Unit Circle Project Development/Version Notes

Last Update: December 8, 2019

Development Notes

Click on each item for more details.

1. The design of the GUI and the background grids were the first things developed.
   See version 1 images and code
2. A very rudementary "Name the Angle" level was developed so there would be something to work with to practice Question and Answer (responding, grading, and formatting user input) and scoring, reporting scores
      
3. Further GUI design and UX development
   A lot of continued work on the first level resulted in updates to the design of the GUI so students could see their scores on different levels, a popup box for messages and choices about how to proceed when a student completes a level, and many more features designed to improve the user experience and make it so they don't have to switch between keyboard and mouse as frequently.
4. Issues
   During the week of December 1 - 7, 2019 I experienced many issues as I pushed the program to have an ever increasing number of small tweaks that improve the user experience. Everytime I tested the program to see if some feature I just added worked, I would find something else to do in addition to responding to my test, that would take just a few minutes to implement. At one point I lost a bunch of work when I did something that caused me to go back to an earlier version. Then I spent a couple of hours, redoing some past improvements. Days later I realized that I missed one of my past improvements which is described in the next note.  
5. Every 5 Questions, User Choice Popup Box
   When the user completes the minimum number of required questions on a level, they are given 4 choices about what to do with that level. I wanted to give them the option to change their mind so I needed to create some way of having that choice box popup again after 5 (currently the minimum number of questions on a level) more questions. I had completed that task and then lost it somewhere along the way. I spent more than an hour looking through my old versions, to find the one where it worked, so I could just copy some code over without having to rethink through it. Finally I gave up and went to work on that feature again. I know it didn't work the same way as the original one did and it might even be better, but it did prompt me to start this document. From here on out, I want to keep better track of what features have been added or at least started with each new version. That way, I can just look at my notes to find what I need, if I have to go back a level and start again from there. I am also starting new versions more frequently. Instead of accomplishing 2 or 3 major tasks and maybe a few minor tasks in each version, I am limiting myself to one major task and/or a few minor tasks, so if I have to go back a level, I don't loose as much work.

Version Notes

• Version 2.5e:  
  1. Created a new auto-implemented method in the Q&A base class that keeps track of the real number of questions asked in a level so that the user can be given a choice at every multiple of the MinimumNumberOfQuestions needed to complete a level. Had to do a lot of boolean logic and trouble shooting to make the choice popup box trigger at the correct time.
  2. Added built in KeyPress listeners to the AnswerBox text box to make it so the user could just use a numeric keypad to answer questions.
  3. Added code to turn the'*' button into a π symbol when answering questions about angles in radian mode and into a ° symbol when answering the same type of questions in degree mode.
• Version 2.5f:  Added the keyboard '+' sign on the keypad as an extra enter key for continuing to work on the same level of the game using just the keypad.
• Version 3:  Continue to work on database. All the database tables are set up. There are 10 tables: one for the students with the primary key of their UserId, one one each for each of the 9 levels with the primary key also the student's UserId and the students results recorded for that level in the table. I realized I could have just made 4 tables: one for student names, one for the 'points earned' (with the fields being the levels), one for the 'number of questions answered', one for the 'real number of questions answered'.
• Version 3.1  Created code for students to enter their UserId so the database will know which student is playing the game. Had to update the answerBox font from Symbol to Times New Roman. This caused me to have to change the code for adding a pi symbol, which caused me to come up with a keypress listener that ignored 'p' when pressed and automatically added 'π' instead. Then I had to update the page of correct answers so that it would still be graded properly when a student enters a radian answer involving π
• Version 3.2  Created the database classes for each table, for the Linq mapping and reduce the number of tables needed from 10 to 4 by redesigning the database.
• Version 3.3c  Used SQL to retrieve results from the database and greet the student by name when they login with their userId.
• Version 3.3d  Frustrated with writing to the database, so I made some small tweaks as a diversion for a bit:
  1. Figured out a way to pass the Question Round object to the message popup box, so I could be more specific in the Message Popup Box instructions.
  2. Made program more keyboard friendly by adding KeyPress Events to the Popup Box so you can close using the '+'. Wanted a SelectAll() for the NumericUpDown display, but haven't got that working yet.
  3. Haven't been able to get the answer text box to receive focus after the messagebox closes.
  4. SetupGamePlay(...) was added so I could call a level after the User Makes a Choice from outside of the UserCircleForm. This consolidates the code for each of the game level radio buttons.
• Version 3.3e  Database
  • Stuck on writing game results to the database so each student can quit the game and come back later and start where they left off. Turns out, I had the database code correct a couple of versions ago, I just didn't know it because of a setting on the database that defaults to "Copy Always" which I would think means it would always copy the database, but it turns out that when you are using an internal database in the testing environment, if you want your database to update you need to set it to: "Copy if newer". To find this setting, right click on your database in the Solution Explorer and go to Properties > Copy to Output Directory.
  • Now that database is working, I decided to put all my update database code and update score display label in one method in the base class for all of the game levels (QuestionAndAnswer). After grading a student response, this code is called with the parameters: QuestionRound skillGame, UnitCircleForm form, Label lbl. There are 9 different QuestionRound games, so the skillGame refers which game object is being played. Each game has its own label with the score for that game, thus the need to pass the label. The form is needed because it contains the studentId data which is required to update the correct row in the database.
  • Moved more variables from NameTheAngle to QuestionRound so that all game levels can use them. Also streamlined the call to SetUpGamePlay inside QuestionRound, so I won't need to many cases. I am instantiating a QuestionRound object instead of the more specific game level objects for a lot more of my code so I need less repetitive code.
  • It was discovered that when a user hits the '+' as a shortcut key for starting a new round of the game currently being played, they can get a new question even if the user hasn't answered the current question. This was an easy fix. Now the user must answer the current question or go to a different game before getting a new question.
• Version 3.4  Begin work on Graphics Extention Methods. I laid some framework to do an extention of the graphics method and while I was at it, I added the terminal side to my angle.
• Version 3.4a  Made 2 Graphics extension methods and used them to draw a blue curve from the positive x-axis to the terminal side of the angle when the angle is showing. Working on angle arrow. Got the rest of the angle working. Added some exception handling for when a student types in an invalid id. Added LINQ to query the random number array to check for repeat problems. Now that there are 97 possible questions, I have increased the array size to 20 so a student would have to answer more than 20 questions before they might see a repeat.

Project Images

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