BA372 Syllabus

Spring 2006

Assignment_1 - Test application

• Executes a stored procedure in your database
• Catches and throws errors
• Includes an authorization check in the VB code
• Fairly simple is fine!
• Make it possible to check at least 3 usernames and passwords.
• Make it is clear how more users can be added. (This does not mean there has to be code implemented for adding users and passwords, just that you should add comments as needed describing how users and passwords could be added. If the method of change is altering the code and recompiling, that is fine. Just be sure the exact change to make is clear.)

• One which tests the output of your stored procedure
• One which tests the authorization check

• Why can't I execute my stored procedure? - Be sure your stored procedure is owned by dbo. For example when creating a procedure called myProc use the name dbo.myProc so that everyone will be able to see the procedure.
• What test cases do I need to account for in my unit test? - Come up with some items that test the code. Do you remember the example Nathan gave in class? Good User/Bad Password, Bad User/Good Password, One User/Another User's Password, etc... Also, how about odd characters in the fields.
• Is it all right if I use the VB server side controls instead of the HTML controls? Yes!
• Do I need to implement code for adding a user? No, see the new comments I added to the assignment listed above.
• When I click my buttons, nothing happens. A few students have encountered a problem initiating server side execution. They drag a button on and tell it to run server side. But, when they click on the button to generate code, the system generates client side onlick code for the button instead. A variation is that when they run their code, the link between the button click and the server side code does not execute. I don't understand all everything that is going on, but, if you recreate the page the problem may well go away. The problem seems to be some setting that is inadvertantly set along the way.
• More on "When I click my buttons, nothing happens." Look at the html the system generates for your form. If your control (like the input button) has an onclick parameter, it may be trying to execute client side javascript when your button is pressed. Delete the onlick parameter from the button definition in the HTML. This helped at least one student.
• After running several tests and changing the test around, I get an error which clearly relates to the test results.We came across an error with the unit test module. After a while we had to delete everything in the \testresults directory to stop a particular error condition.

Individual Homework 2: SQL exercises

Assignment_3 - Triggers, Stored Procedures, and Transactions

• This assignment requires at least 3 tables: A vendor table, a log table, and an authorization table.
• The vendor table should include an internal id number, contact information, and a field for max annual purchases (MaxAllowedPurchases) with an approving employee id and approval date/time.
  
• Use trigger(s) to create a log for this table. The log should record the before and after values of all non-primary key fields when inserting, updating, and deleting, as well the primary key and the date and time of update.
  
• Create a stored procedure which changes MaxAllowedPurchases, but does so only when the specified user is allowed to make the change. Return a result set indicating the success of the update. You will need to invent the authorization table structure: at a minimum, it should allow for individuals to be authorized for a specific operation. The stored procedure should check the individual and operation before allowing an update.
• Provide a text file or word document with instructions:
  Provide the SQL username, password, and database file assigned to your account (not your BUS account!) so that the user can execute the procedures.
  Also include SQL statements to:
  • Insert, delete, and update (at least one record each) in the vendor table using the query analyzer.
  • Execute the stored procedure as a user who is not authorized to do the update. (It will return some error code.)
  • Execute the stored procedure as a user who is authorized.
  • List and read the log file to see that events were correctly logged.

• So far, my main advice is look at the notes from the lab on triggers and stored procedures. It includes a number of the things you need to complete the assignment. Please note that this lab includes assignment relevant information:
  
  • Declare parameters in a stored procedure
  • Check a table "Auth" (you have to make your own table) to verify a user's right to execute a function
  • Perform an update based on the result from the previous check
  • Insert a row into a table (you need to give instructions for this in your submission)
  • Create a trigger that stores the columns of a table before and after the updates, insertions, and deletions
• The lab also shows how a transaction interacts with locking (you don't need this part for assignment_3)
• Please note that you should save your results in the area for assignment_3

Create your assignment directories

• Assignments are on a personal basis; i.e., you are expected to conduct the assignments on your own and you will receive an individual grade for your work. Note that you are, of course, allowed and even encouraged to help each other learn how to program these assignments. However, the work that you hand in must be yours; i.e., you as an individual are responsible for the originality and quality of the work. This means that, as a minimum, you should be able to explain every line of code that you submit, what it does and why you wrote it.
• Your work will be reviewed and graded by two of your colleagues and you will review the work of two of your colleagues. The reviews will be double-blind; i.e., you will not know by whom you are reviewed and you will not know who you are reviewing.
• Anonymize!!!: To ensure anonymity, please 'anonymize' your code. In other words, remove from your code any comments, variable names or other information that would allow your reviewer to identify you. Not anonymizing your code compromises the anonymity of the reviews.
• In order for your code to be reviewed by others and for you to review others' code, store your code and reviews in a predetermined folder structure. Please take a few moments and set up the following folder structure in your ...\classwork\ folder:

  
  
  ...\classwork\ba372\assignment_1\
                                  \code\
                                  \review_1\
                                  \review_2\
  
  
  ...\classwork\ba372\assignment_2\
                                  \code\
                                  \review_1\
                                  \review_2\
  
  
  ...\classwork\ba372\assignment_3\
                                  \code\
                                  \review_1\
                                  \review_2\
  
  
  ...\classwork\ba372\assignment_4\
                                  \code\
                                  \review_1\
                                  \review_2\
  

• Use the above folders as follows:
  • Store all materials, code and reviews in the proper assignment_* folder; e.g., code and reviews for assignment 1 go in the ..\classwork\ba372\assignment_1 folder.
  • Store your code in the code folders of the associated assignment.
  • The codes for you to review, together with a code review spreadsheet will be automatically stored in the review_1 and review_2 folders. Review these codes in those locations (don't mix them up with your own codes!!).
  • For each review, fill out the review spreadsheet located in the review_1 and review_2 folders and leave them there to be harvested by your instructor.
  • Upon completion of all reviews, your reviews will be copied to your reviewee's code folder and you colleagues' review of your code will be copied to your code folder.
• It is your responsibility to store materials in your ...\classwork\ba372\ folder in accordance with these rules. If your code cannot be found for copying to your reviewers, or your reviews cannot be found for copying to your reviewees, you will not receive credit for those items.
• Learning to read and review code is an important part of your MIS education. Please complete your reviews as per the course schedule.