Rapid Development Tools

2010-12-13T18:47:00.002Z

This weeks tutorial dealt with working with the Dynamic Data aspect of Visual Studio, giving a brief intoduction towards how it works and its abilities. Within this weeks tutorial we were asked to create a database which already existed, and link it using Dynamic Data. The process of completing this task was as follows:

Create a new website, using the standard process, ensuring that C# is selected from the left hand side of the window.
Global.ascx will be referred to later, but it provides the other pages in the website, hence its "global" name.
Continuing with the process of completing the Dynamic Data task, navigate to the AppData folder and choose to "Add an Exisiting Item" (this can only be done once the Northwind database has been downloaded from the online source). Nothing should happen once the database has been added into the web site.
Go back to the directory and add a new item, ensuring that Visual C# is once again selected (this is important otherwise the Global.ascx page won't be able to render the information correctly), then choose "Linq to SQL Classes" - A standard message should then appear on the screen, of which "Yes" should be chosen.
Dataclasses.dbml will then be created with items inside.
Once the Dataclasses.dbml object has been created, click on View, then choose "Server Explorer". This will then display a window down the left hand side of the screen, showing the Database which is now available, and also the machine number currently been worked on (university only). Double click on Northwind.dbml, then open the tables.
Add in the required tables (this will vary for each database, but for the Northwind database add the tables requested within the tutorial). Clicking and dragging the tables across into the main view will then show the relationships between the tables added. This will create a simple ER diagram.
The database should now be linked in.
Refer back to Global.ascx and uncomment the line that starts with "//DefaultModel" at the end of the first paragraph. Uncommenting the line is done by removing the 2 forward slashes at the start of the line.
Go to the "typeof" section within the line and change the code within the brackets to "DataClassesDataContext".
Go to the end of the line and set the "ScaffoldAllTables" option to true, instead of the default "false".
Go to the Default.ascx file down the right hand of the screen and choose to view the page in browser - this will then display the completed file in a web page view.
Checking if the system works can be done by clicking on the options available, and seeing if the tables open.
The tables do exist, however they won't appear within the DynamicData folder down the right hand side of the screen. The tables are stored in the AppCode section of the web site, within the Database.dbml file that was created earlier.

2010-12-13T14:27:00.000Z

Within last weeks tutorial I learnt how to create and mine a SQL database. This task was fairly confusing, but managed to give the correct output once completed.

To start the process I initially followed the standard steos required to create a database, including creating a New Project, linking to the SQP database, choosing C# and defining the location. This created the basic core layout for the database. Adding a new web form was the next task, followed by creating a database in the App data (this was done by right clicking on the directory name and adding a new SQL Server Database). The remaining steps are as follows:
- Choosing Server Explorer, Database Designs then right clicking on Tables and choosing "Add New Table" - this then gave me the ability to add a new table into the database.
- The next step was to add a column name and define the data type (nVarChar 50 etc.), avoiding using spaces between the words within the column title. Ant saving to the table is done automatically when the table is closed.
- Right click on table in Tables (Toolbox) and select "Show Table Data". To make changes, right click on table name and choose "Open Table Definition".
- Primary keys can be applied to a particular column name by right clicking on column name and defining it to be the primary key - this process must be done though before adding the table to the database.
- The next stage is to add a Drop Down List into the design view (it will currently be unbound).
- Choose Data Source and select a New Data Source. Choosing the SQL database is the next stage, followed by defining a connection method to the database. This connection should then be saved once defined.
- From the data source, select the "*", which will choose all column names from the table. Testing the query should then result in all the records appearing. Click Finish. State DropDown options. Click Finish. The object should now be databound.
- All connections are held within the webconfig file in the system.
- The next stage is to add a GridView from the Data option in the Toolbox. Choosing the Data Source as SqlDataSource 1 or SqlDataSource2 will provide a connection between the newly inserted option and the table.
- The names of the column headings should now be inserted into the object.
- Previewing in browser is a good text to see if it has worked.
- Select the arrow in the corner of Grid View and choose Auto Format to define a style - using a simple one is better for this exercise.
- Enable sorting (optional)
- Enable paging (optional)
- Enable selection (optional)
- Clicking on column headings will sort the order once viewed in a browser.
- Properties enable other types of formatting that can be applied to the table.
- Select the arrow in the corner of the GridView and choose ConfigDataSource, click next and then advanced, click Generate then next, and then choose WHERE > StudentID = Control > DropDownList1. Click Add, OK, Next, Test, Finish.
- These statements bring bacj information relating to ta piece of information about a student.
- Show data where students have the same piece of information in drop down list.
- Enable AutoPostBack.

2010-10-18T14:08:00.002+01:00

Web Development Methodologies requires the construction of 2 documents prior to anything else been done. These 2 documents are the Requirements Document and the Design Document.

Requirements Document

The requirements document consists of:

Purpose - What you want the application to accomplish?
Content - What the content will include, what is and isn't needed, identify who are the content experts and produce a content model. Content may include aspects such as jewwellery items, materials, prices, biography on the designs, news and events (for a jewelery website). After this, items are grouped together, images, jewellery items and the prices are one group (jewellery prices), biography on the designer are another group (about us), news, events and trade shows make another group (news) and contact us and shop location make another group contact details).
Data and Processing - Identify the entities, identify each entity's attribute, list and sample data/forms and list any queries/processing required.
Security Processing - Define an access control policy.

