Website Programming Applications IV (Python) Information

Module Documents

CGI Demonstrations

WPA4 Mailing List Manager

LETS trading simulation game.

Downloads

cgiutils1.py source code for the CGI Utilities Module version 1.

Python and HTML source code for WPA4 list management CGI demonstration programs.

ballbox.py and balls.py source codes for dropping balls class demo.

Calling python code and compiled python code module for bouncing balls class demo.

Course Notes and Tutorial/Lab excercises

1.1 What is Python ?
1.2 Python books and Internet resources
1.3 Python as a programming language
1.4 Simple Python program examples
1.5 Creating and running a Python program
1.6 Some number operations
1.7 Some text-string operations

Week 1 Tutorial exercises

2.1 Getting user input from the keyboard
2.2 if, elif, and else program branches
2.3 Comparing numbers and strings
2.4 Combining tests with 'not','and' and 'or'
2.5 Accessing files on disk
2.6 File opening
2.7 File output
2.8 Input from files
2.9 Closing files

Week 2 Tutorial exercises

3.1 Tuples or lists you can't change
3.2 Lists you can change
3.3 Strings as immutable lists of characters
3.4 List and string slices
3.5 Generating sequences using range()
3.6 for loops
3.7 while loops
3.8 using a loop to build a list
3.9 breaking out of a loop early

Week 3 Tutorial exercises

4.1 Mastering the horrible exploding bug swarm
4.2 A simple function example
4.3 Identifying functions during program design
4.4 Sending objects to functions using parameters
4.5 Returning objects from functions
4.6 Local, global and built-in object name scope
4.7 Modules for filing functions and data neatly
4.8 Modules, importing and use of names
4.9 Using Python's built in modules
4.10 The PYTHONPATH environment variable

Week 4 Tutorial exercises

5.1 Dictionary basics
5.2 Compound keys and values
5.3 Lists of Dictionaries
5.4 Other data structures
5.5 Saving and loading complex objects using pickle
5.6 Using the string module
5.7 Introduction to Regular Expressions
5.8 Common Patterns and REs to match them
5.9 Using a RE in a Python program
5.10 Getting text before, on and after the match
5.11 Substituting matched text

Week 5 Tutorial exercises

6.1 Why classes and objects ?
6.2 Using a trivial class and made up attributes
6.3 Methods
6.4 Constructor methods
6.5 Class data attributes
6.6 Inheritance
6.7 Polymorphism
6.8 Controlling access to class and object attributes

Week 6 Tutorial exercises

7.1 Error Handling
7.2 Trapping an error
7.3 The catchall approach
7.4 Raising your own exceptions
7.5 Forcing cleanup with try - finally
7.6 Defining your own error
7.7 Using command line parameters in Python
7.8 Use of the glob module for file wildcarding
7.9 Use of the os, stat and time modules

Week 7 Tutorial exercises

8.1 Introduction to the CGI environment
8.2 Outputting variable data using HTML
8.3 Passing parameters to a CGI program using the URL
8.4 Using a HTML Form
8.5 Getting a Python program to send a mail message
8.6 Precautions needed when automating mail
8.7 Automatic mail response to HTML Form input

Week 8 Tutorial exercises

9.1 Validating CGI form and URL input
9.2 Validation functions
9.3 Packaging some useful CGI and mail functions
9.4 Ending the HTML
9.5 Maintaining session state
9.6 Use of cookies in maintaining state
9.7 Use of data stored on the server for maintaining state
9.8 Use of hidden form fields to authenticate users and track session
9.9 Creating a session key or PIN
9.10 Debugging cgiutils.py module code
9.11 Further developing the cgiutils module

Week 9 Tutorial exercises

10.1 Extending cgiutils2.py to handle inputs
10.2 A PIN generating function
10.3 Handling multiple values for the same key
10.4 Handling float and int values
10.5 Testing the extended cgiutils2 module
10.6 Debugging techniques for CGI programs

Week 10 Tutorial exercises

11.1 CGI data storage
11.2 Designing a database table class for CGI use
11.3 CGI table class methods
11.4 CGI table class data
11.5 CGI table class source code
11.6 Testing and debugging the table class
11.7 CGI program concurrency and file storage
11.8 The Mailman LockFile.py module

Week 11 Tutorial exercises

12.1 Purpose of the WPA4 list management system
12.2 Use of CGI programs and Python modules
12.3 Database tables and the table_details.py module
12.4 entry.form
12.5 entry.cgi
12.6 add.form
12.7 add.cgi
12.8 post.form
12.9 post.cgi

Week 12 Tutorial exercises