A2 ICT Ciaran Gallagher A04184

21/11/07 Wednesday morning double period

2007-11-21T03:36:00.000-08:00

As our new blogging website (www.finnegas.net) is not working currently, I will use this blog to report on progress.

Today, there has been no progress with coursework because I am currently stuck trying to add an editable 'DetailsView' table, which does not seem to work and there does not seem to be a solution, unless I just use a table which shows all the records at once.
However, even this table has problems, such as the inability to add drop-down menus to fields, like in my MS Access database.

Also, I can not move any further with reports because we have not covered them yet. I have a rough idea of what I have to do though so I'll try and add some reports.

8/10/07

2007-11-08T03:41:00.000-08:00

On Monday, we continued on with our coursework project. I spent more time adding new pages to the site and linking up the new buttons to the right pages. Then, I added the REACH Across database to my website using the Database Manager and successfully added a list of all members (which can be edited and sorted) table to the website. However, I found that on editing the table, you do not get drop-down menus like you did with the database I created with MS Access. This means for typing in religion for a member, the usual two options are either 'Catholic' or 'Protestant', but on the website, there are no options or clues to what is to be entered there, meaning data inconsistencies could result, if for example someone spells 'Catholic' wrongly when entering it here.
I had trouble trying to add new tables, which I based on queries of which I used on my database from last year.

We had to summarise the Network security chapter from the textbook on Tuesday and complete questions for homework. This has been completed.

2nd November 2007

2007-11-02T09:52:00.000-07:00

Our homework over the mid-term break was to complete section 3 of the normalisation workbook. I have completed the majority of the 9 tasks, but some I have not because I have not been able to understand them. One task asks me to normalise a database, but this one has two repeating groups, and there are no clear instructions as to how you go about normalising when there are two repeating groups.

And in task 9, it asks you to normalise a database, but this situation is different from any of the given examples because it only has 1 primary key (and one foreign key) rather than 2 primary keys and a foreign key and I do not know how you should group the attributes into which tables.

The textbook homework has been fully completed (Deadlock notes and main terms: revisited sections).

19/10 Classwork

2007-10-19T02:09:00.000-07:00

Today, we were asked to start creating our websites for our coursework. I will be using the REACH Across database and creating a website so that it can be accessed online at any time. Here is a map of the layout of the pages:

It will be similar in design to the switchboard I used for my database last year.

17/10

2007-10-17T03:40:00.000-07:00

Today, we started watching a series of videos to learn how to use Visual Web Developer which we will be using as part of our coursework.
The first video went through the basics of Visual Web Developer, explaining how to set up a new website, how to use visual basic code in construction of pages and which toolbars can be used for what functions (like adding new items to pages or accessing the toolbox to add elements to a page or how to switch between design view and source view).

Software Development quiz

2007-10-16T05:36:00.000-07:00

Software Development Quiz

1. A ___________________ is a software solution developed with a particular organisation and its needs in mind, developed by their own ICT department or by a third party. 2.
ANSWER: Bespoke solution

2. Underline/highlight two advantages of off-the-shelf software:

* There will probably be operations that users require but the software does not support.
* It meets the customer's precise needs and unnecessary features are removed.
* Software is immediately available for use. - ANSWER
* Training is available from a far wider variety of sources. - ANSWER
* The customer will pay for functionality they may never use.
* It can be designed to interface with the organisation's existing systems.

3. What does CASE stand for?
- Computer and System Engine
- Computer Aided Software Engineering - ANSWER
- Computing and Software Efficiency

4. People management is when a system automatically makes sure team members are motivated and focused on the objective. True of False? FALSE

5. Which of these are used to compile periodic reports to show progress and highlight issues or concerns?

* Progress Monitoring
* Budget Control
* Reporting project status - ANSWER

16/10 Tuesday's Class

2007-10-16T05:25:00.000-07:00

Our homework over the weekend was to summarise page 206-207. This is complete. Our homework for Thursday is progress questions 1-8 on page 216 from the textbook. This has yet to be completed.