Design Document

The design document consists of:

Purpose - Same as stated in the Requirements Document.
Site Structure - Develop a site architecture and include a map of the site here, looks a bit like a navigation chart.
Data Model - ER Diagrams and a data dictionary.
Data Processing - Queries for creating, editing, deleting and accessing data should be here.
Navigation - Determine the navigation method or mechanism.
User Interface - Wireframes and colour scheme with potential logos of the company.
Report Design - Template and design for the reports should be included here.

Client and Server

Server:

Web servers are programs.
Documents provided by web servers are often complete and static.
Some documents are dynamically constructed when requested by programs stored on the server.
Apache and IIS are the most commonly used web servers.

Client:

Internet Explorer and Mozilla are clients.
Client always lives on machine whereas the server doesn't.
Documents provided by servers are accessed through a web browser.
Very first browsers were text based only (GUI 1993 Mosaic).

Client Side:

A class of computer programs on the web that are executed by the browser.
Javascript, HTTP are examples.
The source code for the document is always visible.
Client side allows you to make trivial changes to the page such as roll over effects.
These are executed by the browser.

Server Side:

These are executed by the web server.
Produce HTML output to browser - HTML pages are an example.
Usually used to provide interactive websites.
The code is never visible to the browser.
ASP, ColdFusion, JVP, PHP and Server Side JavaScript are all examples.

Visual Studio

To get started with Visual Studio, I followed these steps:

File
New
Website
Select C Sharp
ASP.NET Dynamic Data Link to SQL
Right Click on the icon at the top of the right hand side of the screen.
Select Add New Item
Add a Web Form

This will then create the web form that is needed to start placing objects into the document.

Change to Design View
Load the Design Toolbar (to reset, go to Window then "Reset Window Layout").
Once the toolbox is open drag onto the page a Label.
Then drag on a button.
Double click on the button inserted and enter "Level1.Text = "Hello World";.
This will then create an event.
Go back to the "Default" tab along the top.
Right click anywhere in the document and select "View In Browser".
Click on the button and the text should change to "Hello World".

2010-05-14T21:06:00.001+01:00

Evaluation for Exhibition Guest List Management System

Based upon the system that I’ve recently created, I think that the database is very professional and carries out all requirements that the university stated. The forms that I created throughout the system allow for all relevant details to be recorded, and with the reports structured on the queries created earlier, the report documents are very professional. Overall, I am very happy with the quality of the system, and I think the database is easily capable of carrying out all the tasks that the university needs the system to achieve. I think I could have potentially created some additional features in my system though, such as advanced reports or even macros to search for information within the system. Despite this, I think I used Access to its best capabilities it offers.

The Rapid Development method that I chose to use was the right choice in my personal opinion, due to the fact that I could keep adding new features as the versions increased. My rapid development method of prototyping allowed me to constantly keep looking back at my database and see which features I would need to add in order to make the next version of the system, better than the last. I possibly think in the future I might have tried using the Phased strategy for creating my work, as this would have resulted in a lower risk of errors being found in later versions.

Personally, I think that Microsoft Access was the best application to use for creating this system, due to the number of queries I knew I had to create, I instantly knew Microsoft Access would be the best application to use. Similarly, a high quality user-interface was needed, with access to multiple reports, both of which Microsoft Access can provide to a high standard. Prior to starting the database creation, I knew Microsoft Access provided high quality reports, and due to reports being one of the required elements in the document from the university, I knew I could easily meet the administrator's needs. I would have liked to have had some of the features that Zoho Creator and DabbleDB contain, such as the graph and chart features which could have represented the number of guests attending a particular event. I wouldn’t have benefitted from the coding available though, hence why I chose not to use these applications.

2010-05-14T21:04:00.001+01:00

Evaluation for Books Order System

Now that I have completed the system, I think that the database is professional and allows the school to complete all the tasks that they need to do in order to produce orders for books. The forms that I’ve created meet a very high standard, as they allow for all relevant data to be entered through various easy methods, text boxes or combo (look-up) boxes, and also provide a consistent colour scheme, supported by the reports. I would have liked to advance my system, by potentially inserting some macros or passwords, to assist with the security of the database. I would've liked to advance on the colour scheme, as most of the colours used are one solid colour – blends might help the professionalism of the database to increase.

The Rapid Development Method of prototyping that I used was definitely the right choice in my opinion, for this type of database, as I could start with a system that literally contained the bare minimum of features, but constantly keep adding new features in later versions. This allowed me to easily track the progress of my database, and due to the Functional Specification I created, allowed the system to be constructed very quickly. Despite the Prototyping approach been the right option for me, I would’ve liked to experiment with Phased approach, as this would have resulted in errors been erased. An example of an error that occurred in my system was a button that I assigned with the wrong feature (Last Record in Order Form) – this error wasn’t noticed until the third version was released.

Personally, I think that Microsoft Access was the best application to use, due to the number of forms and reports that were needed. These could be easily constructed in Microsoft Access due to the query feature available. I also needed to produce a high quality user-interface for the financial administrator to use, therefore ensuring the interface was professional was a major goal to me. I knew that before construction of the system began, Microsoft Access produced high quality reports and reports were stated as a major requirement in the ICA document. Potentially, Zoho Creator maps, graphs and charts features could have been useful, as these could have shown the money each teacher had spent each year. Despite this, the coding would have proved difficult to assign to this database.

2010-01-18T19:13:00.002Z

Zoho Creator, DabbleDB and Microsoft Access Review

Introduction

With all 3 of the database applications covered, I am now going to review these databases through a compare/contrast method. Within this review, I am going to look at the positive and negative aspects associated with each of the applications, and also how these positive/negatives affect me. The reason why I say this is because some of the applications are quite professional in terms of coding, and have a lot of depth associated with this factor, however coding is a topic that I am not very good with, which means that this feature doesn’t really benefit me to my full potential. This review will help me though, as I will be able to summarise each of the applications based upon the key points required to make a database.

