WYWIWYG Direct link to this section

What you write is what you get Direct link to this section

A course about writing your own software (python scripts) to design the things you like.

Overview Direct link to this section

This course adresses the basics of programming in Python for designers. Starting with a general introduction, the principles of object-oriented programming are explored. You will develop two smaller and one final project, that runs alongside the course.

Schedule The course is run as a block seminar. So please make sure to attend to the following three course dates:
  • 24 October 2024, 10 – 16:30
  • 28 November 2024, 10 – 16:30
  • 09 January 2025, 10 – 16:30
Supplementary feedback sessions are due to take place in January 2025. Please make sure to attend at least one.

Production sessions will take place on the following dates:

  • 6 February 2024, 10 – 13:30
  • 13 February2024, 10 – 13:30

Tools
  • Drawbot
  • Git
Setup Please do the following before our first course:
  1. Install Drawbot
  2. Register an account at Codeberg and activate it
  3. Install Github Desktop
Bonus points:
404 — I need help! Sometimes it takes time to program. It can be frustrating, when things don’t work. But no worries, we have all been there:
  • When you can’t think about a solution, try to do something else for a little while. Take a walk or a shower.
  • Sometimes its the tiny things: a forgotten space, a missing bracket, a wrong indentation. There are some tools to help you with it, but sometimes it helps to thoroughly read the code once again, or make someone else read it.
  • If the problem is still too difficult, try to break it into smaller chunks:
    • Try to write down the steps that you would undertake to tackle the problem in natural language.
    • Explain the problem to one of your pals.
    • Sleep over it
    • Start to write a tiny chunk that solves part of your problem
  • Do not hesitate to contact me via E-Mail
While tools like ChatGPT can be of help when programming I urge you to try for yourself first. ChatGPT can be very confident in giving you solutions that sound great and kind of work but mess up your code in ways you can not imagine. Having a critical distance to these tools can be good. You will learn everything that you need to work on your excerises in class.