The Programming Process ISAT 252: Programming and Problem Solving This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

Objectives  By the end of this video you should:  Have a good idea about how to start new programming projects  Have a sense for the steps typically followed by programmers as they build a new project 2The Programming Process—ISAT 252: Programming and Problem Solving

The Programming Process  Step 1: Idea Generation  Step 2: Planning  Screen mockups on paper  Flow charts  Pseudocode  Step 3: Documentation  Step 4: Implementation  Step 5: Debugging & Quality Assurance  Step 6: Release & Deploy 3The Programming Process—ISAT 252: Programming and Problem Solving

Step 1: Idea Generation 4  What makes for a good idea?  Uniqueness is NOT necessarily importantNOT necessarily important  You care about solving the problem You care about solving the problem  The scope of the project is feasible (hint: build less)build less  Example:  My brother-in-law in Japan and I like to talk about cars  It’s not easy for either of us to convert MPG  KPL  Solution: a simple program to convert MPG  KPL The Programming Process—ISAT 252: Programming and Problem Solving

Step 2: Planning 5  For GUI programs, start with screen mockups on paper  Why paper?  MUCH faster than using a computer  You don’t get emotionally attached to the design as easily  It’s very easy to crumple up the sheet and start again  Makes it easy to compare alternative designs side-by-side  Example: Mocking up the MPG  KPL app on paper The Programming Process—ISAT 252: Programming and Problem Solving

Planning: Paper Mockups 6The Programming Process—ISAT 252: Programming and Problem Solving

Planning: Flowcharts and Pseudocode 7The Programming Process—ISAT 252: Programming and Problem Solving Start Program Get MPG Convert MPG to KPL Ouput KPL Done? Exit Program Yes No Pseudocode for 'Convert MPG to KPL' Process  Create constants for Liters per Gallon and Kilometers per Mile conversion factors  Make a variable for MPG initialized from the form input  Make a variable for KPL  Perform the calculation and store result in KPL variable

Step 3: Documentation 8  One of the most neglected phases of programming!  Why is documentation important?  Forces you to think more clearly  write better code  Helps decouple algorithm generation from code generation  Algorithms are in English  Code is in code (frequently not familiar to you)  Not having to think about both at the same time is a huge plus  Allows other to read and follow your code more easily  Especially important for collaborative and/or open-source projects  Allows YOU to read and follow your code more easily  Earn respect from fellow coders and employers The Programming Process—ISAT 252: Programming and Problem Solving

Step 4: Implementation 9  Coding is always a learning process  Expect to spend about 90% of your time being stuck  Your friends:  Google  Your textbook  Online documentation, e.g. the MSDN LibraryMSDN Library  Online forums, e.g. Stack Overflow, and Microsoft ForumsStack OverflowMicrosoft Forums  Your friends, e.g. classmates, TAs, upperclassmen  Your instructor The Programming Process—ISAT 252: Programming and Problem Solving

Step 5: Debugging & Quality Assurance 10  Use and test your application  Figure out what’s likely to go wrong  Check the accuracy of calculations/output by hand  Work to make your application bulletproof The Programming Process—ISAT 252: Programming and Problem Solving

Step 6: Release & Deploy 11  Convert your application into an installable package so others can use it  Distribute it The Programming Process—ISAT 252: Programming and Problem Solving

Summary 12  Step 1: Idea Generation  Step 2: Planning  Screen mockups on paper  Flow charts  Pseudocode  Step 3: Documentation  Step 4: Implementation  Step 5: Debugging & Quality Assurance  Step 6: Release & Deploy The Programming Process—ISAT 252: Programming and Problem Solving