Today, we did a System Development test. My intial results were 27/36 and on a second attempt 31/36 because I mixed around a few steps in the prototype model and got a question wrong about a type of diagram which describes the functionality of a system as a series of step-by-step instructions (and I didn't use a textbook for answers!).

Also, I have decided not to repeat any AS exams in January (or June) of this year (I already have 3 A2 modules and 2 AS repeats to do in January).

Today, we also have to devise our own test on another subject, similar to the one we took today (eg. multiple choice questions, true/false).

12th October 2007

2007-10-12T04:48:00.000-07:00

Today, we continued to build our example Northwind Traders database website. Previously, I added tables in the 'Products' section to show a list of all products. This time, I added a table which shows specifically the 10 most expensive products.
We also looked at our target setting forms. I have set a target for myself to achieve a grade A in all of my modules this year.

9th October 2007 - Example website design layout

2007-10-09T05:37:00.000-07:00

This is a very rough design map of the layout of my example 'Northwind Traders' website. It is a rough idea of the layout it will take, but it does not yet show fully what tables, queries and reports will be used on each page. I did not have time to finish the design of layout in class.

8th October - Progress Report

2007-10-08T11:13:00.001-07:00

Last week, Mr. Barr was absent and the week previous to that, we were not in class because of other activities. During that week, we were asked to summarise section 4.5 (Software Development) of the textbook and complete questions 1-8 on page 261 and also Q's 4+5 on page 286/287. I did not do this work during that week because I did not have the time (interview preparation, retreat, work, other homeworks etc.). Therefore, I completed this work last week. Last week, we were also asked to complete a Normalisation workbook, of which we only got on Friday. Previous to that, I had worked on some normalisation questions which appeared on a word document on the datapool (which the teacher had asked us to do). I have worked on the workbook during the limited time in class (because she also showed us a normalisation powerpoint display on friday), over the weekend and today. I have completed up to section 2 of the workbook and will complete the final section as soon as I get the time (other homeworks to be completed and I am going to have a look at those normalisation websites mentioned in the workbook because I don't really understand section 3).
Last week on Wednesday, Mrs. Foster also asked us to summarise section 4.6 (Software Quality) in the textbook. This work is completed. We were also asked to update our blogs, of which I am doing now.
Therefore, I am completely up to date with everything apart from section 3 of the normalisation workbook, which I hope to complete later tonight when I finish my other homeworks or by the very latest some time tommorow.
Today in class, we worked on a target setting form. At AS Level, my results were as follows:
Module1: 69/90 B
Module 2: 82/90 A
Module 3: 120/120. A
Overall: Grade A

I have targeted for the following exam score:
Module 4: 85/90 A
Module 5: 85/90 A
Module 6: 120/120 A
Overall: Grade A

I recognised that my only concern during last year's Summer exam was probably the networking section of module 1's exam. This is the only module in which I didn't achieve a grade A. I scored 69/90, which was a grade B. The reason for this is because I had 2 other examinations on the same day (one for Geography and one for French) from 9.00 to 5.00 and only had a few days gap for studying since the last exam. This year, some of my module exams for subjects will take place in January instead, thus I will have more time to study and less chance of exams being crammed together (I have also dropped French this year).
Having modules in January (and possibly repeats), could affect coursework, but Mr.Barr has said he aims to get it done by Christmas, thus there shouldn't be a problem and I should be able to meet my target exam scores, and achieve an overall grade A at A-Level.

(21st September) - Adding tables to the example website

2007-09-21T05:37:00.000-07:00

Today, we were to add tables to our websites from the example 'Northwind Traders' example database from Microsoft Access. To start with, we had to add the database file into the website folder so it can be used from the database explorer toolbar. I clicked 'Add Connection' on the Database explorer toolbar, then chose the 'Northwind Traders' example database from the file explorer and clicked 'open'.

