On Mar 3, 2014, at 3:27 AM, spir <denis.s...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> There are 2 user guesses here, and only 1 variable, thus 1 name. The name
> should say what (idea) the variable represents in the program; this should be
> said by the name's *meaning*. It is one of the greatest difficulties in
> programming. How would you define what these variables represent, using
> everyday language? My own definitions would lead me to choose the following
> variable names:
> guess_text = raw_input(promt)
> guess_number = int(user_guess)
> return guess_number
> Note: it is especially obviuos that these are 2 separate numbers, since they
> do not even are of the same type (a piece of text, or "string", vs a number,
> here an "int").
>
> Good naming is very, very hard; differences of naming can make some piece of
> program nearly trivial or instead nearly impossible to understand; often bad
> naming is worse than hypothetical randomly chosen names, because bad naming
> *misleads* your thinking.
>
> Changing the value of a local variable is always, or nearly, a sign that
> there are here 2 ideas which should be represented by 2 variables with 2
> names. Example of 2 programming styles (note the difference in ease of
> understanding, even if you don't know the python features used here):
>
> def get_data (data):
> data = File(data) # (a file)
> data = data.read() # (a piece of text)
> data = data.split("") # (a list of words)
> return data
> ...
> data = get_data("data.text")
>
> def data_words (file_name):
> data_file = File(file_name) # (a file)
> text = data_file.read() # (a piece of text)
> words = text.split(" ") # (a list of words)
> return words
> ...
> words = data_words("data.text")
>
> (A special case is loop variables, but even then you only write the
> assignment once, the value chages across multiple passes on the same code.
> The only real exception is accumulators, like for computing a sum, which need
> to be first initialised to a start value, often 0.)
>
>> def print_hints(secrets, guess):
>> secret_number = secret
>> guess = guess
>> if guess < 0 or user_guess> 101:
>> print "Out of range!"
>
> Parameters are input variables. Once they are given execution values by a
> call like
> print_hints(input_value1, input_value2)
>
> these variables exist _inside_ the function body (each with a name and a
> value). As if functions were defined like:
> def print_hints: # note: no param
> secret = input_value1
> guess = input_value2
> ... use these variables ...
> This is more or less what the language does for you. This is the whole point
> of defining parameters, in fact. So, _you_ do not need to _rebind_ parameters
> to local variables; they already are local variables.
>
> In addition, you are not consistent with variable _names_, evendently, so
> your programs have no chance to work. This is an annoying, but necessary part
> of programming. But the language will always tell about such errors, at once,
> *if and only if* the wrong name does *not* otherwise exist. --> pay attention!
>
>> def main():
>> print_description()
>> secret = randrange(1,101)
>> current_guess = get_guess(1)
>> if current_guess != secret:
>> print_hints(secret_number, guess)
>> current_guess = get_guess(2)
>
> * 'secret_number' appears from nowhere: pay attention!
> * To be more coherent checking if the guess is right or wrong (or too high or
> too low) should be done in function print_hints as well. This function
> _evaluates_ the guess (maybe it should be renamed).
>
>> if secret == current_guess:
>> print "Congratulations, you win!"
>> else:
>> print "Please play again"
>> print "The secret number was", secret
>
> These are (also) hints to the player, actually, aren't they?
***Wow, thanks a lot Denis!! Although I didn’t get everything you said I
definitely understand a lot more!****
I’ve made some changes and have a couple questions, I’ll speak in between the
code. Thanks again everyone, especially for your patients, I know I’ve made
several mistakes and I don’t know anything about programming and even less
about these forums. I apologize about that and again appreciate your
patients!!!
from random import randrange
randrange(1, 101)
from random import seed
seed(129)
def print_description():
print """Welcome to Guess the Number.
I have selected a secret number in the range 1 ... 100.
You must guess the number within 10 tries.
I will tell you if you are high or low, and
I will tell you if you are hot or cold.\n"""
So, this is what I gather from the function below. I’m basically taking the
parameter guess_number and making it a str with prompt, then using the variable
guess_text and turning the prompt into an int? and returning the original
value the user inputed?
def get_guess(guess_number):
prompt = "(" + str(guess_number) +") Please enter a guess:"
guess_text = raw_input(prompt)
guess_number = int(guess_text)
return guess_number
I’m a little confused about the parameter guess below and how I’m able to use
it with the conditional statement for when it’s out of range? Is it because
when I call the function print_hints(secret, current_guess) I’m essentially
defining it because guess_number was turned into current_guess when I call it
equal to get_guess(1)?? I hope I’m not just confusing you guys. I’m just
trying to make sense of everything. I feel like it would be a lot clearer if
we were allowed to use global variables. Anyways…
def print_hints(secret, guess):
if guess < 1 or guess > 101:
print
print "Out of range!"
print
def main():
print_description()
secret = randrange(1,101)
current_guess = get_guess(1)
if current_guess != secret:
print "please play again!"
print_hints(secret, current_guess)
current_guess = get_guess(2)
if current_guess != secret:
print "please play again!"
print_hints(secret, current_guess)
current_guess = get_guess(3)
if current_guess != secret:
print "please play again!"
print_hints(secret, current_guess)
current_guess = get_guess(4)
if current_guess != secret:
print "please play again!"
print_hints(secret, current_guess)
current_guess = get_guess(5)
if current_guess != secret:
print "please play again!"
print_hints(secret, current_guess)
current_guess = get_guess(6)
if current_guess != secret:
print "please play again!"
print_hints(secret, current_guess)
current_guess = get_guess(7)
if current_guess != secret:
print "please play again!"
print_hints(secret, current_guess)
current_guess = get_guess(8)
if current_guess != secret:
print "please play again!"
print_hints(secret, current_guess)
current_guess = get_guess(9)
if current_guess != secret:
print "please play again!"
print_hints(secret, current_guess)
current_guess = get_guess(10)
if current_guess == secret:
print "Congratulations, you win!"
if secret != current_guess:
print "Please play again"
print "The secret number was:", secret
main()
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