Comp 217: Unix and C/C++ Programming with Lab Professor: Ricky J. Sethi

Comp 217

Syllabus

Spring 2006

Catalog Description

This course introduces computer programming and emphasizes solving real-world problems in the GNU UNIX programming environment. Given a problem statement, students are guided through the user view, designer view, and programmer view to develop solutions to the problem. Basic C/C++ programming skills are developed in the problem-solving process. In the lab, students use C/C++ syntax to develop software solutions to problems related to electronics and computer technologies, and test and debug prior to finalizing program documentation.

Pre-requisite	COMP-125 or COMP-100
Credit hours	Comp 217 is 5 hours.
Meetings	Tuesday 2p.m. - 5p.m., Room 225 and Room 108 Thursday 3p.m. - 6p.m., Room 225

Texts and Materials

Required:

• C++ FOR ENGINEERS & SCIENTISTS, BRONSON

Recommended:

• The Waite Groups C++ Primer Plus by Stephen Prata

Suggested:

• Simple C++: Featuring Robodog and the Profound Object-Oriented Programming Method (POOP) by Jeffrey M. Cogswell
• Thinking in C++ by Bruce Eckel
• Absolute Beginner's Guide to C by Greg Perry

Attendance Policy

Each student is required to attend every lecture and laboratory in which he or she is enrolled. A swipe-card terminal in each classroom is used to record attendance electronically. Students are responsible for arriving before class begins, sliding their identification card through the wall-mounted reader, and remaining for the duration of the course meeting. Students who are absent for two or more days must contact their assigned Academic Coordinator for advisement. Students who miss more than five (5) consecutive days of school are in violation of the DeVry attendance policy and will be dismissed.

Examination Make-Up Policy

Since responsible behaviour -- including daily class attendance -- is expected of all DeVry students, absence from a scheduled examination is considered to be an extremely serious matter. It is school policy that no faculty member shall be required to schedule a make-up examination unless the student presents a statement from a licensed physician stating that he or she was physically unable to attend school on the day of the exam. The faculty member may schedule a make-up for other equally serious reasons, provided that arrangements are made prior to the date of the exam. An individual faculty member may also schedule a make-up exam if, in his or her opinion, a situation exists that does not fall under the provisions of this policy yet merits special consideration.

Course Grading Standards

A final letter grade is to be awarded to each enrolled student in accordance with the 4.00 grading system shown below.

Academic Integrity Policy

Ideas and learning form the core of the academic community.  In all centers of education, learning is valued and honoured.  No learning community can thrive if its members counterfeit their achievement and seek to establish an unfair advantage over their fellow students. The academic standards at DeVry are based on a pursuit of knowledge and assume a high level of integrity in every one of its members.  When this trust is violated, the academic community suffers injury and must act to ensure that its standards remain meaningful. The vehicle for this action is the Academic Integrity Policy outlined in the Student Handbook.

The Academic Integrity Policy is designed to foster a fair and impartial set of standards upon which academic dishonesty will be judged. All students are required to read, understand, and adhere to these standards, which define and specify the following mandatory sanctions for such dishonest acts as copying, plagiarism, lying, unauthorized collaboration, alteration of records, bribery, and misrepresentation for the purpose of enhancing one's academic standing:

• The first recorded offense will result in the student receiving zero credit for the entire paper, exam, quiz, lab, homework assignment, or other graded activity in which the incident of academic dishonesty occurred. No partial credit may be given.  Where the incident involved a graded assignment normally subject to a "drop" option, the student may not exercise that option.
• The second recorded offense will result in the student receiving a failing grade for the course in which the second offese occurs. The second offense need not be in the same course, program, or term as the first offense to invoke this sanction.
• The third recorded offense will result in the student being permanently expelled from the DeVry system. Again, the third offense need not be in the same course, program, or term as either the first or second offense to invoke the sanction.

Strategy

Following are the objectives for this course. Individual faculty, based upon their experience and expertise may add to these objectives to meet local campus needs. Any such additions will be communicated to the class. While the instruction remains focused in helping students, accomplishing these objectives is a shared responsibility of students and faculty. The outcomes of this course will depend upon the motivation and capabilities of the students, sufficient time allocation for studying, and the effectiveness of that effort.

