CLASS SCHEDULE VIA MOBILE (CSM) BY USING SIMULATOR

NUR AZARIA BINTI GHAZALI

A report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award

of the degree of Bachelor of Computer Science (Computer Systems & Networking)

Faculty of Computer Systems & Software Engineering

Universiti Malaysia Pahang

1 1 6UI

PERPUSTAKAAN LMALAYS:A PAHANG

erolet a No.Panggjan 9i1rikh

3O NOV 2012

ABSTRACT

In this globalization era, people tend to use a mobile phone as a way of

communication that gives those benefits as a reminder or personal assistant.

Class Schedule via Mobile (CSM) by Using Simulator is developed to help the

users in future which are going to be implemented in a mobile phone, in order to

give and show the class schedule besides of personal information and class

notification. This is as a new improvement from the existing system or manual

method. This new approach would ease them in teaching and learning process at

UMP. CSM by Using Simulator is run in a simulator, soon can be deployed in a

Smartphone. The system is using the web service to connect with the web page.

CSM by Using Simulator is applying System Development Life Cycle as a

development methodology (SDLC). It is created with Visual Studio 2008 that

designed for the user interface; while SQL SERVER 2005 is a platform for the

data recorded and also by using the Windows Mobile Smartphone simulator in

the Visual Studio 2008. CSM by Using Simulator is believed would be able to

meet the user's requirements with the profit it gives.

Vi

ABSTRAK

Dalam era globailsasi kini, orang ramai cenderung menggunakan telefon bimbit

sebagai satu alat komunikasi yang memberikan mereka manfaat sebagai medium

peringatan atau pembantu peribadi. Sistem Jadual Kelas melalui Mobile (CSM) dengan

Menggunakan Simulator dibangunkan untuk membantu para pengguna dalam

memberikan dan menunjukkan jadual kelas selain dari terdapatnya makiumat peribadi

dan notis kelas. liii adalah sebagai peningkatan dari sistem yang sedia ada atau pun

kaedah-kaedah manual. Pendekatan barn mi akan memudahkan mereka dalam proses

pengajaran dan pembelajaran (P&P) di UMP. Sistem CSM dengan Menggunakan

Simulator mi dijalankan ke dalam sebuah simulator yang path masa akan thtang akan

menggunakan telefon bimbit pula. Sistem mi menggunakan perkhidmatan web

terhubung kepada sebuah laman web yang bertujuan untuk menghubungkan data dan

aplikasi jadual kelas ke dalam telefon bimbit mereka. CSM dengan Menggunakan

Simulator mi mengaplikasikan 'System Development Life Cycle' (SDLC) sebagai metodologi pembangunan. Sistem mi dibuat dengan menggunakan Visual Studio 2008

yang digunakan untuk merekabentuk aplikasi bagi pengguna, sementara SQL SERVER

2005 adalah merupakan platform untuk data direkodkan. Simulator Smartphone yang

mengandungi platform Windows Mobile juga digunakan yang mana terdapat dalam

Visual Studio 2008. CSM dengan Menggunakan Simulator mi diyakini akan mampu

untuk memenuhi keperluan dan kehendak pengguna.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

viii

PAGE CHAPTER TITLE

STUDENT'S DECLARATION

SUPERVISOR'S DECLARATION

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

ABSTRAK

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF FIGURES

LIST OF APPENDICES

LIST OF SYMBOLS

IN1 [RODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Problem Statement

1.3 Objectives

1.4 Scopes

1.5 Thesis organization

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iv

V

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VU

VIII

XII

XII'

