Weekly Status Report #15

This week in our computer programming class, we continued our lessons on ergonomics and continued working on our lottery ticket programs that we had marked. We also started to learn about visual basics animation and our computer science exam has been scheduled.

This week with ergonomics, we learned some stretches that we can do for a break from the computer and to make sure that we aren't harming ourselves while working on the computer. I finished my lottery ticket program and had it marked on Wednesday. I didn't have a lot of trouble with this program, it was just long and I had to comment the whole project. There was one problem when I had my program marked, it was that when the arrays reached -1, my loop kept going through all of the arrays. The way I could fix this problem is by having an 'If' statement saying that if the array is -1 then Exit For (this creates a more efficient program).

When we started with animations, I didn't understand how to do it, however after practicing a bit more I think I understand. I found the Zoom In assignment to be easier, it made more sense to me. I hope that next week I will be able to write a program with animation very easily.

Weekly Status Report #14

This week in computer programming we had two lessons on ergonomics and started a new assignment using arrays and while and for loops. This assignment was a program for the calculation of lottery tickets, so that the vendor could calculate the number of days he recorded, the number of days it took to sell over 200 tickets or the highest ticket sales in a day.

The things that we learned concerning ergonomics were how to sit properly at a desk and typing on the keyboard and using your mouse. We also learned about CPS (carpel tunnel syndrome) and didn't affects from the workplaces. I learned a lot from this because now I know that I should take breaks if I spend a long time in front of the computer. I also learned the types of pains that you could get from using the computer for too long. For the program, it didn't seem to complicated at first; I find that it was just the matter of choosing the proper loops and method. For each of the buttons, I found that For loops was the best option.

Next week I hope to finish commenting on the whole program and to finish debugging the program. The class still has three more lessons on ergonomics, since I took business last year I already learned about ergonomics and so learning this again is good to refresh my memory. I hope that next week we will learn more things and I will receive a good mark on my lottery tickets program.

Weekly Status Report #12

This week we spent Monday and Tuesday finishing our SIN project and we had them marked on Wednesday. This project was a SIN validating project that asks the user to input their SIN number and this program would see if it was valid and display the results. We also learned about drawing in visual basics and had to fill out a sheet about origins and computer terms. Finally by the end of the week, (Friday), we started to work on a test statistics program that calculated the average of marks and found the highest mark and lowest mark as well.

This week I had a few minor problems. In regards to the SIN validation project, I just had problems writing out the code. However, once I had done that, I didn’t have any problems debugging it. I haven’t finished the program with the marks, however right now I have ideas of how to do it and how to write the code, which is pretty straightforward. However, I wont know for sure until I actually finish the program. A few potential problems that I see are with adding up the marks for the average and at the same time finding the highest and lowest number without any problems.

This week we also received our tests back; I found that I did all right, maybe not as good as I hoped but pretty decent as well. I hope that next week I will be able to finish the program with no problems and be successful.

Weekly Status Report #11

This week in computer programming, we learned a new control called the Timer Control. We had a lesson on the properties of the timer and we learned how to incorporate it in our programs by creating a program that shows the clock and also a stopwatch. We also had presentations on computer related careers; each group have to present two of their careers. We also had a test review and on Thursday we had our unit test. This test included string, loops, timer controls, operators and tracing.

I didn't have a lot of trouble with the timer control because it was a new control that was easy to use and the notes that were given were clear and detailed. I learned a lot about the computer related careers presentations; I realized that there are a lot of different careers involving computers and this adds a lot of variety to my future choices. I found that the test wasn't to difficult, I reviewed my notes and found some parts quite easy. The only problems I really found were when I had to write a program adding only odd numbers, although I have previously done this program, I didn't review it and forgot how to do it. I found the tracing at a medium level, I could do it, but I wasn't sure if I was tracing the program correctly.

I hope that my mark reflects the work that I have done over the past few weeks. In the future I hope that the test topics will become familiar things to me so that I won't have to forget what they are and just be able to remember what it is as second nature.

Weekly Status Report #10

This week we learned more about for..next loops. We learned about the function exit for, which stops the function and skips to after the next. We created even more programs using this exit for, and it was quite convenient to use the exit for function to stop a loop in its tracks. While creating these programs, we also learned about input boxes where the user could enter an input into the program. We also learned created a Mini Slide Show application (opening file images using a for…next loop), you had some problems with security however, but it worked properly when the program ran from our USB key.

I finished the programs pretty quickly, the concept of the for... next statements are pretty easy to understand but I needed a bit of time to become used to it. We haven't learned about the other types of loops yet, but I expect to be learning them very soon. I had quite some difficulties with some programs, however I discovered that modulus and a flag could efficiently determine if a number was prime or not by making the flag a Boolean and indicating to the program the value of the variable. At the end of the week I worked in a group of three to create an essay about 6 computer related careers. We were to write the job description, education require. potential workplaces and earning. I had a bit of problem with this project because of my e-mail; my e-mail wouldn't send the file to the designated e-mail address. However I kept trying and I'm pretty sure the file is sent.

