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Introduction.
The purpose of this application, to which we will refer as GESPLA, is to manage the database in which the courses and student’s data are saved. Like the Viewer, this application can work with My Sql or MS SQL databases, either in local mode, or in remote mode through an Internet connection.
GESPLA accomplishes all the necessary steps to create and maintain the databases without the need for any other application. The local and remote databases are identical. As a matter of fact, the same database can work in either mode, depending on where it is located. If a database is deployed on your PC, it will be a local database. If you deployed it instead to a server connected to the Internet, it will be a remote database. The only difference is that, the Server data, Port, User and Password will be different from one mode to the other. However, Port, User and Password can be the same for both.
Create the Database.
If the database does not exist, it has to be created. It is possible that a remote database already exists because the system administrator might have already created it. If it does exist, you can skip the next few steps and jump directly to the Connectsection.
MySql database:
From the two visible options in the top of the window, select MySql
Enter the access data: Server, Port, User, Password and BDD (database). Usually, it would not be necessary to specify the Port, because most MySql installations take a value for it by default. It is also possible to leave the other fields empty because GESPLA provides some other default values for connecting remotely with the InterAjedrez WEB server, which are:
From the two visible options in the top of the window, select Microsoft.
Enter the access data: Server, Port, User, Password and BDD (database). Usually, it would not be necessary to specify the Port, because most MSQL installations take a value for it by default. It is also possible to leave the other fields empty, except for the BBD that should be provided. The default values to connect with a local database are:
For an MSQL database, it is possible to specify an additional data, the path (directory) in which you want to physically place the files of the database. To do this you have to use the button "Sel".
Press the button "Crear BDD".
GESPLA builds up the database name concatenating the values introduced in the BDD
and path field (Senda), in the following way:
It is done that way to simplify the subsequent selection of a database to work either with GESPLA or the Viewer. You will only need to select the primary file through the “Sel” button in GESPLA or the Viewer button"reproduction in local mode".
Connect to a database.
Once a database has been created, the next step is to establish the connection. To connect to a database you must provide the access data as discussed in the previous section, and then press the "Conectar" button. For MSQL databases, you have to use the "Sel"button to select the appropriate database (looking for and selecting the corresponding .mdf file)
Once the connection has been established, if it is a new database it will be necessary to create the database tables. You can create one, a few, or all of them. The normal way to proceed is to create all the tables at once. Creating a single table makes sense only under specific circumstances, and you have to be very aware of what are you doing not to create inconsistency in the database.
When the "Crear
Tablas", button is pressed, the tables are first erased (DROP) and then the selected tables are created again (CREATETABLE)
Database maintenance.
To enter data in the different database tables, you have to use the buttons in the right side because they will lead you to a specific tab for all topics. However, there are a series of common operations for all tables:
Each tab shows a register of the table, except for the last three (historical and logs) which show a list of registers.
For each topic, the window shows in the top of the right side the “navigation buttons” that allow navigating through the database and, in general, they have the following meaning:
View. Allows to go directly to a given record, starting from the content of the first data in the topic which is the most relevant (Alias, Course, Cod, etc.). The content of this field is written, for example, in the members’ table: student, so when you press this button its record will be shown.
Next. Shows the following record from the table, according to the most relevant field (Alias, Curso, etc.)
Previous.. Shows the previous record.
The button"Val
Defecto", basically erases the fields for that record, setting default values for all of them, as a starting point for a new record..
The textboxes labeled in green represent Dates. They are mouse sensitive. Clicking on them provides values matching the current date and time-
In the lower part of this tab are located the buttons to execute actions over the table.
Erase.
Deletes permanently the current record
Edit. Modifies the record with data entered for all fields
New.
Creates a new record with data entered for all fields
All changes that you eventually make in any tab are not saved to disk until one of the three previous buttons is pressed. After pressing any of those buttons, you have to wait until the transaction is over, a moment in which you will receive a message informing you about it.
The elements specific to each tab will be covered next:
Membership.
