Lab Instructions: Import and Scope

So far, you've learned the different ways in which you can use import statements to import other Python files, modules and packages.
You have also seen the different ways in which you can import specific functions using different formats of import.
In this assignment you'll learn and practice how to use import to bring external code within the direct scope of the project.

Tips: Before you Begin

To view your code and instructions side-by-side, select the following in your VSCode toolbar:

• View -> Editor Layout -> Two Columns
• To view this file in Preview mode, right click on this README.md file and Open Preview
• Select your code file in the code tree, which will open it up in a new VSCode tab.
• Drag your assessment code files over to the second column.
• Great work! You can now see instructions and code at the same time.

To run your Python code

• Select your Python file in the Visual Studio Code file tree
• You can right click the file and select "Run Python File in Terminal" or run the file using the smaller
  play button in the upper right-hand corner of VSCode.
  (Select "Run Python File in Terminal" in the provided button dropdown)
• Alternatively, you can follow lab instructions which use python3 commands to run your code in terminal.

Exercise Objectives:

• Use the import statement to import a built-in package in Python.
• Use the import statement to call a function present in another Python file.
  
  

Instructions

1. Open the file jsongenerator.py present inside project folder.

2. Import a built-in package called json

3. Import the following from a file called employee.py:

   • A function called details
   • Variables called employee_name, age and title
     
     

4. Implement the create_dict() function that returns a dictionary given employee information.
   Create and return a dictionary with three key-value pairs where:

   • Keys are string variables: "first_name" “age” and “title”
     and their respective values are employee_name, age and title variables that we have imported from the employee module.
   • Be sure to cast the values to the expected types.
     
     

5. Use a function called dumps() from the json module using dot notation and pass the employee_dict dictionary that we have created to it.
   Return its value to a variable named json_object.

   The format of the same should look like:

   variable = json.dumps(dict) 
   

6. Complete the write_json_to_file() function

   • Use a built-in function called open() and pass the output_file argument and “w” to it.
     Return the value of this function to a variable named newfile.
   • Call a function called write() over this variable newfile. Pass the json_object variable you created in Step 5 inside it.
   • Close this file by calling a built-in function close() directly on newfile. You don’t need to pass any arguments here.
     
     

7. Save the files

8. Open the terminal to execute the files

9. Run the code using the command (within project directory)

    python3 jsongenerator.py