Rspec test ideas -------------------------------------------------------------------------
Put this in an rspec test for the PeriodicTable::TableScraper's #determine_element_type_from method:
background_color = "Invalid color" background_color = element_properties[1].attr("style").gsub("background:", "") Write code that expects self.determine_element_type_from(background_color) to equal "Error. Cannot determine the element type from the background color."
Ideas for modifying code -----------------------------------------------------------------
Put this into the PeriodicTable::TableScraper's #make_properties_hash_from method, but ONLY if you want to explain measurement uncertainty and element stability to the user:
element_properties_hash[:atomic_weight] = self.find_value_in(element_properties[6])
If you do this, you will also need to delete the method #remove_brackets_or_uncertainty_from.
Note about the TableScraper's method #make_properties_hash_from: Some of the abundance values have scientific notation, which looks a bit strange; if there are too many element properties, discard the abundance property.
In the TableScraper's #scrape_elements_from method, I originally had this line of code appended to part of what is currently in there: ".select{|element| element.attribute("class") == nil}". It doesn't appear to be necessary, but it may help down the road if Wikipedia's HTML ever changes.
In the CLI class, maybe split #list_properties_of into #basic_properties and #more_properties...
The text colors are best seen against a black background. It may be a good idea to use the Colorize gem to make the background of the text black, so that it displays the same on multiple local environments.
I could use the 'break' keyword to get out of loops.
Ideas for more features ------------------------------------------------------------------
• Be able to return to the Main Menu from ANYWHERE in the program. • List all of the chemical elements AND their properties. (Warn the user first!) • Let the user choose between listing some chemical elements either with or without their properties. • List each element category, group, period, atomic number, etc. • Sort the elements by group, period, atomic_number (the default way to show them), etc. • Sort the partial lists of elements as well as the list of all elements. • Add more help/description options as the program gains new features. • Have the option to choose an element and navigate to the next or previous element. • When viewing small groups of elements instead of all of them at once, be able to navigate to the first, previous, or next 10 elements or the last 8 elements. Refactor the CLI's #list_elements method and/or add a new method to do that. #element_book method? • Maybe add a Glossary option. • Use the Colorize gem to distinguish elements by element_type (alkali, noble gas, etc). • Add a "List" option that will allow the user to see the list of elements again. (Update: given the new layout of the Main Menu, this option is already there in a different form.) • Scrape more information from each Element's URL attribute. • Give the user the option to navigate to an Element's webpage through its URL. • Calculate average values for Element attributes (melting point, name length, electronegativity, etc). • Let the user examine an element by specifying its name OR atomic number.
Ideas for a new version of the CLI ------------------------------------------------------
• Let the user create an atom/element by specifying the number of protons • Return an error message if they specify too many or too few protons • Tell the user the name and properties of the atom/element • Get more information about the elements by using the PeriodicTableCLI • Store each atom that the user creates in an array/inventory • Display the names of the atoms in the inventory and the number of each one • Display more information about a specific atom in the inventory • Erase the inventory at the user’s request
Ideas for a newer version after THAT -----------------------------------------------------
• Let the user create molecular compounds by specifying the type(s) of atom(s) to use and how many of each type of atom to use o It will also create molecular compounds by adding atoms to molecules • Return an error message if the program doesn’t yet recognize that molecular compound • Display the name, chemical formula, and other information about that molecular compound • Store each compound that the user creates in an array/inventory • Display the names of the compounds in the inventory and the number of each one • Display more information about a specific molecular compound in the inventory • Erase the inventory at the user’s request • Be named ChemLabCLI or ChemLabAPI
Development notes -------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following notes are from when I used require 'pry' in the config/environment.rb file (not a good idea).
I ran bin/setup, then bundle exec rake install. I still couldn't properly run bin/periodic-table.
Update: I think I found the answer at https://stackoverflow.com/questions/18335229/how-to-add-pry-when-developing-a-ruby-gem
The Pry gem is a development-only dependency, so it shouldn't be required in the environment file used by the CLI itself, or it'll output a LoadError. Also, if I want to use the Pry gem, I can't run it through bin/periodic-table; I need to use bin/console.
Also, I don't know if it's necessary to have that statement in the README about running bundle exec rake install.