MURANG’A UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

COURSE OUTLINE

Unit Code: SCS 307 Unit Title: Systems Programming

Department: Information Technology
Lecturer’s Name: Dr. Stephen Njenga
Lecturer’s Tel. No.: 0722 383053 Email Address: snjenga@mut.ac.ke
Contact Hours: 42
Semester: 2 Academic Year: 2022/2023
Expected Learning Outcomes
1. Describe the functioning of the principal parts of an operating system.
2. Use the systems programming problem solving approach.
3. Use a programming language to develop programs which can manage computer resources.
Teaching Methodology
1. Lectures and tutorials
2. Group discussions
3. Demonstration
4. Individual assignment
Instructional Materials
1. Projector
2. Text books
3. Computer laboratory
4. Design software
5. Simulators
Course Evaluation Methods
Assignments = 10 marks
CATs = 30 marks
Final Paper = 60 marks
Total = 100 marks
References
1. System Software, An introduction to systems programming, third edition, Author:
Leland L. Beck, Publisher: Addison Wesley Longman. ISBN 0-201-42300-6

Week Topic Sub-topic

1 Introduction
2 UNIX system commands
3 CAT 1
4 UNIX system commands
5 UNIX system calls
6 File management calls
• Systems Programming basics
• Functions of operating systems
• Types of system software
• History of operating system development
• Structure of UNIX system
• Common commands – man, which, csch etc
• Directory commands
• File commands
• File management calls
• Process management calls
• Error handling calls
• Sequence of file events
• open(), fcntl(), read(), write(), lseek(),
 close()
7 Process management calls • Process states
• Process composition
• Process duplication
8 Process management calls • Process differentiation
• Changing directories
• Priorities
• User and group IDs
9 CAT 2
10 Process management calls • Signals
• InterProcess Communication – pipes
and sockets
11 Error handling calls • errno and perror()
12 Memory management • malloc(), realloc(), free()
13 CAT 3
14 Revision