DESIGN TOOLS Software Development

FOR ASO1 WE WILL LOOK AT: Data Dictionaries Object Descriptions Mock Ups Pseudocode

DATA DICTIONARY Is a table that records your variables and states information on each variable. Such as: data type of variable, size or length of variable, scope of variable and description.

DATA DICTIONARIES (DATA STRUCTURE CHARTS) Field Name (Variable)Type (Data Type) SizeScopeDescription strNameString15GlobalFirst Name of Person strStateString-GlobalName of State in Australia ID_NumberInteger6GlobalID Number of Student AgeInteger2LocalAge of Student

OBJECT DESCRIPTIONS For a given object in your program, such as a button or a list or a drop down menu etc. you can create a table describing the different Events and Methods being used. Event - btnStart_Click (How the user interacts with the object) Method - btnStart.Enabled (Directly interact with an Event to change an events behaviour and are often unique to the Object)

NameType (event or method)Description btnCalculate_ClickEventWhen the button is clicked it will calculate the sum of item prices btnCalculate_DblClickEventWhen the button is double clicked it will lock the calculate function, so no other buttons can be clicked btnCalculate.EnabledMethodThis method is used to diable and re-enable the button during runtime. It can be set to true or false btnCalculate.VisibleMethodThis method will be used to make the button either visible or invisible depending on user access btnCalculate.FocusMethodThis method can be used to place the cursor on the button so that the user can only select this function. It will be used at appropriate times to guide the user through the ordering process. Object Name: btnCalculate

MOCKUPS (ANNOTATED DIAGRAMS) A sort of “photographic” representation of what a printed page or a screen will look like A bit like a prototype or demonstration model Can be produced with software for extra realism May have faked text

MOCKUPS – ANOTHER INTERPRETATION Another view of mockups is a hand-drawn representation of a page or screen with detailed formatting information.

This mockup plans out content, layout and formatting.

MOCKUPS Give enough detail so that the design could be given to someone else to accurately produce the page or screen. E.g. “Arial, 14pt, bold, dark blue” Don’t repeat yourself endlessly: summarise. E.g. “All body text 12pt Arial. All links are blue. All tables have invisible borders except for the pets table” etc

MOCKUPS Does not need to be 100% specific. E.g. can specify a “fancy font, big, blue” or “picture of a cat”. Include content information (what a text block is talking about; what a picture should show)

MOCKUPS Exact wording of text not needed. Include headings to identify contents of the text (e.g. Why dogs are good pets”) Do not produce a uselessly vague mockup… heading picture text This sort of design is a waste of time. No-one could work out what needs to go on this page.

PSEUDOCODE Designing a Program

WHAT IS AN ALGORITHM? It’s a procedure for solving problems. It shows actions to be executed by a sequence of steps taken to solve a problem. Pseudocode is an informal language that helps programmers to develop algorithms. It’s mainly written in plain English, but still has a style guide of how to format and write the pseudocode.

RULES FOR WRITING PSEUDOCODE: Pseudocode has some basic standards to make it easier for everyone to read and follow what your algorithm is all about. *Note sometimes the rules can vary slightly

INDENTATION IS VERY IMPORTANT!!!!

USE IMPORTANT KEY WORDS Set Get Print/Display Call (For Use of Modules) Return Store Add/Subtract Increment Repeat

STARTING A PROCEDURE BEGIN Procedure (Your book says Start not Begin) … END Procedure (Your book says Stop not End)

IF BEGIN Procedure IF Condition THEN … END IF END Procedure

EXAMPLE: BEGIN PrintWord Get Number IF Number == 1 Print One END IF END PrintWord See INDENTATION!

IF/ELSE BEGIN Procedure IF Condition THEN … ELSE … END IF END Procedure

EXAMPLE: BEGIN PrintWord Get Number IF Number == 1 Print One ELSE Print Hello END IF END PrintWord

WHILE BEGIN Procedure DO WHILE Condition … END DO WHILE END Procedure

EXAMPLE: BEGIN Tally Set Count to 1 DO WHILE Count <=30 Total(Item(Count))=Total(Item(Count))+1 Add 1 to Count END DO WHILE Print Total END Tally

FOR BEGIN Procedure FOR Condition … END FOR END Procedure

BEGIN PrintLetter Get Word FOR letter in Word Print current letter END FOR END PrintLetter

SWITCH/CASE BEGIN Procedure CASE expression OF Condition 1: Sequence 1 Condition 2: Sequence 2 … OTHERS: Default Sequence END CASE END Procedure