98 361 Study Guide
98 361 Study Guide
98 361 Study Guide
Preparing for
for MTA C
Cert
Certifi
ertifi
ificca
cation
ation
n
MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY
TEC
ECHNOLOGY
CHNOLOGY A
ASSOCIATE
SSOCIATE ((MTA)
(MTA
MTA
A)
STUDENT STUDY
UDY GUIDE FOR
F
DEVELOPERS
DEVELOPERS
98-361
Software Development
Fundamentals
Authors
Tim McMichael (Software Development and Windows Development).
Tim has been a high school computer science teacher for the past
11 years. He currently teaches Advanced Placement Computer
Science, .NET programming, and computer game programming at
Raymond S. Kellis High School in Glendale, Arizona. He also serves
as Curriculum Coordinator for IT classes within the Peoria Unified
School District. Prior to teaching, Tim worked for several years as a
database application developer. Tim earned his B.A. from Colorado
State University and his M.Ed. in Secondary Education from Arizona
State University. In his free time he enjoys creating games with XNA
Game Studio and spending time with his young daughter. Tim is the
author of the Windows Development Exam Review Kit in the MTA
Exam Review Kit series.
This content is only for use by or provision to students for their personal use.
Some examples depicted herein are provided for illustration only and are fictitious. No real association or connection is intended or should
be inferred.
Microsoft and other trademarks listed at http://www.microsoft.com/about/legal/en/us/IntellectualProperty/Trademarks/EN-US
.aspx are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. All other marks are property of their respective owners.
2010 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. This content is provided as-is and Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied.
Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
Career Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
Exploring Job Roles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii
Value of Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x
98-361
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
1.2
1.3
1.4
2.2
Understand inheritance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2.3
Understand polymorphism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
2.4
Understand encapsulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
4.3
4.4
CHAPTER 6
Understanding Databases. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
6.1 Understand relational database management systems . . . . . . . . . . . 49
iv
Contents
6.2
6.3
Introduction
Introduction
Career Planning
vi
Career Planning
Career Planning
vii
viii
Server Administrator
Database Administrator
Windows Developer
As a Windows client developer, knowing how
to optimize Windows code and track bugs is a
given. But you also know how to use Microsoft
Visual Studio and the Microsoft .NET framework to design, develop, test, and deploy Windowsbased applications that run on both corporate servers
and desktop computers. Your key talents include
understanding multiple Windows application models
Imagine Cup
The Imagine Cup is the
worlds premier student
technology competition
where students from
around the world can learn new skills, make new
friends, and change the world. Competitions
include Software Design, Embedded Development,
Game Design, Digital Media and Windows Phone 7.
The brightest young minds harness the power of
technology to take on the worlds toughest problems.
www.imaginecup.com
ix
Value of Certification
MTA 98-361
SOFTWARE
DEVELOPMENT
FUNDAMENTALS
Understanding Core
Programming
IN THI S C HAP TE R
OBJECTIVE
U N D E R S TA N D I N G C O R E PR O G R A M M I N G 1 . 1
the season, each of his players filled out a paper with personal data, but it always takes him a long time to find
the information he needs.
Cassie is one of his brightest players, and Ken knows that shes a computer programmer. Tired of shuffling
through the huge stack of papers, he asks her to create a program to keep track of his records. The program will
need to store each players full name, jersey number, age, gender, height and weight, as well as goals scored and
number of games played.
Cassie agrees to develop the software for him, but she has some decisions to make . . .
1. Which of the following data types would be the best choice for keeping track of players ages and
jersey numbers using the least amount of memory?
a. short
b. byte
c. int
2. As with any program, some data will be stored on the heap, while other
data is placed on the stack. Which of the following will be stored on the heap?
a. players name
b. height
c. age
Remember: String
is a reference data
type.
3. It would make sense to store one of these variables as a char. Which one?
a. players name
b. weight
c. gender
Answers
1. A good choice for keeping track of jersey numbers and ages is:
b. byte. It uses the least amount of memory, but still holds numbers up to 255more than enough for
ages or jersey numbers!
Essential details
Integral data types, such as byte, integer, short, and long store whole numberssuch as the number of goals
a player has scored.
Floating point data types, like float, single, and double can represent numbers that include fractional data,
such as a players height.
Value data types go on the stack; reference data types go on the heap. Look at the first vowel in each to help
you remember: Value = stack. Reference = heap.
