Help:COAP-3180

This article or section is currently under construction

In principle, someone is working on it and there should be a better version in a not so distant future.
If you want to modify this page, please discuss it with the person working on it (see the "history")

Introduction

This is aresource page for my Fall II 2007 Web Databases course (COAP 3180) at Webster University, Geneva. This page does not replace the official syllabus file, but it allows students to navigate more efficiently through the materials

Course level outcomes

At the completion of this course students will be able to:

1. Use simple Web 2.0 database services
2. Manipulate data using SQL operations and create simple SQL databases in a DBMS.
3. Understand the architecture of a simple web application (HTML client / Web server / Script / Database). Be able use a LAMP/WAMP software bundle and install a web application.
4. Generate a very simple web application that can connect to a database management system (DBMS) through an ODBC API.
5. Understand/recall XML basics, like converting text files to XML, editing an XML file using a schema and displaying XML data.
6. Be able to query and update XML data files and XML Databases using XQuery and XQuery Update.
7. Understand the purpose of address and authentication servers and be able to use LDAP-based address books in an e-mail client.

Program

This program is provisional and will be adjusted on a weekly basis.

Week 1

Light-weight databases and web 2.0

Topics Covered

(1) Introduction

• Internet, the WWW and web databases
• Slides: http://tecfa.unige.ch/guides/te/files/webdatabases-intro.pdf (PDF, copies of the slides distributed in class)

(2) Web 2.0 vs. "traditional Internet"

• An ever increasing amount of applications are available through the Internet. Many of these applications can be shared, others are by definition "social software" (e.g. wikis, youtube, flickr, blogs).
• Reading: O'Reilly Tim (2005), What is Web 2.0
• Additional resource: This wiki, e.g. start from the rich internet application article.

(3) Simple on-line database services

• Learn how to create and use simple tabular databases with a web 2.0 service

Classroom activities and homework

Clasroom activitiy 1: Zoho Creator

• Take an account with Zoho:
  • http://www.zoho.com/
• Create a database with Zoho Creator

Classroom activitiy 2: Pageflakes

• Create an account with Pageflakes: :
  • http://student.pageflakes.com/ (variant for students)
  • http://www.pageflakes.com (variant for all other)
• Configure the first page as private page
• Create a new page, import the Zoho database and make this page public (i.e. a pagecast)

Homework

See homework 1

Week 2

Topics Covered

Short overview of databases

• What is a Database?
• Types of Databases
• Database Models
• Relational data base management systems (RDBMS) and ownership of databases

Web applications

• Application architectures / frameworks overview
• WAMP/LAMP software bundles and applications
• Installation of web applications

Reading

To be announced

Homework

Configuration of a portal in a WAMP system or with an Internet provide

Week 3

Topics Covered

Relational databases

• Introduction to SQL:
• Retrieving and modifying Data
• Creation of SQL tables with MySQL
• Relational tables
• Overview of other RDBMS

Reading

To be announced

Homework

Create a simple 1-table MySQL database with a database administration tool.

Week 4

Topics Covered

Working with the LAMP bundle

• Principles of PHP programming
• Simple PHP/MySQL interaction

Other application frameworks (.Net, J2EE)

Reading

To be announced

Tests

Mid Term Exam

Homework

Generation of a simple web application with a code generator. This homework is a follow-up of homework 3.

Week 5

Topics Covered

Introduction to XML

• Crash Course introduction to XML and XSLT
• Editing XML files using a schema (DTD and/or XML Schema).
• Querying XML Documents using XPath and simple XSLT templates

Reading

To be announced

Homework

Create a valid XML file with an XML editor and modify an XSLT template to retrieve a fragment.

Week 6

Topics Covered

Introduction to XQuery and XQuery Update

XML databases

Reading

To be announced

Homework

XML database query exercise. This homework is a follow-up of homework 5.

Week 7

Topics Covered

Database to XML Sources

Working with Relational Data as XML

Reading

To be announced

Homework

Integration of an XML data source in a web page. This homework is a follow-up of homework 3.

Week 8

Topics Covered

Authentication systems and address books

Review of web application architectures

Reading

None

Tests

Final Exam

Homework

None

Homework and exams

Breakdown

Homework (six best)	60%
Midterm and Final exams	40%

List of homework

I will hand out one homework/week.

homework 1