[Tutor] Long post: Request comments on starting code and test code on chess rating project.

[boB Stepp]

I mentioned in one of the recent threads that I started that it is
probably time for me to attempt a substantial project using the OO
paradigm.  I have had no coursework or training in OOP other than my
recent self-studies.  Everything (Other than toy practice examples.) I
have coded to date has been strictly procedural, similar to what I
learned in FORTRAN ages ago.  Also, I am continuing to try to do TDD
and keep things DRY.  So I am hoping for a thorough critique of what I
will shortly present.  Everything is fair game!  Hopefully my
self-esteem is up to this critique!

The intent of this project is more than just calculate chess ratings.
I also envision being able to store a record of all game results and
player information for my school chess players that I give lessons to.
Some functionality I will strive to include:  1) Be able to re-rate
all games from a given date to the present.  2) Record demographic
information about my players, such as names, current school year,
current grade, etc.  3) Have a very friendly GUI so that when I have a
finished project, a student could easily take over responsibility of
maintaining the school's player ratings, if I so choose to allow this.
4) Having an editor where games and player data (But NOT ratings;
these would have to be re-rated starting from a corrected game(s).)
can be edited, inserted, or deleted with games (If game data is
edited.) automatically be re-rated.  5) Et cetera ...

My current project structure is:

/Projects
    /rating_calculator
        /rating_calculator
            __init__.py
            main.py
        /tests
            __init__.py
            test_main.py

I have started my coding with a RatingCalculator class.  The intent of
this class is to gather all methods together needed to validate and
calculate chess ratings.  My intent is to only ever have a single
instance of this class existing during a given running of the program.
(BTW, is there a technique to _guarantee_ that this is always true?)
I am only at the very beginning of coding this class.  I have not
added any methods yet.  Currently I am adding class constants that
will be used in this class' methods.  These constants are for internal
class use only and should not be altered from outside the class.  Here
is the current state of the main.py program (Which will probably be
broken into multiple modules as the project develops.):

=================================================================================
#!/usr/bin/env python3

"""Module to process chess ratings."""

class RatingCalculator:
    """This class contains methods to validate and calculate chess ratings."""

    # Overestimated extremes for possible chess rating values.  Values outside
    # this range should not be achievable.

    _LOWEST_POSSIBLE_RATING = 0
    _HIGHEST_POSSIBLE_RATING = 3000

    # Fundamental constants for use in the chess rating formula.  The keys to
    # these values are tuples giving the rating ranges for which these
    # K-factors are valid.

    _K_MULTIPLIERS = {
            (_LOWEST_POSSIBLE_RATING, 2099): 0.04,
            (2100, 2399): 0.03,
            (2400, _HIGHEST_POSSIBLE_RATING): 0.02}

    _K_ADDERS = {
            (_LOWEST_POSSIBLE_RATING, 2099): 16,
            (2100, 2399): 12,
            (2400, _HIGHEST_POSSIBLE_RATING): 8}
=================================================================================

The test code in test_main.py is:

=================================================================================
#!/usr/bin/env python3

"""Module to test all functions and methods of main.py."""

import unittest
import rating_calculator.main as main

class TestRatingCalculatorConstants(unittest.TestCase):
    # Check that the constants in RatingCalculator have the proper values.

    def setUp(self):
        # Create instance of RatingCalculator for use in the following tests.
        # Create tuple of test-value pairs to interate over in subtests.

        self.rating_calculator = main.RatingCalculator()
        self.test_value_pairs = (
                (self.rating_calculator._LOWEST_POSSIBLE_RATING, 0),
                (self.rating_calculator._HIGHEST_POSSIBLE_RATING, 3000),
                (self.rating_calculator._K_MULTIPLIERS[(
                    self.rating_calculator._LOWEST_POSSIBLE_RATING, 2099)],
                    0.04),
                (self.rating_calculator._K_MULTIPLIERS[(2100, 2399)], 0.03),
                (self.rating_calculator._K_MULTIPLIERS[(2400,
                    self.rating_calculator._HIGHEST_POSSIBLE_RATING)], 0.02),
                (self.rating_calculator._K_ADDERS[(
                    self.rating_calculator._LOWEST_POSSIBLE_RATING, 2099)],
                    16),
                (self.rating_calculator._K_ADDERS[(2100, 2399)], 12),
                (self.rating_calculator._K_ADDERS[(2400,
                    self.rating_calculator._HIGHEST_POSSIBLE_RATING)], 8))


    def test_class_constants(self):
        # Check that all class constants have the correct values.

        for tested_item, expected_value in self.test_value_pairs:
            with self.subTest():
                self.assertEqual(tested_item, expected_value)


if __name__ == '__main__':
    unittest.main()
=================================================================================

Instead of doc strings in the test code, I have used comments based on
something I read online.  The point of doing this was so the doc
strings would _not_ show up in the test run output.  Is this
worthwhile advice to follow?

I'm looking forwards to everyone's thoughts.

TIA!


-- 
boB