RawCode

Thanks to luthe over at the Arstehnica forums and Collin for their input.

I have fixed the following items:

#!C:/python25/
#filename:rollDie.py
#Version 0.6 - Improved error checking of sides, a improved retry loop and formatting operators!

import random

def rollDie():
    #DocString
    '''\nUses a random number generator to guess a user specified number.

     Uses two user defined integers (one to define the set, and one as a target number) and then tries to guess at random using random.randrange.\n'''

    #rollDie intro
    print 'Welcome to the Lucky Number Program!\n'
    run = True

    while run == True:
        #query for sides and error check
        sidesCheck = False
        while sidesCheck == False:
            sides = int(raw_input('Enter the number of sides for the dice:'))
            if sides >= 2:
                sidesCheck = True
            else:
                print 'Impossible to roll a die with %s sides!' % (sides, )

        #query for luckyNumber and error check
        luckyNumberCheck = False
        while luckyNumberCheck == False:
            luckyNumber = int(raw_input('Enter your Lucky number:'))
            if (0 < luckyNumber <= sides):
                luckyNumberCheck = True
            else:
               print 'You will never roll %s with a %s sided die!\n' % (luckyNumber, sides, )

        #Input is valid, now to guess it at random
        value = random.randrange(sides) +1
        count = 1
        while value != luckyNumber:
            print value
            value = random.randrange(sides) +1
            count += 1
        print 'Finally got the number %s! It only took %s guesses!' % (luckyNumber, count, )

        #We guessed the lucky number, query for retry
        retryLoop = True
        while retryLoop == True:
            tryAgain = str (raw_input('Want to try again? Type yes,no or explain\n'))
            if tryAgain == 'yes':
                retryLoop = False
            elif tryAgain == 'no':
                print 'Ok we are done!'
                retryLoop = False
                run = False
            elif tryAgain == 'explain':
                print rollDie.__doc__
###########################################################################

rollDie()

I am progressing (albeit slowly) in python, but I seem to have a decent grasp on functions.

In this sample rolldie function, I had an issue with random.randrange. If I specified a range of 6, it would roll 0-5 which is fine. Initially I mistakenly tried to correct for this by adjusting the input provided to random.randrange. A much better solution was to adjust the output of the random.randrange function by doing random.randrange +1.

It was a simple problem with a very simple solution, but it is an important lesson:

If a function is not giving you the output you desire; adjust the function, not the input.

(cue “The More You know” music)

#!C:/python25/
#filename:rollDie.py
#Version 0.5 - Improved error checking of luckyNumber and added comments

import random

def rollDie():
    #DocString
    '''\nUses a random number generator to guess a user specified number.

     Uses two user defined integers (one to define the set, and one as a target number) and then tries to guess at random using random.randrange.\n'''

#rollDie intro
print 'Welcome to the Lucky Number Program!\n'
run = True

while run == True:
    #query for user input and setup variables
    sides = int(raw_input('Enter the number of sides for the dice:'))
    luckyNumber = int(raw_input('Enter your Lucky number:'))
    count = 1
    value = random.randrange(sides) +1

    #Error checking the luckyNumber variable
    while luckyNumber <= 0:
        print 'Impossible to roll', luckyNumber,'!'
        luckyNumber = int(raw_input('Enter your Lucky number:'))
    while luckyNumber > sides:
        print 'You will never roll', luckyNumber, 'with only', sides, 'sides!\n'
        luckyNumber = int(raw_input('Enter your Lucky number:'))

    #OK luckyNumber is good, now to guess it at random
    while value != luckyNumber:
        print value
        value = random.randrange(sides) +1
        count += 1
    print 'Finally got the number ', luckyNumber, '! It only took', count, 'Guesses!'

    #We guessed the lucky number, query for retry
    tryAgain = str (raw_input('Want to try again? Type yes,no or explain\n'))
    while tryAgain == 'explain':
        print rollDie.__doc__
        tryAgain = str (raw_input('Want to try again? Type yes,no or explain\n'))
    if tryAgain == 'no':
        print 'Ok we are done!'
        run = False
    elif tryAgain == 'yes':
        pass
###########################################################################

rollDie()

Filed by RawCode at 3:20 am under Python
2 Comments

Well instead of playing with LFS, I have started toying around with Python, and so far I am loving the readability and ease of use. Here is the very basic program I wrote that calculates the perimeter and area of a user defined square. This is only after about 6 hours of reading and playing around so I think I am doing pretty good:

#!/usr/var/python
#filename: flow_control

debug = 0
repeat = 'yes'

print 'This application calculates the perimeter and area of a user defined square.'

if debug == 1:
    print '**begin user data collection function** \n'

while repeat == 'yes':
    width = float (raw_input('\nEnter the measured width: '))
    length = float (raw_input('Enter the measured length: '))

    if debug == 1:
        print '**Begin caculation function** \n'

    perimeter = 2 * (width + length)
    area = (length * width)

    if debug == 1:
        print '**Begin display of calculated measurements** \n'

    print '\nI have calculated the perimeter as:', perimeter
    print 'I have calculated the area as:', area

    repeat = str (raw_input('\nDo you want to try again? Type yes or no. \n'))

else:
        print 'Ok, we are done here. Thanks!'

Filed by RawCode at 8:21 am under Python
2 Comments