Python Programming with the Java Class Libraries: A Tutorial for Building Web and Enterprise Applications with Jython

	Table of Contents

Python Programming with the Java Class Libraries: A Tutorial for Building Web and Enterprise Applications with Jython
By Richard Hightower
Publisher	: Addison Wesley
Pub Date	: June 28, 2002
ISBN	: 0-201-61616-5
Pages	: 640

Characterized by ease of use, richness of expression, and concise syntax, Python has remained a premier programming language for more than a decade, and is used by novices and professionals alike. In particular, its close relationship to Java(TM) makes the two languages, when used in combination, ideal for Web and distributed enterprise application development.

This tutorial begins with coverage of some of the basics of Python programming. Using plenty of skill-building exercises and interactive programming sessions, this book will help those new to programming develop an understanding of concepts and practical techniques. For experienced programmers, the book demonstrates Python's breadth of capabilities and shows the ways that Python interfaces with Java APIs for professional application development.

Python Programming with the Java(TM) Class Libraries: A Tutorial for Building Web and Enterprise Applications with Jython covers important topics such as:

• Fundamental programming concepts, including statements, expressions, interpreters, and compilers

• Python basics, including operators, string formatting, namespaces, classes, errors, and exceptions

• Object-oriented programming concepts

• File input/output

• Python's intrinsic functions

• Formatting, parsing, and manipulating strings

• Interfacing with the Java APIs and working with Java Streams

• Using Python and Java Swing to create GUIs

• Working with SQL and JDBC(TM)

• Python and Java applets

In addition, the book contains instructions for downloading and installing the Python language and the Java Development Kit (JDK). Terminology, definitions, explanations, and numerous code samples make this book a useful learning experience.

Whether you are a sophisticated computer user new to programming or a serious application developer, Python Programming with the Java(TM) Class Libraries will give you insight into the power of Python and the know-how to put it to work.

