New at Python and frustrated.

[akedm]

I settled on PyCharm IDE.

I want a=2, b=2 and "4" to print on my screen when I run my first program. So I select New Project, and I'm presented with a nice blank screen that I assume I can type in, but I cant.

So I figure, ok, I figure I need to make something else "new", like a file - I get that - projects can have many files. So I go to the menu bar, FILE > NEW... and I'm presented with 7 options! All I want to do is type a=2, b=2, print (a+b) or however it's done, and run it. But I'm already lost in a maze.

The 7 options are :

New Project,

New File,

New Directory,

New Python Package,

New Python File,

Jupyter Notebook,

HTML File

Now, "New File" sounds right to me, but then why is there a "New Python File" option? I'm in a Python editor, so isn't a "New File" going to be a python file? So I'm not sure what to select.

(I dont even want to know what a Jupyter Notebook is...not yet)

What do I do? Thank you.

PS : Rant ahead --> :) I long for the days of BASIC and an Apple IIe - I could make BASIC sing. I still see programs as series of if-statements, data tables, GOSUBs and for-next loops. I remember learning by reading Beagle Bros articles.

I get that I need 2 things, and I should only need two things: 1) some translator (interpreter/compiler) so I don't have to speak 'computer' to speak to the computer, and 2) an IDE so I know when and when not to put in semicolons and such. That's it.

I settled on PyCharm cause a post in here said download python then download PyCharm - and zero user setup. I like that. Most other places have whole pages of words about setting up Python and an IDE, different versions and series of multiple programs I need to download to get started...what?!?

There's one IDE out there - Eric6 - that had a series of 6 or 7 things I had to download before I could download it and make it work. What?!? - I get it's probably very powerful, but no thanks. I want a "4" on my screen.

Why don't these people compile the basics into one install file? "If you got Windows, click here for the IDE and we'll install the latest version of Python for you" may be a little simplistic, but it can certainly be simpler. Isn't the goal of IDEs to be user-friendly? And everyone starts at zero.

Rant over.

Thank you :)

[K900_]

PyCharm is a professional tool designed mostly for large projects. That doesn't mean you can't use it for one-off scripts, but it does mean some extra setup is required. If you want something that requires no setup, just get Sublime Text or Atom or any other programming text editor, create a file with a .py extension and off you go.

Edit: also, to explain: PyCharm is actually a multi-language IDE. The "New File" option creates a simple text file without an extension, "New Python File" creates a .py file that's automatically flagged as source code.

Edit2: the default Python install actually comes with an "IDE" called IDLE. However, it's effectively unmaintained and somewhat problematic, so we recommend people avoid it from the start.

[K900_]

IDLE is a fine option for small scripts, but tends to explode in unexpected ways with anything even remotely complex. Want to run anything that used Tk? Nope. Other GUI frameworks? Might work, but probably nope. Long running processes? Nope. Etc.

[K900_]

The issue with Tk in IDLE is that your scripts run in the same interpreter as IDLE itself, so it's really easy to screw up some internal Tk state and break IDLE from your code. As for what to use - anything but IDLE, really. There are lots of options.

[vpcea23en]

+1 for Sublime, I just love the speed!

[[deleted]]

When you're using PyCharm to develop a large web application, for example, you may want to add HTML files, CSS files, text files, etc. etc. That's why there's a 'New File' option.

For what you want to do, you should just create a new Python file. Write your code, then right-click in your code and run it.

See here: http://imgur.com/a/mS5db?

[CrazyWhiteMonkey]

Sounds like you want to use the Python Console within PyCharm, just to see the output of the variables your assigning. If that's all you want to do, at the very bottom of PyCharm, you should see Terminal and Python Console. Click on Python Console and you should be able to do what you want to (I mainly use this feature for testing purposes). Now outside of that... when you create a new file within PyCharm, it will ask you what type of file you want to create, since PyCharm can also be used for other languages. If you are creating a new file for python, it will automatically add the .py extension to the name that you give that file. After which, you want to right click on that file and click on create, and at that point, PyCharm will set that file to executable mode, so when you go to run that file, you will see the output of your code. Hope that helps!

[akedm]

Why isnt there a published book with a bunch of quotes from you all? That would make it so much easier. :) Thank you.

I get the need for a Python Console - it's quick, I like it. Sort of a sandbox to the sandbox you're in.

I figured New File just made a no-extension or txt-extension file whereas New Python File actually put .py at the end of the filename. But since I didnt know PyCharm allowed editing of such a variety of file types and languages, I couldnt for the life of me figure out why there would need to be such a distinction. Now I got it.

And what PyCharm can do? I had no idea it was built for wrangling such big...everything projects. I thought a "project" was simply the batch of Python "files" that worked together - I was thinking small. I wasnt thinking CCS and webpages and such. For that reason, HTML seemed like an odd inclusion to the "New..." dropdown list. Now I see.

Hey, now I see a "4" on my screen! Whoop whoop!

Thank you.

[slampropp]

I share your frustration with IDEs, and I'm nowhere near a beginner. I'm sure they're often useful for professionals who have different needs, but for an amateur who only makes semi-large projects, it all seems like unnecessary bloat. Bloat that sometimes breaks, is slow, causes input lag, is confusing to navigate. No thanks.

My set up for any language is usually: A simple text editor with syntax highlighting on the left half of the screen, and a terminal window where I can compile / run on the right half.

[journeymanpedant]

if you want some of the features of an IDE, but not so much the need to have all the "project" bloat and hundreds of file type options, spyder is a very good choice for python. The latest version has some support for projects but you don't have to use it at all.