Xvi

XVII

1

2

4

5

6

6

2

LITERATURE REVIEW 7

2.1 Introduction 7 2.2 Studies on Related System io

2.2.1 Example of Class Schedule for the Existing System 12 2.3 Studies on hnplementation & Techniques 21

2.3.1 Categories to be consider 23 2.3.2 Differences Developing Application between

Mobile and Desktop 24 2.4 Methodology of Mobile Application Development 27

2.4.1 iPhone Application Development 28

2.4.2 Blackberry Application Development 30 2.4.3 Android Application Development 31

2.4.4 Windows Mobile Application 33 2.5 Technologies Term in Project 34

2.5.1 Database 35 2.5.2 Web Services 36 2.5.3 XIvIL 37

2.6 Conclusion 40

3 METHODOLOGY 41

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3.1 Introduction

3.1.1 Research Technique

3.2 System Development Life Cycle

3.3 Planning

3.4 Analysis

3.5 Design

3.5.1 Flowchart

3.5.2 Entity Relations Diagram

41

42

43

45

46

48

49

50

4

5

3.5.3 Data Flow Diagram 53

3.5.4Storyboards 54

3.5.5 Sketch Design 57 3.5.6 Database Design 64

3.6 Implementation 67 3.7 Testing & Maintenace 67 3.8 Software Requirements 67 3.9 Hardware Requirements 68 4.0 Conclusion 69

IMPLEMENTATION 70

4.1 Interfaces Development

4.1.1 Login Page 71 4.1.2 User Page 72 4.1.3 User Information Page 73 4.1.4 Class Schedule Page 76 4.1.5 Lecturer Information Page 77 4.1.6 Event Page 78

4.2 Database 79 4.3 Web Service so

4.3.1 Web Service Connection Code 81 4.3.2 Web Service runs in IE 97

RESULT AND DISCUSSION 99

5.0 Introduction 99 5.1 Discussion and Result 100

5. 1.1 Result 100

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xi

5.1.2 Discussion 108 5.2 Lesson Learnt 109 5.3 Advantages and Disadvantages 110

5.3.1 Advantages 110 5.3.2 Disadvantages 111

5.4 Constraints 112 5.5 Assumptions and Further Reseacrh

112

6 CONCLUSION

114

6.0 Summary 114

REFERENCES 116

APPENDICES A 119

APPENDICES B 121

LIST OF TABLES

TABLE NO. TITLE PAGE

2.1 Mobile Application Types ii 2.2 Example of Database for a Module 36 3.1 Login Table 64 3.2 Student Table 65 3.3 Subject Table 65 3.4 Lecturer Table 65 3.5 Schedule Table 66 3.6 Event Table 66 3.7 Section Table 66 3.8 Software Requirement 68 3.9 Hardware Requirement 69

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LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE NO. TITLE PAGE

2.1 Schedule of courses at The Pennsylvania State 13

University's Website

2.2 Schedule of Classes of University of Maryland 14

2.3 Class schedule of University of Albany, New York 15

2.4 University of Hawaii's Class Schedule 16

2.5 Schedule of Classes of University of Michigan 17

2.6 American University Homepage For Schedule Of Classes 18

2.7 Login To E-Cornmunity Page 19

2.8 Student Information 19

2.9 Basic Class Schedule 20

2.10 Class Schedule Via Website 20

2.11 Printed Class Schedule 21

(a) Board's Class Schedule

(b) Class Schedule for Level

(c) Example of Class Schedule

2.12 Designs Of Interface Due to Limited Screen Size 25

of Mobile Phone

2.13 Screen Size And Resolutions 26

2.14 Marketing Logo 28

2.15 iPhone Mobile 29

2.16 Mobile Application Platform Software Stack 34

2.17 Basic Web Service Architecture 37

2.18 Communication Network 38

2.19 Mobile Traffic Information System 39

xlii

3.1 System Development Life - Cycle (SDLC) 44 3.2 Phase of SDLC 44 3.3 Survey Questionnaire 47 3.4 Flow of the System 49 3.5 Login & User Infor Entity Relationship Diagram 50 3.6 Event Entity Relationship Diagram 51 3.7 Schedule & Leóturer Info Entity Relationship Diagram 52 3.8 Context Diagram 53 3.9 DFD Level 0 53 3.10 Storyboards

(a) Login Page 54

(b) Menu Page 54

(c) User Information Page 55

(d) Class Schedule 55 (e) Lecturer Information 56 (f) Event 56

3.11 Login page of the CSM system 57 3.12 Student Menu page of CSM system 58 3.13 Lecturer Menu page 59 3.14 Student Information 60 3.15 Lecturer Information 60 3.16 Class Schedule 61 3.17 Lecturer Information Page 62 3.18 Event 63 3.19 Class Notification .1 64 4.1 Login Page 71 4.2. Student Main Menu Page 72 4.3 Lecturer Main Menu Page 73 4.4 Student Info Page 74 4.5 Lecturer Information Page 75 4.6 Class Schedule Page for Student 76

xiv

4.7 Lecturer Info Page in Student Module 77 4.8 Create Event Page 79 4.9 Class Notification 78 4.10 Database Table 80 4.11 Main connection web method 82 4.12 Login web method 83 4.13 Get_Studentlnfo web method 84 4.14 Section web method 87 4.15 GetTirne web method 88 4.16 Schedule web method 88 4.17 Get_lecinfo web method 89 4.18 Get_lecname web method 92 4.19 Get_lecturesubject web method 95

