CECS 5100

Survey of Educational Computer Languages

Fall 2002

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August 28th, 2002
  • Course Review (syllabus overview and comments)
  • Welcome
    Audio (6.5M 14mins 18sec)

  • Schedule and Readings Comments
    Audio (1.8M 4mins 4sec)

  • Syntax Editor NoteTab Pro (for Mac try BBEdit)
    Audio (936k 2mins)

  • What is Programming ? and why do we do it ?
    Audio (1.6M 3min 41sec)

  • Programming Languages what are they ?
    Compilers / Interpreters / Authoring Languages
    View Additional Information
    Audio (5.5M 12min 4sec)

  • Software Life Cycle
    development (concept, RFP, Design Docs, Code), testing, release, reuse, and retirement
    View Additional Information
    Audio (4M 8min 49sec)

  • Software Porting
    Audio (716K 1min 32sec)

  • JavaScript Main Areas of Interest in the Course
    Tailor Web Pages, Interactive Pages, Computer-Aided Instruction, Process Forms, Special Effects
    Audio (1.9M 4min 9sec)

  • Psuedo Code
    Audio (3M 6min 39sec)

  • Code Blocks
    Audio (1.4M 3min 14sec)

  • Basic Programming -- Key Concepts/Defs

      1. Objects (and intro to concepts)
        "Black Box" designed for specific task
        Input, Process, Output
        Method = something you can do with an object
        Property = Value you fetch from an object
        Event = Condition that triggers the object
        Audio (3.1M 6min 46sec)

      2. Flow
        order of events your program takes
        Simple programs don't need to be planned
        Complex programs _require_ planning
        Audio (1.1M 2min 26sec)

      3. Routine
        self-contained code segment that does a base action
        Make them logical in concept -- more on this later
        Audio (1.3M 2min 58sec)

      4. Variables
        - holding area of information (mailbox)
        - can be static or changing
        - "Loose typing" content of variable is not tightly controlled
        Audio (1.4M 3min 10sec)

      5. Expressions
        - list of steps JS follows to complete a task
        example: total = 1 + 1
        Audio (588k 1min 15sec)

      6. Strings / Numeric
        - Strings are sequences of alpha or num characters (1234abcd)
        - Concatination is the combing of Strings. (1234 + greg = 1234greg)
        - Numeric values are only numbers (0-9)
        - JavaScript can handle numeric values up to 1e+308 (1 with 300 zeros)
        Audio (652k 1min 24sec)

      7. Conditional Statements
        - forks and flow control
        - If this then that or else this
        Audio (192k 24sec)

      8. Looping
        - Repeats something based on a condition
        Audio (236k 30secs)

      9. Parameters and Arguments
        - parameter is data that is needed to carry out a task
        "any valid number"
        - arguments is the actual data
        "123456"
        Audio (416k 53sec)

      10. Entities and Instructions
        - 'entities' referes to JS objects, methods, properties, functions, and events
        - 'instruction' refers to one or more commands given to JS to execute (commands or command lines)
        Audio (916k 1min 57sec)
  • Using NoteTab & Basic HTML
    Audio (4.6M 10mins 4sec)
      - Basic HTML Structure
      	  <HTML>
	  <HEAD>
	     <TITLE></TITLE>
	  </HEAD>
	
	  <BODY>
	    Text Here
	  </BODY>
	  </HTML>

      - Embedded Tags
      <> are used for embedded tags
      <> </> start and end tags
      - Comments

      		<!--    -->

      HTML is a document-layout and hyperlink-specification language it defines syntax and placement of special, embedded directions that are not displayed by the browser. Tells the browser how to display the contents of the document, including text, images, and other support media.

  • JavaScript Example 1
    - Using HTML comments around the javascript to protect it from older browsers
    - What is Case Sensitivity
    abc does not equal ABC in a case sensitive environment
    in a non-case sensitive environment abc does equal ABC
    Audio (3.4M 7mins 32sec) 
    
  <HTML>
  <BODY>

    <h1>This is a header</h1>
    
    <script language="javascript">
    <!--
    
       document.write("<h1>This is a header</h1>");
       
    -->
    </script>
    

  </BODY>
  </HTML>

  • JavaScript Example 2
    - JavaScript Programming Cycle
    - Code Entry Suggestion
    Audio (864k 1min 5sec) 
    
  <HTML>
  <BODY>

    <h1>This is a header</h1>
    
    <script language="javascript">
    <!--
       
        document.write("<h1>This is a header</h1>");
        
 
        alert("Welcome to JavaScript");
       
    -->
    </script>
    

  </BODY>
  </HTML>

  • JavaScript Example 3
    Audio (840k 1min 48sec) 
    
  <HTML>
  <BODY>

    <h1>This is a header</h1>
    
    <script language="javascript">
    <!--

       document.write("<h1>This is a header</h1>");
        
       var MyVar = 1;
       
       alert("MayVar:" + MyVar + "<br>");
       
    -->
    </script>
    

  </BODY>
  </HTML>

  • JavaScript Example 4
    Audio (476k 1min 1sec) 
    
  <HTML>
  <BODY>

    <h1>This is a header</h1>
    
    <script language="javascript">
    <!--
    
       document.write("<h1>This is a header</h1>");
       
       var MyVar = 1;
       
       MyVar = MayVar + 100;
       
       alert("MayVar:" + MyVar + "<br>");
       
    -->
    </script>
    

  </BODY>
  </HTML>

  • JavaScript Example 5
    Audio (1.2M 2min 39sec) 
    
  <HTML>
  <BODY>

    <h1>This is a header</h1>
    
    <script language="javascript">
    <!--
    
       document.write("<h1>This is a header</h1>");
       
       var MyVar = 1;
       
       MyVar = MayVar + 100;
       
       alert("MayVar:" + MyVar + "<br>");
       
       for (MyVar=1; MyVar<=50; MyVar++) {
            document.write ("Iteration: " + MyVar + "<br>");
       }
       
    -->
    </script>
    

  </BODY>
  </HTML>

  • Segment Conclusion
    Audio (244k 31sec)

Copyright 2002, Dr. James G Jones