Recap and Feedback

Implement three functions for valid equipment records containing exactly id, name, category strings and an available Boolean. Identifiers are unique and case-sensitive; names may repeat. None of these three functions prints or changes the input.

1. available_items(items) returns a new list of copied flat records for available equipment, preserving order. The returned records must be independent of the originals.
2. category_counts(items) returns a dictionary mapping each occurring category to a new {"total": ..., "available": ...} record. Count physical items, including repeated names. Each category needs an independent summary.
3. catalogue_lines(items) uses category_counts and returns lines ordered by category using Python’s default string order. Each line has exactly the format category: available/total available.

For two media items with one available and one available outdoors item, the lines are ["media: 1/2 available", "outdoors: 1/1 available"]. Empty input produces [], {}, and [] respectively. Choose any smaller helpers you find useful. Test both the values and the effects of changing a returned record.

The starter also supplies sample data and show_catalogue(items), a small terminal dashboard that calls your functions. Do not put printing into the three data functions. Run main.py to see their current results together; the dashboard itself is supplied display code and is not one of the functions you need to implement.

A borrowing catalogue stores one record per physical item. Identifiers are unique; names may repeat. A category summary counts all items in each category. For example:

items = [
    {"id": "E10", "name": "Camera", "category": "media", "available": True},
    {"id": "E11", "name": "Camera", "category": "media", "available": True},
]


def available_items(items):
    result = []
    for item in items:
        if item["available"]:
            result.append(item.copy())
    return result

Callers must be able to edit a selected record without changing the original catalogue. Explain why identifiers and category names serve different purposes, using the two same-named items above. Then explain how available_items meets the independence requirement and give a concrete mutation test with its expected result. Keep the explanation tied to these records and requirements.

Consider the following statements and answer them based on your experiences from studying the materials and working on the assignments in this part. When answering the numeric statements, answer them so that value 1 means that you strongly disagree with the statement, and value 7 means that you strongly agree with the statement. Please be as honest as possible when answering. The feedback will be used to improve the course.