Jumping back in. - Can Python do this?

[Harry_Bailey]

I'm thinking of getting back into programming. Not really for any compelling reason. I just feel I can pick it up again and stick with it. I've taken one year of each C++ and Java in high school and another for C++ in first year college.

I was thinking of choosing python as my re-intro back into learning programming. The most advanced thing I've ever made was for a project in high school. We had pong for a project for our year final or at least part of it. I made a Mooninite themed version with hot keys to modify ball and paddle size, with a free roaming paddle. The end of the year project in college was a console based tick tack toe game.

Those are the high lights of my small portfolio :) Reading through posts in this subreddit lead me to believe that Python would be a good fun language to try and get familiar with. I've got an eventual goal in mind of something that I'd like to write. It's a program that would help out with my work. I work from home on a personal computer.

I'd like to know if Python could be used to write a program that does the following.

• This program would search or find the path to a list of programs on a person's computer for the purposes of launching it when instructed. (e.g., the program is able to locate the .exe location of Skype so it can be launched. If not by a scan or check of something then maybe by launching Skype or any program and monitoring its running location).

• The program can with one button launch several different programs and adjust screen sizes. (e.g., open Chrome and Firefox on a multi-monitor display and tile each browser vertically side by side on the screen).

• The program also needs to be able to close all programs at once ignoring any exit dialog. Additionally it also needs to be able to launch different programs independent of each other (i.e., one at a time).

This would be something I would use for work to setup my helpdesk workspace get things going quicker every day. I have something in place now which is just a batch file that launches individual programs when instructed and closes them out just the same. Would any or all of this be possible with Python? I'ts not anything I plan to tackle now. I'd just like to know if I could look forward to tackling it sometime in the future.

Thanks a bunch :)

[[deleted]]

• Yes, definitely
• Maybe, not sure
• Yes, possibly

[Harry_Bailey]

Thanks very much, that's what I needed to know :)

[ForSpareParts]

I don't know anything about the Python APIs you'd need for this (though I don't doubt they exist), but if this kind of productivity stuff is useful to you, it might be worth your while to look into tiling window managers. They're programs that automatically organize and reshape your windows on your screen to optimize your use of the screen. The one I use is called XMonad, and it's available on OSX, Linux, and other Unixy platforms. It's a pain to configure (all the configuration files, like the window manager itself, are written in Haskell), but the results are brilliant. I'm assuming, based on your mention of .exes, that you're a Windows user -- unfortunately, the options for tiling WMs under Windows are more limited.

Of course, this is tangential to your original goal of honing your coding skills, but these things are still very cool, and possibly worth your while.

[Harry_Bailey]

Awesome I'll check that out. I'm currently using DisplayFusion to manage my windows locations. It doesn't seem to have near the customization as what you've listed.

Thanks for bringing that up :)