CS4983: Object-Oriented Design Assignment 1999-2000

The task

What is required is a Java application that has a graphical user interface. (Java applets, Java servlets or programs written wholly or partly in languages other than Java, for example, are not acceptable. Console I/O is also not acceptable.)

Minimal functionality is:

• Users can choose a text file in which there is a parameterised message body. For example:

  Dear $1, Your paper, entitled $2, has been accepted for publication.

  (The exact format of the variables is up to you.)

• Users can choose a text file in which are stored email addresses and the actual values to be plugged in place of the variables.

  (The exact format of these files is up to you.)

• For each record in the latter file, the program replaces the variables by the actual values and sends the email.

But, you should design and implement a program of more than minimal functionality if you want to aim for higher marks. (The additional functionality is up to you but it should, of course, all be related to convenient authoring and bulk-sending of email.)

Marks will be awarded for all aspects of software quality.

Further instructions

• Teamwork: This assignment can be done individually or in pairs. If done in pairs, both persons will receive the same grade. The work you submit must be the work of your team only. You may, however, base the part of your code that actually sends out the email on code you find on the Internet. If you do, then you should be scrupulous in citing the original source. You should also improve the code that you find.

• Software: Your program must be executable on ocean without installing any additional software.

• Deliverables: There are two deliverables:
  1. The source of your class definitions.

     The source will be automatically collected from your ocean directories. The source files produced by your team should be put into a particular subdirectory of the home directory of one team member. I want this directory to be called cs4983 (use lowercase `c' and `s'). I have a program that I can run to automatically collect work from your cs4983 subdirectory, but this means it is essential that your work is stored in a directory with exactly this name. Do not put into this subdirectory anything you do not want me to see!

  2. Documentation.

     Specifically, I require:

     • Up to 2 sides of technical documentation that you think will help me to understand your program better.

     • Up to 2 sides of user guide, which should explain the format you have chosen for the two files and should give a concise overview of how to launch the program and what a user can do with the program.

     • The complete source listing.