Data Model Implementation

Definition – Ability to implement the proposed data model designed.

The ability to implement the data model suggested is a very important aspect when choosing which database application to use, due to the fact that the ability to create the exact model of what you want can determine the overall professionalism of the system. The system that you design is the system that you want to implement, meaning that if you design an application, you want to be able to implement it exactly the way you want.

All of the applications that I looked at all had the ability to allow precise implementation. From my own honest opinion, I would say that Microsoft Access probably had the easiest implementation, due to the fact that the tables you have designed can be implemented exactly, but also a “Primary Key” can be assigned to a certain entity. The Primary Key feature was an aspect that I didn’t see within either DabbleDB or Zoho Creator, therefore meaning that Microsoft Access stands out for allowing this feature to be added.

All of the applications that I sampled allowed me to add all the entities that I wanted to include, although Microsoft Access and Zoho Creator allowed me to add validation rules very easily to a certain entity within tables, which stood out to me as been very professionalism. The ability to add validation rules is very important to me personally, as they stand out as a small detail which can make the finished system very professional. Microsoft Access was the easiest to add validation rules, and the number of different validation rules that could be assigned to a certain entity was vast.

DabbleDB does have a time-saving feature which allows a spreadsheet (.xls format) to be copied and pasted into the application and the data will be sorted into a table automatically via a recognition system that picks up columns, column headings and formats. This feature is an aspect that I really liked, and thought could be a very quick way of recognising information and placing it into a table, however as I found out during the research, the recognition system isn’t really very reliable, and once an error has been made, correcting it can be a very hard outcome to achieve. The idea of this automatic sorting process was a feature that I really did like though, however I am to believe that only information imported from Microsoft Excel can be inserted into the system for the data to be successfully sorted.

Code Generation

Definition – Ability to create and insert code into the system.

Code Generation is a feature that I personally don’t have a lot of confidence with, however if code can be implemented into a system then it can make the system operate in a very precise and accurate way.

Zoho Creator allows “raw” code to be entered into the code generation tool, allowing the user to make the database operate to their exact standard. The complexity of the code that can be added within Zoho Creator is endless, due to the fact that most of the coding is raw. There are some templates that allow features such as IF statements to be inserted, although most of the code has to be entered purely by the user to their own requirements, meaning that someone who does not have a lot of knowledge with coding does not stand a good chance of succeeding in Zoho Creator.

Microsoft Access also allows the user to create raw coding by using a code generation feature, however the different between the view in Zoho and Access is almost identical. The only difference between the 2 applications is the fact that Zoho allows the user to add small templates of code which could be quite beneficial for those with little coding knowledge.

DabbleDB does not allow the user to create any coding whatsoever, meaning that if the user wanted to customize the database to their own professional level using this application, then they wouldn’t be able to do so via the use of coding. DabbleDB isn’t generally designed for coding, hence the reason why it isn’t included. For anyone who would want to create a database that included coding, then DabbleDB wouldn’t be a good choice. For me personally, this section doesn’t really affect the way in which I will choose my application, due to my lack of knowledge with coding.

Interface Development

Definition – Ability to develop/expand the user interface, for both creator and user.

Been able to make the database appeal to the requirements of the user and/or the creator is a feature that isn’t vital, but still quite important to ensure that a professional level of development can be portrayed. Ensuring that the interface can be customized is an important feature for some companies, as they like databases to follow a colour scheme that reflects their company colours and/or logo colours.

DabbleDB allows the user to insert their company logo into the database, in the top corner of the screen. This small feature is quite important for professional detail, as it allows the company/user to portray a bit of information about themselves, and hide the fact that he website was not created by a host company. Similarly, DabbleDB allows the user to choose a custom colour scheme for their database, which can also be used to reflect the colours of a company.

Zoho Creator does not allow the user to change the interface vastly as well, in fact Zoho Creator is probably the worst application for changing the interface so it meets a certain persons/company’s needs. The overall interface within Zoho Creator is very bland and does not look professional at all if handed to another client/branch.

Microsoft Access allows complex custom editing to be used for the colour scheme, text size, text font and other features such as the size of objects, once implemented into a form. The features to increase the text size, text font, change the text colours and positioning of objects is a feature that none of the other applications allow the user to do, therefore Microsoft Access is definitely the best fro user friendliness. Despite the fact that feature such as changing the text size/colour/font aren’t vital, that can be important for company specialities – a company may need to make their writing large for people with visual aids, and/or change the colour due to a certain member of staff with colour blindness. I enjoy customizing pieces of work so they look like my own, therefore I vote Microsoft Access the best for interface development.

Deployment

Definition – Ability to distribute the database to another person/branch/company.

Once a system has been produced to a high standard, it is likely that the database will need to be copied onto multiple machines, therefore ensuring that the database can be easily launched is a factor that can be quite important for the distribution process. This feature is especially important for national/global companies, due to the fact that a multi-national company will need to deploy the database to various other countries. This means that the machines being used around the world have to be compatible and can easily receive the data, and also edit the data received.

Microsoft Access is probably the easiest application to install onto another machine, due to the fact that the system can be saved as a file on a USB pen and transferred to another machine that already has Microsoft on. If a company doesn’t have Microsoft on, then the application can be installed once the Microsoft package has been added to a machine. Similarly, the process for copying a Microsoft file into a machine is very simple, therefore it is easily recognised and can be easily done.

