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Hacking Mode

On one hand we have interactive use of the Python interpreter: we type something and the interpreter responds immediately. We can do simple things, but when our statements get too long, this interaction can become a niusance. We introduced this first, in the section called “Command-Line Interaction”.

On the other hand, we have scripted use of the interpreter: we present a file as a finished program to execute. While handy for getting useful results, this isn't the easiest way to get a program to work in the first place. We described this in the section called “Script Mode”.

In between the interactive mode and scripted mode, we have a third operating mode, that we might call hacking mode. The idea is to write most of our script and then exercise portions of our script interactively. In this mode, we'll develop script files, but we'll exercise them in an interactive environment. This is handy for developing and debugging function definitions.

The basic procedure is as follows.

  1. In our favorite editor, write a script with our function definitions. We often leave this editor window open. IDLE, for example, leaves this window open for us to look at.

  2. Open a Python shell. IDLE, for example, always does this for us.

  3. In the Python Shell, import the script file. In IDLE, this is effectively what happens when we run the module with F5 .

  4. In the Python Shell, test the function interactively. If it works, we're done.

  5. If the functions in our module didn't work, we return to our editor window, make any changes and save the file.

  6. In the Python Shell, clear out the old definition by restarting the shell. In IDLE, we can force this with F6 . This happens automatically when we run the module using F5 .

  7. Go back to step 3, to import and test our definitions.

The interactive test results are often saved and put into the docstring for the file with our function definitions. We usually copy the contents of the Python Shell window and paste it into our module's or function's docstring. This record of the testing can be validated using the doctest module.

Example. Here's the sample function we're developing. If you look carefully, you might see a serious problem. If you don't see the problem, don't worry, we'll find it by doing some debugging.

In IDLE, we created the following file.

Example 9.2. function1.py Initial Version

# Some Function Or Other
def odd( number ):
    """odd(number) -> boolean
    
    Returns True if the given number is odd.
    """
    return number % 2 == "1"


We have two windows open: function1.py and Python Shell.

Here's our interactive testing session. In our function1.py window, we hit F5 to run the module. Note the line that shows that the Python interpreter was restarted; forgetting any previous definitions. Then we exercised our function with two examples.

Python 2.5.1 (r251:54863, Oct  5 2007, 21:08:09) 
[GCC 4.0.1 (Apple Inc. build 5465)] on darwin
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.

    ****************************************************************
    Personal firewall software may warn about the connection IDLE
    makes to its subprocess using this computer's internal loopback
    interface.  This connection is not visible on any external
    interface and no data is sent to or received from the Internet.
    ****************************************************************
    
IDLE 1.1.4      
>>> ================================ RESTART ================================
>>> 
>>> odd(2)
False
>>> odd(3)
False

Clearly, it doesn't work, since 3 is odd. When we look at the original function, we can see the problem.

The expression number % 2 == "1" should be number % 2 == 1. We need to fix function1.py. Once the file is fixed, we need to remove the old stuff from Python, re-import our function and rerun our test. IDLE does this for us when we hit F5 to rerun the module. It shows this with the prominent restart message.

If you are not using IDLE, you will need to restart Python to clear out the old definitions. Python optimizes import operations; if it's seen the module once, it doesn't import it a second time. To remove this memory of which modules have been imported, you will need to restart Python.


 
 
  Published under the terms of the Open Publication License Design by Interspire