1/29/2012 Creation of Website
I started the Creation of my website. I am very new to Web design so bare with me. I would like to have a solid structure so that I do not need to make changes as my project comes to a close making my website seem rushed.
I have set up a meeting with Dr. Pankratz to gather requirements from the CS discipline. I am going to need to discover the different Entities required to create this database as well as the fields that will need to be in those entities. I will also need to create a rough Entity Relationship Diagram to really dig into the Planning and Analysis stages of the System Development Life Cycle.
I have been communicating with current students to what they would like to see when looking into an Alumni database and talking to Alumni to see the amount of interaction they would like to have. I have seen only a few constraints such as the interaction level of both the Alumni and the CS discipline, but once I have my meetings I should have this sorted out.
Steps going forward:
-Meetings with CS discipline
-Meeting with Alumni
-Meeting with CS students
-ER diagram design
-Idea chart
2/5/2012 Research and Analysis
This week I had finished with my website Creation encountering some problems that I talked through with Kayla Pope as well as Dr. McVey to trouble shoot the launching of our websites.
I met with the CS discipline and gathered general requirements they are looking for as well as discussed a direction they would like to go with the database and website interface. We have decided on a few basic fields such as name, first job, location and which fields we can sort with. After gathering these I have a good direction to go and creation method to begin with. I am going research mySQL and PHP because these are what I'm going to use to make my database and web interface I currently have little knowledge with these tools but I've used PL/SQL Developer with my internship and hope that it is similar mySQL.
I also met with a couple of the Alumni to figure out possible access points and how wiling they would be to fill out information and create a profile.
Once I gain some research I plan on using a class period to run a discussion about what my fellow students would like this will allow me to fulfill my previous requirements of a student view as well as adding to my alumni view.
I am going to alternate researching and creating my E-R diagrams this week as gaining knowledge but also creating a design are my priorities.
Steps going forward:
-Check out mySQL and PHP books from library.
-Create a Basic E-R diagram of my system.
-Get mySQL working with a basic hello world type database and interface.
-Meet with with CS students.
2/12/2012 More Research and Analysis
I got permission to work in mySQL from the school. However I am having problems getting it to run from my computer, I think I may be firewalled out so I will need to use the school computers to do the work. This puts a hitch in my timeline because I will need to block out time slots to go to the lab to work on this rather then being able to just work on it whenever from home.
I have read up on an introduction to PHP and it seems to be very similar to most of the other languages I have used. I am looking forward to getting into the creation of the web interface but frist I need to get a database working. I have run into the issue of our library mostly having these books only online and accessing these books from outside the library. I am looking into this furthur to see how I can gain access to them outside of the library.
I have started to create the basic E-R diagram for my Alumni tracking system and have taken it to Dr. McVey for some review. She gave me some good advice to make sure I'm staying with the normalization process of a database. She also reffered me to Dr Pankratz who I need to meet with to review my E-R diagram. I plan on doing this after class on Monday.
Although I didn't get a chance to have a full meeting with all my classmates I have met with a number of them outside of class to gain their insight into what they want from this system. From this I now have a full set of basic requirements that I can fully put together my E-R Diagrams and start building my database. Although I still want a hello world database with interface to that I know everything works.
Steps going forward:
-Hello World Database and Interface
-Refine E-R Diagrams
-Research mySQL basics
-Research PHP more indepth now that I have read the basics.
2/19/2012 PHP design troubleshooting mySQL
This week was a slower week for my project because I spent the time trying to get mySQL working as well as reading up on PHP and looking at templates that might be useful. I have tinkered around in some of the PHP just trying to make something work. My main concern is going to be having drop down menus and sorts from the web interface. This is going to take me looking up more on PHP and maybe finding a demo of someone doing this.
I have contacted Scott Crevier to help me out with mySQL writing him an email for help. He gave me his phone information so I can call him for help, I tried on Thursday but there was no answer. I plan on trying again early this week. I have contacted the office of communications and asked for permission to use the SNC logo on my website and in my web interface.
Steps going forward:
-Hello World Database and Interface
-get mySQL working
-continue research ( look up drop downs and look ups)
2/26/2012 PHP troubleshooting
This week was devoted to researching PHP and figuring out how to get drop down menus and look ups in PHP. This was successful and I now know how to have a drop down menu in on my interface and populate it with a mySQL database. my SQL database still sin't working but I have set up a meeting with Scott Crevier and Dr. Pankratz on Monday to get it figured out.
Once I get mySQL up and working I will be able to finish my hello world and include the mySQL database codes into my PHP Hello World design which currently will access 2 tables that I have drawn up. These tables link together and have many options so I can be sure to get everything running.
I got permission to use the SNC logo from the office of communications. They sent me a small jpg to use which you will find on the home page of my website.