Both DabbleDB and Zoho Creator are very difficult to deploy to other machines, and due to the fact that the application is hosted on the Internet, the application can be unreliable if there is no Internet connection – if updates need to be made urgently on the system, and the Internet connection is not working to its full potential, then the updates cannot be completed. Similarly, the system also cannot be reached if the Internet is not working, as a connection is required in order to view the information, and edit existing entries.

Microsoft Access does not require an Internet connection, although it does require the installation of the Microsoft package, so if the package is not installed on a machine, then the system cannot be opened. Typically, Microsoft packages start from at least £60, meaning that a lot of money would be needed in order for a new company to have Microsoft running on all machines. The Internet applications require a fee to be paid too, but it isn’t as expensive as spending £60/machine to purchase Microsoft, and a license will probably cover the entire company. Overall, it is a balance of risk, in terms – Risk not paying £60 per machine to install Microsoft, or risk using the cheaper Internet versions, and if the Internet connection fails, then the system cannot be opened.

Personally, I would rather use the Microsoft application, because if an Internet connection cannot be found, then the database can still be used, and no customer dissatisfaction occurs, whereas if the Internet is not working and the application cannot be reached, then user satisfaction is not met.

Suitability For Application Type

Definition – Depending on the type of application requested to implement depends upon the designs created.

The depth of the designs created is dependent on an application that can meet the needs of the amount of detail required – in other words, if an application is designed that is very simple and just consists of 2 tables and a relationship between these tables, then a simple application should be used, whereas an application that requires complex features such as macros requires a complex application for implementation. This can be a very important aspect for companies that require features such as macros and reports for example, as they require as much detail as possible to ensure that their system runs to a very high standard, whereas a person who runs a private stand-alone company may only require a table to hold addresses of customers.

DabbleDB is probably the application that would be ranked highest in terms of additional features, due to the fact that graphs, charts, calendars and maps can be created by the list of entries within the database. This process is done automatically, however editing these features is something that I am not very familiar with, and would need to learn before choosing this application as a definite choice, however on an overview, it appeals to be the application that has the most number of professional add-ons. The ability to create reports within this application isn’t the best, and the tables are listed as spreadsheets, due to a link between this application and Microsoft Excel, although the ability to create maps and charts within the application is superior than any other of the applications that I am looking at.

Zoho Creator has the ability to create very professional reports, although in terms of other add-ons such as maps and charts, this piece of software does not include these features, meaning it is left in the dark when compared against DabbleDB and Microsoft Access. The view of the application within Zoho Creator does look slightly more professional when compared against DabbleDB and is also slightly better than Microsoft Access, but in terms of the range of features, it isn’t the best choice for professional levels.

Microsoft Access is quite similar when compared against DabbleDB, due to the fact that there features to create reports within this application. The reports within Microsoft Access can be customized to meet the needs of the user via the use of a wizard that is easy to follow. Apart from the reports feature within Microsoft Access, there aren’t generally many other additional features that can help the system appear professional, therefore I would propose that DabbleDB is probably the best for add-ons, and also the depth that the application goes into.

Conclusion

Following the review that I have carried out, it appears that all applications have their strengths and weaknesses, and all could be easily used for creating a database to meet a personal/company’s needs. Personally, I would have to say that Zoho is my personal least favourite application, due to the fact that a lot of coding is needed in order to make the database work correctly, and coding is not my personal strong point. The coding features available within Zoho are very advanced, and anyone who has a good knowledge of coding and confidence with using this approach could potentially develop a very complex system. Due to the fact that the entire application is generally made up from coding as well also doesn’t help my personal confidence. DabbleDB and Microsoft Access are both very similar in terms of coding, by the fact that there is no coding in DabbleDB and only a small bit of coding in Microsoft Access.

In terms of additional features that could support the system (e.g. graphs, maps etc.), I would say that DabbleDB is the best application to use. The additional features are already set up within this piece of software, therefore interpreting the information is a very simple task. Microsoft Access does allow features such as reports and forms to be created, which in fairness can be quite useful, although Access and Zoho cannot match DabbleDB on the number of additional features already built within the application.

Without using bias, I would probably say that the best application after this review is Microsoft Access. This may sound very biased due to the fact that this application is a compulsory topic for those who are completing GCSE/A Level I.C.T., therefore as a result, a basic idea of using the piece of software is already known, and the applications Zoho and DabbleDB are completely new. This is not the case with me, as I still think that Microsoft Access is the best overall for producing a professional system. I would have liked to use the graph and map charts available within DabbleDB, as these can be used for professional reasons, and add a high quality finish to the end of the database created. Still though, due to the simplicity of Microsoft Access, I have to vote this application my personal favourite. Even the simple reasons such as data input, and creating a sensible/suitable layout can all be easily achieved within the application. Zoho would be my least popular choice of applications if I had to nominate one as being the worst for me personally, and this is due to the coding needed in order to successfully build the system.

2009-12-10T14:37:00.002Z

Microsoft Access was theapplication that we were told to explore within Rapid Development Tools, a program that I have used many times before in the past, for both my own personal reasons, and also for academic reasons. Unfortunately though, Microsoft Access 07 is an application that I havent used before, and throughout previous uses I have only used the 03 version, which meant that when I opened up the application, I had no idea what I was doing.

Once I got started within Access 07, the similarities did start to become a little bit more obvious, and it was generally only the menu bars along the top of the screen that were cauing me to become confused with the entire user interface. Simple tasks like setting validation rules and choosing the input methods sprung back to me once I had accessed the right form of view. Entering data into the database was another task that became very easy to complete once I had grasped the basic layouts and views that were available within the application. Even forming the relationships between the table became a very easy task once I found out how to open the Relationships view, however I did still struggle to complete the relationships to a high level first time round, as I managed to enable various errors.