FAST TR ACK HELP
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/ff715351.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms173104.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/asz1fz8b.aspx
_______ /3
OBJECTIVE
U N D E R S TA N D I N G C O R E PR O G R A M M I N G 1 . 2
has some bugs. Shes a big sports fan and always wants to record the broadcasts of sporting events, even if they
conflict with another of her favorite programs.
For non-sport favorites, she does not want to record reruns; however, if the scheduled time of a favorite program
conflicts with another favorite and will be broadcast again later, she wants to wait and record it in the future.
Unfortunately, her program is not working correctly. Many television programs that she doesnt want are being
recorded; the programs she DOES want are only being recorded if they are broadcast later.
The C# code (with line numbers added) of Reinas DVR program looks like this:
1: if (isSportsEvent) {
2:
3:
RecordShowNow();
}
4: else {
5:
if (!isConflict || !isRerun) {
6:
RecordShowNow();
7:
8:
9:
10:
RecordShowLater();
}
11: }
control structures
(lines 57 and lines 810)
inside her first control
structure. This technique
is known as:
a. parenting
b. encapsulating
c. nesting
Indentation used in
the code is good
programming style,
but it has no effect on
the execution of the
statement.
a. line 4
b. line 5
c. line 8
Understand computer decision structures
Answers
1. Shows are being recorded now even if there is a conflict because:
b. Line 5. The conditional-OR ( || ) returns true if the show isnt a rerun, even if isConflict is true.
Essential details
The code in the parentheses of an if-statement must be a complete
Boolean (conditional) expression. Example:
If a person is at least 18 years old, that person will vote
if (age > 18) vote();
Logical operators allow programmers to join two expressions. Examples:
I will stay home if its raining OR if its snowing. (logical-OR)
if (isRaining | isSnowing) stayHome();
If EITHER is true, the entire expression is true; stayHome is called.
We will buy a new computer if the current one is more than three years
old AND computers are on sale. (logical-AND)
if (computerAge > 3 & isOnSale) buyComputer();
If BOTH are true, the entire expression is true; buyComputer is called.
FAST TR ACK HELP
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/bb308749.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/8y82wx12.aspx
_______ /3
OBJECTIVE
U N D E R S TA N D I N G C O R E PR O G R A M M I N G 1 . 3
to create a password-protected login system to ensure security of the system. She has finished the login window
and password check, but she is having trouble implementing it correctly.
Adrianas project manager wants the system to give the user three attempts to login correctly before locking the
system. In Adrianas most recent version, the system prompts the user for a name and password three times
even if the user correctly logs in on the first try. After the third attempt, the system always lockseven if the
input is correct.
An iteration, in
this context, is one trip
through the loop.
Answers
1. for loops work best when:
a. the number of iterations is known and is unlikely to change
Essential details
The for loop executes a statement, or a block
of statements, based on the value of a control
variable (also called a counter). Example:
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
Console.WriteLine(i);
zed
Note: Even if i is initialized
to 20 (instead of 0), the
me
loop will execute one time
before the Boolean
expression is evaluated..
i++;}
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/32dbftby.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/bb308747.aspx
10
_______ /3
OBJECTIVE
U N D E R S TA N D I N G C O R E PR O G R A M M I N G 1 . 4
b. totalGP = 4.0;
c. GPA = 0.0;
An exception is an
error that cannot be
detected by the compiler
but occurs when the
program is executed. It
is referred to as a runtime error.
11
Answers
1. The exception most likely creating the problem is:
Essential details
An exception is an object that contains information about an error.
Developers use the terms throw and catch when talking about exceptions. When an exception
occurs it is thrown. Therefore, you should catch any exceptions your program may encounter.
Think of a try statement as a warning to the computer that youre about to try something that
may not work. Im going to do some division, and it might result in a DivideByZeroException!
The catch block executes if the exception does occur. You can leave this block empty but
generally its good to put your backup plan in the catch block. In Lionels case, that
d.
means setting the GPA to 0.0. If no exception is thrown, the catch block is skipped.
i
A try-catch structure doesnt prevent the exception from being thrown, it simply gives
the developer a chance to keep the program from crashing.
FAST TR ACK HELP
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms173160.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/bb308817.aspx
12
_______ /3
Understanding
Object Oriented
Programming
IN THI S C HAP TE R
14
OBJECTIVE
U N D E R S TA N D I N G O B J E C T O R I E N T E D PR O G R A M M I N G 2 . 1
SCENARIO:
Initially, Viktor will need to design a class to represent the dogs. Naturally, the class will be named Dog.
