Unit 12 Software Development

Characteristics and uses of software

programs

Timmy Trieu
2A.P1) Explain the purpose of two simple
programs and their characteristics,
including tools and techniques used.
Purpose – Maze game
• Explain one purpose of the maze game program

• The purpose of the maze game program is to entertain as it’s a game.

• It can also be used to reflect on what to improve on it.

Screenshots – Maze game program
• Provide a screenshot of program functionality
Characteristics – Maze game program
• Provide an explanation of the following characteristics:
- Programming language used (Visual Basic)

- Module and sub-routines (What are they?) A sub routine is procedures that you
can define in visual basic and a module is a set of of standard parts of an unit that
can be used to make more in total. Visual basic uses sub routines to break down
the parts into modules.

- Variables and Data Types (What variables were used? What data types were they?
Why were they used?) The variables used in the maze game program is
“picturearray” and “X” and for the data types its “ PictureBox”. They are used to
identify the value of the variable and so it can operate and be performed.
- Mathematical Operators (What are they? What operators were used
and why?) They’re used to perform many of familiar arithmetic
operators that involve the calculation of number value.

Commenting (Why was the code commented?)

The code was commented so that its purpose is of making the source
code easier for us to understand, and are generally ignored by
compilers and interrupters
Code and commenting – Maze game program
Purpose - Languages program
• Explain one purpose of the language program

One purpose for the language program was to inform the audience on
different languages whilst saying “hello world”.
Screenshots - Languages program

• Provide a screenshot of program functionality

Characteristics - Languages program
• Provide an explanation of the following characteristics:
- Programming language used (Visual Basic)

- Module and sub-routines (What are they?) A sub routine is procedures that
you can define in visual basic and a module is a set of of standard parts of
an unit that can be used to make more in total. Visual basic uses sub
routines to break down the parts into modules.

- Variables and Data Types (What variables were used? What data types were
they? Why were they used?) The only variable and data types were used
were “E”. This was used so it can identify the variable so it can be performed.
- Mathematical Operators (What are they? What operators were used and
why?) They’re used to perform many of familiar arithmetic operators that
involve the calculation of number value.

- Commenting (Why was the code commented?) The code was

commented so that its purpose is of making the source code easier for
us to understand and are generally ignored by compilers and
interrupters.
Code and commenting – Languages program

• Provide a screenshot of code (with commenting)

 2A.M1) Comment on the quality of one of the
given simple programs, suggesting any
improvements and provide a flow chart to show
the processing
Quality Review - maze program
• Comment on the quality of one program

• One quality of the maze program was that the coding was quite easily
readable.
Improvements – maze program
• Suggest at least three improvements

• Possibly adding more and challenging levels instead of 1.

• Adding more details instead of lines going to one direction.

• Another final improvement they could add is possibly adding music.

Flow Chart - maze program
• Provide screenshot evidence of flow chart

User pressed directions
start
keys to navigate to the end.
Character moves in
direction in which uses
presses.

If user
Game ends. collides with
wall

Carry on to the finish.

 2A.D1) Discuss the strengths and
weaknesses of the software program
Strengths – maze program
• Discuss at least three strengths of the program (in relation to usability,
functionality, efficiency and/or readability).

• A strength for this program was that it runs super easily.

• Another strength is that is that its quite readability within the code.

• A final strength is that it does its job by giving us a functioning simple

game.
Weaknesses - maze program
• Discuss at least three weaknesses of the program (in relation to
usability, functionality, efficiency and/or readability).

• Game isn’t that fun and its too easy to complete.

• Game design isn’t that unique and its pretty basic.

• Final weakness is that they’re no sound design involved.