iCodeCamp

Application

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

The application for iCodeCamp 2017 is closed.

Will the application be opened again in May 2018?

absolutely

Frequent Questions

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What is programming?

Programming is a way to tell a computer what to do with a series of commands. It is increasingly being used in all kinds of fields – from law to journalism to filmmaking. Check out this two-minute video on what programming is, or this interesting article to get more background.

What are the dates for Code Camp?

Camp dates are July 14 to August 8, 2018. You should choose one date for each lesson:

Lesson one: July 14
Lesson two: July 21
Lesson three: July 28
Lesson four: August 4
Lesson five: August 11
Lesson six: August 18

When and where are classes held?

Each class will be held in the Chicago Ismaili Jamatkhana conference room from 9:00am to 12:00pm.

How are classes structured?

During each class, we will cover watch videos on Khan Academy and will complete relevant activities on Khan Academy. Instructors will be available to assist with problems and answer any questions. However, each class will be self-paced.

Who are the instructors?

Your instructors this year are Khurram Ghullamani, Danish Noorani and Faiza Lalani.

What should I bring to each class?

Please bring a laptop and a whole bunch of enthusiasm.

I’m interested in helping out with Code Camp this summer. What should I do?

Send us an email below! We’re always looking for helpers.

Getting started

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Welcome to iCodeCamp

There are three steps you must complete before your first before class. If you run into trouble, no worries we’ll work with you during class. Good Luck!

Install Sublime Text

download link for Mac

download link for Windows

alternative download link for windows x86
Create Github Account

create a free username and password and make sure you remember your credentials :)
Installing Git

mac users open the application called “terminal” and type git --version in the black box that appears.

If you get a response similar to git version #.##.# (Apple Git-78), then you’re good. Otherwise, download git from here

windows users follow the instructions for windows here

Terminal and Git

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What is Terminal?

Terminal allows the user to interact with the operating system by simpling typing commands. Below are the most popular commands that you should know.

ls shows all files/directories in the current directory

cd (directory_name) changes the path to the specified directory

touch (file_name) creates a file with the specified name

mkdir (directory_name) creates a directory (folder) with the specified name

What is Git?

Git is a program that allows you to save versions of your program using a commit. Commiting saves the whole snapshot of your project. So you can then revert back to the pervious commit if you mess up. Everytime someone on your team pushes code to git, you can pull their changes and keep updated.

Github is service that we’ll use. It allows you to save your program in the cloud so you can share with your friends, teammates, or anyone else in the world.

Activity

This activity will test your terminal and git skills by having you download a project from a github repository and then push the code to your own repository. Ensure that you have completed all the steps in the getting started guide.

Open up terminal. Using the cd Desktop command, navigate to your desktop
Using the mkdir iCodeCamp command, create a new folder
Change your directory to this new “iCodeCamp” directory
Use the git clone https://github.com/icodecamp/module1_personalWebsite.git command to download the module1 code. Change your directory to the new folder that was downloaded.
On an internet browser, go to github and create a new public repository with the name “USERNAME.github.io” (replace the word username with your actual username). You do not neet to initalize with a “README.”
Back to terminal! Use the command git init to create a git repository.
The command git add * will add all the files in the current directory to this new repo you just initialized locally.
git commit -m "first commit" will commit this add to this new local repository.
git remote set-url origin (URL_OF_YOUR_REMOTE_REPO) will connect your local repository to the remote one you created on github.com.
Final step! Run git push -u origin master to push your local commit to your remote repository.

Next Steps

Github lets each user have a free site. You created version one of your own site. Using sublime text, edit the contents of this website to your hearts desire. Then use the following commands git add, git commit, and git push commands to push these changes to github! If you ‘git’ stuck, here’s a link for a good resource.

Become an Expert

Interactive Command Line Tutorial. Stuck? Solutions

Interactive Github Tutorial. Stuck? Solutions

Interactive HTML and CSS Tutorial. Stuck? Solutions

General Assembly has numerous tutorial on creating reponsive websites and web games.

Variables and Functions

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What is a programming language?

Humans use languages (English, Urdu, Arabic) to communicate with each other. A program is a set of instructions that tells a computer what to do. Programs are written using a programming language. A programming language, then, is used by humans to communicate with computers.

