INF2611 Visual Programming - LEARNING UNITS

Using Delphi to learn visual programming

2014 Schedule for INF2611
INF

2014

2014

2611

S1

S2

20 Jan

23 June

27

30

3 Feb

7 July

LU
LU 1

Content

Due

Due

S1 2014

S2 2014

11 March

5 Aug

15 April

9 Sep

Self-Assess

SelfAssess

Menu driven
applications
Start assignment 1

LU 2

Multiple form
applications

10

14

Do Assignment 1

17

21

24

28

Database application

3 March

4 Aug

Database application

10

11

17

18

10

24

25

11

31

1 Sept

Object orientation

12

7 April

Object orientation

13

14

15

14

21

22

15

28

29

LU 3

Database application

Start assignment 2
LU 4

Reporting
Do Assignment 2

LU 5

Object orientation
Object orientation
Assignment 3

Orientation (tutorial 101)

Welcome
WELCOME TO VISUAL PROGRAMMING INF2611
Welcome to the amazing world of visual programming. This is a semester course, with a mere 15
weeks to introduce you to the concepts and complexities of programming. If you run a marathon,
there is always a bus (a runner who guarantees that you complete the marathon within a given
time). Consider these pages your bus to get you through this Visual Programming Module marathon in
the next 15 weeks.! For optimal support from this website, please READ the announcements, CHECK
the module news, and PARTICIPATE in this learning experience. We will pace you, and YOU must keep
up. If you are lagging .. PLEASE ask for help!
Each unit has a scheduled start date. For each learning unit is detailed as:

Announcement at the start of a learning unit.

Overview of the content.
Objectives are listed.
Learning activities are presented as a PowerPoint presentation and coded examples.

Assessment activities are given.

Additional resources in terms of links to internet tutorials and coded examples are included.
Key terms of the learning unit are summarized.

Other Features:

Official Study Material (PDF files for your tutorial letters).

Prescribed Textbooks (the name of the prescribed textbook).
Discussion Forum (space to talk with other students about this module).
Schedule (official assignment and examination dates).
Announcements (to inform you about course-related issues).
Additional resources (PDF files containing past exam papers).

The myUnisa Team and the INF2611 team hope that you will take full advantage of these additional
features to make your studies more exciting and successful.

Lecturer Introduction
Good day!
I learnt the language of Delphi many moons ago inspired by the book Teach yourself Delphi in 21
days! Well, that was the start. And it can be done. I have developed several systems using this
language. Over the years, visual programming has changed to keep up with technology, which makes it
very exciting. I have been teaching visual programming at UNISA for a while now. Recently, all
UNISA modules were semesterized, making it a mega-challenge to introduce, explain and
demonstrate the concept of Visual Programming in 15 weeks (including assignments and
examinations).
We are aware of the pressures and pace of everyday life, and we are striving to align this module
with the ODL policy of UNISA. Thus, we are trying alternative presentation options for this module.

We will send you an announcement at the start of each new learning unit (to pace you).
We have included several links and suggestions (additional resources) to ensure that the
material is available.
We have included PowerPoint presentations of the important concepts in each learning unit.

Kind regards, Patricia Gouws (module leader INF2611)

General Information Websites

Information about UNISA sponsored internet access can be found at:
http://www.unisa.ac.za/contents/facilities/docs/TELECENTRES-WEB%20(3).pdf
First Time here? What is Delphi? How to start a new Delphi project. Delphi Tutorials and OnLine
courses
http://delphi.about.com/
A beginners guide to Delphi programming (10 Chapters)
http://delphi.about.com/od/beginners/a/delphicourse_2.htm

A collection of Delphi tutorial videos. Note that the 3dBuzz videos on UTube are not good resolution,
thus it is recommended that you go to the 3dBuzz site
(http://www.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/sv_home.php), select PROGRAMMING and then DELPHI, and then
on the tear off arrow next to the selected video for the FREE high-resolution training videos.
http://delphi.wikia.com/wiki/Delphi_Videos
Delphi tricks
http://www.delphitricks.com/

Learning unit 1 - Menu-driven applications

Overview
Menus provide lists of items on which the user can click to invoke different programming operations
Objectives
Create menu-driven applications in a complex programming solution., specifically:

Create a main menu, with drop-down and cascading menus attached.

Create pop-up menus.
Demonstrate different ways of associating code with items on a menu.

Learning
CHAPTER 9.
Menus and actions
The dropdown, cascading and popup menu.
Shortcut and acceleration keys.
Edit a menu.
Cascading submenus.
Checking and unchecking menu items.
Sets.
Menus and event handlers.
Action lists and properties.

