COP 4814 -- Web Services
Term: Summer 2007
Last modified: 11 July 2007 by R. Levow

Update:  Assignment 4 posted

Professor: Roy B. Levow (http://www.cse.fau.edu/~roy)

Class Time:  Wednesday 6:30 - 9:40 pm
Room: LA-139 (Davie), JU-335 (Port St. Lucie, live video)


Textbook:  Professional Ajax by N. Zakas, J. McPeak, J. Fawcett, Wrox (Wiley Publishing), 2006. ISBN 0-471-77778-1.
     Text code.  *new* Zip file with corrected text code and updated zxml.js.

On-line Tutorials at W3Schools
Element summaries from W3Schools: XHTML 1.0, CSS 2.0 , JavaScript, DOM
Recommendations at W3C: XHTML 1.0, CSS 2.0 (Note: These are complex technical documents.  The details for XHTML are in the DTDs that are coded in XML.  The language specification for CSS uses BNF.)
Free SSH/SFTP clients:  www.ssh.com noncommercial version used in FAU IRM labs; www.winscp.com

Free Development Tools
Visual Studio (Complete or WebDev) available free through CSE MSDNAA
NetServer:  A single free PC package with Apache+PHP, MySql, Filezilla FTP Server, hMailServer and PHP scripts.  Packaged with a simple management console and documentation.  All the tools you need for the course.  These notes on installation of NetServer may be useful.

Click here for general information on course policies including program submission, late penalties, getting help, etc.

Course Format

The course will make extensive use of Blackboard to supplement traditional lectures.  All testing will be done through BlackBoard.  There will be a short "reading quiz" to be completed before many class session starting the second week of the course, a midterm and a cumulative final.  The tests will, of necessity, be open book but will be timed.

Communication

All course communication will be done using your fau.edu email address.  You need to monitor email to that account regularly throughout the term or you may miss important course announcements.  You may send email to me from another account, but if you do you must set the reply-to field to your FAU email account if the message concerns grading or evaluation in any way.  You must also include your name in all messages concerning the course.
If you have your FAU email forwarded to an AOL or other email account, read this important notice concerning blocking of FAU email.

Prerequisites

Knowledge of XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, HTML DOM, and php as taught in COP 3813

Course Objectives

On completion of the course students will
  1. Understand the concept and patterns of Ajax technology
  2. Be able to apply HTTP requests to obtain data from a server
  3. Be able to apply XML technologies: XML DOM, XPATH, XSLT
  4. Understand the concept of Web Services
  5. Be able to apply Web Services technologies: SOAP, WSDL, REST, etc.
  6. Be able to develop Ajax-based Web Services applications

Lecture Topics, Reading Assignments, and Exam Schedule (details to follow)

  1. Overview and review of XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, XML DOM, and php
  2. Ajax basics and HTTP requests What is Ajax, (ppt1)
  3. Basic Ajax Patterns (ppt3)
  4. XML technologies (ppt4)
  5. Web Services
  6. JavaScript Object Notation (JSON)
  7. Ajax Widgets and Tools
  8. Ajax Frameworks

Programming Assignments (Subject to change)
    Unless otherwise noted, assignments are due by the start of class on the indicated date

  1. Simple Customizable Home Page (Review of HTML, Styles, JavaScript, and DOM), Due June 6
  2. AJAX Customer Info Application, Due June 24
  3. Simple Chat Room, Due July 11
  4. XML Processing, Due July 18
  5. Web Services
  6. Pop-up window widget
  7. Final project

Grading

On-line quizzes and exams must be completed within the specified time for each assessment.  Assignments must be turned in before the start of class on the day they are due unless otherwise specified.  Penalties will be applied for late submission of assignments.. In computing the final grade the components will be as follows: homework = 35%, quizzes = 20% (with lowest dropped,) midterm = 20% , and the final = 25%.