HCI-631 Project #1:
An XML-based Interface Construction System
Due: Noon on Thursday, 5 September

This project asks you to create a user interface made up of common GUI widgets under the direction of a driver program provided to you. The provided driver reads an XML-based interface definition from a file and translates this into method calls on a class that you create. An example interface definition and the resulting interface might look like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <interface> <label text="The Title" x="10" y="10" w="100" h="20"/> <separator x="40" y="10" w="100" h="3"/> <button name="btn1" label="A Button" x="50" y="10" w="100" h="20"/> <exit-button name="exit" label="Exit" x="80" y="10" w="100" h="20"/> </interface>

To complete this project, you need to provide a class named UICreator in the hci631.project1 package. This class should be a sub-class of the abstract class Creator, which requires you to implement the methods shown in the table below. We also provide you with the source file of Creator, which contains comments and other useful information.

To complete your UICreator class, you will need to provide implementations for each of the abstract methods in Creator. Each of the add*() methods will be called to specify an interface item that is to be added to your interface. Each of these items corresponds to a component that is already available for you in the javax.swing package, as shown in the table below.

The finished() method is called to inform you that all of the interface items have been given (which should be your signal to do any final layout or sizing that is needed).

In addition to implementing the abstract methods in Creator, your UICreator will also need to have a constructor with the following signature:

public UICreator( JFrame pFrame )

The constructor will be invoked initially to provide you with a JFrame, the window in which you should display your components. Note that this JFrame is also a required parameter for the constructor of the Creator super-class, so you will need to call super( pFrame ) as the first line of the UICreator constructor. You will construct your interface by adding components to the content pane of the JFrame with the add method (e.g. JFrame.getContentPane.add( component )). You should arrange for all of the components to be (potentially) visible in the final interface by resizing the JFrame using the setSize() method, or providing a mechanism to scroll through the items (possibly using a javax.swing.JScrollPane).

Once the interface has been constructed, your class should arrange to have it execute properly. In this case, you will need to create a Listener object for each of the interactive components that you create (Buttons, ComboBoxes, and ScrollBars). Each listener should call the outputString() method of Creator to output a text string that contains the name of the component and its current state. The table below shows the type of listener to use for each component and the format of the string that should be outputted by the listener. NOTE: Do not use System.out.println() to output a text string for this purpose and also do not use outputString() to output other text strings that are not in the format described below. This will circumvent/interfere with the grading process and result in a lower grade for you!

Resources
This project should be done using the Java 2 SDK version 1.4, which can be downloaded from here. You may also do the project with earlier versions of the Java 2 development environment, provided you download and install the Java API for XML Processing (JAXP) from here. You can also find documentation for the Java toolkit and a Java tutorial on the java website at http://java.sun.com. See the course syllabus for more information on learning about Java and for Java development environments.

The source code for the Driver and Creator classes, a starting point for your UICreator class, and several sample XML files can be downloaded from http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~jeffreyn/class/05-631/proj1/code/. In addition, a sample executable can be downloaded from that location (in UICreator.jar).

Turning Your Program In
Your program is due at noon on Thursday, 5 September. You should turn in your assignment via e-mail to jeffreyn@cs.cmu.edu whose subject contains the string "631 project1 turnin for " and then your Andrew ID. What you turn in should take the form of a single "zip" file (as an attachment to your e-mail message) that contains the source code (UICreator.java) for your UICreator class and any needed support classes. Do not send multiple attached files (i.e., one attachment for each source file). Again, be certain to include the string "631 project1 turnin for " and then your Andrew ID, in the subject of your message.

Grading
Your program will be compiled and run on my machine against test cases unknown to you. If your program performs properly, is well-structured, and is copiously documented you will receive 92 out of 100 points (a low A). To receive additional points you need to do something "extra" of your own design that improves the program in some way. The available "extra" points will be allocated by comparing and subjectively ranking all the additional features turned in (8 points will go to the best program(s), 6 points to others, 4 points to others, and at least 2 points to the rest). Please describe any "extra" features that you have included in your turn in e-mail message. If you need to change the driver class in order to implement your extra features, please tell me about this when you turn in your program and include modified source for the driver in your zip file. NOTE: The driver should remain compatible with the existing XML files (i.e., it may extend the current format but not change it) so the same test framework can be used.

The tentative detailed grading breakdown for this assignment is as follows:

Test cases will be designed to test base functionality as well as boundary conditions. Comments in your code should document each class, method, variable, and parameter, as well as provide comments need to understand the logic within the body of the code. Please use JavaDoc comments where appropriate. Format your code to be readable (e.g., use indentation) and to make it easy to find methods and other declarations (e.g., via white space and/or explicit separators).