A brief dive into TD/Python

# TradeDangerous: https://bitbucket.org/kfsone/tradedangerous/
# Open up a Python 3 interactive prompt either by starting an
# instance of the 'python' interpreter (typing 'python' or
# 'python3' at a prompt), loading the 'IDLE' Python gui
# (windows users: hit start and type idle), or by running the
# 'ipython' interactive python interpreter.
#
# Possibly the best way is:
#  ipython qtconsole
# If you don't have ipython, try:
#  pip install ipython
# or
#  pip3 install ipython
#
# Once you have a prompt, type or copy and paste from the following
# code.

# "import" command loads a module, either from the standard
# library or the current directory (or the 'python path').
# The main module for TradeDangerous is 'tradedb'.
import tradedb

# You can now reference things in the module by modulename.thingname
# The cornerstone of TD is the TradeDB object, this is one way to
# create one, and call it 'tdb'.
tdb = tradedb.TradeDB()

# Look up a particular system
help(tdb.lookupSystem)
sol = tdb.lookupSystem("sol")

# Print some of its information
print("Sol is at {}, {}, {}.".format(sol.posX, sol.posY, sol.posZ))

# Query some of it's information in interactive mode:
sol.stations

# How did I know it has posX, posY and posZ, or stations?
help(sol)
# (this actually gives me help from the type-of-thing that sol is)

# Look up a station
abe = tdb.lookupStation("Abraham Lincoln")
# go on ... find out more... use help

# Look up a station in a particular system
abe = tdb.lookupStation("Abraham Lincoln", sol)

# Look up a system or station using the flexible naming mechanism
phoenix = tdb.lookupPlace("ascendingp")
type(phoenix)   # is of type tradedb.Station

sol = tdb.lookupPlace("@sol")
type(sol)

abe = tdb.lookupPlace("sol/hamlinc")

# Pick 5 systems at random:
# tdb has a lookup table for <systemID> to <System>,
# implemented using a Python dictionary. So
#  tdb.systemByID.keys() => list of the IDs,
#  tdb.systemByID.values() => list of the Systems,
#  tdb.systemByID.items() => list of (ID, System)
import random
help(random.sample)
systemTable = list(tdb.systemByID.values())
visitMe = random.sample(systemTable, 5)

# Find the closest:
# Call distanceTo(origin) on every member of visitMe and
# then retrieve the one with the lowest distance.
origin = tdb.lookupPlace("Eranin")
closest = min(visitMe, key=lambda candidate: candidate.distanceTo(origin))
print("{start} -> {dest}: {dist:.2f} ly".format(
    start=origin.name(), dest=closest.name(),
    dist=origin.distanceTo(closest),
))

# That's great, and all, but how would we get there?
help(tdb.getRoute)
route = tdb.getRoute(origin, closest, 15)
if not route:
    print("Shame, couldn't find a route.")
else:
    # Route is a list of Systems. Turn it into a list of
    # System names...
    routeNames = [ system.name() for system, distance in route ]
    print("Route:", routeNames)

# Other interesting parts of tradedb:
# tradeenv.TradeEnv for putting together command parameters,
# tradecalc.TradeCalc for trading calculations,
# formatting,
# transfers, for upload/download

# See also: help(tradedb.TradeDB)