DeVry University is committed to the continual improvement of its curriculum and instruction and to meet the needs of students and employers in a rapidly changing global economy. Students, faculty, and the university must all be actively involved to accomplish these objectives, as well as the objectives of this particular course.

1. Given a problem statement, such as create a program to allow a user to specify all parameters required to calculate the coefficients of a sinusoid waveform, identify the steps required to solve the problem using an engineering design methodology.
2. Given a defined problem statement such as the sine wave problem described in objective 1, develop an algorithm based on the design methodology developed in objective one and using design tools such as pseudocode, for a computer programming based solution to the problem.
3. Given an integrated C programming environment such as Borland Turbo C++, demonstrate an understanding of the environment by describing the basic functions of each of the integrated development tools.
4. Given a pseudocoded program, compare and contrast the characteristics and functions of the three control structures used to write a structured program.
5. Given a programming algorithm written in pseudocode, such as the sinewave algorithm described in objective 2, modify the algorithm so that all functions are separated into independent and reusable modules.
6. Given a problem statement and C program solution, such as a listing of a program used to solve a sinusoid waveform generation, identify and describe the elements of basic program, including preprocessor directives, library/include files, data and variable types.
7. Given a simple, but "bug-ridden" C program and a listing of the compiler errors generated, utilize the capabilities of the debugging environment provided with the C compiler in order to analyze and correct the "bugs" in order to produce the expected output.
8. Given a problem statement of moderate difficulty, such as the sinusoid generation program, develop an algorithm to solve the problem, organize the data using structures with multiple data types and/or arrays and then write, test and debug the corresponding C program implementing the solution.
9. Given the program solution of objective 8, redesign the program such that all data is passed to functions using pointer constants, pointer variables and structure pointers.
10. Given a problem statement of moderate difficulty, such as the sinusoid generation problem, using a linked file approach, modify the modular functions to reside in separate, linkable files in order to demonstrate modular project management techniques.
11. Given a problem statement of moderate difficulty, such as the sinusoid generation problem, incorporate a linkable function/file that will perform advanced input/output capability, such as file I/O, high-resolution, multi-colored graphics and graphics mode text display of selected data and text.

1. Providing an academic program that develops a sound foundation in mathematics, physics, and technical sciences, as well as developing competencies in a broad spectrum of technical specialty areas, including instrumentation and controls, microprocessors and computer systems, and wireless and telecommunications technology.
2. Incorporating a strong laboratory component associated with each technical course. Laboratory work includes use of computer hardware, design and test automation software, and test equipment for designing, implementing, and testing electronic systems.
3. Integrating general competencies such as applied research, written and oral communications, and team skills in technical and non-technical courses.

1. Conduct experiments involving electronic systems using modern test gears, interpret test results and use them to improve products or processes.
2. Create, implement high-level and Assembly language programs in support of technical activities.
3. Design, implement, and evaluate hardware and software solutions to complex technical problems using modern tools and methods.
4. Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
5. Work effectively in a team environment.
6. Apply information literacy and problem-solving skills that support life-long personal and professional development.
7. Evaluate the broader effects of technology and to identify connections between technology and economics, politics, culture, ethical responsibility, social structure, the environment and other areas.

1. An appropriate mastery of the knowledge, techniques, skills and modern tools of their disciplines.
2. An ability to apply current knowledge and adapt to emerging applications of mathematics, science, engineering and technology.
3. An ability to conduct, analyze and interpret experiments and apply experimental results to improve processes.
4. An ability to apply creativity in the design of systems, components or processes appropriate to program objectives.
5. An ability to function effectively on teams.
6. An ability to identify, analyze and solve technical problems.
7. An ability to communicate effectively.
8. A recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in lifelong learning.
9. An ability to understand professional, ethical and social responsibilities.
10. A respect for diversity and a knowledge of contemporary professional, societal and global issues.
11. A commitment to quality, timeliness, and continuous improvements.

