CSC 301 PRINCIPLES OF PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES The University of Rhode Island - Fall 1996

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Goals and Outline of the course:

• Object-oriented Programming: The data is central in this model of programming. The data is organized in terms of logical units called objects. Objects of the same type are said to belong to the same class. Each class is defined by the information structure as well as the operations (methods) that can be performed on them. (A car can be driven, serviced etc.) Methods allow objects to interact. Central to OOP are: (a) encapsulation and information hiding: Data belonging to an object are generally private . They can only be accessed by methods belonging to the object. This makes updating a program easy when parts of it are changed. (b) inheritance: It is possible to generate new classes from old ones and reuse the code developed for the old class. (c) polymorphism: This refers to the binding of a method to an object at the runtime, allowing a programmer to write methods for a hierarchy of objects. Main goals of OOP (that are harder to accomplish using other programming methodologies) are software reuse, robustness and security.
• Network Programming: Java programs can access information on remote computers via the Internet. This is one of the main applications of Java. The platform independent nature of Java makes it robust for Internet applications.
• Graphical Interface: Java offers a rich library (AWT) of graphical functions. An applet is a Java program included in a Web page. (See for illustration below.) The simplicity of applet design is amply demonstrated by the number of applets that have been presented in various Java cites and books. We will discuss how to include existing applets in your applications as well as how to design new ones. Some standard applications of graphical interface programming is in forms (questionnaires), games and animations that allow user interaction. To see Java animation in action, click here if you are reading this document on a computer.
• Multithreading: Multitasking is the ability of a system to have more than one program working at the same time. For example, printing on the laser writer while simultaneously sending a fax message. Multithreading extends this idea by taking it one level lower: a single program with the ability to run multiple computations at the same time. In network programming and graphics, multiple threads can be very useful. For example, suppose you want to write a program to display three balls being juggled. Each ball's movement overlaps with those of others in time. (An applet for juggling balls was actually designed by a computer science student at the Hebrew University.)

Reading Material

The text-book for the course is Just Java by Peter van der Linden. The extraordinary Interest in Java has resulted in an avalanche of information about it in the form of text books, tutorials, multimedia teaching tools, applets, and even journals and magazines dedicated exclusively to this language. Our text is the first book in a series of four books published by Sun Soft Press and Prentice Hall. You can read about this excellent series of books here. The cite http://www.javasoft.com provides a lot of information as well as a gateway to many other sites. The classical reference on Java is the book Java Programming Language by Arnold and Gosling. Two excellent on-line books are Special Edition using Java and Teach Yourself Java in 21 Days. A number of books on Java will be available for short-term borrowing.

Prerequisites

It is assumed that the students enrolled in this course have completed CSC 212 or an equivalent course. This means that they have about one year experience in C++. Specifically, familiarity with the following topics is expected: classes and objects, C or C++ control structures, recursion, arrays and other simple data structures such as stacks, queues and linked lists. But no background on Java or the Internet will be assumed.

Work and Grade

The course assignment will involve the following components. (i) Programming Exercises: These are programming problems which involve writing extensions to or modifying the programs presented during the lectures. Typical duration of each assignment will be 2 to 4 weeks. (ii) Short Quiz: There will be a quiz almost every week (of about 10 minutes duration). (iii) Programming Project: You are to design and implement one project during the entire semester. Typical group size for the project is 2 or 3. A list of potential projects will be given out at the beginning of the semester. Each of you will identify (mutually agreeable) partners as well as a problem before the end of Spetember. A typical project will include all the important features of Java (e.g. multithreading, AWT etc). It may be an extension or modification of an existing applet. (iv) One mid-semester Test: The test will be open-book/open-notes and will be of 75 minutes duration. It will take place during the lecture hour on October 28, 1996. (v) Final Examination: It will take place on December 16, 1996 from 8 A.M. to 11 A.M. It will be open-book/open-notes and comprehensive.

Course Topics in Detail

Additional Information

APPLET CONTEST Entries to the applet contest are the final projects done by students in groups of size 1 to 4. A list of final projects can be found here. The best two applets will get cash awards. The result of the contest will be announced soon.