Course Description:  This course covers the fundamentals of database design and application development by accessing a transaction-oriented database server.  Emphasis on SQL.  An open-source database is used.  Additional topics include enabling access to the database via the web.

Outcome:  Students will learn SQL, database design and application development using the latest software tools. Students will also learn techniques for web based data retrieval and manipulation.

• Apply data modeling concepts and techniques to capture the conceptual model of an applicaiton
  
• Create and query a database, using a professional DBMS
• Query against a database using SQL
• Implement a database application (in this case, in PHP and possbily also in Java)
• Learn fundamental principles of the relational model, normalization and functional dependencies
• Survey current topics and trends in database programming

• No single textbook covers all of the topics for the course.  Many of the lectures and assignments will draw upon Fundamentals of Database Systems, by Elmasri and Navathe, 6th edition, 978-0-13-6008620-8.  The text has a chapter that discusses PHP programming; however, expect to use publically-available resources on the web for the hands-on segment of the course.  The 6th edition is old, but  free pdf versions are available all over the internet.  The 7th edition is not that new either (but it is the most recent).  I bought a pdf version for $3 on ecrater.com.  The reason I'm not concerned about getting the latest edition is because the fundamentals, which are relational database design, do not change.  And PHP upgrades frequently (and has had a major upgrade recently), so we are not relying on the textbook for that anyway.
• Course Support:
• Assignment submission and grades will be maintained on Sakai.   

Software:

• We will be using PHP and MySQL (actually MariaDB, which is a clone to MySQL) to develop web database applications.  These require a web server, which you can install on your laptops.  You may install each component separately.  Alternatively (and strongly suggested) is to install a "stack" that integrates these components into one installation.  These are often referred to as WAMP (Windows, Apache, MySQL, PHP), MAMP (Mac, ...)  or LAMP (Linux,...).   There are many (such as WAMP Server, XAMPP, MAMP-PRO, etc).  I have been using  demonstrate my local server programs using Bitnami to demonstrate programs in class, simply because it is easy to use and it has a similar interface for its Windows and its Mac implementations. However, since the PHP upgrade from 5.x to 7.1, Bitnami's 7.1 version is still a development version, and it's Mac version is not available yet.  So for this semester, I'm using XAMPP, which has both a Windows and a Mac 7.1 version.  I have tested both, and they both work fine.  Of course, the stack manager doesn't look identical, which it did in the Bitnami version.  In fact, the Mac version looks like the old Bitnami version, and the Windows version looks different.  But once you have everything running, the differences are negligible, and you should be able to follow along just fine.  Another option for Mac users is MAMP.  All installations instructions and links are available in the Orientation module on Sakai.   If you have a problem installing the software on your laptops, contact me and I will set up a Virtual Machine for you.  I have a WAMP stack installed on the virtual machine.  Or, you may share with a classmate.
  
• You can use any text editor to write PHP programs. I really like  Notepad++  for Windows.  But I will be using Sublime Text to demonstrate the files for this course.  It is compatible with both Windows and Mac, and  has some nice packages to  support the text editting for PHP and html.  The Orientation module has instructions for installing those packages.

Sakai:
As of this writing, Sakai will be used for course announcements, homework submissions, and grade postings.  While the raw scores posted on Sakai should be correct (although I have encountered some problems with that too!), please do not rely upon Sakai's Course Total calculations.  Usually, they are okay, but there have been problems.  I check the total grade postings periodically, to check up on Sakai's calculations.  Certainly, before the mid-term grade posting on Locus, and before the drop deadlines, check your grades (and I will too!)  Grades are calculated as specified in this syllabus.  If Sakai presents too many problems, we will switch to CourseSites.

Class Format:
The class sessions will be a mixture of lecture and lab.  The proportion of each will vary by the topic being covered.  If you have a laptop, you will want to bring it to class, unless I let you know in advance.  Some of the labs are worth points, and some of them cannot be made up outside of class.  Labs 4, 5 and 6 have assignments associated with them.  For the online section, nearly all of the lectures and labs will be videoed, and links provided on Sakai.  Reading materials, lab assignments and homeworks are all posted, either on Sakai or linked to on this syllabus.

I will be presenting examples and demonstrating code that are not in your text You are responsible for what is presented in class, even if some of the activity may not be covered in the class notes. If you choose not to attend, that is your prerogative; however, make sure that you find out what you missed.  For the online section, you are responsible for any material in the weekly videos, and in any posted reading materials and assignments listed, whether or not they are reviewed in the videos.