4.20 Set—event web method 95

4.21 GetEvent web method 97 4.22 Web Service 98 5.1 Login Page for Student 101 5.2 Student Main Menu 102 5.3 Student Info 103 5.4 Class Schedule 104 5.5 Lecturer Information for Spesific Subject 105 5.6 Create Evt 106 5.7 Class Notification 107

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xvi

LIST OF APPENDICES

APPENDIX TITLE PAGE

A

Gantt Chart 119

B User Manual 121

LIST OF SYMBOLS

CSM - Class Schedule via Mobile

VB - Visual Basic

ID - Identification

UMP - University Malaysia Pahang

GPS - Geographical Positioning System

SDLC - System Development Life Cycle

ERD - Entity Relationship Diagram

xvii

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

This chapter will give a brief description and overview for the project includes of

Problem Statements, Objectives of the project, Scopes and Thesis Organization.

Through this chapter, it will be easy to define and show clearly the goals of this project.

In this chapter, it would help to aim the project to be successful develop later.

2

1.1 Introduction

Mobile phone is considered as an essential part of today's modern life. For some

people, they cannot even last an hour without their mobile phone. Application such as

reminder, calendar and alarm clock is so common in today's mobile phone; practically

all of modern mobile phone contains such application. Besides that, it is common for a

mobile phone to allow the user to download new application which greatly enhanced its

functionality beyond mere calling and personal organizing.

A mobile phone is an electronic device used for full duplex two-way radio

telecommunications over a cellular network of base stations known as cell sites. Mobile

phones differ from cordless telephones, which only offer telephone service within

limited range through a single base station attached to a fixed land line, for example

within a home or an office[1]. In addition to being a telephone, modern mobile phones

also features many additional services and functions such as SMS, email, Internet

access, gaming, Bluetooth and infrared short range wireless communication, camera,

MMS messaging, MP3 player, radio and GPS. Low-end mobile phones are often

referred to as feature phones, whereas high-end mobile phones that offer more advanced

computing ability are referred as Smartphone. A Smartphone is a mobile phone that

offers more advanced computing ability and connectivity than a contemporary basic

feature phone [2]. Smartphone and feature phones may be thought as handheld

computers integrated within a mobile telephone, but while most feature phones are able

to run applications based on platforms such as Java ME, [3] a Smartphone allows the

user to install and run more advanced applications based on a specific platform.

Smartphone run complete operating system software providing a platform for

application developers [4].

3

University of Malaysia Pahang (UMP) is an institute of higher-learning located

in Pahang, Malaysia and it has two different campuses which are located at Gambang

and Pekan, both in the state of Pahang. Every year, there will be thousands of new

students enrolled for undergraduate studies in UMP. For every new semester, students

will be given a printed schedule of their session for current semester which can also be

viewed via UMP official website; E-community (http://www.ump.edu.my) [5]. The

printed schedule usually contains days, time, subject code, lecturer's name, section and

also the class location. Class schedule in E-community also provides the information

except there is no lecturer's code but with the addition of subject name. This kind of

schedule usually leave students, frustrated and confused since they cannot get the exact

lecturer's code that teach them the subjects they are registered for current semester.

They also tend to forget the subject code which leads to difficulties with printed

schedule provided by the faculty which only contains the subject code.

The project developed, aptly named "Class Schedule via Mobile by Using

Simulator" is essentially trying to solve this very problem. Student can get information

about their class schedule without getting confused along the way. Information such

Name, IC number, Course and Program can also be easily displayed in Student

Information module. It can also help them get more information about lecturer in the

Lecturer Information under students module. It makes it easier for them to contact their

lecturer for teaching and learning purposes. In addition to the Students Module, there is

also Lecturers Module, which lecturers can also view their information and can keep

updating the event notification for the students. This application of Event Notification

would help lecturers to easily inform the students about their class every single day

without need to login through the E-comm.