There is still a language barrier between computers and humans. Computers understand machine language. Machine language is often times platform specific. Code generated on one machine may not run on another machine. Machine language looks like this:
| Instruction Binary Code  | 
| 0010 0001 0000 0100  | 
| 0001 0001 0000 0101  | 
| 0011 0001 0000 0110  |
| 0111 0000 0000 0001  | 
| 0000 0000 0101 0011  | 
| 0000 0000 0101 0011  |
| 0000 0000 0000 0000  |
This notation is very difficult for humans to understand. This is where assembly languages come in. Assembly language consists of a set of symbols and letters which a translator uses to translate to machine language. This translator is called the ‘assembler.’
ORG 100 
LDA A
ADD B
STA C
HLT
A, DEC 83
B, DEC –2
C, DEC 0
END
We can sort of see what this program is doing. However, this form of communication is still not intuitive for humans. Some progress must be made.

A high level programming language uses English logic (if, while, for, then, else) and mathematical symbols (+, -, %, |, &) to communicate with a computer. These programs are compiled into machine code by a compiler. Compilation does not imply execution of the code. It just referes to the conversion from a high level programming language to machine code. The advantage here is that these high level programming languages are portable. I can code on my laptop and run it on my desktop.
int a, b, c;
a = 83;
b = -2;
c = a + b;
Credit: http://people.uncw.edu/tompkinsj/242/BasicComputer/AddTwoNumbers.htm

Variables

Variables are used to store information. A variable can hold many different types of information:
String: "abc", "hello", "YAM"
Integer: 2, -5, 6, 100000
Float: 2.0, 5.66, -9.89
Boolean: true, false
Char: 'y', 'A', 'm'

How to create variables?

Variables are easy with Python:

first_name = "Khurram"
last_name = "Ghullamani"
age = 22
height = 65
married = false
spouse = ""

What can you do with them?

//update the varibale completely
first_name = "Chandler"
last_name = "Bing"
married = true
spouse = "Monica"

// perform mathematical operations
age = age + 30
height -= 2

// random stuff
my_number = age + height

// string concatenation -- Chandler Bing
full_name = first_name + " " + last_name

What can’t you do with them?

// type checking
age + name --->> ERROR
married+age ---->> ERROR
first_name-last_name ---->> ERROR

Functions

A function is a piece of code that can be used to execute multiple code statements over and over again. Example:
def my_first_function(age):
	age = age + 10
	return age
Here, def is keyword reserved in Python. It is used to declare a function. The name of the function is “my_first_function”. It takes a parameter known as age. A parameter is simply information that the user can pass into the function. The two lines after are known as the function body. This function takes the age, adds 10 and returns (gives the user back) the new value. After your return, your program is over. Example:
my_age = 22
new_age = my_first_function(my_age)

// new_age now equals 22 + 10 = 32

Variable Scope in functions

A variable can be global or local. Example:
def my_height_function(user_height):
	my_height = 65
	new_height = my_height + user_height
	return new_height

my_height = my_height + 10 ------>> ERROR
In the example above, my_height is a local variable. It was defined in the scope of the function. It cannot be used outside the function. We could switch our definition to look like this:
my_height = 65
def my_height_function(user_height):
	new_height = my_height + user_height
	return new_height

my_height = my_height + 10 ------>> This is correct
Since my_height is defined outside the function, it can be used inside the function as well as outside the function. This is an example of a global variable.

Activity

Let’s run your first program. What do you think this does?

import webbrowser
url = "https://www.google.com/#q="
def search_for():
	query = raw_input("What would you like to search for?")
	my_url = url + query
	webbrowser.open(my_url)

search_for()

Clone this repositiory

Complete the problems in the file assignment.py. Then run the tests in the file test_assignment.py using the command: python test_assignmet.py. See how many you can get correct

Conditional Statements

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What are the three conditional statements?

Open-source software (OSS) is computer software with its source code made available with a license in which the copyright holder provides the rights to study, change, and distribute the software to anyone and for any purpose.

iCodeCamp is a great example of the open source community. All of our source code and materials are accessible for free from practically anywhere to be used for practically any purpose. Github is a platform that stores your code, but also lets other people access it and build off of it.

Today we are going to fork this project: https://github.com/icodecamp/module3_snake

This project uses an external dependency called pygame. Be sure to install pygame with python’s package manager by typing in pip install pygame in either terminal or GitBash.