777

		Copyright
		Preface
			A Very Short History
			What You Will Learn
			The Audience
			Acknowledgments
		Chapter 1.  Jython Overview
			Programming, Briefly
			Learning Python First
			Python the Language
			Starting with Python
			Basic Functions with Python
			Python as a Main Program
			The Fast Track
			The Power of Python
			Where Do You Go from Here?
			Summary
		Chapter 2.  Statements and Expressions
			Comments and Document Strings
			Statements
			Expressions
			Variables
			Data Types
			Python Collection Types
			Advanced Topic: Determining Types at Runtime
			Literals
			Summary
		Chapter 3.  Operators and String Formatting
			Operators
			Formatting Strings Modulus
			Summary
		Chapter 4.  Control Flow
			The if Statement
			The while Statement
			The for Statement
			Putting It All Together
			Summary
		Chapter 5.  Organizing Your Code
			Evolution of a Programmer
			Code Blocks and Namespaces
			Modules
			Functions and Methods
			Putting Things Together
			Classes
			Packages
			Globals and the Global Statement
			Summary
		Chapter 6.  Object-Oriented Programming
			What Is OOP?
			Objects and Classes
			Special Class Methods
			Inheritance
			Polymorphism
			Summary
		Chapter 7.  Errors and Exceptions
			Syntax and Sequence Errors
			The Danger of Exceptions
			The try Statement
			The raise Statement
			Classes and Instances as Exceptions
			Getting the Most Out of Your Exceptions
			Summary
		Chapter 8.  Working with Files
			Simple File Operations
			Common File Methods
			Putting It All Together: The Address Book Example
			The Full address3.py Code
			Persisting Objects with pickle
			pickle and the Address Book Application
			Summary
		Chapter 9.  Built-In Functions
			Conversion
			Namespace: dir(), globals(), locals(), vars()
			Type Checking: callable(), type()
			Operations
			Advanced Topic: Functional Programming
			Advanced exec and eval
			Summary
		Chapter 10.  Working with Strings
			Conversion: atoi(), atof(), atol()
			Case Change: capitalize(), capwords(), swapcases(), lower(), upper()
			Finding: find(), rfind(), index(), rindex(), count(), replace()
			Splitting and Joining: split(), splitfields(), join(), joinfields()
			Stripping and Parsing: lstrip(), rstrip(), strip()
			Adjusting Text: ljust(), rjust(), center(), zfill(), expandtabs()
			Summary
		Chapter 11.  Interfacing with Java
			Using the Java APIs
			Java Types
			Java Constructors
			Java Arrays and jarray
			Java Arrays and Methods
			Bean Properties
			Properties
			Java Event Handling
			Subclassing Java Classes
			Advanced Topics
			Summary
		Chapter 12.  Working with Java Streams
			The Java Way of File Operations
			Text Streams
			Binary Streams: InputStream and OutputStream
			DataInput and DataOutput
			The File Class
			The RandomAccessFile Class
			The StreamTokenizer Class
			Persisting Objects with Java Streams
			Using Java Streams to Work with Memory
			Summary
		Chapter 13.  JFC Fundamentals
			Components and Containers
			JFrame
			Handling Events with JFrame
			The Python Way of Handling Events
			The Class Hierarchy for JFrame and Frame
			JPanel
			JLabel
			JComponent
			JButton
			JTextField
			JCheckBox
			JRadioButton
			List and JList
			Summary
		Chapter 14.  First Swing Application, Layout, and Menus
			Putting Things Together with Basic Java GUIs
			Adding an Input Form for an Address Entry: The Prototype
			Adding an Input Form for an Address Entry: First Cut
			Adding a Main Window for the Address Book Application: Prototype
			Adding a Main Window: First Cut
			Adding a Toolbar and a Dialog for the Address Book Application
			Menus
			Layout Managers
			A GridBagLayout Example
			Putting Things Together: Adding GridBagLayout to the Address Application
			Summary
		Chapter 15.  Graphics and Events
			A Quick Graphics Tour
			A Quick Tour of Common Events
			Putting Things Together: A Drawing Program
			The Complete Shapes and DrawShapes Modules
			Summary
		Chapter 16.  Advanced Swing
			JTable
			Working with Table Models
			Putting Things Together Adding a Table Model to the Address Book Application
			JTree
			JToolBar and Actions
			Summary
		Chapter 17.  SQL and JDBC
			A Quick and Dirty JDBC Session
			Programming with JDBC and SQL
			SQL Data Definition Language
			SQL Data Manipulation Language
			Putting It All Together Adding Database Support to the Address Book Application
			Summary
		Chapter 18.  Applets
			What Are Applets?
			Working with Applets
			Using an Applet as a Container
			Transforming the Address Book Application into an Applet
			Advanced Topic: AppletContext and AppletStub
			Summary
		Appendix A.  Installing Jython on Windows
			Installing Java Runtime
			Installing the J2SE Step by Step
			Installing Jython
		Appendix B.  Installing Jython on Linux
			Unpacking the Blackdown Package
			Unpacking the Sun Package
			Installing the Sun and Blackdown Distributions
			Installing Older Distributions
			Running Jython
		Appendix C.  The Power of Scripting
			Scripting Versus Programming Languages
			Java and Scripting
			Integrating Scripting with Jython
			Which Scripting Language to Choose
			Hello World The Programming Rosetta Stone
			What Does It All Mean?
		Appendix D.  Java and Python: A Comparison
			Python 101
			A GUI Application
			A Statistics Application
			A String Parsing Example
			Embedding Jython in Java
		Appendix E.  Regular Expressions
			A Simple Example
			Pattern Characteristics
			Regular Expression Functions and Error and Flags Properties
			re Object Methods and Properties
			Match Object Methods and Properties
			Metacharacters
			Putting Things Together

Copyright

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and Addison-Wesley was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters or in all capitals.