4

1.2 Problem Statements

As we know, there are several problems occurred for students when using the

printed class schedule. They encountered some difficulties to understand the class

schedule for the first time user because it is not user friendly enough. To prove this,

some conversations with a number of students is done about this matter. From the

result, 65% of them find it is hard to understand the schedule when they are using it for

the first time. Therefore, here are the problem statements that can be highlighted in

order to develop this project.

i. Printed class schedule that is currently used now is not friendly user whereby

it shows all students sections for the particular batch on the same class

schedule. Therefore, there will be more than one section on a piece of paper

thus will confusing them.

ii. Not all students know the code or short form name of the lecturer for the

subject registered that have stated on the printed class schedule especially on

early of the semester. Students commonly getting a mistake while writing

the lecturers' full name especially while submitting the assignments and

reports.

Students sometimes are not be able to meet their lecturers before the class or

else they do not even know who is the lecturei that teach for the subjects

taken.

iv. The printed class schedule has only the subject code while via website; it has

only listed the subject name too below the class schedule. Besides, they may

forget to bring it before going to the class.

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V. The printed class schedule is highly in cost because it needs a number of

students to print their schedules. Therefore, the usage of paper is getting

increased.

1.3 Objectives

To successfully develop a project, numerous requirements and high

concentration is needed to ensure it will run smoothly. The objectives here are to

overcome the problems occur in the previous system. In order to convince that this

project will be a success, .a survey has been done to 30 respondents consist of IJMP

students. 25 out of 30 students do agree that this project is useful where it translates to

83% of the respondent. The objectives of this project are to:

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i. Develop a prototype Class Schedule via Mobile by using Simulator to view

out the class schedule every semester.

ii. Create and help to construct a safe environment and lower the cost for

printing out the schedule for a number of students.

1.4 Scope

Every project developed must have aim and would point out to certain

possessions. Here are the project scopes of this simulator mobile application:

i. This prototype system is focusing on the target users who are UMP students

and lecturers in Computer Systems & Software Engineering Faculty.

Provide a system in future that can give information to students concerning

who is the lecturer for the subjects registered for the current semester that

would ease them to meet their lecturers before the class starts.

ii. The modules to be used are LoginFrom, Student, Lecturer, Schedule, Section,

Event, and Subject that will be keeping as data in SQL SERVER for

database.

iii. Software that can be used is Visual Studio 2008 that runs Windows Mobile

platform by using simulator.

iv. The advantages of using this application is it is easy to view out through

mobile phone soon it build into the mobile without bring any printed class

schedule anymore.

V. The prototype SQL database is used to show how the project of this

prototype mobile application will interact withthe server to get the data.

1.5 Thesis Organization

This thesis consists of six chapters:

Chapter 1 is Introduction part that explains the project overview of the system,

the main objectives of -the project where those objectives are approaching from the

problem statements. As well, it clearly defined the scopes of the project to be focus on

in this system.

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Literature Review is in Chapter 2. It is focusing on the studies and discussion of

the existing system or else the related information about the project. The comparisons

and opinions are declared in this chapter.

In Chapter 3, it is about the methodology terms to be discussed on in developing

the project. Through this chapter, it wills reviews all the technology and methods that

are used to develop and implement the project. The development process used is also

defined as a guideline in the system development such as SDLC.

Implementation is in chapter 4 which describes the process involved in the

system development. It explains the development of the project with some details about

the database and designs in the system.

Chapter 5, Results and Discussion are presented in this chapter where it shows

the output of the system and the new prototype of the system after the implementation

phase. The good values and constraints of the system also have discussed to improve

the system for future development.

The Conclusion is assigned under Chapter 6 which concludes the mobile

application system development with the upcoming potential.

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter will briefly defined the studies and discussion on the existing

system, the technologies in the system and other related information regarding the project.

