Python vs. Visual Basic

Some hints on what is different when programming Python if you are coming from C-based languages or Visual Basic, like used in Mach3.

Indentation

Indentation is mandatory for loops and conditions. Accepted are either four white spaces or a tab.

Case sensitivity

Pyton is picky, be careful with keywords and variable names as they are case sensitive.

setSomething(True) 
#does not work!

setSomething(true);
#works fine

Semicolon

At least one thing where we can stick to old habits, for C-developers at least. Semicolons at line end are supported but not mandatory in Python.

DoSomeThing();

DoSomeThing(); # also fine!

DoSomeThing() 

If, then, else

If you come from C, you will really miss the curly brackets as well as the semi-colons after each line… At least for me, this was one of the most confusing things in the beginning.

if var == 1 then 
 doSometing()
Else
 doSomethingElse()
EndIf 

if(var == 1){ 
  doSomething();
}Else{
  doSomethingElse();
}

if var == 1: 
  doSomething()
Else:
  doSomethingElse()

Commenting

Similar to C, but different to VB

DoSomeThing() 'Comment



' Multi
' line
' comment

DoSomeThing(); // Comment

/*
 Multi-line 
comment
*/

DoSomeThing() # Comment


"""
 Multi-line 
 comment
"""