[Tutor] Creating To Do List Program - Question

[Rafael Knuth]

Hej Dave,

thank you for your response.

> Your original program had some code that interacted with the user.  So
> when you went from that to a giant print statement, I, and proably many
> others, thought you were just kidding.

I noticed that, but I was serious about that. I mean, my giant print
statement was really ridiculous to say the least but it did what I
wanted the program to do - adding items to the To Do List and printing
that list. However, I knew this was my very first iteration and I
wanted to improve my program by making those incremental baby steps.

> Are you using Python 3.3, under Windows?

Python 3.0 under Windows.

> So let me ask some questions about your level of understanding.

Sure.

> Do you know what an if statement is?  How about a for or while
> statement?

Yes, I am familiar with both.

> Can you write code in a function, have it take parameters and return
> results?  Do you know how to call such a function?

Yes.

> Do you know what a list is?  Can you manipulate it at all?  Can you
> create it from a literal, using the [] syntax.

Yes.

> Do you know what a file is?  Do you know the difference between text
> file and binary file?  Can you read a text file into a list?  Can you
> write a list of strings out to a text file?

I worked with text files yet, I have to admit I haven't worked with
binary files though - and I don't know yet what they are.  But I will
figure that out.

> If you understand all these pieces, you're probably ready to try to
> construct a todo list program.  If not, I second the suggestion to
> follow a tutorial, till it's covered at least all of these.

Ok, cool.

> (I may have missed quite a few items, but I think all of these are
> necessary.)

Ok, so I will rewrite that To Do list as you (and the others)
suggested and I will get back to you in case I have any further
questons.

> For example, write a function that builds a list of strings by asking
> the user, a line at a time, till the user enters a blank string.  The
> function should return the list.

Ok, understood.

> Once you think you have the function written, write a simple top-level
> program that calls the function and prints the results.  Then have it
> print the results one line at a time.

I don't understand yet what a top-level program is, but I will figure that out.

Again, thank you all.
I have a fairly good understanding of how I should proceed now.

Rafael