Steps going forward:
-Finish Hello World
-Start PHP design for main web interface
-Meet with Scott Crevier
-create mySQL database(hopefully)
-continue research
3/4/2012 mySQL, Meeting, and mock data
This week I met with Scott Crevier and he sat down with me and showed me how to use mySQL and basic statements I will need to use when reating tables and seeing tables in my database. He also created a test PHP that I can use to have an example of PHP linking with mySQL. This meeting is what I consider to be my Hello World application because it showed me how to use both applications and how to link them as well.
I have also set up Mock data in my ER diagram to show how my database will work and interact with each table. I'm putting my PHP design on hold until I get my data into mySQL how I want it and make sure my database is set up correctly.
Steps going forward
-Walkthrough
-continue research
3/11/2012 Walk Through
This week was devoted to creating my walk through for the class. It turned into more of a brain storming session coming up with ideas of queries each of my classmates would like to see run as they came to the website. This helped me to start developing my data I need and structuring my tables.
Steps going forward:
-answer questions with queries
-design tables
-New E-R Diagram
3/18/2012 Spring Break
Spring Break
3/25/2012 Getting things running
I met with Dr Pankratz on Thursday and took my question answering queries to start developing tables. My biggest problem is keeping my project simple and the answers that I came up with and after talking to Dr. Pankratz I have developed Queries that I would like to show on my Web page.
I took the original queries we came up with and created others to design new tables with simplistic information and simplify my old tables and handle issues of unanswered questions. I then took these tables and omplemented them into mySQL creating my three tables. Alumni table, that will hold the information specifically about the alumni, the Alumni Job table that will hold all the jobs a Alumni would hold, and a Company table that holds the company information based on the location. I ran small queries to show the information to answer the questions as I have drawn up before I met with Dr Pankratz.
I also looked at some PHP and started to decided what design I want to use and researched how to populate drop downs and information based on my mysql database. I found this very useful and plan on developing my php next week.
Steps going forward:
Meet with Dr. Pankratz to run design by and PHP.
-Develop PHP
-Populate tables with real data
-Post old designs on web page to show development.
4/1/2012 PHP website
This week I put into my database the tables from which I created queries to answer the questions we came up with in class. My database right now consists of three basic tables that when queried together answer these questions. I find using mySQL very similar to the PL/SQL developer tool I use in my internship making it very easy to create tables and insert data into the tables. I took the information given by the class to populate the tables.
I also, created a simple PHP website design using a step by step simple creation guide. I also looked up how to do while loops and sync the database to the website. My webpage is very simple right now with little color and little text. My main focus was to get something put together to gather my database data.
An issue I have run into now is not having enough data to sufficiently populate the tables. I think my solution to this is to create dummy entries that can later be changed as real information comes in.
Steps going forward:
- Continue PHP design tweaking colors and setup
-Continue developing and populating database.
-Link the two up using information gathered.
4/8/2012 PHP website contThis week I spent my time populating my tables with data and working on my website. I have gotten a drop down menu to appear with the choices I would like and have a table appear on my website from my database. I'm am having trouble getting my second drop down to populate from the first drop down's choice. Once I get this I can develop use what I already have with my one table add if clauses and that will allow me to generate my data needed. I know how to do everything but get the other drop down populated. I also need to know once one is selected how does the rest of the program know its selected and use that selection? I am meeting with Dr. Pankratz on Tuesday to try to solve this problem.
Steps going forward:
- second drop down working
-Data population
- show queries
4/15/2012 Get things moving
This week I went in to meet with Dr. Pankratz to get my Drop down menu working. Turns out we can use a $_POST variable that is stored from a form that is submitted to manipulate the data within the drop down. This was my major set back I ran into in the previous week and now that I have that fixed I have continued to move forward. I have built my data that is retrieved when selected and a second drop down as well. I need to finish my layout of the web page.
I did lots of data entry getting my database populated and filled with everything that needs to be tested.
Steps going forward:
-Finish up design
-Presentation
-website work.
4/23/2012 Finish up and Presentation Preparation
This week I finished up putting together my programming portion of my project. I ran into the issue of using the $_POST variable so I switched to the $_GET variable it works a little differently in that it uses the URL to transfer the data. This caused my Drop down to get the correct selection but it makes for a round about way to display data. I had to use this because I was wasting too much time trying to figure out the $_POST variable and why it was not working properly.
Once I finished this I put together my presentation and practiced my presentation.
Steps going forward:
-Presentation
-Finalize Website
-Create Project Binder and CD to turn in.
4/29/2012 Defenses
Finished small errors and prepared for my defense.
Steps going forward:
-Finalize website
-Build Project Binder and CD to turn in
5/6/2012 Finish
Well the end is finally here. I can't believe the semester is over and graduation is here. I thoroughly enjoyed working on this project and thank everyone who has helped me along the way. I hope you have enjoyed following me throug hmy project.
