The Release of Due Dates Version 1.2 [team gold]

This week marks the release of Due Dates version 1.2 [Project Homepage]. With this new version comes two new features: an email reporting service, as well as a timer-based reporting function that allows the user to automatically have the program run at some specified interval of time. Both functions have been integrated into the Team Gold release of Due Dates and everything functions well.

This release also builds upon many fundamental changes to the source code. Classes have been stripped down and simplified. More checks have been added to ensure program robustness and a more exhaustive test suite has been created with well over 90% coverage. Due Dates v1.2 is definitely an upgrade from Due Dates v1.1.

GROUP PROCESS

This weeks development process was much the same as it has been the past few weeks. Although I had time to meet up, Scheller was really busy and so we were only able to meet up a couple times. Otherwise, we communicated via email, IM, or phone. Initially, we talked over program design and test design. We set up a bunch of issues that we thought would be the most useful in modifying the system. This was all good.

However, I found that Scheller and I have two different development styles. I like to get started on things early and he does stuff later. This can be attributed to Schellers heavy workload, but it really is hard to collaborate efficiently like this. Most of the time I felt like I was working alone on the project. I would just keep him updated with what was going on. Scheller did create some good code for the project though. He implemented the self-timer for running Due Dates on a schedule. 

Overall, the development of Due Dates v1.2 could have been better if Scheller and I had worked similarly on the project. Although the state of project meets my initially expectations for the program, things could have been done more efficiently. I would still like to meet up more in person, or at least communicate more on all things relating to the program. Hopefully on the next version of Due Dates, this can happen.

DEVELOPMENT

Development for Due Dates v1.2 went really great for me this week. I attribute this solely to starting early. I did not have to rush on anything the entire week, and I was able to really think out my ideas for the system. I felt like I was ahead most of the time which is not a usual thing for me. I hope to keep up this sort of development style with future developments of Due Dates.

DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS 

The biggest problem we had in the development of this release was trying to get the DueDates.jar file to run correctly. The reason it was so challenging was because the program now uses JavaMail, and referencing these libraries is quite different than most libraries. They must be put directly in the system frameworks rather than referenced in the build classpath. It was especially confusing for me since my computer runs on soylatte 1.6 for its Java JRE, not the usual Java release.

Initially I had a lot of help from other students like Arthur Shum and Ronn Reeves. At one point, Arthur and I did a screen sharing thing through a messenger program called iChat, which allows him to control my computer. That was cool but it did not solve anything. We were copying the mail.jar file to the lib/ext of my Java framework, the right thing to do. However, it was still not working. 

Eventually I realized the only difference between my computer and Arthur's computer was that I was using soylatte. Thus it had to be a problem with that. Then it dawned on me (with the help of Arthur and Ronn). Instead of having the mail.java file in the system framework directory, I needed to put it in the soylatte directory on my system. This simple change fixed it all and the jar file ran fine after that. I was really stumped by this whole problem. I'm really glad it was eventually sorted out.

CONTINUOUS INTEGRATION AND SOFTWARE ICU

The development of Due Dates v1.2 was monitored by HackyStat, a software ICU program reviewed in my last blog post, In the Green With HackyStat. Essentially what this does is monitor all the vital signs of your program as well as monitor the development process. Due Dates had sensors sending data to HackyStat throughout the last week and it was great to visit the project page and see the results of this. It was nice to see current values and trends having to do with things like complexity, coupling, coverage, tests, development time, etc. I usually checked it a few times a day, just to see. I am happy to say Due Dates v1.2 is still all green.

What was cool about all this was that the Hudson continuous integration server ran a daily build that would send sensors back to the HackyStat sensorbase. This meant there was an automated build each day just for the software ICU. It was great to have the Hudson server do this.

FUTURE DUE DATES IDEAS

With Due Dates v1.2 there were a lot of improvements in functionality and there were many improvements in the source code. I am very satisfied with how it turned out. Yet, I know this program can be made even better! Something that will definitely be done in the next version of Due Dates is to create an online application for users to use. This will make it ten-fold easier for the average person to go and use Due Dates. We will be using Wicket to do this. It should turn out really good.