UAR Components
In course section 1.3.3 How to Write a Usability Aspect Report (UAR) you will learn about the major components of a UAR. For this exercise, you are to create an application that will help you memorize what each component of a UAR should contain.
The application you create should feature two functions: 1) when a user selects a UAR component by number, the application should display a description of the component’s contents; and 2) when a user specifies a keyword or phrase, the application should search the displayed description for occurrences of that keyword or phrase and display a count of the number of occurrences and the positions of first and last occurrences, in terms of an offset—number of characters from the beginning of the description
Description
Following the design tips and programming guidelines found in the Zak textbook (see pages 747-50), you should create the application to consist of the elements below (see the example interface above):
- Seven label controls listing the UAR components;
- A text box control for displaying as output the text of selected UAR component content descriptions. Again, following the GUI design and programming guidelines (Zak, pages 747–50), set the control’s ReadOnly property to True , TabStop property to False , MultiLine property to True , and ScrollBars property to Vertical ;
- An identifying label control describing the purpose of the output text box (for example, the "UAR component description:" label in the above example interface);
- Two text box controls to accept user input: one text box to accept the list number of the UAR component content description to be displayed (Note that for this text box valid input will consist of only one numeric character); and one text box to accept a keyword to be searched for (Note that the search function should not be case-sensitive);
- Two identifying label controls, each one describing the purpose of one of the input text boxes;
- Two command buttons, one to initiate the display function and other to initiate the search function (see the " D isplay" and " S earch" buttons on the example interface above), be sure to provide access keys for these command buttons;
- Two label controls for displaying the keyword’s first and last positions (Note that when a search is not performed [or when a keyword is not found], these controls should not be visible);
- An identifying label acting as a heading for the labels displaying the keyword’s first and last positions (refer to the "Found at:" label on the above interface);
- An "Exit" command button.
Scenario
A. Display a description of a selected UAR component’s contents
- When a user enters a valid UAR component list number and clicks the "Display" button, the application displays a description of this component’s contents in the output text box.
- When a user enters an invalid input value or enters no value at all and clicks the "Display" button, the application informs the user of the error in a message box, which prompts them for a value from the range of valid of numbers (for example, "Please enter a value 1 through 7") and, when the user has input a value, highlighting the invalid input.
B. Search a displayed UAR component content description for a keyword or phrase
-
When a user enters a keyword and that keyword is present in the content description currently displayed in the output text box, the application should display
- The position of the first occurrence of the keyword (an offset in number of characters from the beginning of the description); and
- The position of the last occurrence of the keyword (an offset in number of characters from the beginning of the description);
- A message box indicating the number of occurrences of the keyword in the content description and asking if the user wants to search the same description for a different keyword.
-
When a user enters a keyword and that keyword is
not
present in the content description currently displayed in the output text box, the application should display
- A message box informing the user that the string was not found and asking if the user wants to search same description for a different keyword.
-
When a user clicks the "Search" button but has
not
entered a keyword, the application should
- Display a message box prompting the user to enter a keyword; and
- Direct the user where the keyword should be entered after the user acknowledges the prompt.
- If a user wants to search the same description for a different keyword, the application should highlight (that is, select) the keyword previously entered in the input text, directing the user where the new keyword should be entered;
- Otherwise, when the user does not want to search the same description, the application should clear the contents of both input text boxes and direct the user how to start the search process over again;
-
When a user enters a keyword and no UAR component content description is currently displayed, the application should
- Display a message box prompting the user to select a UAR component content description to be searched; and
- Direct the user how to continue using the application—that is, if no component number is entered, the application should set focus to the default text box; otherwise, the application should set the focus to the "Display" button.
- The application should close when user clicks the "Exit" button.
Task Steps
- Code the application according to the specifications and scenarios outlined above.
- Test your application with all possible combinations of user input—or lack of input.
Resources
- An executable like the application you are asked to create, click UARComponents.exe . (From Internet Explorer, select the "Run this program" option of the "File download" dialog box that appears—from Netscape, save and double-click the file UARComponents.exe.)
- UAR component content descriptions found in section 1.3.3 How to Write a Usability Aspect Report (UAR) . Feel free to copy and paste them.
- The GUI design and programming guidelines found in the Zak textbook on pages 547–50.
Submission
Submit the following files:
- A project archive named UARComponents.zip