The toyand therefore the Dog classwill need to keep track of the dogs name, age, and gender, and
it will be able to bark, walk, wag its tail, and sit.
So far, he has written the following C# code
public class Dog {
public Dog() {
name = Hugo;
age = 1;
gender = M;
}
}
15
Answers
1. Which member is a property?
b. name
Essential details
An object often represents something from the real world; in this case, the Dog class represents the robotic
toy (or, it simply represents a dog).
In object-oriented design, verbs (such as barking, walking, tail-wagging, and sitting) are typically methods;
attributes (such as name, age, and gender) are properties or fields.
A field is a variable declared within a class; a property provides a simple way to access the data stored in a
field.
A class is like a blueprint. It defines the properties and methods that all objects of that class will have in the
same way a blueprint defines the attributes of a house.
Multiple objects can be created from a class, or instantiated. Similarly, many houses
can be built from one blueprint.
Objects are instantiated (created) with the new keyword.
_______ /3
FAST TR ACK HELP
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms173109.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/x9afc042.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/x9fsa0sw.aspx
16
OBJECTIVE
U N D E R S TA N D I N G O B J E C T O R I E N T E D PR O G R A M M I N G 2 . 2
Understand inheritance
SCENARIO: As Tailspin Toys continues to develop its robotic dog toy, early marketing tests reveal that
customers would like to choose from different breeds of robotic dogs. As a result, Tailspin has decided
to create three
variations: a poodle, a bulldog, and a golden retriever. The company has indicated that they will consider adding additional breeds in the future. The breeds will have a set of common attributes and
behaviors, but each breed may have some unique capabilities.
This presents some challenges for Viktor as he designs the software children will use to customize the
dogs.
He doesnt want to write all of his code three timesonce for each breed. He also doesnt want future
programmers to create new breeds that are not compatible with his original design. Since Viktor realizes
that a poodle is a dog, and the same is true for the other breeds, Viktor decides to use inheritance.
2. To allow breeds to reuse code, and to help ensure that future breeds
are compatible, Dog could be declared as:
a. abstract
b. derived
c. sealed
Understand inheritance
17
Answers
1. In this design, the three breeds are:
c. derived classes
Essential details
Inheritance allows you to create new classes that reuse, extend, and modify the behavior that is defined in
other classes.
Derived classes inherit all the members of the base class, except for constructors and destructors.
Use the is a test to see if inheritance is appropriate. In Viktors case, a Poodle is a Dog, a Bulldog is a Dog,
and a GoldenRetriever is a Dog; therefore, his use of inheritance is correct. However, a Tarantula is
not a Dog, so if Tailspin decides to make robotic spiders, theyll need a new base class. Otherwise, the spider
would bark and wag its tail!
An abstract class cannot be instantiated. In other words, Tailspin can no longer
ver.
make a robotic dogeach toy will have to be a poodle, bulldog, or golden retriever.
Interfaces are similar to abstract classes, but it does not have to adhere to the is a
erface
guideline. If Tailspin did decide to make robotic spiders, Viktor could create an interface
ic.
ic
that both dogs and spiders could implement. Perhaps it would be called IRobotic.
In C#, a colon is used to indicate inheritance, as in this example:
public class Poodle : Dog
FAST TR ACK HELP
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms173149.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms173150.aspx
18
_______ /3
OBJECTIVE
U N D E R S TA N D I N G O B J E C T O R I E N T E D PR O G R A M M I N G 2 . 3
Understand polymorphism
SCENARIO: Viktors work with Tailspin Toys robotic dogs is progressing well. He knows that his software for
personalizing the dogs will be popular with customers. Viktor feels that his basic class design ideas are good
and hes ready to think about the details, as long as the engineers and marketers stop making changes!
Viktor knows that while all dogs share some common behaviors, such as barking, that bark may be very
different from one breed to the next. The Bark method he creates for a Poodle will need to be
different from the Bark method he implements for a GoldenRetriever.
In his Dog class, hes created a few methods. Here are the headers, written in C#:
public void Bark() { }
public void WagTail() { }
public void Walk() { }
2. How can Viktor invoke the Bark method in the Dog class from within
a derived class?
a. Bark()
b. Dog.Bark()
c. base.Bark()
3. What should Viktor do if he wants the Bulldog class to just use the Walk
Overriding a
method allows a
derived class to have its
own implementation,
different from other
derived classes.
