Automate the Boring Stuff with Python, 2nd Edition: Practical Programming for Total Beginners

by Al Sweigart

Paperback, 2019

Status

Available

Call number

005.133

Publication

No Starch Press (2019), Edition: 2, 592 pages

Description

If you ́ve ever spent hours renaming files or updating hundreds of spreadsheet cells, you know how tedious tasks like these can be. But what if you could have your computer do them for you? In this fully revised second edition of the best-selling classic Automate the Boring Stuff with Python , you ́ll learn how to use Python to write programs that do in minutes what would take you hours to do by hand ́no prior programming experience required. You ́ll learn the basics Python and explore Python ́s rich library of modules for performing specific tasks, like scraping data off websites, reading PDF and Word documents, and automating clicking and typing tasks. The second edition of this international fan favorite includes a brand-new chapter on input validation, as well as tutorials on automating Gmail and Google Sheets, plus tips on automatically updating CSV files. You ́ll learn how to create programs that effortlessly perform useful feats of automation to: ́ØSearch for text in a file or across multiple files ́ØCreate, update, move, and rename files and folders ́ØSearch the Web and download online content ́ØUpdate and format data in Excel spreadsheets of any size ́ØSplit, merge, watermark, and encrypt PDFs ́ØSend email responses and text notifications ́ØFill out online forms Step-by-step instructions walk you through each program, and updated practice projects at the end of each chapter challenge you to improve those programs and use your newfound skills to automate similar tasks. Don't spend your time doing work a well-trained monkey could do. Even if you've never written a line of code, you can make your computer do the grunt work. Learn how in Automate the Boring Stuff with Python, 2nd Edition .… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member Frenzie
I only skimmed this as not being a total beginner it didn't have much to teach me, but it looked like a decent introduction. For a fair amount of stuff in this book my first instinct would be to use a quick shell script, but let's be honest: Python can often be much easier to read and write. That
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probably doesn't mean I'll change my habits but it's good to reflect on which tool is most effective for the job.

If you don't know about it, reading up on regular expressions is something you must absolutely do. It might as well be from this book. Then there's other stuff like generating random quiz files which is always good to know. There was one thing that was completely new to me: I'd never heard of PyAutoGUI. It could be interesting for automated form filling, although I have no present use for it. Oh yeah, and the book isn't one of those super dry programming books. Occasionally it can be quite funny.
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LibraryThing member evanharmon
Al Sweigart is a really great writer that takes the time and effort to be really clear and explanatory. There are lots of great ways to apply what you learn in this book to your everyday life which is really crucial to make what you learn stick. You can't go wrong with this book!
LibraryThing member markm2315
I have a few other introductions to Python, but this one was especially appealing to me. Its example applications are very practical, and it covers regular expressions, file handling, web scraping, working with MSWord and MS Excel files, and handling image files and e-mails.

Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

2015

Physical description

592 p.; 9.31 inches

ISBN

1593279922 / 9781593279929
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