Training Workshop on Python scripting in BioNumerics

14-15 June 2010, Sint-Martens-Latem, Belgium 

The BioNumerics script environment
Despite the fact that BioNumerics is a very comprehensive software suite covering a huge number of databasing, processing and analysis tools for biological data, there are always needs and requests that are too specific to be provided in a general environment. Many of these needs have been answered by developing scripts in BioNumerics’ own scripting environment. In version 6.0, Applied Maths has introduced the popular Python scripting language in BioNumerics, making the script environment accessible to a large audience, and supplying the software with an impressive library of Python functions. The power of the BioNumerics script environment is the availability of over 1000 specialized functions that can perform complex operations with one single command. There are functions to create dialog boxes, forms, plot windows, and tables, but also to align sequences, import characters, create clusterings, calculate statistics, export, download and upload data, etc.

Why scripting in BioNumerics?
Scripts are particularly useful to automate series of actions that are executed repeatedly, but also to create custom reports, import and export non-standard formats, perform custom calculations, etc. They can also be useful to customize the software’s interface by creating specific forms and dialogs. The simplest scripts are just a few lines long but can nevertheless be tremendously time-saving. With scripts you can insert your own menu items into menus, add buttons to button bars, design your own forms, dialogs and even wizards, create custom plots and tables, print or export reports to the clipboard, launch other applications and perform numerous tasks in import, data preprocessing, analysis, database management, reporting, and export.

What the workshop offers
The workshop will start out at a basic level and will be gradually built up with a series of short but useful real-life examples. The practical nature of the workshop will allow even people with a minimum of programming experience to attend. Nevertheless, it is impossible to embed a true programming course in the workshop, which implies that some elementary skills with programming in any language are required. The workshop program will cover the following main topics:

• Brief introduction to Python
  Short introduction to syntax, comparison with other languages, advantages of Python, modules,...
• Python in BioNumerics
  How the specific features of the BioNumerics scripting environment are implemented in Python.
• The Debugger window
  Working with the multiple-document script editor, functions, shortcuts, debugging strategies, system path,...
• Writing script applications
  Using a number of examples, applications such as import, export, UI and reporting, data manipulation, and automated analysis will be covered. See full workshop program below for details.
• Exercises
  With the help of experts from Applied Maths, you will be able to develop your own scripts.

The workshop will be one full day for theory and examples plus half a day for exercises. Lunches will be included.
The workshop will be held in the training room in the Applied Maths facility in Sint-Martens-Latem, a quaint rural village at only 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the historical city center of Ghent. The registration cost per person, including 2 lunches and one evening dinner is 500 Euro (excl. VAT*).

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to obtain more information.

(*) For customers within the EU, 21% VAT applies.