Understand polymorphism
19
Answers
1. What modifier should Viktor add to the three methods?
c. virtual
3. How should Viktor retain the base classs Walk method in a derived class?
c. Do not implement Walk in Bulldog. No need to call base.Walk()if a derived class does
not override an inherited method, the base classs method will automatically be used.
Essential details
Important keywords:
base: Used to access members of the base class from within a derived class.
virtual: Allows a methods implementation to be overridden in a derived class.
sealed: When applied to a class, prevents other class from inheriting from it; when applied to a
member, prevents that member from being overridden by other classes.
new: When used as a modifier, this hides a base class member; the new member replaces the
implementation in the base class. Note: This is different than the new operator used to instantiate an object!
override: Required to replace an inherited member.
d
The following C# code shows how Viktor can replace Dogs methods in his derived
classes (assuming he corrects Dog as indicated by question 1):
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms173152.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms173153.aspx
20
_______ /3
OBJECTIVE
U N D E R S TA N D I N G O B J E C T O R I E N T E D PR O G R A M M I N G 2 . 4
Understand encapsulation
Viktor has done a great job designing software to customize Tailspin Toys robotic dogs. So
great, in fact, that his boss wants to give him a promotion. Unfortunately, that means Viktor wont be
able to finish writing the software himself; instead, a new developer will take over the project. On the new
developers first day, however, she accidentally sets the robots age to -237 and crashes the program.
SCENARIO:
To ensure that the new developer doesnt damage code that already works, Viktor decides to black
box the code hes already implemented. This means that the new developer wont need to see Viktors code, but will be able to use it as she continues the project. Viktor can also ensure that values are
checked before any changes are made so that a dog doesnt end up with a negative age.
1. Viktor has implemented several methods in the Dog class that he uses for Bark, such as OpenMouth
and CloseMouth. He doesnt want those methods to be called by any derived classes. Which access
modifier should he use for those black-boxed methods?
a. public
b. protected
c. private
In C# and Visual
Basic, properties
provide getter and
setter (also called
accessor and mutator)
functionality for instance
variables.
Understand encapsulation
21
Answers
1. Which accessibility should Viktors black boxed methods use?
c. private
2. Which accessibility level should Viktor use for his primary methods?
a. public
Essential details
This type of black boxing is often referred to as encapsulation.
In keeping with the principle of encapsulation, instance variables (attributes or fields) should be given
the most restrictive accessibility level possible. That means making instance variables private whenever
possible.
Instance variables of base classes are often defined as protected; this allows derived classes (such as the
Poodle class) access to the data, while still hiding the data from other parts of the program.
One important reason for restricting access to data is to ensure validity when data is changed. Remember
when the new developer tried to set the age attribute to a negative number? Likewise, the gender attribute
should not accept a value of green.
FAST TR ACK HELP
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms173121.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/bb308891.aspx
22
_______ /3
Understanding
General Software
Development
IN THI S C HAP TE R
24
OBJECTIVE
U N D E R S TA N D I N G G E N E R A L S O F T WA R E D E V E L O P M E N T 3 . 1
Napur and her team met with managers from each branch of the company and discussed the companys needs and the basic features that everyone requires. The application will be web-based, and will
allow Blue Yonders customers to search flights, book reservations, and check in online.
After the meeting, Napur and her developers began outlining the program from their perspective.
Although they havent begun coding, the developers are beginning to sketch out the classes and
objects of the project using UML. Their outline is not complete, but a plan for accomplishing the
required tasks is coming together. Napur wants to divide the job in such a way that team members can
work on different parts of the program at the same time.
1. Napurs meeting with the companys managers is part of which stage of the application life cycle?
a. Design
b. Development
c. Planning
3. As the team writes code, Napur will ask each team to test their classes
independently. What is this strategy called?
a. Load testing
b. Unit testing
c. Integration testing
Developers may
use different names
for the stages or phases
of managing the
application life cycle,
but the basic process
is the same!
25
Answers
1. Napurs meeting was the:
c. Planning stage of the application life cycle. Planning (also called envisioning) includes gathering the
clients needs and requirements; in this case, the rest of the company is Napurs client.
Essential details
The phases of application life cycle management (ALM) are: planning, designing, developing, testing,
and maintenance.
The ALM process is iterative, meaning that it repeats. When the application is deployed,
new issues or feature requests are likely to come up, so the process starts again.
Notice that actually writing code (developing) is only a small part of the overall process.
UML stands for Unified Modeling Language. It provides a way to create visual models
of the different components of an application.
