Oct 11: VS Code and Modules

VS Code Tutorial¶

• Visual Studio Code Setup

Modules

• Value of the built-in variable __name__
  • When running move.py
  • When running stop.py
• Purpose of if __name__ == "__main__":

move.py

import random

def angle():
    number = random.randint(-90, 90)
    return number

print("in move: __name__ ==", __name__)
print("will always execute: angle ==", angle())

if __name__ == "__main__":
    print("only if True: angle ==", angle())

stop.py

import move

print("in stop: __name__ ==", __name__)
print("from module: angle ==", move.angle())

Using Python's built-in turtle module

draw.py

import move
import turtle

def randomwalk(steps):
    turtle.shape("turtle")
    turtle.color("green")
    for i in range(steps):
        turtle.left(move.angle())
        turtle.forward(10)
    turtle.bye()

if __name__ == "__main__":
    randomwalk(100)

Exercise

Try each of the following changes:

1. A blue turtle
2. A longer simulation
3. A smaller range of angles (e.g., -45 to 45) that define the direction of the turtle
4. A random range of integers (e.g., 10 to 20) that define the length of a turtle move
5. Produce the same outcome as #4 using forward(move.length()) instead of 10.