What is Flow Control?

Conditional statements allow us to run some code only if a condition is met

if statements

if {BOOLEAN EXPRESSION}:
    {STATEMENTS}

example:

a = 5

if a == 5:
    print("a is 5")
    print("this will totally print")
    return
if a != 5:
    print("a is not five")
    print("this will totally not print")
    return

if else statements

if {BOOLEAN EXPRESSION}:
    {STATEMENTS_1}        # executed if condition evaluates to True
else:
    {STATEMENTS_2}        # executed if condition evaluates to False

example:

a = 5

if a == 5:
    print("a is 5")
    print("this will totally print")
    return
else:
    print("a is not five")
    print("this will totally not print")
    return

chained conditionals

if {BOOLEAN EXPRESSION1}:
    {STATEMENTS_A}
elif{BOOLEAN EXPRESSION2}:
  {STATEMENTS_B}
else:
    {STATEMENTS_C}

example:

a = 5

if a == 1:
    print("a is 1")
elif a != 300:
    print("a is not equal to 300")
elif a > 5:
    print("a is greater than 5")
elif a < 5:
    print("a is less than 5")
else:
    print("a is 5")

Project Snake

This project is an open source game in which a hungry snake roams around a field in search of sparkling food. Your task is to implement the conditional statements required to make the snake move around.

If you haven’t done so already, fork the project and clone it to your desktop
The project depends on an open source package called “pygame.” Use the command pip install pygame in either GitBash or Terminal to install it.
Open up the file snake.py in sublime text.
Notice that the first line of the file is import pygame this allows us to use the pygame in our game
Scroll to the bottom of the file. Fill in the missing segments using if, elif, and else statements. The function should either return move_up, move_down, move_left, or move_right.
Run the game by typing in python game.py in the directory of the project on either GitBash or Terminal

If you are having trouble with the code, you can find the solutions here

Lists and Loops

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What are Lists?

Lists are the most versatile datatype available in Python which can be written as a list of comma-separated values (items) between square brackets. Important thing about a list is that items in a list need not be of the same type.

How can I create a List?

Easy. Here is an example on creating an empty list:

a = []

List with integers:

a = [1, 2, 3]

List with integers, strings, booleans, floats, and list:

a = [1, "hello", True, 4.0, [1, 2, 3]]

How do I access elements in the List?

You can simply access in the elements in a list using bracket notation. The only tricky part is remembering that the first element in the list is at index 0, the second element is at index 1, and so on.

Example:

a = [1, "hello", True, 4.0]

print(a[0]) -> prints 1
print(a[1]) -> prints "hello"
print(a[2]) -> prints True
print(a[3]) -> prints 4.0

Is there an easier way of printing every element in a list?

Yeah. You can use Loops.

What are Loops?

There are two types of loops in Python, for and while.

For loops are traditionally used when you have a block of code which you want to repeat a fixed number of times. The Python for statement iterates over the members of a sequence in order, executing the block each time.

Example of printing all numbers between one and a hundred:

for x in range(1, 101):
	print(x)

Example of printing all elements in a list:

a = [1, "hello", True, 4.0]

for element in a:
	print(element)

Activity - Editing images with loops

An image is often represented as a list of lists. Where each element of the outer most list is a list that represents the first row of the image. The inner list contains tuples of rgb values: (r, g, b). The first element represents the red pixel value, the second represents green pixel value, and the third is the blue pixel value.

This is an example of a 2x2 image:

imageA = [[(0, 0, 0), (255, 255,255)], [(0, 0, 0), (255, 255,255)]]

image[0, 0] -> Represents the upper left corner of the image

image[0, 1] -> Represents the upper right corner of the image

image[1, 0] -> Represents the lower left corner of the image

image[1, 1] -> Represents the lower right corner of the image

Activity Steps:

pip install pillow
git clone https://github.com/icodecamp/module4_imageProcessing.git
cd module4_imageProcessing
Replace all ??? in the transfrom_image() in transformImage.py with the correct code.
python transformImage.py
Enter path of the desired image (i.e pikachu.png)
Enter path of the new image (i.e gray_pikachu.png)
Look at your new image by open gray_pikachu.png
Change the code again to tranform your image into new colors.

Dictionaries and While Loops

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What are Dictionaries?