2.1 Introduction

Mobile applications and technologies era have been urbanized in this entire

world. Therefore, this era makes people around the world need those applications and

technologies in the mobile phones to create a better life for themselves. In order to have

a better life for future, they need to know all the applications and technologies they

needed in each of the mobile phones in market presently. According to Mobile

Marketing Association (Sep 2008), mobile applications are rapidly developing segment

of the global mobile market. They consist of software that runs on a mobile device and

performs certain tasks for the users of mobile application. Also known as downloadable,

mobile applications are common on most phones, including inexpensive, entry-level

model. "A phone is not a PC, it is a smaller, more intimate device, and too many phones

are made to look like PCs. We wanted to come up with a user design that was different,

that moved beyond the metaphor of the PC." (Joe Belfiore, Vice President of Windows

Phone) No matter what it is, this phenomenon had attracted the whole community in

University of Malaysia Pahang (UMP) to go along with this new development of life.

University of Malaysia Pahang is located at Bandar MEC, Gambang had been developed

to produce the potential students and staffs for future used. Every year, there are

thousands intake in UMP of new undergraduate students and a few of postgraduate

students in several different courses offered in UMP.

Every new semester starts, students will be given a piece of printed class

schedule that is using for their teaching and learning purposes. The faculties will print

out about a number of sheets for the students to ease them to look at their class schedule

instead of by viewing it out through the E-community website which needs the students

to online and access to the internet through the laptop. The printed class schedule

contains the days, time, subject code, lecturer's code and section name. The printed

class schedule is quite confusing the students as it states all the students' class schedule

for every level in their major on a piece of paper. Therefore, students have to know their

sections to ensure they will go to the right class everyday without missed a class though.

Unfortunately, not all the students know the lecturer's code and subject code especially

if they are new students or never have a class with the lecturer before. Therefore,

through this mobile application, the students in UMP would easily know about some

information before they go to the class everyday by referring to the class schedule

application via their mobile phones with getting access to the wireless internet. The

application would help them through giving out the lecturers' name and subject name for

that particular semester. Besides, the contrast of having printed class schedule is they

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need to bring all the way the printed paper by hands everyday while via the mobile

application, they could easily viewing the class schedule and also the class notification

via the Internet as well people are always not forget to bring the mobile phones

anywhere they will go because of realizing the importance and benefits of the mobile

phones itself. So, it is more easily to have this application compare to the printed class

schedule.

2.2 Studies on Related Systems using Mobile Applications

Regardless of how the applications are delivered to users, mobile applications are

a large and continuously growing market and served by an increasing number of mobile

applications developers, publishers and providers. There are different types of mobile

application have been differentiated from technical view of point regarding the runtime

environment in which mobile applications are executed. Those are: (Mobile Marketing

Association, 2008)

i. Native platforms and operating systems, such as Symbian, Windows Mobile

and Linux.

ii. Mobile web, browser runtimes, such as Moziila/ Firefox, Webldt, Opera Mini

and RIM.

Other managed platforms and virtual machines, such as Java/J2ME, BREW,

Flashlight and Silverlight.

These are the main types of mobile applications that shown in Table 2.1,:

Table 2.1: Mobile Application types

FlorMobile r':T7 lT1T Types ConimunicatiTons:

E-mail Clients IM crent - Mobirer Web and Internet Browsers - Jewsflnformation CLlnts - On-Device Portals (Java Pth-taIs)

Social Network Clients Games

Puzzleitrategy (eg.. Thtris, Sucloku. lMah-jong, Chess. Board Games) - Cardstasine (eg., SolltaFre, Brackjack. Roulette. Poker) - Action/Adventure (e.g.. Doom. Pirates of the Caribbean, Role-Playing Games)

Sports: (g. Football. Soccer. Tennis. Basketball, Racing, Bo)(ing, Skiing) -. Leisure Sports (e.g., Bowling. Pool. Darts, Fishing, Air Hockey)

Multimedia-- Graphics/Image Viewers - Presentation Viewers - Video Players

Audio Players - Streaming Players(Audio/Video),

Productivity: - Calendars; - Calculators - Diary

Notepad/MemNor Processors -. Spreadsheets - Directory Services (e.g.. yeltow pages)

Banking/Finance Travel-,

City Guides - Qnrency Conwters - Trarisators

GPS1aps - ItrnerariesFsedures -Weaer

Utilities;

- Profile Manager - e SaeW5creen Sayers - Address nook - Task Manager - Can Manager - File Manager

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