CPSC 343 Syllabus

Week 1: 8/28-9/1

Topics: introduction, data modeling (ER model)

Reading: EN ch 1-2 (read during the first week); EN 3.1-3.4 (Wed); 3.5-3.7.3 (Fri)
Plan to do the readings before class on the day listed, so that class time can be spent on addressing questions and trickier topics.

Optional Reading: EN 3.7.4, 3.8

Handouts:

• reading ER diagrams (examples) (PDF)
• ER design examples (PDF)

Week 2: 9/4-9/8

Topics: data modeling: ER model and relational model

Reading: EN 3.9, 4.1-4.3 (Mon); EN ch 5 (Fri)

Examples: discussion of ternary relationship examples not discussed in class

Handouts:

• example: airline reservation system specifications (PDF)
• reading diagrams: airline reservation system (PDF)
• how codeshares might be handled (PDF)
• ternary relationships (PDF)
• specialization/generalization (PDF)

Week 3: 9/11-9/15

Topics: relational model, ER-to-relational mapping

Reading: EN 7.1.1, 7.2.1 (Wed)

Examples: mapping binary relationship types (PDF)

Week 4: 9/18-9/22

Topics: relational algebra

Reading: EN 6.1-6.5 (Mon)
Skim sections 6.3.5 and 6.4.3.

Handouts:

• sailor-boat-reservation: sample relational algebra queries along with selected solutions (PDF)
• using the RA interpeter (PDF)
  Note: the command for starting the interpreter in our environment is
  /classes/f06/cs343/bin/run-ra dbname
  where "dbname" is the name of the database you want to work with. You'll get Java classpath errors if you use the command given on the first page of the handout.

Week 5: 9/25-9/29

Topics: relational calculus

Reading: EN 6.6 except 6.6.5 (Mon)

Handouts:

• sailor-boat-reservation: selected solutions for relational calculus queries (PDF)
• library books: selected solutions for relational algebra and relational calculus queries (PDF)

Week 6: 10/2-10/6

Topics: exam, SQL (data definition, insert/delete/update, basic queries)

Reading: EN 8.1-8.3, 8.6, 8.4.1 (Wed)
Note: The readings have been changed slightly from what was originally posted. If you don't quite get to everything in the new version for Wednesday, read it before Friday.

Handouts:

• sailor-boat-reservation: sample SQL data definition tasks and queries and selected solutions (PDF)
• SQL syntax summary (PDF)

Week 7: 10/9-10/13

Topics: SQL (queries)

Reading: EN 8.4-8.5 (Fri)

Handouts:

• sailor-boat-reservation: sample SQL data definition tasks and queries and selected solutions (PDF)
• tips on writing SQL queries

Week 8: 10/16-10/20

Topics: SQL (queries)

Reading: EN 8.9 (Fri)

Optional Reading: EN 8.7-8.8 (Fri)

Handouts:

• sailor-boat-reservation: sample SQL data definition tasks and queries and selected solutions (PDF)
• SQL SELECT syntax summary (PDF)

Week 9: 10/23-10/27

Topics: SQL wrapup, web applications (HTML, PHP)

Reading: EN 8.9 (Mon); EN 9.1, 26.1-26.3.3, HTML Quick Start, PHP Language Quick Start, PHP Local Quick Start (Wed)
How to read the Quick Starts (and other documentation): first, look at the table of contents to get an overview of what information is available; second, skim through the text to gain a more detailed overview of what can be done and what techniques are appropriate for different tasks; third, read individual sections carefully and work through the examples when you have a particular application for which the material in that section is relevant.

Optional Reading: EN 9.2-9.3 (for more specifics on different approaches to database programming)

Examples:

• all Quick Start examples

Week 10: 10/30-11/3

Topics: web applications (HTML, PHP, DB access)

Reading: EN 26.4, PHP MySQL Quick Start (Wed)
Focus on the "Querying a Database and Displaying Results" part of the PHP MySQL Quick Start. (The other sections involve form processing, which we'll get to next week.)
Skim 26.4 to get an overview of the process but don't worry about the details - we'll be using a different library to connect to MySQL (as outlined in the PHP MySQL Quick Start).

Examples:

• all Quick Start examples
• allreservations2.php / PHP source (more complex formatting of sailor reservations)

Week 11: 11/6-11/10

Topics: web applications (HTML forms, sessions, cookies)

Reading: EN 26.2, 26.3.4, PHP Web Quick Start, PHP MySQL Quick Start (Mon)
Focus on the rest of the PHP MySQL Quick Start (the parts not assigned last week).

Examples:

• all Quick Start examples

Week 12: 11/13-11/17

Topics: review, exam, disks and files

Reading: EN 13.1-13.8.2 (Fri)

Week 13: 11/20-11/24

Topics: files and indexing

Reading: EN 14.1-14.2

Week 14: 11/27-12/1

Topics: files and indexing, query processing

Reading: EN 14.2 (Mon), 15.1-15.4 (Wed)

Optional Reading: EN 15.5.1

Week 15: 12/4-12/8

Topics: query optimization, database tuning, project demos

Reading: EN 15.7-15.8 (Mon), EN ch 16 (Wed)
Skip the part of 16.1.2 about denormalization and 16.2.2; skim 16.2.3-16.2.4.

Handouts:

• summary of notation and formulas for query cost evaluation (PDF)

Examples:

• computing query costs (PDF)

Reading Period & Exams: 12/9-12/15

last updated: --Thu Dec 7 14:06:08 EST 2006--
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