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Our app has great functionality but some of the UI could be nicer. Let's refine the interfaces a bit and make it nicer to use.
New terms
-
os- Python module that lets us integrate with the underlying OS -
os.name- attribute that holds a name for the style of OS -
os.system()- method to allow Python code to call OS-level programs
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I don't think that we have a huge number
of tweaks to make to our UI, but
0:00
we definitely have some.
0:03
We need more space around entries, when we
are reading them, and really,
0:05
I'd rather not just keep scrolling the
screen, let's see what we can do.
0:08
Let's start by giving ourselves a little
bit of room after we print out an entry.
0:12
Having the menu right up against the
content makes the content a little
0:17
hard to read.
0:20
So, let's go back to view entry again,
view entries.
0:22
This has been a very popular function for
us to modify.
0:27
So right here after we print out the
content, let's print out two new lines.
0:32
And let's also again print out the equal
signs for the length of the time stamp.
0:38
So two of the lines, and
0:45
then as many equal signs as there are
characters in the time stamps.
0:47
Really, though, I think most of the
unreadableness comes from the fact that
0:50
everything is just printed onto the string
one thing after another,
0:53
just files down, like we've always been
doing.
0:57
We can do better than that, though.
1:01
Let's add in the ability to clear the
screen before we print something out.
1:03
To do this, we're gonna need to call some
OS level stuff,
1:07
so let's bring in the OS library.
1:11
So we come back up here, and we import os.
1:15
And I wanna make a little function that is
called clear.
1:20
And what I want this function to do is to
clear the screen.
1:29
And I'm gonna need this more than once,
that's why I'm making it a function.
1:33
If I was only gonna ever do this one time,
I just write it straight into the code.
1:35
So, what we're gonna do here is os.system,
which let's us call a,
1:39
function on the system, or sorry not a
function a, like a program.
1:43
And we're gonna call CLS if the OS's name
is NT,
1:47
which is Windows I guess if you're on
really old like 98 or
1:54
95 it won't be empty but I do believe
everything else is empty.
1:58
Else, call the function clear or the, the
program clear.
2:02
So we call cls if we're on Windows.
2:08
We call clear if we're on Linux, Mac,
whatever.
2:10
So let's use this where we can.
2:14
I think that whenever they do something on
the menu-
2:18
[BLANK_AUDIO]
2:23
That we should, or whenever we show the
menu rather, we should clear the screen.
2:26
So while choice isn't Q let's call clear.
2:30
And then, I think before we call whatever
the thing is on the menu that we're gonna
2:36
do, like add any entry, or view entries, I
think we should clear the screen again.
2:41
So, we add clear here, and we add clear
here.
2:46
Okay, I think those are pretty good.
2:49
And then I think, the last place,
2:50
maybe that we would put in clear would be
right before we print out an entry.
2:52
It seems like that's one of our more
cluttery areas.
2:58
So we go back to view entries yet
3:00
again, and before we start doing our
prints here, let's call clear.
3:03
All right so it's gonna clear out our, our
screen.
3:10
Kay.
3:14
So let's test all of this out.
3:14
[SOUND] And look, there's our menu.
3:16
Cool.
3:22
So I'm gonna add an entry.
3:23
That starts a brand new thing.
3:26
Hello, this is a new entry.
3:28
Ctrl+D.
3:30
Save it, sure.
3:33
Going back to the menu, clears out the
screen again.
3:35
Let's view.
3:37
There's my new entry, and
3:39
it's nicely format, I, I've got more room,
everything's more nicely formatted.
3:40
If I got to the next entry, there's just
that entry.
3:44
If I wanna delete that one, come to there,
3:47
I'm gonna say, no, I don't wanna delete
it.
3:50
So we just moved on to the next one.
3:52
I think we'll lose our print where we
said, entry deleted, but
3:54
that's not that big of a deal.
3:58
So, yeah.
4:00
That's our app.
4:02
That's a lot better.
4:03
I did notice one thing, which if you're
typing along with me,
4:04
you're gonna get too.
4:08
[BLANK_AUDIO]
4:10
Should be enter your entry, not just enter
you entry.
4:13
All right.
4:16
That's our app, that's a whole lot better.
4:18
Wow, that's so much better.
4:20
About the only things I could see adding
to this, would be some color coding, and
4:22
maybe a bit of tech strapping.
4:25
I'll leave all of that up to you.
4:27
But I'll add a couple of handy libraries
to the teacher's notes.
4:28
Well, that's it.
4:31
We're done with another Python course,
here at Treehouse.
4:32
Based on this new ability, you should be
able to go and
4:35
improve older projects, or start brand new
ones.
4:37
Record wins and losses on the games that
we've built together.
4:40
Or, if you did the regular Expressions
course,
4:42
stick the address book entries into a
database table.
4:44
Be sure to let me know if you build
something.
4:47
I'll see you next time.
4:49
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