• Laboratory demonstrations will complement the lecture topics. Emphasis will be on the key concepts so that as many topics as consistent with good, basic understanding can be discussed. It is strongly recommended that students scan the experiment procedure prior to the Laboratory class (please refer to the class website for more timely information before each lab).
• Concepts will be covered by problems and demonstrations in class followed with problems and lab follow-ups given as homework. Students will present their solutions for class discussion. All projects can be done in collaboration with your team (although individual reports are required).
• There will be a midterm exam in (approximately) week 8 covering topics discussed through week 7. The final exam in week 15 will cover all topics.

Library Research Project

The purpose of the library project/oral presentation is to familiarize the students with resources available in the library, and learn how to use these resources to produce the needed information. Each student is provided with a course related approved topic to research and provide relevant information in regards to the topic, in form of a short report.

1. The result of this research must be typed as an approximately 10-page report and then orally presented in the class.
2. The cover page of each report must include the course number, topic, names, and the date.
3. The report is due during the 12th week of the semester and must be orally presented during the same week.
4. Late reports or late oral presentations are not accepted.
5. This project/oral presentation adds 10% to the total grade.

I usually get quite a few queries from people confused about what topic they should pick or unsure whether they've picked the right one or even if the topic they chose is comprehensive enough for 10 pages. All of these are legitimiate concerns, of course, but just about all of them can be alleviated by asking yourself a simple question (and answering it as honestly as you can):

"What is it that I've always wanted to find out more about?"

My view on the library research project is that it should be something that YOU want to learn about! I'd like for this to serve as an opportunity for everyone to force themselves to learn about something they're genuinely interested in. Don't just make this some requirement that you have to fulfill and so you can just copy some stuff and cobble it together into a 10-page report... instead, use this as a rare opportunity to find out about something that actually interests you. I'm very flexible about the range of topics and as long as we can draw a tangential relationship to the course, I'll probably approve the topic. But it has to truly interest you!

Chapter Reading Memos

Subject matter is covered pretty much in the sequence presented in the required textbook. It is therefore recommended that you scan the chapters prior to the scheduled lectures to become familiar with new terms that will be introduced. In order to facilitate this, every reading assignment, will have a required reading memo due the meeting day following the meeting day it was assigned.

The idea is to have you write down questions and other "instantaneous gut reactions" as you do each reading assignment in the text. It is very important that you create these memos as you read, and on the first pass through the material. They must not be edited or "cleaned up" afterward, and they should not be just outlines or notes. In other words, your reading memos should not simply be a summary/rehashing of the chapter; instead, they should reflect your questions, observations, and insights.

What is the purpose of these reading memos? First, it shows me that you've done the reading. In addition, it encourages active reading (reading scientific tomes is a very different experience from reading a novel or other leisure book where you can passively scan the pages). And, even more importantly, it gives me insight into what you're learning, and, more significantly, what I might need to concentrate on more in lecture. Lastly, they give me a student's perspective on the material and often point out common misconceptions or exceptional insights.

So why should you do them? Well, if all that insight and learning wasn't sufficient motivation, it might help to know that your reading memos will contribute significantly towards your participation grade (see grading policy below). In addition, I'll be using at least one question from your reading memos on the weekly quizzes.

Format of the reading memo: nothing terribly elaborate. Just have a sheet of paper handy as you read the text and jot down your notes. As long as they're legible, I'll be happy. They don't have to be any specific length; I'm just looking for your first impressions and questions you might have. As far as the grading is concerned, I'll basically just be checking off if you're doing them or not. So if you hand one in, you'll get the credit for it. But I'll also be reading them so if you want to impress me, come up with some great memos/questions! Finally, if you're more comfortable jotting them on your computer, feel free to email them to me.

Labs, Quizzes, and Groups, oh my!

There will be weekly labs starting Week 1. In addition, we'll have weekly quizzes starting Week 2. The quizzes will be based on the reading and the laboratories. In fact, all exams will rely heavily on the labs and the reading.