I started the Creation of my website. I am very new to Web design so bare with me. I would like to have a solid structure so that I do not need to make changes as my project comes to a close making my website seem rushed.
I have set up a meeting with Dr. Pankratz to gather requirements from the CS discipline. I am going to need to discover the different Entities required to create this database as well as the fields that will need to be in those entities. I will also need to create a rough Entity Relationship Diagram to really dig into the Planning and Analysis stages of the System Development Life Cycle.
I have been communicating with current students to what they would like to see when looking into an Alumni database and talking to Alumni to see the amount of interaction they would like to have. I have seen only a few constraints such as the interaction level of both the Alumni and the CS discipline, but once I have my meetings I should have this sorted out.
Steps going forward:
-Meetings with CS discipline
-Meeting with Alumni
-Meeting with CS students
-ER diagram design
-Idea chart
2/5/2012 Research and Analysis
This week I had finished with my website Creation encountering some problems that I talked through with Kayla Pope as well as Dr. McVey to trouble shoot the launching of our websites.
I met with the CS discipline and gathered general requirements they are looking for as well as discussed a direction they would like to go with the database and website interface. We have decided on a few basic fields such as name, first job, location and which fields we can sort with. After gathering these I have a good direction to go and creation method to begin with. I am going research mySQL and PHP because these are what I'm going to use to make my database and web interface I currently have little knowledge with these tools but I've used PL/SQL Developer with my internship and hope that it is similar mySQL.
I also met with a couple of the Alumni to figure out possible access points and how wiling they would be to fill out information and create a profile.
Once I gain some research I plan on using a class period to run a discussion about what my fellow students would like this will allow me to fulfill my previous requirements of a student view as well as adding to my alumni view.
I am going to alternate researching and creating my E-R diagrams this week as gaining knowledge but also creating a design are my priorities.
Steps going forward:
-Check out mySQL and PHP books from library.
-Create a Basic E-R diagram of my system.
-Get mySQL working with a basic hello world type database and interface.
-Meet with with CS students.
2/12/2012 More Research and Analysis
I got permission to work in mySQL from the school. However I am having problems getting it to run from my computer, I think I may be firewalled out so I will need to use the school computers to do the work. This puts a hitch in my timeline because I will need to block out time slots to go to the lab to work on this rather then being able to just work on it whenever from home.
I have read up on an introduction to PHP and it seems to be very similar to most of the other languages I have used. I am looking forward to getting into the creation of the web interface but frist I need to get a database working. I have run into the issue of our library mostly having these books only online and accessing these books from outside the library. I am looking into this furthur to see how I can gain access to them outside of the library.
I have started to create the basic E-R diagram for my Alumni tracking system and have taken it to Dr. McVey for some review. She gave me some good advice to make sure I'm staying with the normalization process of a database. She also reffered me to Dr Pankratz who I need to meet with to review my E-R diagram. I plan on doing this after class on Monday.
Although I didn't get a chance to have a full meeting with all my classmates I have met with a number of them outside of class to gain their insight into what they want from this system. From this I now have a full set of basic requirements that I can fully put together my E-R Diagrams and start building my database. Although I still want a hello world database with interface to that I know everything works.
Steps going forward:
-Hello World Database and Interface
-Refine E-R Diagrams
-Research mySQL basics
-Research PHP more indepth now that I have read the basics.
2/19/2012 PHP design troubleshooting mySQL
This week was a slower week for my project because I spent the time trying to get mySQL working as well as reading up on PHP and looking at templates that might be useful. I have tinkered around in some of the PHP just trying to make something work. My main concern is going to be having drop down menus and sorts from the web interface. This is going to take me looking up more on PHP and maybe finding a demo of someone doing this.
I have contacted Scott Crevier to help me out with mySQL writing him an email for help. He gave me his phone information so I can call him for help, I tried on Thursday but there was no answer. I plan on trying again early this week. I have contacted the office of communications and asked for permission to use the SNC logo on my website and in my web interface.
Steps going forward:
-Hello World Database and Interface
-get mySQL working
-continue research ( look up drop downs and look ups)
2/26/2012 PHP troubleshooting
This week was devoted to researching PHP and figuring out how to get drop down menus and look ups in PHP. This was successful and I now know how to have a drop down menu in on my interface and populate it with a mySQL database. my SQL database still sin't working but I have set up a meeting with Scott Crevier and Dr. Pankratz on Monday to get it figured out.
Once I get mySQL up and working I will be able to finish my hello world and include the mySQL database codes into my PHP Hello World design which currently will access 2 tables that I have drawn up. These tables link together and have many options so I can be sure to get everything running.
I got permission to use the SNC logo from the office of communications. They sent me a small jpg to use which you will find on the home page of my website.
