I've got an iOS app that needs to run efficiently and accurately. There's a lot of parameters involved in the code and different combinations of them provide varying results of success. So I plan to write a genetic algorithm to go ahead and find some good parameter sets for me. While I could do this using Objective-C directly in Xcode, I would complete this task much faster and enjoy it more writing the genetic algorithm part in Python. Is there any good way to control Xcode through Python? As in, be able to execute the simulator/device app through Xcode and get feedback from it using external code? I know a keyboard macro would be possible, but that approach would probably be a bit clumsy. If there's some way to directly control it programmatically, that would be great. Thanks!
Your question is not very clear.
Do you want to control Xcode to run your app ? Do you want to be able to change anything like flags automatically ?
If you want to control Xcode by writing code explaining what to do or even where to clic you can write an AppleScript
Maybe also take a look at this post
But if your question is about performing automatic UI tests maybe see UIAutomation, Calabash or MonkeyTalk
Related
I'm working on a school project which I would like to showcase in a web browser or application.
I would like the user to control the work with a mouse or keyboard. I want to show a unique image based on where the curser is over a visible grid. An additional feature is the ability to switch to a different "stack" of images upon user input from the scroll wheel or in a dialog.
I have a beginner-intermediate understanding of Python.
Theoretically, I could write this using Sage, but I would like the feedback to be instant - a change shouldn't require a new calculation, just show a new image.
Additionally, I would like to create a feature which takes the user on a "tour" based on information attached to an image.
My first thought was to use an online website builder (Webflow), though an opportunity to learn a new language or expand upon my knowledge of Python is my first choice.
What language is best suited for this?
This is possible in Python, as nearly everything is (Python is a Genral Purpose Language), so you could certainly implement this in Python.
The best language for this, however,IMO, would be JavaScript.
Python will almost certainly get in your way or at least hinder you slightly in comparison.
An 'online website builder' is not likely to provide you with the required amount to control needed to implement you project - most of these are painfully simplistic drag-and-drog tools where any real control only comes from adding your own CSS/HTML/JS anyways.
JS is an incredibly useful language and also very well suited for nearly all web/browser projects, so use this opportunity to learn it !
Further, React Native can let you use JS for mobile apps too, if that's what you meant by 'applications' or you could simply keep it a web app.
PS. This may also be possible with HTML5, which is perhaps simpler and easier to learn, but I'm no a web dev so that will have to be confirmed by someone else.
I am sure, though, that this is very efficiently doable in JS.
I want to create a program with a GUI using Python. This program should show a list of nodes somewhere and allow me to insert them on a working diagram. I also need this nodes connected in some sequence. The following image is similar to what I need, it's from Orange3.
I come from a web development background and I've used Python for some Data Science but all using Terminal so right now I feel a little lost on where to get started.
I would much appreciate some help on where to look. Also I would like to use, if possible, existing tools instead of having to develop everything from scratch. Maybe there even is a project that does what I need and I could fork it from Github.
Thanks a lot for the help.
Check out Tkinter. Its great for GUI. Hard to add in images though. You could use Base64 to add in images.
There are plenty but it's best to create it yourself. There are infinite tutorials. Besides its gonna be full of bugs if you try to alter code that isn't yours.
I have a long text to expose to the user in a console, for him to make his choice. And I still haven't found how to reproduce the less/more effect with Python.
I'd be grateful for some directions on the proper way to achieve that. After a lot of googling I just understood that I don't know the tools or the appropriate vocabulary to get my way around this.
less and more mainly use terminal capabilities.
The main problem with these program is that most of them are made in c using termios.h/curses.h, so no great documentation about terminal capabilities exist in python but a good start should be the python termios doc and the gnu C library reference.
After a quick lookup the curses wrapper in python should also be able to do the job.
let us assume that there is a big, commercial project (a.k.a Project), which uses Python under the hood to manage plugins for configuring new control surfaces which can be attached and used by Project.
There was a small information leak, some part of the Project's Python API leaked to the public information and people were able to write Python scripts which were called by the underlying Python implementation as a part of Project's plugin loading mechanism.
Further on, using inspect module and raw __dict__ readings, people were able to find out a major part of Project's underlying Python implementation.
Is there a way to keep the Python secret codes secret?
Quick look at Python's documentation revealed a way to suppres a import of inspect module this way:
import sys
sys.modules['inspect'] = None
Does it solve the problem completely?
No, this does not solve the problem. Someone could just rename the inspect module to something else and import it.
