HW#1 --- last modified March 02 2019 17:04:51..
Solution set.
Due date: Sep 10
Files to be submitted:
ertables.pdf
ertables.mdb
harddrive.pdf
Purpose:
To refresh our memories about CS 157A as well as to gain
experience in requirement gathering. To experiment a little with Microsoft
Access.
Specification:
Although for the most part, it is assumed you are already familiar with ER
diagrams and the relational model, Chapters 2 and 3 from the book can be
scanned for a quick refresher.
For this homework you are to consider the problem of creating a personal
digital library for yourself. This library should be able to store at
least the following things:
tax records, legal documents, blog entries (web log entries -- like a
diary), articles you may have read and
scanned, e-books, music (say mp3's), and movies. You should also consider
which people you know should have access to your library and to what
parts. Be aware that in
the future it might be useful to allow digital agents to have access to
some of your data. These latter considerations are supposed to force
you to consider relationships between your data and who will use it. Come
up with an ER diagram to organize for you library.
Then step by step use the algorithm of Section 3.5 to translate your
diagram into the relational model. Be sure to indicate keys and foreign
keys. Submit your ER diagram and your translation work in the file
ertables.pdf. Make sure to keep this file size as small as possible
say under 1Mb, otherwise you won't be able to submit. If you don't know
how to create PDF documents you can either use Acrobat or you can follow
the instructions off the My Guidelines/Templates link from my master's
students pages (available off my homepage).
Now implement your tables together with primary and foreign key
constraints in Microsoft Access (2000 or less, so grader
can grade it). Submit this as ertables.mdb.
Finally, consider the problem of how big a hard drive you need to store
all of the data you will put in your library in your whole lifetime.
For each of the kinds of items you intend to store estimate the size of a
typical item. Then estimate how frequently you will need to store an item
of that type. Take a guess of how long you will live (make it bigger than
30 years - no rock star burnouts, please). Based on these numbers
calculate a minimal amount of storage that you expect to need.
Submit your estimates and calculation as harddrive.pdf.
Point Breakdown
ER Diagram |
3pts
|
Relationship mapping (showing steps 2pt) (for final tables 1pt) |
3pts
|
Access database (tables 1pt) (keys and constraints
1pt) | 2pts
|
Hard drive capacity estimates. (1pt for estimates of items) (1pt
calculations) |
2pts
|
Total | 10pts |
|