Many programmers are familiar with class diagrams in object-oriented
programmingthese are generally drawn as UML diagrams.
FAST TR ACK HELP
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/fda2bad5%28VS.100%29.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd409393%28VS.100%29.aspx
26
_______ /3
OBJECTIVE
U N D E R S TA N D I N G G E N E R A L S O F T WA R E D E V E L O P M E N T 3 . 2
The company currently produces more than 1,000 products and plans to expand. The new application
will track all of the companys inventory as well as some basic shipping and receiving details. Employees
should be able to search through the companys product catalog and view product details such as
product description, a product image, in-stock quantity, and cost.
2. Many of the companys computers are old, with limited RAM and hard drive
space, but are all connected to the companys intranet. How can Ari ensure
the new version will work on all of the systems?
a. Write the program in an older programming language, such as C.
b. Develop the program in an older operating system, such as Windows 98 .
c. Make the program a web application so that it can be accessed by a browser.
Application
specifications help
developers understand
the needs of the client
or user.
of what the new application will look like so that department managers
understand what is being developed and how they will interface with the
application. This is called:
a. a mock-up
b. alpha testing
c. diagramming
27
Answers
1. The most appropriate type of application is:
b. database application. The program will need to store, view, and update a large number of inventory
records.
2. Ari can make sure the software will run on old systems by:
c. making the program a web application. Any computer with a reasonably current web browser
should be able to access the web application without a problem.
Essential details
The application specification describes the problem that needs to be solved and communicates the
requirements to the developer.
Developers take this set of requirements, which are usually created from the perspective of a client or user,
and translate them into a program design.
FAST TR ACK HELP
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/5b13a7k4.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa984771%28VS.71%29.aspx
_______ /3
28
OBJECTIVE
U N D E R S TA N D I N G G E N E R A L S O F T WA R E D E V E L O P M E N T 3 . 3
Now that Cassie has completed some initial planning, she needs to decide how to organize all of the
data in her program. The application will need to keep track of many players, allowing the user to
search through and pull up any individuals data. And of course the coach will need to print a few
reports, such as a complete roster sorted by jersey numbers, a phone list arranged alphabetically by the
players last names, and the teams
leaders in goals.
1. Which of the following data structures would be a good choice for organizing the players?
a. stack
b. array
c. linked List
2. Which of the following would help Cassie arrange the players in alphabetical
order?
a. a binary search
b. a queue
c. a bubble sort
3. Which data structure could Cassie use if she only wanted to retrieve players
29
Answers
1. The data structure Cassie should use is:
b. array. Arrays are well-suited for programs that need to access the data in any order, as when the user
performs a search.
2. Cassie will easily be able to put the collection into a specified order with:
c. a bubble sort
3. The data structure that uses a LIFO pattern for adding and retrieving records is:
a. stack
Essential details
Common data structures:
array: A list of data values or objects, all of the same type, any element of which can
be referenced by an expression consisting of the array name followed by an indexing expression.
linked list: A list of nodes or elements of a data structure connected by pointers. Linked lists are great
for collections that require many insertions in the middle of the list because such insertions simply
require updating a couple of pointers.
queue: A structure from which elements can be removed only in the same order in which
they were inserted; that is, it follows a first-in, first-out (FIFO) logic.
stack: A structure from which elements can be removed only in the reverse order
in which they were inserted; this is referred to as last-in, first-out (LIFO).
A sort algorithm puts a collection of data elements into a sequenced order,
sometimes based on one or more key values in each element. Common
sort algorithms include bubble sort, selection sort, and insertion sort.
FAST TR ACK HELP
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vcsharp/aa336800.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms379570.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa288453.aspx
30
_______ /3
Understanding
Web Applications
IN THI S C HAP TE R
32
OBJECTIVE
U N D E R S TA N D I N G W E B A P P L I C AT I O N S 4 . 1
Knowing that she cant fix the site herself, she has asked her nephew, Maxim, to help. Before Maxim creates
a page, he wants Tanja to have at least a basic understanding of the technology involved.
1. Which technology uses tags to indicate how information should be displayed in a web browser?
a. HTML
b. XML
c. JavaScript
3. What is JavaScript?
a. a markup tag that manages various font settings
b. a server-side technology for running Java applications
c. a client-side technology for making web pages interactive
33
Answers
1. What uses tags to specify how data should be displayed on a web page?
a. HTML
3. JavaScript is:
c. a client-side technology for making web pages interactive
Essential details
HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language and uses markup tags to specify how information should be
displayed on a web page.