What you're trying to do is not possible. The python interpreter must be able to take your bytecode and execute it. Someone will always be able to decompile the bytecode. They will always be able to produce an AST and view the flow of the code with variable and class names.
Note that this process can also be done with compiled language code; the difference there is that you will get assembly. Some tools can infer C structure from the assembly, but I don't have enough experience with that to comment on the details.
What specific piece of information are you trying to hide? Could you keep the algorithm server side and make your software into a client that touches your web service? Keeping the code on a machine you control is the only way to really keep control over the code. You can't hand someone a locked box, the keys to the box, and prevent them from opening the box when they have to open it in order to run it. This is the same reason DRM does not work.
All that being said, it's still possible to make it hard to reverse engineer, but it will never be impossible when the client has the executable.
There is no way to keep your application code an absolute secret.
Frankly, if a group of dedicated and determined hackers (in the good sense, not in the pejorative sense) can crack the PlayStation's code signing security model, then your app doesn't stand a chance. Once you put your app into the hands of someone outside your company, it can be reverse-engineered.
Now, if you want to put some effort into making it harder, you can compile your own embedded python executable, strip out unnecessary modules, obfuscate the compiled python bytecode and wrap it up in some malware rootkit that refuses to start your app if a debugger is running.
But you should really think about your business model. If you see the people who are passionate about your product as a threat, if you see those who are willing to put time and effort into customizing your product to personalize their experience as a danger, perhaps you need to re-think your approach to security. Assuming you're not in the DRM business, or have a similar model that involves squeezing money from reluctant consumers, consider developing an approach that involves sharing information with your users, and allowing them to collaboratively improve your product.
Is there a way to keep the Python secret codes secret?
No there is not.
Python is particularly easy to reverse engineer, but other languages, even compiled ones, are easy enough to reverse.
You cannot fully prevent reverse engineering of software - if it comes down to it, one can always analyze the assembler instructions your program consists of.
You can, however, significantly complicate the process, for example by messing with Python internals. However, before jumping to how to do it, I'd suggest you evaluate whether to do it. It's usually harder to "steal" your code (one needs to fully understand them to be able to extend them, after all) than code it oneself. A pure, unobfuscated Python plugin interface, however, can be vital in creating a whole ecosystem around your program, far outweighing the possible downsides to having someone peek in your maybe not perfectly designed coding internals.
I am trying to develop a chrome extension in which i have coded all my
logic in 'python' . Now on browser action i want to pass parameters
and execute that .py file and return results to popup which will open
on browser action. To call a .py file from JavaScript i know i will
need to code a NPAPI plugin. But am confused between which approach i
should take. I have come across few options and am trying to choose
the easiest way to do it ..
Pyjamas Python Javascript Compiler : is a Python-to-Javascript
compiler which works as a language translator but on FAQ's of there
site last question suggest it will not run on Chrome. ( http://pyjs.org/)
FireBreath : FireBreath is a framework that allows easy creation of
powerful browser plugins. ( http://www.firebreath.org )
pyplugin - Python NPAPI plugin for XULRunner : It allows you to
build cross-platform graphical user interfaces using XUL and Python.
( http://pyplugin.com )
Plz Guide me to easiest way which will allow me to pass parameters and
execute that .py file and receive returned results from .py.
Thanx
Well, Pyjamas Python Javascript Compiler will not be complete -- not all python features are available in javascript, so it's impossible to convert all python to javascript. This may or may not do what you want, but I don't think it happens "on the fly", I think you have to write things on the desktop and run it through the "compiler" to get javascript out the other side.
FireBreath is the most awesomely amazing thing to ever hit the Internet -- I should know since I wrote it -- and it will absolutely allow you to do what you want, but you'll have to know how to tie into Python with C++ in order to do what you want. That said, you could probably use boost.python, which is included in the subset of boost that comes with FireBreath, but I've never used it so I don't know. You can pretty much do anything you want with an NPAPI plugin but you'll want to be real careful of security concerns.
A quick glance at pyplugin makes it look like pyplugin is basically what you'd be writing in FireBreath, but just a raw npapi plugin. If this will do what you want, it's probably the easiest way to go. It's designed to be used with XUL, which may be a problem since Chrome doesn't support XUL. You might also be able to modify it (since it's GPL) to do what you want. Of course, if you weren't planning to release your source, that could also be a problem.
The quickest way to solve your problem? Well, you'll have to decide; it'll take some more research, but I hope this is enough to at least get you started. Good luck!