CI230 Business Applications Programming I

Welcome to the study of business applications processing using the programming language COBOL. COBOL is the most widely used computer language in the world. Since it is used primarily in business applications (the name comes from COmmon Business Oriented Language), most of the problems we will look at this semester are related to the business world. We will concentrate on the algorithms and program design for implementation of these applications. You will not become experts of COBOL during this semester, nor will we cover all that there is to know or use in this language, but the programs will give you a foundation and familiarity in its use. The programs will be relatively simple in nature, but they will take a lot of your time, so be prepared! There is much to learn, and little time to learn it in, so the first classes will cover as much as possible of the fundamentals to get you started designing and programming, and the later classes will go into more detail, get into some more advanced parts of COBOL (sort, table handling) and will concentrate on giving you the experience of programming. After all, "practice makes perfect".

We will start the semester by designing and writing programs using sequential files from library members, and will end the semester by building and using sequential disk files. The algorithms we will examine and develop will be specifically geared toward business file processing using COBOL.

The main objectives of this course are to become familiar with:

business-oriented algorithms

the solutions to a problem

structured programming

a programming style in which the structure of a program (i.e. the interrelationship of its parts) is made as clear as possible by using three control logic structures - sequence, selection, and repetition;programmers build modules which are short, one-functioned segments that have exactly one starting point and one ending point

top-down design

design of a program in a top to bottom (general to specific) manner using short program segments

file usage

to be able to create a file on a secondary storage device and to access it to store and retrieve data

COBOL

a high-level computer language that is problem-oriented and relatively machine independent; it is used in both business and government for programming business data processing applications

TEXT:

COBOL by Design, by Klein and Cabrera, Franklin, Beedle & Associates, 1994

GRADING:

6 programs - 50% 3 exams - 50%

There will be no make-up tests or quizzes. In the event that an exam or quiz is missed, the comprehensive final exam grade will be used for the missed grade. All assignments are expected to be handed in at the beginning of the class on the due date. A penalty of 5% per day will be assessed to late assignments.

Friday, February 21 1997 10:11