[Edu-sig] GvR question

André Roberge andre.roberge at gmail.com
Wed May 4 03:49:32 CEST 2005


Dan Schellenberg wrote:
> While not strictly a Python posting, I think this question may be of 
> interest to this list.  I have decided to use GvR (Guido van Robot) as 
> an introductory unit in my computer science course, and therefore have 
> recently spent some time running through the premade lessons at 
> http://gvr.sourceforge.net/lessons/rfrank/
> 
[snip ... problems about while loops and the like noted.]

=====
QUICK solution to your problem: use RUR-PLE, also available on sourceforge.
RUR-PLE uses Python syntax, so you can write your own "conditionals" and 
use return statements.
[from your post: "none of the built in conditionals provide a good 
boolean for this problem...."].
=====

This may seem like self-advertisement but, please consider it seriously.

As posted on this list yesterday, version 0.7.9.9 of RUR-PLE is 
available on sourceforge.  (Regarding the self-advertisement mention:
I am the author - and sole developper of RUR-PLE, but I have nothing to
gain [other than the satisfaction of having done something useful to 
others.]  RUR-PLE is like GvR++, if I may say so.

My goal in designing RUR-PLE was to allow a seamless transition from 
"GvR" to Python.

I'm busy writing lessons for RUR-PLE, in preparation for release 1.0.
So far, the lessons written include exercises in a robot world (a bit 
like Frank's lessons) covering the following Python keywords:
def, if, while, else, elif, not, from, import.  That's pretty much the 
same as GvR in terms of programming concepts ... except for "from" and 
"import" which aren't covered in GvR. (from and import are covered in 
version 0.8 sitting on my computer right now, and on which I was working 
tonight :-)
Included in version 0.7.9.9 is also a sample program (in the robot 
world) showing the use of try/except.
I also included a "repeat()" function, which is similar in its use to 
the "do" keyword in GvR. It is defined as follows:
def repeat(fn, n):
    for i in range(n):
        fn()

My goal for release 1.0 is to have introduced the whole Python syntax in 
  pedagogical lessons.  Future releases will most likely focus on 
writing Python apps with GUIs.

RUR-PLE contains also a graphical world builder, which makes it easier 
to design robot worlds.  This has been adapted by one of the developpers 
of GvR less than 2 months ago and should be in the new release of GvR.

I could say a lot more, but I have to go write some more lessons :-)

Before I leave, here's a message I received yesterday from the GvR 
developper that adapted my graphical world builder for use with GvR.
(the tooltip issue he mentions is now fixed :-)

=====
On 5/2/05, Andre Roberge <andre.roberge at gmail.com> wrote:
 > Hi XXXXXXXX
 >
 > I have just uploaded a new release of rur-ple on sourceforge.  It is
 > version 0.7.9.9.  This is a major upgrade to the previous release,
 > with a fairly different looking interface.  I've put a fair bit of
 > work in the lessons.
It's impressive, nice lessons and the GUI looks very nice with the 
custom icons.
I really like the notebook setup, got me thinking about GvR I was
never happy with the way
GvR implements the lessons. (by using a browser).

I have however a little comment, as usual :-)
I kind of misses tooltips when holding the mouse above the buttons.
When I was looking at the GUI I realized I was holding the mouse above
the buttons and
expected to get some info :-)

 > Note that there is a lesson on the "import" statement which is not
 > implemented; it will be in version 0.8.
The lessons are very impressive, and looks great with the screenshots
and other graphics.
========
Sincerely hoping that nobody is annoyed by the length of this post...
All I want to do is make it easier to learn Python :-)

André



More information about the Edu-sig mailing list