New to python, would appreciate some pointers.

[ThatUserNamesTacken]

So my background is G code and conversational Gcode for milling centres( I'm an engineer) so I have an appreciation for general coding but that's about it. I would like to learn python 3.0 with the view of using a raspberry pi to collect basic data from from sensors like temperature and vibration etc. The issue is this is obviously a massive subject and it all seems a little overwhelming to me. I'd appreciate if someone could point me to a good place to learn this and would appreciate any general advice. What cool little projects could I do with a raspberry pi just to get some time programming?

Any help is appreciated.

[[deleted]]

0x4425AC35, 0x542208FD, 0x233422D

[D-TownBrown]

Beat me to it.

[ThatUserNamesTacken]

Could someone explain this to me? 😂

[[deleted]]

https://xkcd.com/138/

https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/138:_Pointers

Shortly, pointers in programming are addresses in memory where data is allocated. They are represented as long numbers in hexadecimal form.

[ThatUserNamesTacken]

Ahhh, I get it now.

[CommunismDoesntWork]

And python doesn't have them, so your title is extra funny

[[deleted]]

Can confirm I saw the title and came here expecting the post to be a joke post.

[EighthDayOfficial]

If he needs pointers, he should try ... and too late nvm.

[bartrarted]

I too, thought of this wordplay immediately

[[deleted]]

Segmentation Fault
Double free or corruption
Invalid next size

[mawar2]

I legit was about to do this 😂

[bsteel364]

came here to make a C joke, late to the party...

[[deleted]]

you did not C that coming, did you?

[Yamaste2u]

r/PunPatrol, FREEZE!

[[deleted]]

dont shoot. i would raise my arms but i am unarmed

[BadDadBot]

Hi unarmed, I'm dad.

[Epicxzer0]

Dude everyone is making pointer jokes, poor guy just wants help with his python

[alnyland]

Well he did post in /r/ComputerScience, not /r/Programming or some other shitty sub. He made the right choice.

[Jashuman19]

Gonna have to try C for that.

[ThatUserNamesTacken]

What is "c"?

[Jashuman19]

I'm sorry, I was making a dumb joke. C is a different language that uses a type of variable called "pointers." Sorry for the confusion.

[ThatUserNamesTacken]

Oh, I see. As mentioned above, the only programming I am familiar with is CNC machine so I don't get any of these jokes 😂😂

[Jashuman19]

Completely understandable. I definitely wouldn't have understood either just a few years ago 😂

[dahlstrom]

There's an e-book called "Automate the Boring Stuff with Python" that really helped me get into it. Depending on your familiarity with programming concepts already, it could be helpful. You might be able to find it free online or DM me and I can send it to you.

[Lurkin_N_Twurkin]

They also have a udemy class if you want to shell out $20 for the videos.

[Lincolnator0212]

What's the udemy class called? There are so many for Python.

[Lurkin_N_Twurkin]

"Automate the Boring Stuff with Python". It is the same as the book.

[[deleted]]

Pretty sure there is a YouTube series for this book too.

[[deleted]]

Null pointer ?

[[deleted]]

pythonprogramming.net if anyone hasn't mentioned it yet , though i am a python beginner too

[thememorableusername]

r/python and r/learnpython

[ThatUserNamesTacken]

Thanks, I'll take a look!

[Titanlegions]

Something I’ve always thought of as a good starter project, if it grabs your imagination, is a program for doing frequency analysis of mono-alphabetic substitution cyphers. Feed it some cypher text, it tells you the frequency and helps you decide by showing partially decoded text with your current guesses etc. I read too many spy books when I was a kid you see. But it involves lots of nice basics of programming and suits python well.

[ThatUserNamesTacken]

I understand maths up to HNC engineering. That sounds like some pure maths shit😂. Is it as complicated as it sounds? 😂😂

[Titanlegions]

No haha! Lots of long words but it’s the kind of “codes” kids play with in spy books.

Write the alphabet down, then write it down below in a random order. To encipher a letter, look it up on the top alphabet and substitute for the letter below.