Starting Week 2, there will be a weekly (closed book) quiz in class based almost entirely on the reading and the labs. I'll only keep the 8 highest quizzes. In lieu of the homework, you'll be given the opportunity to instead do selected homework exercises from that chapter. You will thus have the option of either using the homework or the quiz to determine your weekly quiz grade up to three (3) times during the semester (note: you must hand the exercises in before the quiz starts and then only the higher of the two grades will count for that week).

Keeping up with the reading and doing the programming exercises, projects, and labs is probably the best way to learn computer science. But the third, and final, ingredient necessary to truly master software development is group learning. Unlike classes in which doing homework together is discouraged, I would actually like to encourage you to collaborate with your colleagues on the programming exercises, projects, and labs. In fact, we'll be forming groups of about two starting in Week 1 and you'll even have the option of doing your projects together as a group (although everyone will have to turn in a separate report and part of your grade will be based on your group's anonymous evaluation of you (and your contribution) to ensure no one person does all the work for the group). All real science is a truly collaborative enterprise and I hope you'll take full advantage of your peers in this regard.

Comparison of the Scientific Method and the Engineering Design Process

The Scientific Method	The Engineering Process
State your question	Define a need
Do background research	Do background research
Formulate your hypothesis (identify variables)	Establish design criteria
Design the experiment (establish procedure)	Prepare preliminary designs
Test your hypothesis (Experiment!)	Built and test a prototype
Analyze the results (draw conclusions)	Test and redesign (as necessary)
Present the results	Present the results
Reference: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/mentoring/printable_project_engineering.pdf

Weekly Project Presentations

The weekly project reports/presentations constitute the biggest component of your final grade (please see the Grading Policy below). These consist of weekly programming exercises assigned to you (or your group) followed by a semi-formal presentation to the class the following week. Not everyone will present every week but everyone will be responsible for completing and handing in their assignment every week.

<Theoretical Rant Here>
Unlike elephants, people forget. We forget everything from buying the ketchup on our trip to the market to the exact formulation of the time-dependent form of Schroedinger's equation (which, for the curious, as well as the sadistic, is ih/2π ∂ψ/∂t = Hψ = (T + V)ψ = (-h²/8π²m) ∇²ψ + Vψ ). This is, inevitably, your fate as well. Whatever you don't use, you will forget. This is why doctors have a continuing education requirement and programmers have doctors (or at least the M-x doctor within Emacs). Given this enormous attrition rate for knowledge, the purpose of any course, to my mind, is to provide you with a toolset or a way of thinking or approaching a problem which, due to its genericity, will be utilized on an almost daily basis on a variety of topics. Of course, you'll be learning this new mental toolset within the context of this course... so the real purpose of this course isn't to have you memorize a bunch of random facts. No, you'll remember whatever facts you might need in your future endeavours just fine as you'll be using them on a daily basis. What you should learn from this course is a way of thinking and problem-solving... and learn it well enough to apply it to a variety of other scenarios and especially to this particular subject. So if the need ever arises for you to refresh your memory (perhaps for the first time) in this subject again, although all the words will, once again, seem like foreign gibberish, you'll have acquired a mindset that lends itself readily to rapid comprehension of the material and you'll find that the subject, once obtuse and impossible to comprehend, readily bends to your understanding (as long as you put in the requisite time and effort). THIS is the real goal of any learning.
</Theoretical Rant Here>

In this class, we'll also emphasize a professional, corporate approach in anticipation of your future employment with a big software development company. Instead of concentrating on the theoretical side (which, being a theoretician, is my natural inclination), we'll instead emphasize the practical problem-solving and actual coding. The BEST way to learn a subject is to actually DO it (insert your favourite quote to the effect here). And so, an important part of your learning experience will be the weekly presentation of your problem.

