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| Software Overview |
- TOOLS
- Didelot Consultants, Inc. uses Visual Basic and Borland's Delphi
as the primary development tool for its Windows applications.
Both tools provide a powerful and versatile programming language
well suited for rapid construction of large scale applications. Each
integrates a standard but flexible Relational Database Management
System. with a host of other features for manipulating data,
screens, and windows, serial communications, and reports.
Furthermore, a complete set of third party and in-house software
libraries are used to extend the features and allow the developer to
put even more emphasis on solving the application problem rather
than focusing on technical obstacles.
- METHODS
- Object Oriented Programming (OOP) techniques are employed by
Didelot Consultants. OOP is a method of implementing software
systems that produce significant gains in programmer productivity,
program reliability, and system maintainability. Features are
designed and developed only once and then reused many times by other
parts of the system. Features are more adaptable to changes since
often there is only one place to make the change. The time savings
generated by reusability allow the developer more time on adding
other features or enhancing the system's ability to respond
correctly to exceptions.
- USER INTERFACES
- All user interfaces conform to the Common User Access (CUA) style
interface and are designed with the following criteria in mind:
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- Consistency - All menus and data entry screens will have
the same look and feel across the system. This consistency is
promoted by the OOP design techniques and methods employed in
application development. A consistent design results in a
predictable interface easily learned by the end user.
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- Focus - Focus in screen layouts will make it
intuitive and obvious what the end user should do next. Windows,
shades, colors, and highlights will draw attention to prompts.
Screens will be simple and contain only the information needed to
complete the task at hand.
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- Easy To Make The Right Response - Data entry prompts
will use drop down list boxes or pop-up lists when the possible
answers are a defined set of selections. Multiple choice dialog
boxes will phrase questions so that the most likely and safest
answer is presented first.
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- Immediate Feedback - Users will be given immediate
feedback after making a menu selection or responding to a prompt.
During a lengthy process a screen or window will appear apprising
the end user of the status of the process. In most cases this will
be a graphical index or percentage counter. This will show the user
that progress is being made and that the program is not 'hung up'.
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- Efficient Keystrokes - Menus will incorporate speed
keys (one letter of the menu option that when press executes the
option) as well as selection by highlighting with the arrow key or
mouse and pressing enter or double clicking the mouse. Data entry
screens will supply pick lists as mentioned above. Data entry fields
such as date and times as well as other specified in the subsystem
design can be defaulted.
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- Easy Escape - Menus and data entry screens will allow
exits by the escape key (DOS apps). If in data entry, database
updates will not be posted for the current record if the escape key
is pressed. Lengthy processes will also monitor for escape keys and
pose a 'Continue or Abort' question to the user.
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- Data Validation - In addition to validating data
entry as specified in the subsystem design, obvious data points such
as the following will be checked.
- Dates: Only correctly formatted and valid dates will be
allowed
Numeric Fields: Only numeric data will be allowed.
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