Cell Phones: Only you know the relative importance of any particular cell phone call, and whether it is important for you to answer a call immediately rather than later. I do want you to be respectful of your classmates and disrupt the class  as little as is practical. If you get cell phone calls with fair frequency, be sure to have the ring muted before coming to class. If you rarely get calls, you might not mute it ahead, and your cell phone may happen to ring. Get rid of the noise as soon as possible, and do not get flustered. I assume you will move outside the classroom for a conversation. If you get fairly frequent calls that you are likely to consider important answering, sit in a place where your exit and re-entrance are as unobtrusive as possible.

• Using or copying an outside person's work on an exam or assignment in any fashion. "Outside person" includes a person who put something on a web page. It has become depressingly familiar for me, most every semester, meting out penalties for using someone else's work on the web. Do not do it.
• Anything that vaguely resembles something from any Instructor's Manual anywhere.
• Work includes outlines, pseudocode, code, and documentation.
• Allowing your own work to be copied or used by an outside person.
• Submitting as your own work something that has been written by an outside person (or web site).
• Using any unauthorized reference on an exam or assignment
• Not acknowledging and describing in writing on an assignment any help you received or gave.
• If you are working on a pair or group project, an "outside person" only refers to people other than your assigned partner or team.
• Note that cheating goes both ways: both giving and receiving.
• Consultation is allowed with the TA (if we are fortunate enough to get one) and with me. If you consult with the TA and/or with me, still make a comment at the top of your work about the substance and depth of the help.

• The meaning of program or query specifications (not the plan for the solution or the actual solution).
• The tools used to write programs.
  
• The restrictions of the current programming language syntax.

• Midterm:  10/17 for the in-person class.  Options for the online section will be announced as the date gets close.
  
• Final Exam:  12/12    Options for the online section will be announced as the date gets close.

If you must miss an exam, let me know well in advance. Then if you have a good reason we can possibly make other arrangements. I have little sympathy for people who inform me after the fact for no good reason. Exam absences will be veririfed.  If they can't be verified, you will not be excused. 

*No second try*: If you have an excuse for not being prepared to take an exam, but decide to take it anyway, you don't get to change your mind after you see a poor grade. Being sick is not a way to get one more chance than everyone else. I may allow you to delay an exam due to illness, but I will not let you be reexamined due to a poor grade.

Students with Disabilities:  If you have a documented disability and wish to discuss academic accommodations, please contact the Services for Students with Disabilities Office (773-508-3700 and [email protected]) as soon as possible.  Students with documented disabilities who provide me with a letter from the SSWD office will be fully accommodated as per the terms of the letter.  Students who are allowed to take their exams in the SSWD office are encouraged to do so.  Should you choose to take the exam in the classroom, I cannot guarantee that the classroom environment will be quiet enough to provide you with the environment that your disability may require.  If you choose to take the exam in the classroom, you are taking that risk.

• No extra credit opportunities will be provided.  It is neither practical nor fair to the other students.
• Late assignments are worth only half credit.  This is true even if you have a valid reason for submitting the homework late.   Usually, late assginments must be submitted within one week of the due date for half credit. For some assignments, you can't submit it late at all.  And for some, I do not allow an entire week for late submission, but only a few days.  Please check Sakai for exact due dates and the last time for a late submission for a specific assignment.  Further, they can only be submitted late if I have not posted the answers to the homework.   After one week (or the late submission deadline), you will receive zero points for any unsubmitted assignments. No exceptions.

The dates below give the sequence and a general idea of the time spent, though we may get ahead or behind this time schedule at different points, depending on the needs of the class.  Be sure to keep up with where we really are in class.

Labs (except for Lab 0, which isn't really a lab) are listed for the class when we will work on them together. The TA or I should check off your completion or at least your participation during the same class.  Labs 1, 2 and 3 cannot be made up outside of class.    Sometimes, we can't finish the labs in class.  In that case, I will check that work was done during class and allow a submission later, usually that night or the next day.  Labs 4 - 7 have assignments associated with them.  Due dates are listed on this syllabus and on Sakai.

Assignments are to be turned in on the date where they are listed below as due, generally by 11:55PM.

In general, read the assigned chapters before coming to class.  Most lectures will not follow the book exactly.  Very few will use the text's PowerPoints.  However you are responsible for the chapter anyway, even if I focus on certain examples and not others from the text.  It's the best of both worlds!

The first few weeks look like we are covering a lot of chapters. This is because the chapater topics are interrelated, and there is a lot of overlap.  The data modeling examples given in class will  include a discussion of the functional dependencies inherent in the applications, and the ER diagrams will reflect the normalized relations for that model.  Do not get overwhelmed with the reading (although the book is very clear).  Rather, I will walk you through the important topics.  You will have time to catch up on the reading by the midterm.