This will be an informal, round-table gathering where you'll explain what you did and how you did it. Peer reviews/inspections are probably THE best way to ensure production of high-quality software (especially for big projects) and you're going to be engaged in just that as you evaluate your peers' work. Here's what they should include:

Guidelines for the weekly presentations:

1. Description of the problem (from header block documentation)
2. Your approach to the solution (from header block documentation)
3. Brief explanation of your algorithm (from header block documentation)
4. Highlights of the solution code (especially the hairier, more complex parts as shown by the comments in the well-documented code)
5. How you tested it (the test-driver program)

• Lose 1 point if it doesn't work
• Lose 1 point if the algorithm is incorrect
• Lose 1 point if the documentation is lacking
• Lose 1 point if the test driver program doesn't work
• Lose 1 point for each missing portion that's required

Expectations

My general policy in terms of grading is to aim, as in most graduate classes, for an average of about a B. This does not, however, mean that you can earn a high grade simply by doing nothing. What it does mean, though, is that as long as you show up for all the classes, do all the homework/quizzes/exams, and complete your projects on time, you won't ever have to worry about failing the class. So as long as you show up for all the classes and do the basic required work, everyone should at least pass the course.

Also, I do allow for some extra-credit throughout the semester which can be applied towards your midterm or final scores only (i.e., it is not applicable towards the project, hw/quiz, or participation scores). If anything strikes your fancy along the way, feel free to talk to me about doing some extra-credit on it.More on my specific expectations about the extra-credit, etc. later...

The reason for the extra-credit is I want to see everyone get the grade they are willing to work for. Some suggestions for extra-credit: research a topic that interests you and write a report on it; solve a programming problem; do extra exercises in the book; etc.

The Grading Policy

Grades will be assigned on a 100% scale but given scores will be based on a curve taking into account the overall performance of your class.

Labs & Weekly Project Presentations	50%	Given weekly; lowest 2-3 will be dropped
HW/Quizzes	15%	Given weekly; lowest 2-3 will be dropped
Midterm	10%	1 given in (approximately) week 8
Final	15%	1 given in week 15 (comprehensive)
Participation	10%	Reading Memos, Professionalism, Attendance, Involvement, Discussion, Questions, etc.

The Tentative Schedule

This list is intended to act as a planning guide for students. The timing of the Final Exam is definitely in Week 15 and Homework/Quizzes are planned weekly. Timing of all activities will be continuously communicated in classes and/or via email.

Changes to Syllabus: The contents of this syllabus are subject to change with appropriate notice to the students.

Week	Mon	-	Fri	Tasks & Assignments	TCO's
Week 1	Mar 13	-	17	• Introduction • Lab 0 • No Project Presentation	1
Week 2	Mar 20	-	24	• Introduction (Ch. 1) • Lab 1 • No Project Presentation	1,2
Week 3	Mar 27	-	31	• Problem Solving Using C++/Linux (Ch. 2) • Lab 2 • No Project Presentation	2,3
Week 4	Apr 03	-	07	• Completing the Basics (Ch. 3) • Lab 3 • No Project Presentation	5
Week 5	Apr 10	-	14 (Fri 14 — Good Friday)	• Selection Structures (Ch. 4) • Lab 4 • Project Presentation #1	4,5
Week 6	Apr 17	-	21	• Repetition Structures (Ch. 5) • Lab 5 • Project Presentation #2	4,5,6
Week 7	Apr 24	-	28	• Functions (Ch. 6) • Lab 6 • Project Presentation #3	6,7
Week 8	May 01	-	May 05	Midterm Exam    • Review    • No Lab    • No Project Presentation	-
Week 9	May 08	-	12	• File I/O (Ch. 7) • Lab 7 • Project Presentation #4	11
Week 10	May 15	-	19	• Introduction to Classes (Ch. 8) • Lab 8 • Project Presentation #5	8,10
Week 11	May 22	-	26	• Arrays (Ch. 10) • Lab 9 • Project Presentation #6	6,7,8
Week 12	May 29	-	Jun 02 (Mon 29 — Memorial Day)	• Introduction to Pointers (Ch. 10 & Ch. 11) • Lab 10 • Project Presentation #7	9
Week 13	Jun 05	-	09	• No Lecture (Holiday) • Lab 11 • Project Presentation #8	-
Week 14	Jun 12	-	16	• Pointers & Structures (Ch. 11 & Ch. 12) • Lab 12 • Review	8,9,11
Week 15	Jun 19	-	23	Final Exam    TBD -- check the front/home page for more announcements (as needed)	-