object types such as numbers, lists and dictionaries
- Organisation of Python code into modules
- Introduction to Python classes and exploration of Python Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) tool
- Exception handling
- Built-in tools
AN INTRODUCTION TO PYTHON
- Introductory Remarks about Python
- Strengths and Weaknesses
- A Brief History of Python
- Python Versions
- Installing Python
- Environment Variables
- Executing Python from the Command Line
- IDLE
- Editing Python Files
- Getting Help
- Dynamic Types
- Python Reserved Words
- Naming Conventions
BASIC PYTHON SYNTAX
- Introduction
- Basic Syntax
- Comments
- String Values
- String Operations
- The format Method
- String Slices
- String Operators
- Numeric Data Types
- Conversions
- Simple Input and Output
- The print Function
LANGUAGE COMPONENTS
- Introduction
- Control Flow and Syntax
- Indenting
- The if Statement
- Relational Operators
- Logical Operators
- True or False
- Bit Wise Operators
- The while Loop
- break and continue
- The for Loop
COLLECTIONS
- Introduction
- Lists
- Tuples
- Sets
- Dictionaries
- Sorting Dictionaries
- Copying Collections
- Summary
FUNCTIONS
- Introduction
- Defining Your Own Functions
- Parameters
- Function Documentation
- Keyword and Optional Parameters
- Passing Collections to a Function
- Variable Number of Arguments
- Scope
- Functions – “First Class Citizens”
- Passing Functions to a Function
- Mapping Functions in a Dictionary
- Lambda
- Closures
MODULES
- Modules
- Standard Modules – sys
- Standard Modules – math
- Standard Modules – time
- The dir Function
EXCEPTIONS
- Errors
- Run Time Errors
- The Exception Model
- Exception Hierarchy
- Handling Multiple Exceptions
- Raise
- Assert
- Writing Your Own Exception Classes
INPUT AND OUTPUT
- Introduction
- Data Streams
- Creating Your Own Data Streams
- Access Modes
- Writing Data to a File
- Reading Data From a File
- Additional File Methods
- Using Pipes as Data Streams
- Handling IO Exceptions
- Working with Directories
- Metadata
- The pickle Module
CLASSES IN PYTHON
- Classes in Python
- Principles of Object Orientation
- Creating Classes
- Instance Methods
- File Organization
- Special Methods
- Class Variables
- Inheritance
- Polymorphism
- Type Identification
- Custom Exception Classes
- Class Documentation – pydoc
REGULAR EXPRESSIONS
- Introduction
- Simple Character Matches
- Special Characters
- Character Classes
- Quantifiers
- The Dot Character
- Greedy Matches
- Grouping
- Matching at Beginning or End
- Match Objects
- Substituting
- Splitting a String
- Compiling Regular Expressions
- Flags
