How To Start Python Programming

The Python programming language is very easy to learn. Don't underestimate the power or python.

Building a GUI (Graphical User interface) may seem complicated at first. The way to learn how to create a GUI is to go through some practical examples. Eventually you will remember what code you need, to do certain tasks.

In this tutorial I will explain how to download and install:

• Python
• wxPython
• Boa Constructor

What Operating Systems Can Use Python?
Python can be run on various operating systems:

• Linux
• Mac OS-X
• Windows

The articles posted on this blog site Python Tipper will be for the Windows operating system. It has been said that you can run a Windows Python program on Linux and OS-X with some slight adjustments to the code. I will test it on Linux since I use Linux, but I can't test it on a Mac.

I don't own a Mac because it's way out of my budget range. If you would like me to provide information on how to program Python on a Mac, may be some kind person can donate a Mac for testing purposes.

What is wxpython?
wxPython is a wrapper for the cross-platform GUI API wxWidgets (toolkit) for the Python programming language. What does that mean? Well it means you can use the wxPython widgets to build Windows programs using Python. If you use wxPython instead of Boa Constructor to build a program, you will have to manually write all the code. This can be confusing because if the program doesn't work, you'll have to read through all the code to find where the error is located.

What is Boa Constructor?
If you have used Microsoft Visual Basic to create Windows programs you will know what an IDE (Integrated Development Environment) is. Boa Constructor is an IDE for Python. It simplifies designing a GUI and you don't have to manually write a lot of code to make it work.

wxPython has to be installed on your computer so you can use Boa Constructor.

Getting Started
So lets get started downloading and installing:

• Download python
• Download wxpython
• Download Boa Constructor

We will install the latest stable version of Python which as of November 2010 is version 2.6.x (x = version number)

 
Download Python 2.6.6

This file will install Python on your Windows computer. Accept all the default settings and where the file will be saved.

Download wxpython for Python version 2.6 which is the unicode version

This file will install wxPython on Windows. Accept all the default settings and where the file is saved.

Download Boa Constructor 

This file will install wxPython on Windows. Accept all the default settings and where the file is saved.

Once you have installed Python, wxPython and Boa Constructor, you will be ready to start building your own Windows GUI programs using the Python programming language.

If you have any questions, Please leave a comment.