Creating forms and queries was another task that I soon managed to recall and complete to a high standard once I had reminded myself of the wizards and tools used within the production process, and eventually managed to produce some advanced and precise queries and forms. The layout for the query was another aspect that I had to remind myself of prior to completing the actual search process, due to the fact that I hadnt used the application for around 3 years, and also the overall basic layout was slightly different due to this version being more up to date. Once I had reminded myself though of how the query works, I was able to find all the right results that I was hoping for and successfully manage the task within the tutoriall. Similarly, the report and uses interfaces were both tasks that I was able to complete to a high standard, once I had reminded myself of the buttons and features that were avialbale within each of these sections of the system.

Comparing this application against the others I have used so far, it is without a doubt the easiest application to use, despite the fact that I had absolutely no idea how to use the piece of software when it first opened. If I had to choose between the applications Access Zoho and DabbleDB, I would instantly choose Access, due to the user interface and also the way in which the application is laid out, that allows me to complete my work without having to worry about the consequences of needing to worry about coding, due to the fact that there is no/very little coding used with Microsoft Access.

Comparing features within all of the applications I have used so far, Access has easily got to be the easiest to grasp, due to the fact that most of the production process is done via wizards and tutorials, which mean that I can simply select the options from the wizard that best suit my needs and create the button/form to my own personal standard. Also, as mentioned earlier in this write up, there is no coding eneded in order to complete any of the basic features within Access, therefore this gives me confidence that I can use the application without having to worry about being stuck in a dead end trap due to the fact that I cant understand coding terms.

Microsoft Acecss also allowed me to create a professional user interface form today, that performed tasks that any professional system would need to be able to do in order for a company to meet professional needs. I was very happy with the mini user interface that I was able to create, via the use of the buttons and previous queries that I had created, and the simplicity of reaching a professional standard was a very easy task.

If I had to choose one of the applications to base my case study on, I would definitaly use Microsoft Access with no other considerations made, due to the simplicity of the application, and also the fact that it requires no coding in order to complete. I am happy with the work that I completed within the tutorial assigned to this blog, and feel very confident using this application now that I have reminded myself of the basic features within the piece of software. I think in order to reach a highly professional standard in the future, I will need to take some time within my free leisure to remind myself of some more of the features within the piece of software, if I want to complete my work to a very high standard.

2009-12-01T15:24:00.004Z

Within todays lecture/tutorial we spent time looking at another interactive database supplied online called DabbleDB. DabbleDB follows a very similar approach to Zoho Creator, apart from DabbleDB uses much less/no coding to allow for quick and easy database production. Within DabbleDB, the complete database is already designed and embedded within the system, and all the user has to do is select options for how they want to create their database in relation to their own personal needs.

The major difference between Zoho Creator and DabbleDB that I recognised was the ability to enter information into the database, without having to enter each entry separately, whereas within DabbleDB all information can be entered as one, into a large text box. The package DabbleDB is referred to as being "Intelligent Software", therefore the application recognises the column headings when entered as well. The software will then relate all of the entries into the database so that all the Dates entered are assigned to the "Date" column, and the Surnames are assigned to the "Surname" column. This is all done automatic, and literally takes 5 minutes to copy/paste the information into the text box and for the application to sort out the data into appropriate columns. This process is very professional, and I was shocked when the software managed to sort the information out this quick. If I were to use an application for entering vast numbers of entries, then I would definitely use DabbleDB, due to the fact that information can be created in an application such as Excel, then copied and pasted over.

Once all the data within the application has being processed and sorted, the view is very easily for editing information, changing column heading properties etc. The overall professionalism of DabbleDB is superior for creating other features as well, as there are functions to create:

Charts - Pie, Bar and Line

Calendars

Maps

Compactness

All of these features mentioned above are created by the application, and the user barely needs to choose any options to implement these advanced productions. For my own personal benefit, there is also no coding required to create these bonus features, therefore this gives me confidence that I can create these advanced productions with confidence. The maps and charts that are produced are not poor quality, they are advanced and show statistics for the specific point within the chart when hovered over. The example below shows how this works.

Creating simple interfaces is another feature that DabbleDB allows the user to do, by applying colour schemes and logos into the database. The Administration section allows the user to create a custom colour scheme made for personal requirements. An example of how effective this could be for a company is if their logo follows a colour scheme, and as a result they want to change database so it follows the company colours. This can be achieved literally by clicking the mouse 4 times to complete the entire process. The layout of the database will then be changed to the colour scheme selected within the options window, OR if the company wants to make the database really professional, they can upload their company logo into the application so that it appears on the top of every page. This feature within DabbleDB proves how superior this application is when contrasted against Zoho Creator in terms or user-friendliness.

Once the data has been set up and the preferences have been changed so that the visual style of the application meets the needs of the user, there are other Administrative features that can be edited so that certain people within the company can view the database, and also a back-up feature can be added so that if the information within the databse is accidently edited/deleted and needs to be reset, then a back-up allows the application to process back to a set date and retrieve the information that was lost. This and many other features including the language, time zone and currency formats can all be edited as well within the adminstrator section.

There is one disadvantage that I have found when using DabbleDB, and it is the speed of which the application takes to both load and change pages. Compare this to Zoho Creator and the speed for which reponses are made are much quicker in comparison to this piece of software. The simplicity of creating a professional user interface and a professional database can only be praised though, due to the high quality of the layout. Even when all the information has been sorted and processes by the application, the columns can be edited so that instead of a date being registered as a number, is can be understood to be represented in Date format. Similarly for currency, is a price for an item is represented just as a number, it can be changed so that it is an aspect of currency instead, and even still, the type of currency can be chosen from this option.

