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Python

Posted by Zachary Vacek
Zachary Vacek
11,133 Points

Tips to improve a simple"To-Do List" program?

Just started learning python, and got this idea during one of the early lessons. It is a simple to-do list program, where the user inputs a list of tasks coupled with the time they would like to complete the task. When the user is finished, the program prints out a list of the "tasks + 'at' + 'times".

I was wondering if anyone would like to look it over and offer any advice for how I might improve it!

to_do = list()
what_time = list()

input("Type DONE when you are finished scheduling your day.")

while True:
  task = input("What do you need to do today? ")
  if task == 'DONE':
    break
  else:
    time = input("What time do you need to do this? ")
  to_do.append(task)
  what_time.append(time)
  continue

print("Here is your to-do list:")

for (t,w) in zip(to_do, what_time):
  print(t + " at " + w)

Thanks! Zac

Matthew Rigdon
Matthew Rigdon
8,223 Points

The one improvement I can think of is to have your code order the events by time before it prints it off. Since schedules are heavily dependent on them being order, I feel like this would be a great improvement. I'm not sure of the best way to do this, but here are my thoughts:

Make a new list for AM/PM. In your while loop, have it ask one last question after time which indicates whether we are talking AM or PM. You would then need to sort your list by first checking the earliest AM times, followed by the earliest PM times. Save these new lists.

Lastly, you can print these lists out just like you were while adding:

print(t + " at " + w + y) // y being AM/PM list

Just some thoughts.