Due to problems with blogger.com, I can't add any more pictures to this post, but during the class, this is what we done:
We had now opened the database into VWD, so we could use the 'Database explorer' bar on the right hand side of the screen, where we could see all the tables of the database, and drag and drop one onto one of the pages on the website.
For my example, I chose to use the 'Products' table and place it on the 'Products' page.
I then used the 'Autoformat' tool to change the look of the table and to change what appears on the table and to add functionality, such as the ability to edit records, sort records and highlight records.
We also learned of the problem of deleting records. If we add this functionality and try to use it when previewing the website using an internet browser, we get an error message because the system does not allow us to delete records since it is a relational database, meaning records are related to other tables, and deleting them would affect them too - the referential integrity would be affected.
Finally, I used the 'hyperlink' tool to provide a link into each of the tables that I had created.

(19th September 2007) Northwind Traders example website - finished design

2007-09-19T08:20:00.001-07:00

This is how the finished design looks previewed in MS Internet Explorer.
Missing from the earlier post about how exactly I created the design is pictures and information about how I created the hyperlinks, how I copied and pasted the design template into the other blank pages and how I added a new link to the other pages so that you can return to the index page from the Categories, Customers, Orders and Supplier's pages.

(19th September 2007) Northwind Traders example website

2007-09-19T03:10:00.000-07:00

The website was to be created using Microsoft Visual Web Developer 2005. On launch of program, I clicked on 'New Website', and then chose 'ASP.net Web Site' as a blank template to use.

To set the layout for the website, I chose to create a table by clicking on the layout toolbar at the top of the program and then clicked on 'Insert Table'. I chose a table with 2 columns and 2 rows. A space for a logo, a title, a navigation bar and a main space for data.

To add the logo into the table on the lop-left cell, I clicked on 'Add Item' on the toolbar then 'Add Existing Item'. In the file explorer, I chose a .jpg logo that I had created earlier. I dragged and dropped this into the table cell. I then right-clicked on the cell and changed the properties of the cell so that the logo could fit.

Then, I added a title, highlighted it and right-clicked to show editable properties. I changed the colour of the text to match the colour scheme of the logo. I then added some text to represent the other pages of the website on the bottom-left cell to form a navigation bar, which I would later add hyperlinks to. I also added some text to the main bottom-right cell - the main cell for displaying information about each page.

I then previewed the design on a browser to see if everything was looking as it should. VWD uses a WYSIWYG design view so nothing looked any different.

After seeing the previewed design, I decided I would change the background colour of the cells on the left, to improve the aesthetics and also to distinguish between the two sides of the website (eg. so the navigation bar appears to be separate from the main bottom-right cell.

Then, I created 3 new blank pages for each category of data, like in the database switchboard. The solution explorer shows all of these pages (.htm).

I have more pictures and information about how I finished it but unfortunately blogger.com isn't great and if you make any mistakes like deleting pictures whilst your trying to move other pictures around, it's saves the draft as it is before you can undo it and you can't get the stuff back.

19th September 2007

2007-09-19T02:59:00.000-07:00

By the end of this class, I aim to have completed a 3-page Northwind Traders example website and explain how I created it and to include screenshots.

12th September 2007

2007-09-14T02:07:00.000-07:00

We were asked to use GIMP, a graphics software to create diagrams for the waterfall and prototype system development models. I found it very difficult to use it and after a long time using it, I had created a diagram, but could not figure out how to add hand-drawn arrows. To save myself a lot of time and effort, I just used Microsoft Word to create the diagrams. I've attached pictures of them on the left.

(The Waterfall diagram on the top-left is wrong.

Maintenance and Review should be swapped around)

A2 5th September 2007

2007-09-05T03:23:00.000-07:00

Our first homework was to write a letter from the future thanking Mr.Barr for the support he provided and the work I did which contributed to my achievement of a grade A at the A2 exams.
I wrote about how I made sure my work is always high quality and that it was brought in on time . I also wrote about how I made sure I met all coursework deadlines were met, kept a good attitude to work, was punctual to classes and put a lot of effort into work in class and at home.
I also thanked Mr.Barr for all the extra time he spent outside normal class times helping us with coursework problems and how he made lessons interesting and stimulating and thanked him for career advice.

Our second homework is to complete a summary of the waterfall model and prototype for next Monday.