Steps going forward:
-Finish Hello World
-Start PHP design for main web interface
-Meet with Scott Crevier
-create mySQL database(hopefully)
-continue research
3/4/2012 mySQL, Meeting, and mock data
This week I met with Scott Crevier and he sat down with me and showed me how to use mySQL and basic statements I will need to use when reating tables and seeing tables in my database. He also created a test PHP that I can use to have an example of PHP linking with mySQL. This meeting is what I consider to be my Hello World application because it showed me how to use both applications and how to link them as well.
I have also set up Mock data in my ER diagram to show how my database will work and interact with each table. I'm putting my PHP design on hold until I get my data into mySQL how I want it and make sure my database is set up correctly.
Steps going forward
-Walkthrough
-continue research
3/11/2012 Walk Through
This week was devoted to creating my walk through for the class. It turned into more of a brain storming session coming up with ideas of queries each of my classmates would like to see run as they came to the website. This helped me to start developing my data I need and structuring my tables.
Steps going forward:
-answer questions with queries
-design tables
-New E-R Diagram
3/18/2012 Spring Break
Spring Break
3/25/2012 Getting things running
I met with Dr Pankratz on Thursday and took my question answering queries to start developing tables. My biggest problem is keeping my project simple and the answers that I came up with and after talking to Dr. Pankratz I have developed Queries that I would like to show on my Web page.
I took the original queries we came up with and created others to design new tables with simplistic information and simplify my old tables and handle issues of unanswered questions. I then took these tables and omplemented them into mySQL creating my three tables. Alumni table, that will hold the information specifically about the alumni, the Alumni Job table that will hold all the jobs a Alumni would hold, and a Company table that holds the company information based on the location. I ran small queries to show the information to answer the questions as I have drawn up before I met with Dr Pankratz.
I also looked at some PHP and started to decided what design I want to use and researched how to populate drop downs and information based on my mysql database. I found this very useful and plan on developing my php next week.
Steps going forward:
Meet with Dr. Pankratz to run design by and PHP.
-Develop PHP
-Populate tables with real data
-Post old designs on web page to show development.
4/1/2012 PHP website
This week I put into my database the tables from which I created queries to answer the questions we came up with in class. My database right now consists of three basic tables that when queried together answer these questions. I find using mySQL very similar to the PL/SQL developer tool I use in my internship making it very easy to create tables and insert data into the tables. I took the information given by the class to populate the tables.
I also, created a simple PHP website design using a step by step simple creation guide. I also looked up how to do while loops and sync the database to the website. My webpage is very simple right now with little color and little text. My main focus was to get something put together to gather my database data.
An issue I have run into now is not having enough data to sufficiently populate the tables. I think my solution to this is to create dummy entries that can later be changed as real information comes in.
Steps going forward:
- Continue PHP design tweaking colors and setup
-Continue developing and populating database.
-Link the two up using information gathered.
4/8/2012 PHP website contThis week I spent my time populating my tables with data and working on my website. I have gotten a drop down menu to appear with the choices I would like and have a table appear on my website from my database. I'm am having trouble getting my second drop down to populate from the first drop down's choice. Once I get this I can develop use what I already have with my one table add if clauses and that will allow me to generate my data needed. I know how to do everything but get the other drop down populated. I also need to know once one is selected how does the rest of the program know its selected and use that selection? I am meeting with Dr. Pankratz on Tuesday to try to solve this problem.
Steps going forward:
- second drop down working
-Data population
- show queries
4/15/2012 Get things moving
This week I went in to meet with Dr. Pankratz to get my Drop down menu working. Turns out we can use a $_POST variable that is stored from a form that is submitted to manipulate the data within the drop down. This was my major set back I ran into in the previous week and now that I have that fixed I have continued to move forward. I have built my data that is retrieved when selected and a second drop down as well. I need to finish my layout of the web page.
I did lots of data entry getting my database populated and filled with everything that needs to be tested.
Steps going forward:
-Finish up design
-Presentation
-website work.
4/23/2012 Finish up and Presentation Preparation
This week I finished up putting together my programming portion of my project. I ran into the issue of using the $_POST variable so I switched to the $_GET variable it works a little differently in that it uses the URL to transfer the data. This caused my Drop down to get the correct selection but it makes for a round about way to display data. I had to use this because I was wasting too much time trying to figure out the $_POST variable and why it was not working properly.
Once I finished this I put together my presentation and practiced my presentation.
Steps going forward:
-Presentation
-Finalize Website
-Create Project Binder and CD to turn in.
4/29/2012 Defenses
Finished small errors and prepared for my defense.
Steps going forward:
-Finalize website
-Build Project Binder and CD to turn in
5/6/2012 Finish
Well the end is finally here. I can't believe the semester is over and graduation is here. I thoroughly enjoyed working on this project and thank everyone who has helped me along the way. I hope you have enjoyed following me throug hmy project.