sace1

=SACE 1 unit of work=

Dynamic Websites
Applications for the web combine the media-rich interface with the ability to interact with the website. Technologies are divided into client-side or server-side. This topic focuses on developing a website with interactive elements that are managed from the server side. Server-sided technology requires the server to execute the code before sending the HTML code to display. Cascading style sheets (CSS) can be used to give developers more control over how pages are displayed. Interactivity can be achieved through the use of scripting languages, such as PHP, ASP, and Python.

A website can accept data through forms and calls on programming constructs to manipulate the data from a database to produce results in a media rich environment. It combines the storage, processing, and retrieval capabilities of a program with the use of media types, control structures, and tools to view, navigate, and manipulate outcomes.

Students develop an understanding of programming in a server-sided web environment by developing a dynamic website using scripts/programming constructs that allows interactivity through the input of data and resultant program outcomes from a database, and is user-friendly in the design of interface, navigation and finished layout. The building of the dynamic system uses the problem-solving approach of the Systems Development Life Cycle. // // //** Focus

Students develop an understanding of the Internet and dynamic websites by considering:

·A website can be used in various environments, such as: - educational; - cultural; - business and organisations; - community; - entertainment and leisure; - intranets and extranets. ·A dynamic website can take many forms, such as: - ordering system; - booking system; - membership system; - scoring system. ·A URL consists of a protocol and domain name, and can indicate a specific location for a web page. ·Protocols determine how data will be communicated over the Internet, e.g. http, ftp, tcp/ip ·Internet services include the World Wide Web, email, ftp, instant messaging, and others. ·A user accesses the Internet through an account with an ISP and associated hardware and software. ·A browser requests a web page and a markup language file will be returned. ·A browser interprets the code that controls the display of the web page. ·When a browser requests a server side file (e.g. php, asp), the script on the server processes the request and returns HTML. ·A website consists of related linked pages accessible through navigation and consistent layout and design controlled by cascading style sheets (CSS).

Design

Students investigate how a dynamic website can be structured, and by applying knowledge and skills propose a design by considering the following questions:

What is the form of the data? ·Data from a website can be stored in a server-sided database. ·The data in the database can contain text and the name and location of data files.

How are elements manipulated? ·Web Page data can be displayed using a table. ·A form contains elements (e.g. text field, radio button) and is created to accept data and input. ·The appearance of an element is determined by its properties.

Development

Students explore the manner in which scripts can be used to create a dynamic website by applying knowledge, skills, and problem-solving techniques, and by considering the following questions:

How is an application developed? ·A script is written directly into the markup language of web pages and is interpreted and executed in response to activity on the page. ·A script can be located on either a client or a server. ·A database management interface is used to create the structure and table of the database. ·A webpage is connected to a database through a script. ·A script creates the HTML code that forms the display on a webpage. ·Loops can be used to display multiple sets of data resulting from a query. ·Dynamic data can be displayed by the use of in-built functions, e.g. date. ·Code can be developed using modules to process and manipulate the data. ·A script on the server can: - process the data; - send an email; - use queries to allow extraction and entry of records to a database; - determine what information it displays from the database. ·A script can use: - conditional statements; - loops. ·A query is written to extract selected data. ·A query can be based on all information, on certain criteria being matched, and ordered according to different variables. ·Records can be ordered by user input or on any of the variables in the data table.

How is the output displayed? ·Display records in a user-friendly interface by outputting HTML code required displaying the page.

Social Responsibility

Students develop an understanding of their responsibility in the use and development of websites, and their impact on society, by critically evaluating and responding to related issues, considering question such as:

What are the responsibilities of a website developer? ·Understand that the media used to develop a website may be subject to copyright, intellectual property rights, and cultural protocols. ·Use techniques to make a website appear quickly and meet the standards of accessibility. ·Ensure that data entered is collected and transmitted accurately and securely. ·Apply recommended practice that involves using a logical hierarchy folder structure to enable seamless maintenance of site. ·Apply recommended practice that involves keeping a copy of website files separate from the uploaded site, developing a site offline and testing offline on a local server.

What is the impact of dynamic web systems on society? ·Dynamic websites are secure and code protected from unauthorised copying.