Next week, I hope to use another type of loop efficiently. I hope to continue programming with more advanced loops and functions.

Weekly Status Report #9

This week we worked on loops. On Tuesday my partner and I finished our pizza palace program and got it marked. We finished it without any problems, there was however some code that was missing but only because it was overlooked. For the rest of the week we learned about loops in Visual Basics. We learned the For ... Next statements and we learned how to trace these programs and about nested loops. This week we also have two handouts that we had to fill in; These handouts were based around the loop statements and tracing them.

I had a few problems at the beginning of the week understanding how the loops worked but as I did the assignments I began to understand better. This week I handed in part 2 of the handouts. Things I hope to do in the future are to include loop statements in bigger programs and to become more comfortable with writing programs with loops in them.

Weekly Status Report #8

This week we started to work on a Pizza Order form application in partners. The project is due on Thursday due to Easter holidays. On this Pizza Palace order form, we had to create a program that would allow the user to choose between a small, medium and large pizza and a pepperoni, mushroom, veggie or Hawaiian pizza. The user is also allowed to make their own pizza, choosing from a choice of top pins (pepperoni, mushroom, onion, extra cheese, olive and pineapple). The user can also choose to order bread sticks and wings, and also soft drinks, orange juice and water. All of these would be calculated to a total amount. An additional feature to this program would be the option to change prices of the pizzas, toppings, sides and drinks.

My partner and I finished the program in the allotted time frame and we spent time debugging the program, however we did not hand it in so that we could have more time on tuesday to make sure the program is perfect. This program was our first complex program that was a project so we found that there was a lot of code that went into it. We split the work evenly; I created the design of the window and wrote half the code, and my partner wrote the other half of the code and wrote all of the comments and together we debugged the program. We found that brainstorming our plan before we started helped us with our efficiency, not only because we worked well together, but because we could write the program fluently because we had a plan already made.

With this project my partner and I ran into a few problems, luckily, these problems were very easy to debug and the program is working properly. This week I learned about the length that real programs' codes can have. Even though the program that we have created isn't nearly as complex as professional programs, I believe that this is the best program I have made all year. I hope that in the future, I will be able to create harder programs.

Weekly Status Report #7

This week we only had four days of class because our whole grade had to write a literacy test on Thursday. This week we had a lesson on Visual Basic operators and we had a big program that we spent all week on. The lesson on Visual Basic Operators included arithmetic operators, comparison operators and logical operators. We also learned that the symbol in an operation is an operator and that the variable or value in the operation is called an operand.

This program was a program that calculated the weekly payroll of a worker by using the information retrieved from them (hours worked and cups sold). We had to write the program using all the new controls we learned. On Wednesday, when the majority of the class finished, we had to add a menu and two dialog boxes so that the user could enter their own hourly rate and tax rate. This week I finished the program and the program works properly.

I had a few problems this week; they were all surrounding the dialog boxes. One of my problems was the placing of the code in the dialog box, I later figured out that the code had to be between the two lines. Another problem was getting the Form1 window to read the entered information from the dialog boxes. Before the code I had written was: dlgTaxRates.Show(), but after I just changed it to: dlgTaxRates.ShowDialog() and it began to work properly. Next week we are starting our first project in partners and creating a program on our own.

Weekly Status Report #6

This week, we had a lesson on different data types and String data types in Visual Basic, we created a new program involving temperature converting, we wrote an assignment on web awareness and we worked on . This week I completed both of the programs in the time provided and I learned again this week more features in the Visual Basics program.

This week I completed everything that was required; which included the two programs and the essay on web awareness. I learned new features again this week like always; I used for the first time a scroll bar, track bar, picture box and list box. These are just a few of the controls used this week. With the learning of the different String data types, I used these new codes to create the String tutorial. For example, I learned how to remove, replace and compare different strings. Although, I'd already learned some of the functions, I learned a lot as well.

This week I encountered a few problems; with the temperature converter program, I wanted to round all the Celsius degrees to the nearest hundredth and it took me a while but I figure out how to write the code using the object browser. Problems that concerned the String tutorial were just writing the code in general. I had problems thinking up how to write the code with a case statement and I wasn't sure how to use the list box since it is a new control to me. Next week I hope to encounter more problems so that I ca be challenged to write my programs and learn more about using Visual Basics.

Weekly Status Report #5

This week in class, we worked on three programs and learned new controls for Visual Basics. We also had a test on flowcharts and programming today and by the end of Friday, we have to hand in our memory key with case 3 and a flowchart for that program. This week we had lessons on debugging, we learned about compiler errors, run-time errors and logic errors.

This week I completed all the required work on the case worksheet and I handed in my key with case 3. The new skills I learned this week were involved with Visual Basics, for example I learned how to debug my program and how to use new controls like message box and radio buttons. I had a few problems when writing my program because there was a lot of code that had to be written for the case 3 program. I had to debug this program to avoid run-time errors because if the candidates became tied or the user did not enter a number, the program would hang and maybe even crash the computer. The flowchart for this program also took quite a bit of time to create because there were so many different options.

