Python Automation For Dummies

Introduction

Welcome to Python Automation For Dummies, the book designed to help you find out all about Python and the many things you can do with Python to automate tedious, mundane, and time-consuming computer tasks.

About This Book

You don’t need to read this book cover-to-cover to benefit. Instead, you can treat it more like a reference for building Python automation scripts and apps as needed, just by flipping to any example in the book and using the code provided in that section. Of course, I always explain the code so you understand what’s going on. That knowledge, in turn, will grow and help you come up with your own creative solutions to automation tasks and other apps.

This is not a textbook on the Python language. I don’t attempt to teach you every nook and cranny of the Python language. There are plenty of books available for that, including Python All-in-One for Dummies and Python Essentials For Dummies (published by Wiley), both of which I wrote with John Shovic.

For convenience, the kinds of tasks and code you’ll use often are summed up in Part 1 of this book. When you need a quick reminder on a fundamental task, such as starting a new app from scratch, you’ll find all the steps there. Common error messages and such are covered in Chapter 17, so you can get clarification and advice in a jiffy.

When something in Python leaves you stumped, use this book as a reference, paging through the table of contents or index to the spot that deals with that bit of information. ...