HTML tags are surrounded by angle brackets. The <p> tag indicates a paragraph.
Most HTML tags work in pairsan opening tag and a closing tag.
CSS works in conjunction with HTML to indicate how data should be presented, including colors and fonts.
Although styles can be defined for an individual page, they can also be defined in a separate document
and shared by each web page in a site. That means a developer can make a change to the
CSS document and the look of the entire site will change! This makes it easy to ensure
that each page in a site looks consistent.
JavaScript is a scripting language that allows developers to write code that goes
beyond the markup limitations of HTML.
JavaScript is frequently used to make web pages more interactive.
Although JavaScript itself is a client-side technology, it is often used
in conjunction with server-side technologies such as ASP.NET.
FAST TR ACK HELP
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/bb308786.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb330932.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb330916.aspx
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OBJECTIVE
U N D E R S TA N D I N G W E B A P P L I C AT I O N S 4 . 2
One of his first priorities is to make the site a little more interactive with buttons that respond to mouse
rollovers and a slideshow to display images of the studio. He also wants to implement online shopping
for dance apparel. That update would include a wish list feature for users to save items theyre
interested in purchasing at a later time.
1. Maxims mouse rollover effect can be accomplished with a client-side script. Which of the following
is a client-side technology?
a. PHP
b. ASP.NET
c. JavaScript
2. In a standard HTML site, page information is lost each time the user refreshes
a page or moves to a different page. Which of the following allows
page information to be retained?
a. state management
b. page life cycle
c. CSS
Client-side scripts
are run by the users
web browser.
3. Maxim wants to use cookies to keep track of users wish lists. What is a cookie?
a. text data stored by the users web browser
b. a back-end database for storing user information
c. a server-side scripting tool for saving session data
35
Answers
1. A client-side technology is:
c. JavaScript
3. A cookie is:
a. text data stored by the users web browser
Essential details
In a web application, a program or script can be either client-side or server-side.
A client-side script is downloaded by the users web browser and executed on that users computer
(the client) when the page is loaded.
A server-side script is executed by the web server before the web page is sent to the users computer.
The event model in a web application is similar to that of a client application. One significant difference is
that an event is raised on the client side (for example, when the user clicks a button), but the event is handled
on the server side.
When an ASP.NET page runs, the page performs a series of processing steps in what is called the
page life cycle. These steps include initialization, instantiating controls, restoring and
maintaining state, running event handler code, and rendering.
State management refers to the process by which a developer maintains page
information over multiple requests for the same or different pages.
FAST TR ACK HELP
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/bb308770.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/bb308809.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/bb308818.aspx
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OBJECTIVE
U N D E R S TA N D I N G W E B A P P L I C AT I O N S 4 . 3
2. An employee at a reputable ISP tells Maxim that they use Windows Server and that he needs
to understand the basics of Internet Information Services (IIS). Which of the following is NOT
a role of IIS?
a. to deliver HTML documents to web browsers
b. to enable server-side scripting, such as ASP.NET
c. to enable client-side scripting, such as JavaScript
3. The ISP tells Maxim they support Virtual Directories. What is a Virtual
Directory?
a. a folder on Maxims computer that maps to the ISP, so he can easily
publish the site
b. a directory name that maps to the physical location on the server
c. a listing service that ensures that users can find the site with a search engine
Web hosting
allows a developer to
publish a website so
that it is accessible via
the World Wide Web.
37
Answers
1. Maxim should use an ISP because:
c. The ISP provides technical support and maintenance. With an ISP, a developer can focus
on developing the site without worrying about setting up or maintaining a server.
Essential details
An ISP (Internet Service Provider) is a business that supplies Internet connectivity services, often including
web hosting.
An ISP will generally provide:
space on a server
maintenance and support
email service
security and stability
IIS (Internet Information Services) is a part of Windows Server that delivers content
such as web pages by using HTTP over the World Wide Web.
IIS provides functionality essential for deploying ASP.NET web applications.
IIS also supports other server-side scripting, such as PHP.
Virtual Directories can be configured in IIS and allow access to folders and
files outside of the sites home folder.
FAST TR ACK HELP
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/bb308861.aspx
www.iis.net
38
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OBJECTIVE
U N D E R S TA N D I N G W E B A P P L I C AT I O N S 4 . 4
Best of all, the new site has increased Tanjas income by attracting new students and by allowing
customers to purchase items from home. With the extra money, she wants to pay Maxim to put a little
more into the siteno major changes, just some catchy additions. Shed like her home page to display
the current weather and traffic conditions, and she thinks a Bing search box would help users find
information quickly.