The main feature of this tab is the list of e-courses in which the student is enrolled. To add a course to that list, you enter the course ID in the textbox below the Course label in the lower right side of the window and then press the button “Alta” in the line below. To withdraw from a course you proceed in a similar way, pressing the key "Baja".
Hint: To reenter one student in a given course (assuming everything has been removed in the database for this student with regard to this particular course), you first delete the course, then edit the data in this tab and register the course once again.
The field guide of this tab for the navigations buttons is Alias.
To operate with distributable packages you need to register, at the very least, one member.
For a free access package, you need to register the member:
alias : Alumno
Clave: Invitado
Then enroll him in the courses included in that package.
When the package is personalized for one or more students, they must be registered and enrolled in the corresponding courses.
One same package can include simultaneously public and private courses. To do this you must register the free member with the credentials “Alumno-Invitado” as indicated above. Afterwards all the other students have to be registered, enrolling the free member in the public courses and each private student in his private courses and in the public courses as well.
Tutor
This tab allows entering notes to each student in each course. The students can visualize those notes through the button "expediente" from the Viewer’s toolbar.
To enter notes, you write the date and the text that you wish in the lower part of the screen and then press the button "Alta".
When you select one row from the annotations table, the data and the text from it is copied to the textboxes in the bottom of the screen. If you want, you can modify any of these data and then press the button “Edit” to make the changes effective.
Elements.
In this tab, the most important data will be obtained, usually from a file. Even though you could type at hand a complete HTML web page or a full chess game in PGN format, it does not make any sense. There are specific applications to build up this type of documents and save them to a file that can be later imported directly through the label “Leer fichero”
Tu understand the meaning of the different fields, we recommend that you read the section related to the elements in this page.
Every time a new element is created, (Alta), the Code identifying it, needed to build up the learning units, is shown in the top of the window over a black background.
The guide field of this tab for the navigation buttons is Autor/Cod. This textbox is shared. To make a search, you enter the Code, for the other tasks you enter the Author. When the Code is entered and the button Ver pressed, as soon as the record is found, the Author will appear in this textbox. However, the applications will remember the code you entered for the operation of the buttons Next and Previous.
Units.
This tab has four main features
Navigating through this tab is more complete, because you can go forward and backward through the units or move back and forth through the registered courses.
The list in the central part of the window shows the elements comprising this learning Unit. One element is added by writing its code in the textbox under the label Element and then pressing the button “Alta” located immediately below or simply the return key. The upside and downside buttons with a black arrow are used to reorder the elements inside the list. The order of the elements within this list is the same as the student’s will see in the Viewer when they have Access to this unit.
Clicking on the Elements button opens up a new window with a list containing the available elements in the database.
If you double click on one of the rows of this list, the element is added at the end of the list of elements for the unit.
The list situated in the bottom of the window contains the clauses or conditions that will determine, together with the student’s grades, which is the next Learning Unit that the student should study. This list is operated in a similar way to the elements list. To have a better understanding about the content of both columns in this list it is recommended to read the Content management in this document.
The button"Activa
a todos los miembros", makes this unit the active unit for all members enrolled in the course (Magazine) to which this unit belongs. Therefore, the previous active unit of each member in this course will be closed.
Courses.
The only relevant item in this tab is the list showing the learning units of this course. It is an informative list that can be updated for visual effects. The units contained in a course are defined by the proper unit’s definitions included in the course identification. To create a new unit or delete one unit from the course you need to go to the tab related to the table of units and proceed there according to your needs.
Historical.
The historical tabs are provided for information purposes to consult the contents of these tables. These tables are maintained automatically when the student enrolls in the courses..
Logs.
The Viewer registers in this table the most relevant facts of the student’s work, so that future applications can make reports for the professors and tutors. The relevant facts are:
Student connection and disconnection through the Viewer.
Loading a unit to be studied.
The visualization of one element.
The grades obtained by the student when he responds to an exercise or questioner (once the Send button is pressed)
The closing of a unit and the opening of the next one as determined by the content manager.
This tab allows erasing registries from this table. When the “erase” button is pressed, all the registries that are being visualized at that moment, will be erased.
E-learning & Magazines manager (GESPLA).