The reports that can be produced by DabbleDB are also very professional, and also the ability to quickly change details of a current entry, and/or to create a new entry. I would still admit though that compared to Microsoft Access, this piece of software doesn't seem to meet the same standards that Access does, due to the fact that the common user-iterface (similarly with Zoho) doesnt meet the expectations that I personally require to create a professional database. There are lots of features within DabbleDB that impress me though, including the feature to quickly add entries into a database, and also the speed of which colour scheme/format is generated takes place, but for actually reaching professional understanding of a database (ie. setting up relationships between columns/tables) can be done much easier in Microsoft Access.

If I needed to create a database that met an objective for been quick to import data, pretty to look at and be quite straight forward, then I would definitely consider DabbleDB, alongside the fact that the columns can be edited in terms of format, and also so that Maps and Charts can be created - however, I still dont feel completely 100% confident with this software package due to the fact that some operations, such as undo seem very advanced for such a simple reorrection to be made, therefore I would still probably use Microsoft Access if I had to use a database software I am aware of.

2009-11-24T21:20:00.007Z

Todays lecture/tutorial focused on using an application that I have never used before called Zoho Creator. Zoho allows the user to create a database online, then use a code generator to make the system much more advanced and also meet user requirements. Zoho Creator is a very simple package that allows the creator to build simple databases (up until the coding is incorporated).

The advantage of using Zoho Creator is that it already had all the layout, templates and colour schemes built into the online system, therefore creating the basics and also a professionally styled interface is very easy. All of these features are found as templates which can be selected from the "Customize" tab which is located towards the top of the page. It is likely that if required, coding could be entered into the Script View to make the layout even more professional, but due to the fact that today was the first time I and many others in the class had used the software, we stuck to the basic layouts already embedded into the system.

The coding aspect within Zoho Creator was much harder for me personally, and I struggled to get an exact copy of the coding which I should have recieved compared to the result I actually got. Instead of having to write the code for the system though, Zoho Creator generates all the code manually via the use of tabs along the left hand side of the page which can be added onto the screen. For me personally, I dont like to write code, although if required, the Code View allows pure code to be written, and from here it will be automatically converted into buttons and other features within the User View.

As mentioned earlier, today was the first time I have used Zoho, and it looks like quite a basic application to use, apart from having to create/edit code. If I need to create a simple database that isnt based for a large professional company, then I may use Zoho Creator to store the data inside this application, although due to my knowledge of using Microsoft Access, I still think I will use this piece of software, due to the professional features that can be incorporated - although saying that Zoho Creator impressed me vastly today due its simpleness and easiness for creating a basic database system. The range of features available within Zoho Creator were quite advanced too, as the system allows me to include:

Single Line Fields
Multiple Line Fields
Phone Numbers
E-Mail Addresses
Option Fields (Favourite Color - Red OR Green OR Blue etc.)
Date/Time
Number

All of these features should be useful for me to create a simple but effective database, which meets a high standard.

Despite the fact that this application is very easy to create, when it comes to entering the information, all entries have to be entered manually. As a result, this takes a very long time to do, therefore entering information takes a very long time and as a result this isnt a professional approach for either a company/individual to use, due to its time cocsumption. In the future, if I were feeling more confident with coding, I may use Zoho to base my case study around, although due to the fact that this application relies heavily on code creation/editing, then I think I will give this application a miss.

Below is an image of a sample view I created throughout the second Zoho Creator Tutorial:

2009-11-24T15:46:00.004Z

Within todays lecture we recapped the work we completed last week in relation to RAD (Rapid Application Development) and UML (Unified Modelling Language). Firstly we reminded each other of the different approaches to project management, then we looked at what the customer actually recieves as the project progresses. These were the outcomes:

Phased Development - Customer uses a basic version (version 1) and additional upgrades (new version) are added constantly. There is a very quick devliery time using this version due to the initial version been produced at a basic level.
Prototyping - Customer gets to use a version briefly and feedback is given back to the producer/team for upgrades and improvements.
Throaway Prototyping - Customer only gets a design of what the system will look like, meaning they never actually get the final version, until the "Throwaway" stage is made.

Based upon how quickly the customer needs the system can often depend on which method to use in order to meet the customer needs, hence, the importance of choosing which approach to use is vital.

Prioritising Functions:

Two Functions - Version release to customer as early and possible, and if expectations are high BUT the budget is low, the product must contain essential elements. This basically means that when it comes to prioritising the elements within the database, either one of, or both of these aspects need to be taken into account prior to the build. If the company/person requesting the system is short of money, then the most important elements must be included first, so that the company/customer gets complete satisfaction.

Problems When Creating A System:

When speaking to the customer, it is likely the customer will want EVERY aspect they require within the first version of the system, meaning that prioritising becomes a much harder job. This means that the creator of the system needs to stress that as later versions of the system are released (Phased Approach), then the less important features will be incorporate later. This can often be hard for the user to choose the key aspects of the system they want now and later.
It can be very difficult to get customer to organise/create priorities. This often results in a long list of features within the system being handed to the creator, and the creator mapping out which features shoul be incorporated first. Occasionally, this can result in the person/company requiring the system to become nervous towards whether or not the system will fully meet their needs or not.
Some functionality in the system may inter-link (i.e. independant). Sometimes functionality is inter-linked and can't be separated.

