Python Programming Course Notes

Introduction to Python

• Course Overview
  • Learn coding with Python through 20 hands-on projects.
  • Final project: Weather app that fetches real-time weather data from an API.
  • Suitable for beginners, no prior coding experience needed.

Python Setup

• Download Python
  • Visit python.org to download the Python interpreter.
  • Ensure to check "Add Python to PATH" during installation.
• Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
  • Popular choices: PyCharm and VS Code.
  • PyCharm is recommended for beginners.
  • Use the Community Edition (free version).

Basic Python Concepts

• First Python Program
  • Create a file named main.py.
  • Use print() to output text (e.g., print("I like pizza")).
• Variables
  • Variables are containers for values (e.g., first_name = "John").
  • Types: Strings, Integers, Floats, and Booleans.
• Comments
  • Use # for comments.

Functions and Data Types

• Functions
  • Define functions using def (e.g., def my_function():).
  • Functions can return values with return.
• Lists
  • A collection of items (e.g., fruits = ["apple", "banana"]).
  • Use list.append() to add items.
• Dictionaries
  • A collection of key-value pairs (e.g., person = {"name": "John", "age": 30}).
  • Access values with keys (e.g., person["name"]).

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)

• Classes and Objects
  • Define class with class ClassName:.
  • Use __init__ to initialize attributes.
  • Create instances of classes (e.g., my_object = ClassName()).
• Inheritance
  • Child classes can inherit from parent classes.
  • Method overriding is allowed.

Exception Handling

• Try and Except
  • Use try to wrap code that may raise exceptions.
  • Use except to handle exceptions gracefully.
• Common Exceptions
  • ZeroDivisionError, TypeError, ValueError.

File I/O

• Reading and Writing Files
  • Use open() to read/write files.
  • Modes: r (read), w (write), a (append).
  • Use json for JSON files and csv for CSV files.

GUI Programming with PyQt5

• Creating Windows and Widgets
  • Use QWidget for windows and QLabel for text.
  • Layout managers: QVBoxLayout, QHBoxLayout, QGridLayout.
• Buttons and Actions
  • Use QPushButton for buttons.
  • Connect signals to slots (e.g., button clicks).
• Stylesheets
  • Apply styles with setStyleSheet() for widgets.

Project: Weather App

• Fetching Data from API
  • Use requests to get weather data from OpenWeatherMap API.
  • Handle exceptions and display appropriate error messages.

Additional Topics

• Date and Time Handling
  • Use datetime module to work with dates and times.
• Threads
  • Use threading for concurrent tasks.

Note: These notes summarize key concepts and functions from the Python programming course, ensuring a good reference document for studying.