On Tue, Feb 2, 2021 at 2:37 PM kirby urner <kirby.ur...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Tue, Feb 2, 2021 at 5:48 AM André Roberge <andre.robe...@gmail.com> > wrote: > >> Hello everyone, >> >> For about 20 months now, I have been working on a Python package intended >> to help beginners figure out what went wrong when their program generates a >> traceback. This package is called Friendly-traceback; you can find the >> fairly extensive documentation at >> https://aroberge.github.io/friendly-traceback-docs/docs/html/ >> >> > Hi André -- > > I'm reading your docs now. > > When I start into Python with beginners, I'll typically start with: > > >>> dir( ) # how will HyperKitty mangle this? > > showing what's in the namespace, the names Python > knows when "in" the namespace. > > But then the question right away arises: where are > print, hex, str, dict... all these names Python knows? > > Answer (as we all know): __builtins__ > > So then I do a dir(__builtins__) > I think you mean simply __builtins__, without the dir(). I use "pretty" from Rich ( https://rich.readthedocs.io/en/latest/introduction.html?highlight=pretty#python-in-the-repl) so that dicts are nicely formatted. > > [ pray to HyperKitty for no mangling ] and they see: > > Wow! Lots and Lots of names (so that's where > everyone has been hiding), many with Error > and/or Warning in them. Those come at the top > as dir returns string elements alphabetically and > capitalized Exceptions list up top (or leftmost). > > This will be my bridge to your Friendly-Traceback > utility i.e. here would be an (early, introductory) > example of a 3rd party project aimed at helping > a beginner get the most out of the Python experience. > > Tracebacks themselves have that purpose already, > and you're enhancing that existing capability, which is > easy for beginners to understand. Make a good thing > better. > > A current weakness in my curriculum is I don't spend > enough time on IDE features relating to debugging and > live inspecting of what's in the namespace. I demonstrate > a lot using Spyder, assuring them a different IDE is just > fine. Spyder has features that make it great for screen > sharing Python, such as scrollback, the %magics, embedded > plots... > > Anyway, my point is Exceptions and the Tracebacks they > occasion, deserve a direct and early discussion, as any > beginner is likely to stumble across both in the course of > ordinary REPL use. > > I'm still adding pages to my most recent iteration of an Elite > School (and I do have synchronous students -- we meet once a > week). We'll be discussing your innovative enhancements. > Ideally, at least one of us (most likely me) will install it and > do Show & Tell (a Lightning Talk). > > Back to reading the docs... > > Kirby > >
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