Although Maxim has never programmed this type of functionality before, he knows he can use web
services to help.
2. When using the Bing API to add search capabilities to a site, what is the
web service role of Bing?
a. requester
b. provider
c. processer
An API (Application
Programming
Interface) provides a
framework for accessing
a program. The Bing API
allows developers to
add Bing to their sites.
39
Answers
1. A web service is:
c. a system that allows multiple programs to interact via the Internet
Essential details
Web services are frameworks that allow programs (or sites) to communicate with each other via the web.
SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) is an XML-based protocol for exchanging structured and typed
information via the web.
Numerous SOAP services are available, including searches (such as Bing), current weather, stock quotes,
traffic conditions, and more.
WSDL (Web Services Description Language) is an XML format that allows for better interoperability among
web services and development tools.
WSDL uses SOAP to pass messages to the provider and interpret the results.
FAST TR ACK HELP
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa480728.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms950421.aspx
40
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Understanding
Desktop Applications
IN THI S C HAP TE R
42
OBJECTIVE
U N D E R S TA N D I N G D E S K T O P A P P L I C AT I O N S 5 . 1 / 5 . 2
However, because her playing time is both limited and fragmented, she has difficulty keeping track of the
status of each of her characters. So she decides to create an application to keep track of the progress of her
different characters, including levels and quests. She envisions a simple application that will allow her to
select a character and then view and edit relevant information (a picture of the character, its current level,
XP needed to advance, current quest item, and so on).
2. For which one of the following situations would visual inheritance be useful?
a. several different forms displaying the same data in different ways
b. several different forms displaying data from tables in the same database
c. several different forms using the same basic layout and UI features
3. Which of the following describes how the event model might function in
Julias program?
a. A Button click event is handled by code that creates a new character.
b. A new character event is handled by code that asks for user input.
c. A loop event cycles through the various characters, displaying each on the form.
SDI is Single
Document Interface.
MDI is Multiple
Document Interface.
43
Answers
1. Julia should make a:
b. Windows Forms application with SDI. Although any application could work, SDI is ideal because
the user only needs one window at a time. Note that a console application could not display images of
Julias characters.
Essential details
Windows Forms is a rich Windows client library for building Windows client applications.
A console application uses a text-only interface and usually requires only a keyboard for input.
The user interface is the portion of a program with which a user interacts. Different types of UIs include
graphical user interfaces (GUIs), such as the Windows user interface, as well as command-line interfaces used
by console applications.
The two basic styles of Windows interfaces are SDI and MDI.
Single Document Interface (SDI) is an interface in which each document frame
window is separate from others and contains its own menu and toolbar.
ment
Multiple Document Interface (MDI) is an interface in which multiple document
frame windows may be open in the same instance of an application; the
eside.
application features a parent window in which multiple child windows can reside.
More recent applications tend to favor the SDI approach.
gram
An event is an action or occurrence, often generated by the user, to which a program
nts.
might respond. Examples include key presses, button clicks, and mouse movements.
Code that is executed in response to an event is called an event handler.
FAST TR ACK HELP
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/bb308740.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/bb308743.aspx
44
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OBJECTIVE
U N D E R S TA N D I N G D E S K T O P A P P L I C AT I O N S 5 . 3
Anna is developing an application that will monitor keystrokes. When a user has typed 2,000 words in
fewer than 30 minutes, the application will display a notification reminding the user to take a brief break
and stand up for a stretch. Anna has decided to write the application as a Windows Service.
1. What type of user interface (UI) do most Windows Servicesincluding Annas reminder
applicationemploy?
a. little or no UI
b. a console UI
c. a standard Windows GUI
3. A Windows Service generally has three different states after being started:
running, stopped, and:
a. interrupted
b. completed
c. paused
Youve probably
used many Windows
Services applicationsa
common example
is antivirus software!
45
Answers
1. Typically Windows Services use:
a. little or no UI
2. All are true of Windows Services except that they are not:
c. generally designed to require user intervention at timed intervals
3. The three possible states of a Windows Service after being started include running, stopped, and:
d. paused
Essential details
A Windows Service application is a long-running program that generally does not
show a user interface.
Many users think of Windows Services as running in the background and taking
care of tasks necessary to keep the system running smoothly.
