Python Programming with the Java™ Class Libraries: A Tutorial for Building
Web and Enterprise Applications with Jython
Characterized by ease of use, richness of expression, and concise syntax, Python has
remained a premier programming language for more than a decade, and is used by
novices and professionals alike. In particular, its close relationship to Java(TM) makes
the two languages, when used in combination, ideal for Web and distributed enterprise
application development.
This tutorial begins with coverage of some of the basics of Python programming. Using
plenty of skill-building exercises and interactive programming sessions, this book will
help those new to programming develop an understanding of concepts and practical
techniques. For experienced programmers, the book demonstrates Python's breadth of
capabilities and shows the ways that Python interfaces with Java APIs for professional
application development.
Python Programming with the Java(TM) Class Libraries: A Tutorial for Building Web
and Enterprise Applications with Jython
covers important topics such as:
Fundamental programming concepts, including statements, expressions,
interpreters, and compilers
Python basics, including operators, string formatting, namespaces, classes, errors,
and exceptions
Object-oriented programming concepts
File input/output
Python's intrinsic functions
Formatting, parsing, and manipulating strings
Interfacing with the Java APIs and working with Java Streams
Using Python and Java Swing to create GUIs
Working with SQL and JDBC(TM)
Python and Java applets
In addition, the book contains instructions for downloading and installing the Python
language and the Java Development Kit (JDK). Terminology, definitions, explanations,
and numerous code samples make this book a useful learning experience.
Whether you are a sophisticated computer user new to programming or a serious
application developer,
Python Programming with the Java(TM) Class Libraries
will
give you insight into the power of Python and the know-how to put it to work.
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The first line assigns the letters of the alphabet to the variable
alphabet
; the second line assigns the value of
indexes 0 through 3 to the variable
AthruD
; the third line instructs Python to output
AthruD
; the fourth line
is the result:
'abcd'
.
Another way to write the slice
[0:4]
is as
[:4]
. An omitted first index tells Python to start at zero. In the
same way,
[1:]
tells Python to start at index 1 and make the rest of the string the slice. The following example
uses the slice notation in all three ways: without a first index in the first line; with both indexes in the fourth line;
and without the second index in seventh line.
Table 1-1
describes each of these slices in English.
Table 1-1. Slice Notation
Assign the variable
AthruD
from the first character up to but not
including the 4 index, i.e., index 0 through index 3.
Assign the variable
EthruM
from the 4 index up to but not including
the 13 index.
Assign the variable
NthruZ
from the 13 index up to and including the
last character in this string.
>>> EthruM = alphabet[4:13]
>>> NthruZ = alphabet[13:]
>>> alphabet2 = AthruD + EthruM + NthruZ
'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz'
'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz'
The Slice
In a slice notation, the range of the slice is up to
but not including
the second index. Thus, a slice
of
[2:5]
actually means the second through the fourth characters in a string.
Lists
A list is a built-in Python type (remember, we'll get to types in
Chapter 2
). It's in the same type family as a string
and can contain either strings or numbers. Lists are somewhat like arrays in Java or C, except that they can
contain values of different types.
The following example shows how a list uses slice notation:
>>> letters = "abcdefghijklmnop"
>>> numbers = "123456789"
>>> list = [letters, numbers, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0]