Prioritising Categories - Requirements Scales:

Following the list of features being handed to the customer, or the creator creating a list of features to be included within the system, a priority scale must be created so that the features can be released in an order that the most important features are included first, and the least important features last. The features that the user requires within the system must fit into one of the following categories depending on their importance:

High Priority - Product is not acceptable without this function/feature. Sometimes the phrase "Mission Critical" is used as another name for the feature that MUST be included. The features/functions that are included in this category will be released in v1.0.
Medium Priority - Supports necessary operation. Required eventually but not immediately (e.g. something that must be in the system, but can wait - Reporting Facilities etc.). Would enhance the system once included. The features/functions that are included in this category will be released in v2.0.
Low Priority - It is nice to have these features within the system, if the budget allows us to include them (e.g. a newsletter that can be sent out to the customers/public etc.). The features/functions that are included in this category will be released in v3.0.
Any later features will be released in versions 4.0 and above.

Steps To Follow To Prioritising

In order to reach the final result for prioritising features, the following steps must be taken:

Go through the case study and/or the project and list all the functions/features contained in the requirements.
Go through the list of functions/features and associate each of these with one of the prioritising categoires mentioned above (High, Medium, Low), AND state a reason why.
Set the list into descending order of importance, meaning that all the important features (everything in version 1.0) will be first.
Agree the list with the client.
Group features/functions into versions of release.

2009-11-10T15:06:00.003Z

Within today's lecture we were given information towards the method that have been used between the 1980's-1990's and then from the 1990's onwards for Rapid Application Development (RAD). Within the 1980's a method called Structured Design was used to attempt to erase all problems that happened before this time. Within the Structured Design section there are 2 different types of project management methods that were produced in order to try and make project management easier. These 2 methods include:

Waterfall Method
Parallel Process

Within each type of process, there are 4 steps that are used to manage the application development and these are:

Planning
Analysis
Design
Implementation

Both of these methods differ to each other vastly, and contain their positive and negative factors.

Waterfall Process

The Waterfall Process is a sequential life cycle, which in other words means that one thing happens after the other, and runs in a sequence where once one section has been created, it cannot be returned too. With the Waterfall method, in exceptional circumstances, if mistakes are made in later sections of the process of the project management then earlier sections can be revisited, although this is rare and isn't recommended. The Waterfall process does have one major negative effect - designing the documents upfront means they can be very hard to understand due to their length.

2. Parallel Process

The Parallel Process is generally used for splitting the project once the "Design Phase" has been created. The Planning and Analysis section are created respectively in order, but once the Design phase is reached an initial Design section is created, followed by 2+ splits. These splits are used for work to be carried out on different sections of the Design process, so that the progress of the project can actually be viewed and evidence is provided. The 2+ splits for the Design process lead onto an Implementation process to be carried out for each of the splits. Once all of these Implementation processes have been completed then they merge back together to form an Integration section which eventually leads onto the final system been produced. Generally, by using this process, the project management is shortened, however a negative factor to bear in mind when using this process is that there will be 2+ different "mini phases" been carried out, therefore there is a high risk of mistakes been carried out in the different phases, and when the convergence stage occurs, these mistakes will be integrated.

Following these 2 methods been created within the 1980's, and the mistakes that were been created within these processes been recognised, 3 more processes were created in the 1990's to reduce mistakes and errors that could potentially arise. The aim was to try and respond to the problems by ensuring a quicker delivery and also less paperwork.

Phased Development

Phased Development was created so that the different phases were completed in order of importance, meaning that the project is completed in phases/versions so that the user can constantly receive updates towards the system they want to use. Aid of a diagram is much better to explain this process, although in basic terms the process runs like this:

Planning > Analysis > Analysis (Version 1) > Design (Version 1) > Implementation (1st Version) > System Created (Version 1) > Analysis (Version 2) > Design (Version 2) > Implentation (Version 2) > System Created (Version 2) > Analysis (Version 3) > Design (Version 3) > Implemenntation (Version 3) > System Created (Version 3).

This version has lots of positive features:

Customer receives "something" very quickly, despite it not been fully created.
While customer uses version 1, work is carried out on version 2 - therefore constant implementation.
If problems are located within the first version then the system upgrade process can be used to erase these issues.
Saves having to wait for the entire system to be fully created, then errors are found and erased.
Documentation is much smaller, as there are small systems for continuously created systems.

2. Prototyping

Prototyping allows the customer to have a "play" or a "trial" with the version created, and notes/feedback is given to the creator for faults that many be found. Within this version the following process is carried out:

Planning, Analysis Design and Implementation (Carried out at once) > System Prototype (Not a fully working version) > A loop is then created going back to the Analysis Design and Implementation sections so that errors found can be erased. This process is carried out until all problems have been found then the final Implementation process can be carried out, followed by the system been fully produced.

With this method though, there is a major disadvantage that if any initial problems are found in the first version, they are usually carried out in the later versions. If a problem occurs in the Analysis section, then the customer may not realise it, and it means that the same errors are looped over and over for many versions. Another negative is that no guarantee can be made that the customer will be happy, as feedback is not always exact.

3. Throwaway Prototyping

Throwaway Prototyping is exactly the same as prototyping apart from the early versions are not created, and only a design prototype is created. The process used for Throwaway Prototyping runs as follows:

Planning > Analysis (Thorough Analysis) > Analysis, Design and Implementation > Design Prototype (Not a System Prototype) > A loop is then created going back to the Analysis Design and Implementation sections so that errors found can be erased. This process is carried out until all problems have been found then the final Implementation process can be carried out, then a stem is created coming from the Analysis Design and Implementation section for the Final Design section to be completed > Implementation > System Produced.