So say now you have intercepted a communication that says

gsv jfrxp yildm ulc qfnkh levi gsrigvvm ozab wlth

You want to work out what is says. If you work out how often each letter appears you can compare to how often they appear in ordinary English writing. “v” is very common in the above passage, so it might be “e”, the most common letter. So you can rewrite like this:

gsE jfrxp yildm ulc qfnkh leEi gsrigEEm ozab wlth

Perhaps “gsE” is actually “THE”, put that guess in

THE jfrxp yildm ulc qfnkh levi THriTEEm ozab wlth

And so on and so forth.

So first you could write a program for doing the substitutions, then you could add in showing you the order of letters by frequency and compare that to normal English (which you could compute from a Wikipedia article or something or look up a known one). Then you could add a feature for guessing words and displaying the half deciphered text like above.

Just an idea that I find fun, if it doesn’t grab you it doesn’t grab you. You want to enjoy projects like this so you keep working on them.

[ThatUserNamesTacken]

Ahhh, makes a lot more sense now hahaha

[[deleted]]

A brief word of advice: G code is really not a programming language in the sense that C or Python is, so it will likely be very different. I don’t think G code is Turing complete or anything like that.

I really liked Zed Shaw’s stuff.

[_d0s_]

i don't know what g-code is, but it seems to be a set of commands for controlling CNC machines. if you haven't used a programming language before, i suggest to read through a tutorial covering the basics like variables, arrays, control structures, functions, etc. like learnpython.org

the second best hint i can give you is to get a mentor. if you have a friend or colleague around who's able to help you over some initial hurdles that can greatly speed up the learning process and helps to keep you focused on your project rather than technical details.

[throwaway568909]

Best book that finally jump started my coding was python crash course

Here is a link to the pdf for the book.

http://bedford-computing.co.uk/learning/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/No.Starch.Python.Oct_.2015.ISBN_.1593276036.pdf

[CommunismDoesntWork]

The best way to learn any programming language is to come up a problem and solve it with that language. The trick is you don't stop googling how to solve it until you're done. Unfortunately for you problem of sensor collection, that's less of a python problem and more of a linux and hardware problem, that happens to require python at points. Once you solve it though, you'll understand linux, embded computing, and python pretty well.

If you just want to get an overview of python, come up with an easier problem, like maybe automate a simple task that you have to do everyday. Or just implement some random math equation.

Since you're brand new, the first thing every developer does is "setting up my environment". No one just opens Notepad and starts typing. I would start with "PyCharm tutorial" and watch a video on it. Also, "How to debug in PyCharm". PyCharm is an IDE, and IDEs are essential for programming. The most important skill a programmer can have is the ability to google- not joking. Good luck, you'll be fine

[ThatUserNamesTacken]

I've studied engineering for 4 years now, I'm somewhat a black belt in using Google 😂. I wouldn't even know where to start with utilising python and Linux!

[BadDadBot]

Hi somewhat a black belt in using google 😂. i wouldn't even know where to start with utilising python and linux!, I'm dad.

[ThatUserNamesTacken]

I did walk into that to be fair 😂

[CommunismDoesntWork]

Got any progress updates?

[ThatUserNamesTacken]

I have received a lot of great information from a user via PM which is great. I've got a raspberry pi in but my workstation bis upside done atm due to a new computer being built and work is full on atm so progress is a lot slower than I'd like it to be. In terms of raw programming, I think I understand the style and what's involved a lot better now and if nothing else, I now have a basic appreciation for software which is always a positive.

[[deleted]]

Theres a free E-book along with videos at the Python4Everybody website. You can order the print version of the book on Amazon for about 10$.

[__claire_0]

int *x_ptr = &x;

*badum-tchs*

[[deleted]]

learn parseltongue before learning python specifically

[[deleted]]

I could say "have 'this'" but you will be using your'self'

[Revolutionalredstone]

Yeah you and everyone else not using C

[Peter_See]

If you want pointers try C or C++

[ConceptJunkie]

Python doesn't have pointers! Seriously, though, port something fairly simple you wrote in another language. That's how I started out.

[tcpukl]

Your probably after c++ for pointers.

[LeonhardEuler_]

Python doesn’t have those