COMP3121 E-Commerce Technologies Richard Henson University of Worcester December 2011

Week 10: Documenting a Client-Server System n n Explain the fundamental differences between documenting client-server and documenting conventional systems n n Explain the importance of presenting a data model in the documentation n n Use software tools to assist documentation of web pages, web sites, and database design

What is client-side and what is server side? n n Everything that is displayed using HTML… client side n n Everything that interrogates databases, and databases themselves… server side n n What about the rest of the coding?   JavaScript?   C#?   Asp.net controls?

Putting this into a write up n n More challenging than a conventional website/set of programme coding n n It helps to have separate headings for “client side” and “server side” n n Site will be marked as a Visual Studio 2010 project   essential that all server code and the database to run the site are included on the media handed in with the assignment write up!!!

How to document… n n Project usually have four phases:   Analysis   Design   Implementation   Evaluaation n n Your assignment 2 can be considered to be a mini-project…

What to include in the write up n n The assignment brief is your spec (no analysis section therefore necessary!!!) n n Requirements:   “Design” (client & server)   “Implementation”   “Evaluation”

Design n n Should include:   site & database design diagrams   screen dump(s) to show common page format(s)   test plan   should refer to code (e.g. scripts) by filename so marker can cross-check with file(s) on removable media

Relative and Absolute Paths n For small databases and simplicity Access works well….  with one exceptiion  Access requires an absolute path »e.g. X:\myfolder\yourfolder\database.accdb  SQL Server, and MySQL can cope with a relative path: »e.g...\yourfolder\database.mdf

Implementation n n Should include some of:   code sections that you may want to explain or bring to the attention of the marker   database connection string(s) & path to Access database in working project n n A description of problems encountered and how overcome

Testing n n Expected results should have been added at design stage n n Actual results obtained when test plan put into action n n “Actual v Expected” comparison should be presented on a table

Retesting & Rollout n n Any differences between expected/actual results need to be resolved n n Changes made as a result of testing should also be documented n n Completed product copied to removable medium (keep a copy!)

Evaluation n n You should include:   what others (i.e. prospective shoppers) think of the site   how well the completed site meets the spec (or goes beyond it… or could do…)   A personal reflection of your experiences in doing the assignment, and anything else you’d like to have done with it, if you had more time…

Good Luck and have a Great Xmas! Practical Workshops available by appointment… until the day before hand-in (not 12 th -16 th Dec )