Web-based browser for relations

4-week projectt, 1. of May to the 26. of May, 2006.

Prerequisites

This project is intended for students who have taken one of the introductory courses in databases ("Databasesystemer" or "Introduction to databases"), and either an introductory programming course or "Web publishing with databases". It is recommended that at least one member of each group has prior experience with making a web interface (PHP or Servlets) to data in a DBMS (MySQL or Oracle).

Project description

The aim of the project is to build a browser for relations, using web technologies to supply an interface. It should be possible to: Similar browsing functionality is built into the interface to MySQL. To have a look at this, create a MySQL database at http://www.itu.dk/sysadm/db and try the web interface at http://www.itu.dk/mysql/.

However, there are many possible extensions to such an interface. For example:

Groups and project agreements

Groups should have 3 or 4 members. If you need members for your group, or want to join a group, contact pagh@itu.dk and I will set up a meeting to form groups. It is the responsibility of each group to formulate a suggestion for a problem formulation, e-mail it to esben@itu.dk for preliminary approval well in time, and enter the final agreement in the my.itu project database no later than Wedensday Apr 26. Note that the problem formulation must include a description of the possible problems you anticipate to encounter, in such a way that you will be able to make some conclusion about these problems in the report. For example, "How does the browser detect schema changes?".

Requirements

To pass the project, the group should successfully implement at least basic browsing functionality, document the work in a report handed in at the end of the 4-week period, and satisfactorily defend the project at the exam.

The report

The report may be in Danish or English. The maximum length of the report is 10 pages plus 5 pages per person in the group (11 pt font or larger). There is also the possibility to add appendices, which will be read at the discretion of the examiners to clarify things in the report. The report must be a self-contained description of the project and the group's solutions, and describe the decisions made and the thoughts behind them. The descriptions, motivations, etc. in the report will be the main parameter in the evaluation of the project. The report must contain:

Examination

There will be an oral exam with external censorship in June 2006. The project participants will be individually graded according to the 13-scale.

Teacher

Esben Rune Hansen
Office: 3C 14
Email: esben@itu.dk