alan's multi-user skunkworks
works in progress
something stinks around here
skunkworks
item chemical equation balancing
view current versions
multi-user prototype v1
admin tool
purpose provide students tool for practicing balancing of chemical equations; provide system for instructors to create new probelsm and assign student work groups
notes aug 16
First working prototype of the student view that looks up the group entered on the login screen, and imports the appropriate RTF file with the equation and sets up buttons for manipulating the coefficients.

Partly done with an instructors tool for creating new problems and adding them to MUS server database. They will have to create an RTF file (basic Times 24 font) for formula, with underscore characters in front of each compound. The instructors tool will allow them to import the RTF, position the buttons, set the correct answers, and write a short description of the formula (what it represents).

To be added are the interface (!), and tools for students to chat.

 
sept 06
Interface elements added to the working prototype of the student tool, along with chat feature. Most of admin tool is developed as well. The problem of sending the RTF file has been solved by storing the RTF data (just a string) as an attribute in the database application object. This way, an instructor can add new equations w/o doing nay FTP transfers. At this stage, the tool will have to be a projector since it needs FileIO to locate the RTF file from a desktop.

sept 07
Admin tool and client are ready now for testing. The Admin tool must be downloaded and run from the desktop to add new equation files (from MS Word RTF documents); the nshockwave version can be used just for changing descriptions, editing coefficient buton locations, etc.

feb 20, 2001
Long hiatus with some work done not noted! The MUS server is now running in my office at maricopa. The client app now (moved to MCLI's main server) has a feature where users can each "vote" if they think the equation is balanced. Some lag problems noticed for response to clicks on the coefficient buttons, perhaps in the time it needs to update the RTF member on screen.

The admin app can now (maybe) be done so an RTF for an equation could be loaded from shockwave. In the works is a diaply tool to allow instructor to display the live results of a group running.