The author and publisher have taken care in the preparation of this book, but make no expressed or implied warranty of any kind and assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for incidental or consequential damages in connection with or arising out of the use of the information or programs contained herein.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Hightower, Richard.

Python programming with the Java class libraries : a tutorial for building Web and Enterprise applications with Jython / Richard Hightower.

p. cm.

ISBN 0-201-61616-5 (alk. paper)

1. Python (Computer program language) 2. Java (Computer program language) 3. Application software Development. I. Title.

QA76.73.P98 H54 2002

005.2'762 dc21

2002066565

Copyright 2003 by Pearson Education, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior consent of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America. Published simultaneously in Canada.

For information on obtaining permission for use of material from this work, please submit a written request to:

Pearson Education, Inc.

Rights and Contracts Department

75 Arlington Street, Suite 300

Boston, MA 02116

Fax: [phone]

Text printed on recycled paper

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 CRS 0605040302

First printing, July 2002

Preface

Python is a dynamic programming language with the power of well-known languages such as Java, C++, and Smalltalk. In fact, Python is leaner and meaner than any of these languages and yet very expressive; it doesn't talk much, but it has a lot to say.

Python has another plus: the simplicity of languages such as VB Script and JavaScript, which makes it easy for beginning programmers to learn. Novices who know their way around a computer can pick it up quickly, particularly if they have ever created a spreadsheet that graphs and organizes data, written spreadsheet formulas, or created a Web page. For those who have, say, written macros and batch files or programmed in any language, Python will be a breeze.

A Very Short History

Python was derived from a language called ABC created by Guido van Rossum and others in the early 1980s. The hope was that ABC's designed-in ease of use would become popular with novices as a way to get up to programming speed quickly and painlessly. This hope didn't pan out, so van Rossum began a new project, Python, which was released in 1990. He didn't forget ABC; in fact, there's a lot of ABC in Python's concise syntax and elegant expression, as well as in its ease of use. The formula worked this time; Python succeeded where ABC failed, and it has stood the test of time.

What You Will Learn

Put simply, my goal with this book is to teach programming using Python. You'll learn the workings of Python and how to apply them, particularly for the following:

• Abstract Windows Toolkit (AWT) and Swing application development

• Java applet development

• Internet programming

• Regular expressions and pattern matching

You may not understand these concepts now, but you will by the end of the book.

If you're looking for a full language reference, you won't get it here. What you will get is a deep enough understanding of Python to get started on your own programming. I'm going to remind you often of my belief that the best way to learn programming is by doing it. That's why I've provided lots of hands-on exercises in the form of interactive programming sessions, which I hope you'll follow along with at the keyboard as you read.

The Audience

As a reader of this book, you may be one of the following:

• A nonprogrammer who wants to learn a programming language

• A novice programmer who wants to learn Python

For simplicity, I'll call you both novices. You know your computer and how to use it to get the job done.

If you're not a novice and you're reading this book, then you're an experienced programmer who wants to learn a higher-level language that's quicker and more powerful than the one you're using now. For simplicity, I'll call you programmers.

For Novices

You'll be introduced to Python in conversational English, with many step-by-step examples. Chapters 2 through 9 build progressively on the chapters preceding them, so you should be able to learn enough to begin writing useful Python programs. The goal is to give you as much of a headstart as possible. From Chapter 10 on you'll learn more about Python and about supporting Java and Python libraries on your own, as well as about Internet programming with Python.

For Programmers

Most likely you're an experienced Java programmer who's aware of the close relationship between Java and Python and how it can lead to better application development (we'll get into this more in Chapter 1). You can skip over or skim the basic material and concentrate on the Advanced Topic sections and the various sidebars that are geared to your level of understanding.

Now let's get into our tour of Python the destination is worth the trip.

Acknowledgments

The author and publisher are grateful for the efforts of this book's developmental editor, Dianne Cannon Wood, and reviewer, Barry Busler. Countless hours and suggestions were extremely helpful during the book's production stages. Thanks.