Next week is March break so there is no work assigned yet, however my future goals are like the weeks before; I want to be able to use Visual Basics fluently and be able to create a complex program using the maximum potential of myself and also of Visual Basics.

Weekly Status Report #4

This week in our computer science class, we kept working on Visual Basics. This week we had a lesson on software documentation and decision making for the Visual Basics program. We received a new assignment sheet on If and else statements. For all of our programs created this week we had to document our programs so it is clear what I am doing in the program. The flowcharts quiz has been rescheduled for Thursday, when it will also include a programming section.

This week I completed all of the assignments and I also had my first program marked on Wednesday. I learned a lot of skills this week, like the if statements and also having the program recognize capitalized letters and minuscule letters. I also learned how to make message boxes so that I won't have to create a text box or a label to show the result.

My future goals in Visual Basics are to create a complex program that is created with no guidelines. This I know will happen in time, so for the near future, I want to gain more knowledge and be able to create the program with little or no problems. A few challenges that I faced this week involved finding different ways to create codes. I had to figure out how to convert the word to lower cases and how to use message boxes. Next week I like be starting with assignments that involve case statements.

Weekly Status Report #3

This week in the computer science class, we had our test and learned how to use visual basics and create our first program. This week my objectives were to learn how to create a program using the program Visual Basics and understand how to function the program properly. We received a note about introduction to Visual Basics and received our first task.

The work that I completed in class this week was my first program plus a few others for extra practice; with completing these tasks, the skills I obtained were all related to programming and using this object oriented program. The work that still remains a few more of the programs listed on the sheet and my future goal is to create a program that is my own and that I think up by myself and create by myself. The challenge that I faced this week was just starting up Visual Basics and understanding the concept. However, after creating a few programs and looking through the notes I can now understand the program and I feel like I am more familiar with VB.

Weekly Status Report #2

This week we looked over the flowchart assignments that were due on Monday and we corrected our mistakes. We also watched three slide shows for an introduction to computers. This week was a theory based week, we learned all the parts of the computer and learned about hardware and software as well as the difference between all the different computers, i.e. mainframe, supercomputer etc...

This week the work we had to do was a worksheet that taught memory sizes. We learned about bytes, kilobytes, megabytes and gigabytes and we also learned how to convert the sizes to different measuring units. We also learned about pseudo codes and learned how to write them.

I didn't really face any challenges this week because it was basically all notes and remembering, therefore to remember I will just need to review my notes. The only problems I actually faced were continued from last week; I still need to grasp the concept of flowcharts, I understand how to do them but I think I need more practice. The work that remains is just to study for the test on Monday; this test is about everything we learned so far: problem solving, flowcharts and computer parts. All I really need to do is review my notes and do a few examples of flowcharts and problem solving; all in all, I learned a lot of theory this week.

Via Email

Well, I'm writing from my e-mail right now so I hope this works!!

Weekly Status Report #1

This week was the first week of classes and I feel like I've already learned a lot about computer programming, even though I know that there is a lot more to learn. This week I learned about problem solving and flow charts. I learned to look at problems in steps and I did some examples of problem solving. Concerning the problem solving, I learned that all problems are not negative things; problems can be tasks that need to be done or completed. Also, this week I learned how to create and read flow charts; I learned the different symbols, names, terms and I also learned what everything means. My objectives this week were to complete my blog and to learn about flow charts; I wanted to finish all the requirements for my blog with some extra additions and I wanted to understand and be able to create a flow chart.

This week I have in fact finished my weblog; I have completed all the requirements and add more than four of the extra tasks to obtain full marks. I have heard of weblogs before but I have never created one myself, so this week after using the weblog I feel that I am a lot familiar with this on-line journal. I have learned a lot about flow charts this week, before this class I have never done a flow chart that dealt with programming and so this was very new to me. This week I have been successful in understanding flow charts and in creating a flow chart myself.

This week I faced some challenges with the blogs and the flow charts. For some of the requirements, I didn't know where to find the options, for example the option to disable comments for one post. However, after looking around I found it and it became really simple for me. With flow charts, I found it was difficult to grasp the concept and understand what it was saying. However, after listening intently in class and after the example with the cups and paper I can now understand the meaning of flow charts more easily. Some remaining work I have is just to add some extra mark tasks to my blog. My future goals are to be able to create a flow chart without any problems at all.

The Flatliners

The Flatliners is one of my favourite bands as well; their music is classified as "Skunk Rawk" which is a mixture of Punk rock and ska. This is their video "Fred's got Slacks".

Protest the Hero

This is a picture of my favourite band Protest the Hero!! They are a post hardcore metal band that originates from Whitby, Ontario.

The band consists of Rody Walker (lead vocals), Luke Hoskin (lead guitarist, background vocals), Tim Millar (guitarist), Arif Mirabdulbaghi (bass, background vocals) and Moe Carlson (drums).

Feedback

Keep up the good job :-)

Welcome!

Welcome to Vagrant V's weblog!!!