Design prototypes continuously made until all problems that may arise are made. "Throwaway" means the Final Design flies away from the rest of the system created so far. This method is a way of creating a Final Design with all other problems that COULD arise been solved. A negative effect for this process is that the client/customer may not want this process to be carried out, as evidence of the work been produced isn't seen, only Design Prototypes are made.

2009-11-03T21:17:00.003Z

Within this weeks lesson we looked at Normalisation in a deeper aspect, and following the catch-up work I had to do, this session also didnt appear to be to bad. I believe that last week the class only looked at normalising data from only one form, whereas today we looked at normalising data from more than one form at once (e.g. invoice and a purchase order form). The process that was carried out today follows the same stages that were carried out when using Normalisation last week, apart from one more stage is added at the end to remove any repeating entities that occur.

Below are a list of websites that I found that show how normalisation works, and some more information towards how/why the process is useful.
http://www.getahead-direct.com/gwentrel.htm - this website shows how the Entity Relationship diagram can be established once normalisation has being carried out. This website looks as though it could be quite useful to me as I sometimes get confused with the "crows-feet" method.
http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/dzichelp/v2r2/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.db29.doc.admin/db2z_entitynormalization.htm - this website is similar to the first one that I found, as it explains how the different normalisation forms work.
http://www.troubleshooters.com/littstip/ltnorm.html - this website shows another guide for how Normalization works, and the process used to obtain the final results.

2009-11-03T15:46:00.003Z

Following an absence last week, I have only just learnt about Normalisation today. Normalisation doesnt generally seem like a hard task, and it seemed much easier compared against Entity Relationship diagrams.
Todays lesson was quite enjoyable and I learnt quite a lot through the use of the 5 steps that are used to complete the tasks given out today. The 5 steps that are portrayed for normalisation are as follows:

List the un-normalised data, and identify repeating groups by placing them in brackets - the replacing groups are usually those that could be written down more than once, for example Item Number.
Choose a key for the main group - this is usually the first entity found from the section, e.g. Customer Number within an Order Form.
Extract the repeating groups, and give that a key - this could be for example, Item Number. Due to the fact that the repreated groups will have been found earlier, usually, the key for the group is the first in the brackets.
Identify and extract partial dependencies.
Identify and extract non-key dependencies.

Normalisation for me personally gets quite confusing towards the end of the process, when identifying and extracting the dependencies happens.

The Objectives behind Normalisation is to try and separate the items that are initially listed, so that the long list that is originally found can be broken down and split into small sections. Within the last step, eradicating some of the items will help to make the overall form easier to process when implemented into a computer program. Normalisation generally breaks down the list of entities given at the start of an invoice or purchase order form so that when later submitted into a database system, entities that are repeated can be removed - generally, the purpose is to save time for when the data needs to be entered into the fields at a later date.

When carrying out normalisation, the process if broken down into 3/4 steps, and these are often abbreviated into the form of 0NF, 1NF, 2NF, 3NF - these stages are used to represent the stages carried out when the 5 steps are being implenented on a set of entities. A breakdown of the list of stages is show below.

0NF - Zero Normalisation Form - This is the stage where all the entities from within the invoice or order form are listed into one large table. Commonly they will be seperated if there is more than one form present.
1NF - First Normalisation Form - This is the stage where the repeated entities are broken down into a sublist of entities. When this stage is carried out, 2 keys will be applied to each of the new sublists created.
2NF - Second Normalisation Form - This is the stage where the partial keys are identified and extracted. Within this stage, this is usually the time when the list of entities/sub-lists of enties is the longest.
3NF - Third (Final) Normalisation Form - This stage is where the list of entities/sub-lists is reduced vastly, where repeated partial keys can be removed if repeated. The non-key dependencies are extracted in this stage to give the overall list of entities and sub-lists for the given forms/invoices.

Overall, normalisation is a topic that doesnt look too confusing, and I feel quite confident carrying out work based upon this topic.

2009-10-20T15:35:00.002+01:00

Summary of Lecture 2:

ER Models and Normalisation models can be used to represent information. An ER Model (Entity Relationship Model) is the model that was covered within thodays lecture, and a normalisation model will be covered later. Within Entity Relationship models, there are a few elements that make up the diagram:
Entity - An object/thing.; E.g. Book, Student, Shop
Attributes - A "something" within an entity table. E.g. An ID Number for a student.
Occurence of Entity - One line within the entity.
Primary Key - A unique identifier/field within an entity. E.g. Student ID within a Student Entity.
Enterprice Rules - A list of regulations that the client mst abide by.
Relationship - A list between 2 or more entities.

4 Principles of ER Modelling:
Identification of entities (Structure/Relationships).
Construction of a process independant model of the stored data requirements.
Construction of a robust data model.
The construction of a logical model of the data.

6 Steps of ER Modeling:
Identify the entities.
Identify the attributes within the entities.
Put data in logical groups.
Identify the primary key(s) within each entity.
Elimate some of the attributes.
Use relationships to create the relationship model.

Crows Feet:
One to One - -----------------
Many to One - >---------------- or -------------------<
Many to Many - >------------------<

All About Me

2009-10-06T11:35:00.000+01:00

Heyy, I'm Ben Suggitt,

Recently finished Prior Pursglove College, Guisborough, completing A Levels in Maths, Applied I.C.T., and Geography.

Originally I applied for a Geography course at Sheffield Hallam university, but thanks to UCAS, Adjustment scheme, decided to apply for Teesside University instead.

In the past I have already attended Teesside University throughout the summer of 2007/08 for a module based around Multimedia, means the door scanning business is already familier to me :P, lol.

Good luck to everyone else on the course :].