Perfect Insanity (draconid) wrote, @ 2004-04-15 22:22:00

Current music:

Counting Crows - Omaha

To Python?
Rat and I were talking this morning. Strange as that might sound. We don't only communicate via IRC and LJ you know.

We were walking to work and discussing programming, mainly because Rat was doing some last night (and again tonight). He decided it was about time he updated the film page of his website as he hadn't all year, and with 41 films seen so far it was getting a bigger and bigger chore by the day. So he's written himself a script to make it easier, for now and the future. But I'll leave the explanation on the whole thing to him, if he ever feels like putting keyboard to client and writing about it.

I don't know how we got around to the idea of me programming, but somehow I was persuaded to not only write my own LJ client, but to write it in Python - a language I've never even used. Good job I've got his expertise.

I do use a Python client some of the time, but I'm going to do it all from scratch, so I'm currently reading throught the LJ docs. I was meant to be doing work - that'll have to be done at the weekend instead.

Things would probably be so much easier if I did the whole thing in Java. Not because Java is necessarily any easier, but because I've already written a Net Nanny in Java, so (if I could find it) already have all the code in place for the http protocol. But my IRC Client that I'm supposed to be doing is in Java, so I guess it would be a good idea to write this in something different. And hey, Rat has already played around with LJ and Python so I can bug him for assistance. Not to mention the fact that my knowledge about Java is probably just as good as myknowledge about Python currently. I might write it in Python, and then write it in Java if it's successful.

But first I want to write down everything I can that I might need with regards to LJ's protocol. And then I have to learn the relevant bits of Python (I have two big books beside me). I like having full notes for reference (I actually have the whole of the IRC protocol printed out, and I'd do the same for LJ if it weren't on separate pages.

Other than that I haven't really got much to say. Made more phonecalls at work and became a little more comfortable with the whole thing. Pretty much sorted out the budget so we're 99.999% certain I'll have a six month contract if not a 12 month one from the start of May. Booked airplane tickets for the first time ever (unfortunately I won't get to travel using them). And arranged to visit my parents again next month, since hopefully I'll be in Brum on the 18th May with work. So I'll travel up to visit my parents on the Sunday (not having to pay a penny for the train), spend that day with my brother (his birthday is the following Friday), spend Monday with my parents, take the train to Brum on the Monday night and probably have dinner with Carole, stay over in a hotel, get up the next morning and go to the event we're hosting, and then catch the train home. And hopefully after that my brother will be visiting for Whitsun (sp?). At this rate I'll have seen my family more this year than I have since before University!

	Python scripts dave_rainbow 2004-04-15 17:45 (link)
	The joke is obvious --- :D I believe you can use them to automate PSP 8 as well. Got PSP 8 for that purpose and never got round to it. Can rat advise on relevant books? Also Thursday advises he knows how to convert my Blurty into something more colourful, like everyone else but I have (well, Thursday as well!). (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Python scripts draconid 2004-04-15 18:12 (link)

Neither of us have any idea about using Python with PSP. I didn't even know you could do it (although I suppose it makes sense as you can write Python scripts to use with The Gimp). As for making your journal look pretty, I could probably help too. Totally depends on what you want (bearing in mind that with a free account you'd be limited). My best recommendation if you want to look at customising it yourself is to look at http://www.livejournal.com/users/howto which is excellent. Just check out the memories of the journal. But yeah, I'm happy to assist as well if you'd like. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)