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<appendix id="app-python"
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          xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.scons.org/dbxsd/v1.0 http://www.scons.org/dbxsd/v1.0/scons.xsd">
<title>Python overview</title>

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    <para>

    This section will provide a brief overview of
    the Python programming language.
    Skip this section if you are already familiar with Python
    (or you're really intent on diving into &SCons;
    and just picking up things as you go).

    </para>

    <para>

    Python has a lot of good
    documentation freely available on-line
    to help you get started.
    The standard tutorial is available at XXX.


    </para>

    <para>

    Python is very easy to pick up.

    </para>

    <para>

    Python variables must be assigned to before they can be referenced.

    </para>

    <para>

    Assignment is like most programming languages:

    x = 1 + 2
    z = 3 * x

    </para>

    <para>

    Function calls look like most language function calls:

    a = f(g)

    </para>

    <para>

    Define functions like so:

        def func(arg1, arg2):
            return arg1 * arg 2

    The number of parameters

    </para>

    <para>

    Strings can be enclosed in single quotes or double quotes,
    backslashes are used to escape characters,
    triple-quote syntax lets you include quotes and newlines,
    raw strings begin with 'r'.

    </para>

    <para>

    Lists are enclosed in square brackets,
    list items are separated by commas.
    List references use square brackets and integer index values,
    slice notation lets you select, delete or replace a range.

    </para>

    <para>

    Dictionaries (hashes) are enclosed in curly brackets,
    : separates keys from values,
    , separates items.
    Dictionary values are referenced using square brackets.

    </para>

    <para>

    Access class attributes (including methods) using a '.'.

    </para>

    <para>

    if: statements look like

    elif: statements look like

    else: statements look like

    </para>

    <para>

    for: statements look like

    while: statements look like

    break statements look like
    
    continue statements look like

    </para>

    <para>

    pass

    </para>

</appendix>
