Installing and setting up Git today!  Going to see what all the fuss is about!

Here is how I started the postgresql server:

& 'C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL\9.2\bin\pg_ctl.exe' 

 -D "C:\Users\Chris\Documents\postgresql" -l logfile start

server starting

Had a big adventure getting postgreSQL working on my laptop today!

http://dba.stackexchange.com/questions/44928/trouble-creating-a-database-with-postgreql/44981#44981

Just for notes, here is how I stopped the server:

PS C:\Users\Chris\Documents\test> & 'C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL\9.2\bin\pg_ctl.exe' -D "C:\Users\Chris\Documents\postgr
esql" -l logfile stop
waiting for server to shut down.... done
server stopped

Installed virtualenv and PostgreSQL on my laptop.  Not sure if I will need them, but I guess it's good to know that I have them.

Got "2 Scoops of Django" in the mail today!

Finished all the lessons in Learning Python the Hard Way that are needed for review.

Learn Python The Hard Way.  Gone through 37/52 classes.

Learn Python The Hard Way.  Gone through 24/52 classes.

I dig Zed Shaw's teaching style.

http://learnpythonthehardway.org/

Completed the packaging tutorial!

Okay, I had to move the 'polls' directory out of 'mysite' and into the 'django-polls' directory.  See what happens when you don't read the instructions!

Well this is frustrating.

C:\Users\Chris\Documents\django_dev\django-polls>python setup.py sdist
running sdist
running egg_info
creating django_polls.egg-info
writing django_polls.egg-info\PKG-INFO
writing top-level names to django_polls.egg-info\top_level.txt
writing dependency_links to django_polls.egg-info\dependency_links.txt
writing manifest file 'django_polls.egg-info\SOURCES.txt'
error: package directory 'polls' does not exist

Looks like this might be a solution:

https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/16671#comment:32

Needed to install distribute before starting the next django tutorial:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6002]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Chris>pip install distribute
Requirement already satisfied (use --upgrade to upgrade): distribute in c:\pytho
n27\lib\site-packages
Cleaning up...

The package 'distribute' allows one to easily download, build, install, upgrade, and uninstall Python packages.

Was going to do a few more tutorials before taking a stab at creating a web app on my own.  However, a job interview today has really excited me!  Perhaps I should accelerate the time table?

Just finished the Django tutorial.  Boggles my mind how little I know.

Got a really weird error when I tried to setup a django test environment:

Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> from django.test.utils import setup_test_environment
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
  File "C:\Python27\lib\site-packages\django\test\__init__.py", line 5, in <modu
le>
    from django.test.client import Client, RequestFactory
  File "C:\Python27\lib\site-packages\django\test\client.py", line 21, in <modul
e>
    from django.db import close_connection
  File "C:\Python27\lib\site-packages\django\db\__init__.py", line 11, in <modul
e>
    if settings.DATABASES and DEFAULT_DB_ALIAS not in settings.DATABASES:
  File "C:\Python27\lib\site-packages\django\conf\__init__.py", line 53, in __ge
tattr__
    self._setup(name)
  File "C:\Python27\lib\site-packages\django\conf\__init__.py", line 46, in _set
up
    % (desc, ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLE))
django.core.exceptions.ImproperlyConfigured: Requested setting DATABASES, but se
ttings are not configured. You must either define the environment variable DJANG
O_SETTINGS_MODULE or call settings.configure() before accessing settings.

The issue is django does not know what you are working on.  This resolved it:

C:\Users\Chris\Documents\django_dev\mysite>python manage.py shell
Python 2.7.4 (default, Apr  6 2013, 19:54:46) [MSC v.1500 32 bit (Intel)] on win
32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
(InteractiveConsole)
>>> from django.test.utils import setup_test_environment
>>>

I guess that is a django interactive shell?

Started using Team Treehouse today to learn HTML and CSS.  Overall, my opinion is positive.  The site is fun and easy to use, and I enjoy the quizzes and code challenges that are used to drive the lectures home.

Went to the Los Angeles Tech Happy Hour and found some interesting training sites:

Code School
http://www.codeschool.com/

Team Tree House
http://teamtreehouse.com/

This looks like a promising way to learn Django:

Test-Driven Development with Python

I am really curious about how he uses Selenium to test the web app.  You can buy the book from O'Reilly or read it for free by clicking on the link.  Might be worth checking out...

This page is a good place to start learning Django:

https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/dev/intro/

Hi!

My name is Chris Spears, and for about eight years I have worked in the visual effects industry.  However, recent events in that industry have got me thinking about a career change, so now I am trying to learn web development focusing (but not limited to) on using python and Django.  I created this blog as a diary to chart my learning process.