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Hello everyone,<br>
<br>
About me:<br>
<br>
This is the first time I post to <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:Tutor@Python.org">Tutor@Python.org</a>. <br>
<br>
I am brand spanking new to Python. I can create simple application,
gone through a few tutorials and watched the Google Python 2 day
class on Youtube. (List of classes: <a href="http://goo.gl/Ud5rg">http://goo.gl/Ud5rg</a>)<br>
<br>
Just yesterday I figured out how to load up a GUI made in Glade and
pass singles around and what not. Huge accomplishment for me since
documentation is a bit shaky for noobs like me. :)<br>
<br>
I have some programming knowledge. I learned (self tough) VB when I
was in middle school and then did a intro to C++ in college. Of
course mentioning that is trivial since I haven't done any
programming for about 5 years or so.. But I do know basic concepts.
Just need a little push in the right direction..<br>
<br>
--------------------------------------<br>
<br>
I think I know how to design my application but I would like to put
it on here for you guys to review and provide me with
feedback/suggestions as to the best way to go about it.<br>
<br>
--------------------------------------<br>
<br>
The application:<br>
<br>
I want to build a simple application that keeps track of items
borrowers check out. So the end user types in the names of <i>borrowers</i>
and also types in a list of <i>items</i>. Then the end user checks
out the <i>items</i> to the <i>borrowers</i>.<br>
<br>
The category that my application would fall under is close to <i>collection
management tools</i>. Here's a list of a few other applications
that do something like what I am aiming for:
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charset=ISO-8859-1">
<a
href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-open-source-collection-manager-apps/">http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-open-source-collection-manager-apps/</a><br>
<br>
In addition to the application keeping track of who has what, I
would like to code the date the items are out, which borrowers have
not borrowed anything in the last month, and so on. That said, I
need to setup some kind of database like file. I don't want to have
a database server though.<br>
<br>
The reason I want to build a new tool is because:<br>
<blockquote>A) I want to play around with Python<br>
B) My friend needs the application to be simple and geared to his
needs without too many extra bells & whistles<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
--------------------------------------<br>
<br>
<br>
My method:<br>
<br>
I was thinking of using the lxmal module <span
class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:
sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant:
normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height:
normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px;
text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2;
word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none;
-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;
background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></span>to construct a XML
file to read/write all the information.<br>
<br>
I figured this was the easiest way to do what I need since the
information is setup as a tree. (Easy to think about and see)
Example:<br>
<br>
<app><br>
<borrowers><br>
<br>
<user>John Doe</user><br>
<br>
<checked out>
Item1:Item2:||2011/4/2</checked out><br>
<br>
<user>Mary Doe</user><br>
<br>
<checked out> Item3||2011/7/22</checked
out><br>
<br>
</borrowers><br>
<objects><br>
<br>
<item>Item1</item><br>
<br>
<createdOn>2011/2/1</createdOn><br>
<br>
<checked_out_times>32</checked_out_times><br>
<br>
<item>Item2</item><br>
<br>
<createdOn>2011/2/1</createdOn><br>
<br>
<checked_out_times>22</checked_out_times><br>
<br>
<item>Item3</item><br>
<br>
<createdOn>2011/2/1</createdOn><br>
<br>
<checked_out_times>1</checked_out_times><br>
</objects><br>
</app><br>
<br>
The application will not be used in an enterprise kind of
environment. The application is meant to hold about 80 borrowers and
about 100 items and that's about it.<br>
<br>
Is this a good way to go about my project? Is there a better &
easier way? <br>
<br>
I don't want to trade off "better" with "easy". Someone once
suggested on Freenode #Python that I should use a sql database. I
don't remember the name of it. It was something like lightsql or
something like that. That particular database didn't use a server
end. I guess it spit out a txt database or something... This might
be a good time to mention I know very little about database
construction or sql commands.<br>
<br>
Anyhow, I am looking forward to hearing opinion's and suggestions. <br>
<br>
Thanks!<br>
<br>
<br>
-- -Joel M
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