> > Hello all,
> >
> > Thank you all for your help.  I appreciate it alot.
> >
> > I have been trying to work with file IO alot recently and would like to
> > improve my little program so that I no longer use a hard coded list, but 
> > a
> > text file that I can edit easily.
> >
> > The text file is three lines long and looks exactly like this:
> >
> > Reminder1,2009_10_28
> > Reminder2,2009_11_01
> > Reminder3,2009_11_15
> >
> > My program consists of the following code:
> > ============
> > #]------------------[import modules]------------------[
> > from time import strftime, mktime, localtime
> > from WConio import textcolor
> > #]--------------------------------------------------------[
> > #]------------------[define functions]------------------[
> > def read_reminders():
> >   print "\nReading text file into program: reminders.txt"
> >   text_file = open("reminders.txt","r")
> >   reminders = [line.strip().split("'") for line in text_file]
> >   text_file.close()
> >   print reminders
> > #
> > def get_computer_date():
> >   #Get today's date from the computer
> >   todays_date = strftime("%Y_%m_%d")
> >   return todays_date
> > #
> > def color_print(strings):
> >   #Change the text color in the WinXP dos shell
> >   #The way to use:
> >   #color_print([("string",color number),>>   #(str(variable),color number),(etc)])
> >   for string in strings:
> >       textcolor(string[1])
> >       print string[0],
> > #
> > def change_to_julian(reminder_date):
> >   #Receives the year, month, and day
> >   #in the form of a single string (2009_10_15)
> >   #and changes it into three different int
> >   #variables.  Then take those three variables
> >   #and append six zeros and change into a
> >   #julian date.
> >   date = []
> >   date = reminder_date.split("_")
> >   year = int(date[0])
> >   month = int(date[1])
> >   day = int(date[2])
> >   timetuple = (year, month, day) + ( (0,) * 6 )
> >   unixtime = mktime(timetuple)
> >   timetuple = localtime(unixtime)
> >   print days_left(timetuple[7])
> >   # [7] is the number of julian-date field of
> >   #the unixtime tuple.
> >   return days_left(timetuple[7])
> > #
> > def days_left(julian_date):
> >   #This function calculates the days left
> >   #until a reminder.  If the days left are
> >   #greater than 0 it will print normally.
> >   #If it is -1 then it will print differently.
> >   #Also if it is greater than -1 it will print
> >   #yet again differently.
> >   days_until_reminder = julian_date - localtime().tm_yday
> >   if days_until_reminder > 0:
> >       color_print ([("There are",7),(str(days_until_reminder),4),("days
> > left until this reminder.",7),("\n",7)])
> >   elif days_until_reminder == -1:
> >       color_print ([("\tYou have missed this reminder
> > by",4),(str(days_until_reminder*-1),4),("day!",4),("\n",7)])
> >       color_print [("
> >  ------------------------------------------------------------------------",4),("\n",7)])
> >   else:
> >       color_print ([("\tYou have missed this reminder
> > by",4),(str(days_until_reminder*-1),4),("days!",4),("\n",7)])
> >       color_print [("
> >  ------------------------------------------------------------------------",4),("\n",7)])
> > print
> > #
> > def compare_reminders(todays_date):
> >   #This function compares the reminders
> >   #to the computer date.
> >   #It has three different paths:
> >   # 1.Matches today's date
> >   # 2.The reminder date has already
> >   #  passed by
> >   # 3.The reminder date is yet to
> >   #  come.
> >   #After determining which it is it will
> >   #access the change_to_julian and
> >   #days_left functions.
> >   #reminders.sort()
> >   color_print ([("
> > [-------------------------------------------------------------------------]",4),("\n",7)]
)
> >   index = 0
> >   while index < len(reminders):
> >       if todays_date == reminders[index][1]:
> >           print
> >           color_print [("
> >  ------------------------------------------------------------------------",4),("\n",7)])
> >           print "Today's reminder is:
> > ",reminders[index][0],"on",reminders[index][1]
> >           color_print ([("\t\tTake care of this reminder
> > immediately",2),("\n",7)])
> >       elif todays_date > reminders[index][1]:
> >           print
> >           print "Whoops, you missed the following
> > reminder.",reminders[index][0],"on",reminders[index][1]
> >           change_to_julian(reminders[index][1])
> >       else:
> >           print
> >           print "Your upcoming reminders are:
> > ",reminders[index][0],"on",reminders[index][1]
> >           change_to_julian(reminders[index][1])
> >       index = index + 1
> >   color_print ([("
> > [-------------------------------------------------------------------------]",4),("\n",7)]
)
> > #]--------------------------------------------------------[
> > #]-------------------[Main Program]-------------------[
> > read_reminders()
> > print reminders
> > compare_reminders(get_computer_date())
> > pause_it = raw_input("Press a key to end: ")
> > #]--------------------------------------------------------[
> > ============
> > Could someone explain to me why my read_reminders function retrieves the
> > information, but cannot process that information?
> >
> > When I try and run the program I get the following error message:
> > ============
> > Reading text file into program: reminders.txt
> > [['Reminder1,2010_10_15'], ['Reminder2,2010_11_01'],
> > ['Reminder3,2010_11_15']]
> > Traceback (most recent call last):
> >   File "reminders.py", line 182, in <module>
> >       print reminders
> > NameError: name 'reminders' is not defined
> > ============
> >
> > Thanks in advance for your help,
> >
> > Katt
> > _______________________________________________
> > Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@[...].org
> 
>  #]-------------------[Main Program]-------------------[
>  reminders = read_reminders()

This is the item that I was forgeting.  Originally I tried to use the 
"return" in my function, but left out what I was returning.  However if I 
did not notice this one line I would have continued to be stuck.  I guess I 
thought all you would have to do is call the function and it would know to 
make the return information into a global list.

===================================================
>  It appears you did not return the list of reminders that you extracted
>  in the "read_reminders" function, but simply printed them from inside
>  that function.

Yes, originally I did this to find out how python would read the 
information.  Kind of an error check type thing.

>  called "reminders", you  should be able to access the list in your
>  global namespace.

If I hadn't paid attention to the end of Vince's post I would have not 
understood this as I am unfamiliar with some of the vocabulary (i.e.: global 
namespace).

>  Also, on a side note, you can greatly improve the readability of your
>  code by using the triple-quote style for multi-line docstrings inside
>  functions (rather than the hash comment marks). I tend to use hash
>  marks for one-line/inline comments, since they can really become an
>  eyesore (at least IMHO) when used too liberally.
> 
>  Also, Python's whitespace and code formatting conventions can handle a
>  lot of the "documentation" for you. For instance,  module imports are
>  typically always performed at the top of a script, so it's reasonable
>  to expect that others reading your code will understand you're
>  importing some modules.
> 
>  Much of this spelled out in PEP's 8 (style guide) and 257 (doc strings):
> 
>  http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0008/
>  http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0257/

I will make sure to check these out soon so that my comments are more 
readable.

==============================================

>  (Looks like maybe you hijacked another thread, instead of just creating
>  a new message, with new topic, for the list)

Sorry, about that.  I got lazy and just replied to a tutor message I had in 
my inbox.  Will make sure not to let that happen again.

>  Once you get that sorted out, another bug that's already apparent is
>  that you're trying to split the line on quotes, when it uses commas
>  between fields on each line.

Missed that one.  Once I changed this everything clicked into place.

 Thank you Alan G.,Vince S., Serdar T., and Dave A. for your help.  I don't 
think I woud have got this on my own.  It is true that sometimes you can't 
see the answer when it is staring you in the face.

Thanks again,

Katt

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