Activities/Pippy

Description

Pippy is a simple IDE for the Python programming language. It provides a menu of sample files, a text editing window, and simple controls for running and stopping the selected code.

Screen Shots

Toolbars

top row: main toolbar

Activity Toolbar Button

Opens activity toolbar (Shown open)

Edit Toolbar Button

Toolbar with Copy/Paste/Undo/Redo tools

Output Panel Button

Opens/closes output panel

Run Button

Executes code

Stop Button

Stops execution in the code

Erase Button

Erase code

Sample Panel Button

Opens a panel with sample Python programs

middle row: activity toolnbar

Activity title

Change the name of your project

Description Panel Button

Open a panel to write notes about your project

Collaboration Panel Button

Open a panel to launch sharing

Import Button

Load a Python program from the Journal

Export Button

Save a Python program to the Journal

Library Button

Save Python code to the Pippy library (where is can be used by other Python programs)

Example Button

Save Python code as a new Pippy example project

Activity Button

Save Python code as a new Sugar activity

Distutils Button

Save Python code as a distutil package (Python module)

bottom row: tabs

Pippy supports multiple tabs so you can work on more than one module at a time.

Where to get Pippy

Activity Library | Source | Source tarball| OLPC:Pippy |

Tickets in Trac: Sugar Labs | OLPC |

To create a new program,

1. Click Clear.
2. Begin entering code.
3. Rename the session (default Pippy Activity) to yourname.py
4. Click Keep, and select As Pippy Document. (If you have not given it a Pythonic name, Pippy saves it as a Write document.)
5. Click the Journal entry to resume editing and testing.

Python, like other programming languages with sufficiently simple syntax, can be taught starting in third grade. The general plan is to let children use several interesting programs for some time, and then show them how to make simple changes in text strings and variable values. Then, over the next few years, gradually show them how to make ever-more significant changes until they can write programs on their own.

Note that the programmable tiles in Turtle Art Activities/Turtle Art provide an environment in which children can start with simple Python expressions and work their way up to full programming.

Examples

(in Spanish and English) based on the Commodore 64 Manual:

http://dev.laptop.org/git/users/cscott/pippy-examples/tree/

Development planning

See Pippy Design Ideas.

recent review

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7aQxYuKJ18