[Tutor] Is Python suitable for my project?

[alan.gauld@bt.com]

> was done using MS Visual Basic 3.0, and it still works quite well. 
> The problem is that this application was programmed under 
> Windows 3.1 and has never been upgraded.
> ...
> what you want fast. But with my application I got to the limits of 
> this programming environment. I had to use thousands of nasty 
> tricks to overcome them, and that resulted in a loss of productivity 
> and made the code harder to debug, modify and maintain.
> 
> This time I'd like to work with a better language, with no such 
> limitations. I have worked with C, Pascal, Basic, Visual Basic, 

Sounds like the natural choice would be Borlands Delphi. 
The UI design features of VB with a full OO model and in Pascal 
which you know. Faster executables than VB but you need to buy it.
A=Standard edition should be adequate tho' at <$100?

> To use any of the languages I already know for my project would 
> require too much time. 

Delphi would probably be faster than learning Python and the 
Win32 MFC stuff. Even learning Tkinter would take a while and
then you have the database access too...

> need any low-level code, so using Pascal or C would be a waste of 
> power. 

Pascal isn't intended to be a low level language although Borland's 
versions can certainly do that. Its not as high level as Python 
but its a lot higher than C or C++.

> try the real object-oriented programming. Python springs to mind, 
> and I've been reading the introductory course and so far I like what 
> I've seen. I think it is a good compromise between programming 
> power and productivity.

Agreed on that score.

> However, the Win32 API programming interfase seems rather 
> crude. 

Its very low level. Fine if you are an experienced VC++ developer 
but for you I'd advise going to Tkinter or PyWin.

> there such a productive interfase-design environment as the one of 
> Visual Basic? 

The nearest I've found is the Tcl tool specTcl which is a GUI 
builder but the eitor for the code is very crude and its a long 
way short of Delphi or VB. Glade and Boa may get there some day 
but not yet.

> Is anyone working on a project which runs under Windows? How 
> do you people work with the API? Is Python a good option for my 
> project? 

For windows apps I use Python as a prototype language for the 
core functionality but I use Delphi for the GUI unless its 
very simple - in which case Tkinter is fine.

> available to use, but without an easy way to work with all the 
> window management code, I guess Python is not a viable option for 
> me. Am I right? What do you suggest?

I would agree for this particular case. Now if you wanted to build 
an app that ran on Linux and windows Python would be a real option. 
But as it stands I'd recommend deplhi for its better GUI builder, 
good database connectivity, good RAD support and fast executables

Alan G.