Assessment
Attempt the problems at then end of the chapter.
The solutions are available under additional resources
Additional resources
Delphi tutorial: Standard components.
http://www.delphibasics.co.uk/Article.asp?Name=Standard
Tutorial: How to display menu item hints.
http://delphi.about.com/od/vclusing/a/menuitemhints.htm
Key terms
Menu, dropdown, cascading, popup, menu items, action lists.

Learning unit 2 - Multiple-form applications

Overview
A Delphi project usually consists of several forms and units, and these forms are linked. A project
needs a main form, linked to several other forms (including a data module). Menu selections are used
to navigate between forms. New forms may be created or existing forms may be included in a
project. The project | options function is used to include multiple forms in a project, and the use
clause is used to identify the links that are required,
Objectives
The objective of this learning unit is to create multiform applications in a more complex programming
solution.

Use more than one form in an application (project).

Use forms from other applications.
Create new forms for existing applications.

Learning
CHAPTER 16 (parts thereof).
Multiple forms
Main form.
Menu selection navigation.
Add existing forms to project.
Auto-create forms.
Use clause.
Show forms (modal and modeless).
Assessment
Attempt the problems at the end of the chapter.
The solutions are available under additional resources
Additional resources
General points, along the way of a discussion of using multiple forms, passing parameters to
procedures and using the event driven nature of Windows to make your program user friendly
http://sheepdogguides.com/dt3r.htm
Key terms
ShowModal, Modeless

Learning unit 3 - Database applications

Overview
A Delphi application is developed to manipulate real-worlddata. This application makes use of multiple
forms and menus to navigate between the forms. The database application connects to an Interbase
database.
Objectives
The database application will:
Use data modules in an application to connect to at least one database.
Add, edit and delete records from a database using program code.
Use SQL queries.

Learning
CHAPTER 15 and 16.
Introduction to database programming
Database (table, query)
Connect to a database from a Delphi application.
Add data control components to a Delphi application.
Database programming using data modules and multiple forms.
Create a main form and a data module.
Add, delete and change records using program code and data controls.
Assessment
Attempt the problems at the end of the chapter.
The solutions are available under additional resources
Additional resources
Tutorial - Delphi programming: Databases and Databases How To. NOTE: this provides links to
PowerPoint Presentation on using ADO Tables: ADO-Tables.ppt , Video on using ADO
Tables and Database How To... guide
http://www.teachitza.com/
Tutorial: A beginners guide to database programming
http://delphi.about.com/od/database/a/databasecourse.htm
Key terms
Main form, data module

Learning unit 4 - Reporting in database applications

Overview
Data and information are not the same. The data in the database can be converted to information by
enhancing the functionality of a database application. Reporting may be added to gain information
from the data in the database
Objectives
Develop and enhance reporting applications by using reporting functionality to generate reports of
records in a database.
Learning
CHAPTER 17.
Reporting reports
components.
The visual designer.
Executing a report from the application.
report and parameters.
global pages.
bands and regions.
Create a data aware report using a report.
Refinement of queries.
Assessment
Attempt the problems at the end of the chapter.
The solutions are available under additional resources
Additional resources
Key terms
RAVE report, parameters, data aware controls, bands and regions

Learning unit 5 - Object orientation

Overview
Object orientation is an approach for dealing with problems faced by software developers. Delphi is
an object oriented programming language.
Objectives
Apply object-oriented concepts in visual programming to create more advanced applications.
Design and implement an object and a class.
Implement encapsulation, inheritance and polymorphism.
Learning
CHAPTER 18.
Investigating objects
The basic unit file (the unit name, the interface section, and the implementation section).
Creating classes and objects.
Using classes and objects.
Basic object-orientation principles.
Classes and objects.
Polymorphism.
Encapsulation.
Inheritance (efficiency, reliability and re-use).
Composition (combining objects).
Assessment
Attempt the problems at the end of the chapter.
The solutions are available under additional resources
Additional resources
Delphi and OOP
http://www.webtechcorp.co.uk/web-developer-training-delphi-article-oop.htm
Tutorial Object orientation basics
http://www.delphibasics.co.uk/Article.asp?Name=OO
Tutorial Delphi programming: Object oriented programming (OOP)
http://www.teachitza.com/
Tutorial Learning Object Oriented Programming with Delphi (several relevant chapters)
http://delphi.about.com/od/course/a/oop_intro.htm
Video: Why OOP?
http://video.embarcadero.com/pix/nickhodges/Camtasia/17WhyOOP/17WhyOOP.html
Video: Simple Class
http://video.embarcadero.com/pix/nickhodges/Camtasia/12BasicClass/12Classes.html

Key terms
Class, object, polymorphism, encapsulation, inheritance, re-use, composition