Introduction:
The following are various programs, scripts or modules I have written
over the years as a hobbyist. I went from QuickBasic to Visual Basic
and then to Python. I still use Visual Basic when employment requests
its prescence, but otherwise I stick mainly to Python. Even when I
have to use Visual Basic I try to incorporate Python for anything
non-event related because Visual Basic makes me pull my hair out.
If you've ever messed with actual data (arrays, collections etc) and
user-defined types you'll get an idea. Oh, and error-handling too
(GoTo...sniff).
So anyways, here are the goods. Each link will be preceded by a short
description of what the deal is, and if you need more info, hopefully
there will some readme or other in the actual download. I'm sorry that
I can't promise more, but some of these were written a long time ago
and I really couldn't be bothered with documentation then. There's
always e-mail though, since I'll be happy to know someone's (trying)
to use my stuff. Source may also be available, depending on whether
I'm having a good day or not when I receive your email request ;)
My e-mail: pnja6w5u001@sneakemail.mangledtoavoidspam.com
(mangled to confuse spam-bots. Remove ".mangledtoavoidspam" to use.
I've checked the domain and no one worthwile lives there)
(I actually had it on 1234567890.com, but apparently some happy
camper has set up tent there, and I don't like causing hurt to anyone's
domain, even if it is an evil squatter.)
Visual Basic Programs:
Echo Server
A simple echo server that echoes all input on port 7 on the machine
its running on. I found it useful for debugging my network sending
code when I first started messing with network programming. Requires
CsWsk32.ocx, which I used as a wrapper for Winsock. You can get it
from Catalyst, and I hope no
one minds if I offer it here. It's part of
the SocketWrench Freeware Edition Package if anyone was wondering.
Download Echo Server
Remote Winamp Control
Another simple program I quickly wrote when I wanted to play a prank
on a friend (sorry, Mark). I put some really horrible sounds into his
playlist that all us housemates knew spooked him out, and waited for
he got in his room to start playing them. And because I had rewind and
forward controls too, I could really mess with his mind. You may have
a more legitimate use. Let me know. I could write up a much better
remote multimedia playing thing in python now, from what I've learned
so tell me if you'd like that. Also, source code for this is available
for your browsing pleasure - contact me via e-mail.
Download Winamp Remote Control
Note: This also needs cswsk32.ocx. See above (Echo Server).
Cards
Something like the Cardfile program that used to come bundled with
every installation of Microsoft Windows 9x. But, here's the ticket,
this one comes with autocomplete. It was my proof-of-concept program
to show that my autocomplete code worked, but it turned out to be so
useful that I decided to keep using it to store a whole buncha stuff
from address lists to lecture notes. Word of warning though - it tends
to be add a few newlines appended each time you save, and I still can't
find the bug which causes this. So, while it is useable, beware
saving too many times. (Not really a big deal until you start to have
thousands of records)
Download Cards
Note: This does not need cswsk32.ocx. Hope you're happy.
Python Scripts:
Binaries (ie. Whatever.exe's) for Windows are available via e-mail,
since my current host doesn't let me put in Megabyte sized files and over,
and Python dependencies take about a meg by themselves, more if you include
Tkinter and whatever other modules. Maybe if I set up something like the VB
Runtime Files download, but for Python instead, then you'd only have to
download the exe's themselves. We'll see.
CardFile
A Python port of my popular(?) Cards program listed above. Works kinda the
same, but without the annoying newline bugs. However, it does use sqlite,
which makes it one more thing you'll have to download. But if you haven't
already tried sqlite, then give it a whirl. It's lovely for small things
like this, and maybe a little bit more.
Download CardFile
pyOpera
A package of utilities for the Opera web browser. Current release only lets
you parse the contactlist into a python object, and write a contactlist
from a python object. More details in the file and accompanying readme.
Download Windows pyOpera v0.1
Download pyOpera Source v0.1
mciInterface
Cream of the crop here. This is an actual production module that I am using
for a work-related project that will be of definite interest to quite a number
of pythonistas out there (which is why I'm releasing it). This module basically
wraps winmm.dll (specifically mciSendStringA) which allows you to play most
multimedia files in Windows, such as DivX videos, or mp3s, right from your
Python app. Of course, with great power, comes a big download - you also need
the win32all package (which you probably already have), and also the ctypes
package (which is rarer). I hope you find some use for this...let me know how
you get along with this one. BTW - it also can register itself as a COM server,
so you can use it in Visual Basic or Delphi or something if you like. It comes
bundled with a VBScript test script and a demo mp3 file(of me!) to test the
COM capability.
Download mciInterface
Dependancies:
win32all
ctypes
Personal Thoughts:
Whenever you come across someone talking about their project written in Python,
they tend to get all evangelistic on your
a$$ and tell you
why
they use python, why it's
better, and
how you can
start
using it. I'm going to be very
short on the matter, as you can see, but I want to talk about why you see that
phenomenon I just described. I think it's simply because Python is a good
language. Whatever your personal quirks and preferences, Python seems to fill a
need people have unlike any other language. I'm not talking about being fit for
its function - I'm saying that writing in C doesn't want to make me tell all my
friends about it like Python does. It makes me happy, I enjoy myself when coding
in Python, I've become a much better programmer because of it, and I make money
using it. When you see a Perl programmer talking about his script, it tends to
have overtones of showing off (no offense, and judge for yourself), whereas the
python community is so much more warm and caring in my eyes. Granted my foray
into the world of Perl and other languages have been so limited they didn't even
warrant a mention above, but Python struck a chord in me right off the bat,
causing me to immediately ditch all my experimentations and run with it.
You don't just write in Python, you fall in love with it.
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