Dictionaries are another type of data structure. They are used to associate a unique id with its value. This association is referred to as a key-value pair.

A Weakness of Lists

Recall that with lists, our indices had to be integers. You will soon see with dictionaries that our indices do not have to be integers.

How can I create a Dictionary?

Easy. Here is an example on creating an empty dictionary:

a = {}

Do NOT confuse this syntax with the syntax for creating a list: a = []

Dictionary representing users at a bank:

Ross = {'Name': 'Ross', 'ID': 1234567890, 'Money': 4000.00}
Joey = {'Name': 'Joey', 'ID': 0987654321, 'Money': 222.30}

The key is the string to the left of the colon. Its respective value is the element to the right of the colon. In the example above, the key include: Name, ID & Money.

How do I access elements in the Dictionary?

Unlike lists, you can index dictionaries with strings. For example:

Ross['Name'] ==> Ross
Joey['ID'] ==> 0987654321
Joey['Money'] ==> 222.30

Updating Elements in a List

To update how much money someone has in their account, you use the same indexing structure. For example:

Ross['Money'] = 5000

While Loops

Last module, we learned about For loops. This week, we will learn about While loops.

x = 10
while (x > 0):
	print x
	x -= 1

What do you think the line above code above will print?

x = 10
while (x > 0):
	print x

How about now? What will this modified code print?

Activity - You are the banker

You are a banker at the biggest bank in the country. 6 friends come up to you and ask you to update various items relating to their accounts. Please help them. Each bank account is a dictionary that looks like the following:

Ross = {'Name': 'Ross', 'ID': 1234567890, 'Checking': 4000.00, 'Savings': 2200.89}

Activity Steps:

git clone https://github.com/icodecamp/module5_banking.git
cd module5_banking
Run: python banking.py.
Follow the directions that the script tells you

Keep Learning

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

GitHub/ Command Line

Interactive Command Line Tutorial. Stuck? Solutions

Interactive Github Tutorial. Stuck? Solutions

Python

Interactive Python Tutorial. Stuck? Solutions

Basic Tutorial on Python and setting it up on your own machine

Web Programming

Interactive HTML and CSS Tutorial. Stuck? Solutions

General Assembly has numerous tutorial on creating reponsive websites and web games.

Launch your own Website:

Khan Academy

Khan Academy has video tutorials with guided execises. Learn javascript and web programming through fun projects.

What about the Gift? Adruinos!

Starter Kit Guide download Elegoo UNO R3 Project Basic Starter Kit Guide. Step by step guide to help you download the proper software and do fun projects with your arduino.

Recap

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Goals/Recap

Introduction to programming environment
- What is Github.
- How to clone a repo from Github
- How to do basic command line operations (create a file, enter a directory, etc)
- Launch the python shell.
- Using Sublime Text
Get familiar with programming concepts
- What a programming language is
- Variables and functions -> Launch google search
- Conditional Statements -> Snake Game
- Lists and Loops -> Image manipulation
- Dictionaries and Loops -> Banker game
Remove fear so you can continue learning on your own

iCodeCamp

Application

Frequent Questions

What is programming?

What are the dates for Code Camp?

When and where are classes held?

How are classes structured?

Who are the instructors?

What should I bring to each class?

I’m interested in helping out with Code Camp this summer. What should I do?

Getting started

Welcome to iCodeCamp

Terminal and Git

What is Terminal?

What is Git?

Activity

Next Steps

Become an Expert

Variables and Functions

What is a programming language?

Variables

How to create variables?

What can you do with them?

What can’t you do with them?

Functions

Variable Scope in functions

Activity

Let’s run your first program. What do you think this does?

Clone this repositiory

Conditional Statements

What are the three conditional statements?

What is Flow Control?

if statements

if else statements

chained conditionals

Project Snake

Lists and Loops

What are Lists?

How can I create a List?

How do I access elements in the List?

What are Loops?

Activity - Editing images with loops

Dictionaries and While Loops

What are Dictionaries?

A Weakness of Lists

How can I create a Dictionary?

How do I access elements in the Dictionary?

Updating Elements in a List

While Loops

Activity - You are the banker

Keep Learning

GitHub/ Command Line

Python

Web Programming

Khan Academy

What about the Gift? Adruinos!

Recap

Goals/Recap

Why you should care?