Le Wed, 22 Apr 2009 08:49:22 -0600, Eduardo Vieira <eduardo.su...@gmail.com> s'exprima ainsi:
> Hello! I’m not a programmer and am a beginner with Python, I would > like suggestion about ways of tackling the task I had to do. I have > bee been using the xlrd package to get data from some spreadsheets > successfully. > I have developed a simple report from a script that compares number of > shipments recorded in 2 spreadsheets, with data from previous years > and current year, respectively. > Later on I was asked to include in the same report numbers from > another branch of our company. So, basically all the code logic was > the same, only two different files needed to be processed, and I > wondered how would I save time avoiding repeating code, creating extra > variables, etc. So, I simply decided to alter the code as little as > possible and use the import statement. It's working this way. Sounds > wise? Functions are basically for two goals: * To structure your code according to the logic you have in mind and/or organise it for practicle and clarity reasons. * To *define* and name a block of code intended to be run later, through a call, possibly several times, especially when it gains flexibility with parameters. The first purpose is always good. The second one meets yours needs: to make your code able to process data from any spreadsheet. Even when importing a module (which is rather intended for higher level organisation), you still should use funcs inside the processing part of the program. > I thought if I converted it to a function or a class would make > it more flexible, but my understanding of classes are too basic yet, > and am not sure if it's worth using it. I guess classes are not really necessary here... > I have noticed that in lot's of python code example, people make > functions out of everything. I'm still too much attached to > procedural, not functional programming, if I understand the terms > correctly. I would appreciate any suggestions. > ... but behind misleading names functions are precisely the main structuring tool for procedural programming. [The distinction between procedural & functional paradigms is based on other traits and rather related to the math. sense of 'function'.] 'Functions' in python simply are named blocks of code, possibly with parameters, that perform an action and/or return a result. [They are also a kind of object but this is another story.] Denis ------ la vita e estrany _______________________________________________ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
