Week 2 - Monday, August 28, 2006 to Friday, September 1, 2006

Abstract Data Types

Comments

     This week you must cover Classes, Objects, and Abstract Data Types, and start work on Project 1.  If you are Java trained, then the Object Oriented concepts will be easy.  You will need to concentrate on learning how to code in C++ instead of Java.  You will probably have the most practical problems with the header files.  You should also start learning about pointers, although you can write Project 1 without them if you want.  If you are C trained, then you will be comfortable in C++, but you will need to concentrate on the very new concepts of Classes and Object Oriented Programming.  (Note for C programmers:  A   class   is just a    struct   with functions inside).  If you know both Java and C, you should have few problems. 

    I will be online in the Chat Room for this course in Angel Tuesday and Thursday evenings this week, from 9:00 pm to 10:00 pm.  Also, I will check the current week's Discussion Room, and write any replies that are necessary at least twice a day, once when I am in my office during the day, and once during the evening, Monday through Thursday, and during the weekend at least on Sunday night.  You can also telephone me when I am in my office.  You can know when I am actually in my office, because I will post on my Schedule whenever I arrive in the office.  

Please note current Announcement on Angel.  I'm including it here for your convenience:

I want to change over to using the Discussion Forums for Week 2 and subsequent weeks.  I'll create a new forum most weeks, sometime combining them if two or three weeks are on the same material.  Please use the Discussion Forums for almost all your communication with me and with other students.  It is much better to ask questions on the Discussion Forum than to send me e-mail.  Then the other students can respond also.  I'll check the Discussion Forum twice from Monday through Thursday, once in the afternoon and once in the evening.  I'll also check it Sunday evening, and on Friday and Saturday, unless I go away for the weekend.  In addition, we'll still use the chat room Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 9:00 to 10:00.  Otherwise, please don't use the chat room for communication since the messages disappear quickly.  Don't forget you can also call me any time I am in my office.  Refer to http://virtual.parkland.edu/sbadman/Schedule.htm to see when I am there.  That is the best way to discuss really tough problems.

Remember, participation in the Discussion Forums is your attendance in this course.  If you're participation is satisfactory, I'll mark you as "present" ("P") for the Friday of that week.  You must satisfactorily participate in 12 weeks of the course to get the full 12 points available for Attendance.  I have already marked Week 1's attendance.  Satisfactory participation is at least one significant contribution in one of the following areas:

1. Describing a bug or conceptual problem and asking for help
2. Giving the answer for another student's bug or conceptual problem
3. Describing a significant programming problem you had, and the solution you found 

Please don't just make up something to get the point for the week.  Keep it real, please.  If you are actually working on the course that week, you will surely meet up with some bug or problem, or you can solve someone else's bug or problem.

Also, please don't be shy, or worry about "looking dumb".  Nothing you say on the Discussion Forum will affect your grade.  Those of you with professional work experience know that you must ask questions, admit lack of understanding, and seek help to be a good programmer.  The only thing I require is that you keep it civil and professional (see Parkland's Core Values at http://www.parkland.edu/catalog/general/values.html ).  No flaming.    

Course Content

    Week 2:
    Abstract Data Types 

Readings

    The following readings are necessary for Project 1, so they will cover both Week 2 and Week 3.

    Abstract Data Types and Information Hiding are covered in Section 10.8. 

    Go through the following chapters reasonably quickly, concentrating on basic concepts, especially those sections that talk about the material in the Week 2 Class Content and the Week 3 Class Content published next week.  You don't need to understand all of the details in these chapters.  Pay attention to what you need to complete Project 1.

     If you're a Java, but not a C programmer:
         Chapter 2 (basics)
         Chapter 3 (classes - very similar to Java)
         Chapter 4 (control structures - very similar to Java)
         Chapter 5(control structures - very similar to Java)
         Chapter 6 (be sure to skip Recursion, which we will cover later)
         Chapter 7 (arrays but skip vectors).  

     If you're a C, but not a Java programmer:
         Chapter 3 (this will be significantly new material for you)
         Chapter 6 (paying attention to the differences between functions inside classes and the C functions you are familiar with) 

Lab Assignment

    Week 2 

Week 2 Test

    12 Questions for 4 points, with fractions rounded up.

    Only available Friday, September 1st, from 6:00 am to 3:00 am Saturday morning on Angel.  It will cover the following material:   

• Conceptual questions or questions about code, all based on material covered in the Week 2 Course Content (my content only, not Dave Bock's pages or the Dietel readings).