Common examples include antivirus applications, applications to help use printers
and other hardware, and applications that aid in network communications.
Services are managed by the Windows Services Control Manager. To run, they must be
installed via this manager and then started.
FAST TR ACK HELP
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/d56de412.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/zt39148a.aspx
46
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Understanding
Databases
IN THI S C HAP TE R
48
OBJECTIVE
U N D E R S TA N D I N G DATA B A S E S 6 . 1
Jesper wants to put together a simple inventory system so that he can look up which albums are in
stock from a computer behind the counter. Hell set up a relational database to store the information.
Hell start by giving each artist a random and unique Artist ID number. Likewise, each album will get an
Album ID number.
1. What function do Artist ID and Album ID fulfill in Jespers relational database, as described above?
a. relationships
b. constraints
c. primary keys
3. Which of the following will result from the use of a relational database for
this project?
a. minimize or eliminate redundant (repetitive) data
b. increase processing time resulting from inefficient storage of data
c. require the use of a web server
There will be
two tables in the
database: Artists will
store artist information;
Albums will hold data
related to individual
albums.
49
Answers
1. Artist ID and Album ID are:
c. primary keys
Essential details
A relational database is a system for storing potentially large amounts of data. Relational databases consist
of one or more tables that can be visualized as columns and rows.
One of the primary advantages of a relational database is the reduction of data redundancydata
in multiple tables can be linked instead of stored twice.
In a table, a primary key defines a column that uniquely identifies each row.
A relationship can be established by setting up a foreign key constraint. Each album in the store includes
the corresponding Artist ID. That foreign key establishes a link between the album and the
artist who recorded it.
FAST TR ACK HELP
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/bb308825.aspx
http://www.asp.net/sql-server/videos/designing-relational-database-tabless
50
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OBJECTIVE
U N D E R S TA N D I N G DATA B A S E S 6 . 2
The application must enable Jesper to add to the database when the store gets a new album, and to
modify data such as the quantity in stock and the price. Additionally, he will need to pull data from the
database: find artists or albums, list the current inventory, and list albums that are currently out
of stock. Reviewing SQL concepts will help Jesper quickly complete the project.
1. Which SQL command should Jesper use to add a new album to his database?
a. ADD
b. INSERT
c. UPDATE
3. Which query could retrieve the artist U2 from the table of artists?
a. SELECT U2 FROM Artists
b. SELECT * FROM Artists WHERE ArtistName = U2
c. SELECT * FROM Artists WHERE U2 IN ArtistName
51
Answers
1. A new row can be added to the database with:
b. INSERT
Essential details
Structured Query Language (SQL) is used to manage data in a relational database.
SQL queries can be used interactively with the database itself or implemented in an application that accesses
the database. Basic statements in SQL queries include:
SELECT to retrieve data
INSERT to add rows to the database
UPDATE to modify existing rows
DELETE to remove an existing row
Other clauses can be added to indicate the desired table (FROM), to filter data based
on comparisons (WHERE), and to sort (ORDER BY), among others.
FAST TR ACK HELP
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/bb308825.aspx
http://www.w3schools.com/sql/default.asp
52
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OBJECTIVE
U N D E R S TA N D I N G DATA B A S E S 6 . 3
Jesper decides to use a disconnected approach, meaning that he will copy what he needs from the
database to memory, then disconnect from the database. When the user changes data, the application
can connect again and update the database.
ActiveX Data
Objects (ADO) is an
interface that allows
developers to access
databases without
worrying about details
of database connections.
53
Answers
1. An advantaged of using a disconnected data access is:
a. It minimizes the impact on the database server.
Essential details
To bring data into your application (and send changes back to the data source), a two-way communication
path needs to be established. This connection is usually configured with a connection string that stores
information necessary to find and access the data source.
Data sources dont have to be relational databases.
Extensible Markup Language (XML) files are common on the Internet. They share the same syntax as
HTML, so many users are comfortable working with them.
Language Integrated Query (LINQ) allows developers to connect to a wide range of data sources,
including arrays and other data structures.
Flat files are conventional computer files that store database information.
Many developers use a disconnected data access model. By connecting to a data
source only as long as it takes to retrieve or update data, the developer gains
several advantages:
Reduced load on the database server.
Scalability, or the ability to continue to function as the work load increases.
Multiple users can access the same database without locking file access.
FAST TR ACK HELP
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/bb308825.aspx
http://www.w3schools.com/ado/default.asp
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