CMSC484 Java Server Technologies : Project 1

UMBC | CSEE | Tarr | CS484

CMSC484 Java Server Technologies

Spring 2008

Project 1

Library Reservation System Servlet Project

Due Date: March 10, 2008

Project Description

In this project, you will be implementing a simple library reservation system using Java servlets. The reservation system will allow a user of the on-line system to search for books, reserve books, renew books and check their account status.

Project Requirements

Your project should have the following elements at a minimum:

Welcome Servlet
This servlet welcomes the customer to the library web site and provides a form to search the library catalog (which invokes the Search Servlet) as well as links to login (which invokes the Login Servlet) and manage the user's account (which invokes the My Account Servlet). The Welcome Servlet should use a cookie to recognize a returning user and customize the welcome page accordingly.
Login Servlet
This servlet accepts user name and password parameters and authenticates the user for access to certain functions of the system. The user will stay logged in until the Logoff Servlet is invoked. NOTE: You can ignore the password parameter in your servlet and allow anyone to login.
Logoff Servlet
This servlet logs a user off the system.
Search Servlet
This servlet searches the library catalog for items and returns the results. Along with each item is a check box allowing the user to select the item. There is also a button which allows the user to add the selected items to their reservation list by invoking the Add To Reservation List Servlet. The returned page should also have the basic search form as a convenience to the user.
Add To Reservation List Servlet
This servlet adds items to the reservation list for a user and returns a page detailing the currents contents of the user's reservation list.
NOTE: This servlet can not be invoked unless the user is logged in.
My Account Servlet
This servlet returns a page with links to view the reservation list (invokes the View Reservation List Servlet) and view checked out items (invokes the Checked Out Items Servlet).
NOTE: This servlet can not be invoked unless the user is logged in.
View Reservation List Servlet
This servlet returns a page detailing the currents contents of the user's reservation list.
NOTE: This servlet can not be invoked unless the user is logged in.
Item Database
You may use any type of database you like for your library catalog. Have at least ten items available.
It is always good practice to program to an interface, so you should have a Database interface and then one or more classes that implement the interface. One class could parse a text file and store the items in a hash table. Another class could used a real database (Oracle, Access, mySQL) accessed using JDBC.
For example, here is an interface for a item database: ItemDB.java
And here is a class which implements ItemDB by parsing a text file where the fields are tab-separated and storing the results in a HashMap: FileItemDB.java

For extra credit you can program these two optional servlets:

View Checked Out Items Servlet
This servlet returns a page detailing the items currently checked out by the user. Each item should have its name, date checked out and date due. Along with each item is a check box allowing the user to select the item. There is also a button which allows the user to renew the selected items by invoking the Renew Servlet.
NOTE: This servlet can not be invoked unless the user is logged in.

Renew Servlet
This servlet renews the selected items for a period of four weeks.
NOTE: This servlet can not be invoked unless the user is logged in.

In addition, you should package your system as a web application with the associated war file ready to drop into the Tomcat servlet engine. Any "database" you use should be provided as flat files in the war file. Thus, all the grader has to do is drop in your war file, start up Tomcat and go!

Project Grading

Your project will be graded according to the following criteria:

Program Correctness - 80%
- The program performs all of its required functions properly.
- The program has no bugs.
- The program handles appropriate error conditions properly.
- The program operates with reasonable efficiency.
Proper use of servlet conventions and APIs - 10%
Coding Style - 10%
- Good, professional documentation.
- Good readability and understandability.
- Proper use of indentation to highlight function flow control.
- Proper use of blank lines to highlight distinct sections of a method.
Extra credit features - 10%

As in all your work, NO COPYING OR PLAGIARISM. If such is detected, no credit for the project will be given and appropriate actions for academic dishonesty will be taken.

You may freely use the ServletUtilities and CookieUtilities classes provided in the text.

Project Submission

You must submit the following:

All source files.
Any makefiles.
Your web application war file.

Submit all of the above using the submit program. To submit, you type

        submit cs484 project1 <filenamelist>

where filenamelist is a list of one or more files. You can submit a file as often as you like; the latest file submitted overwrites any previous submissions. To list the names of the files you have submitted, type

        submitls cs484 project1

To remove a previously submitted file, type

        submitrm cs484 project1 <filename>

Project Due Date

This project is due March 10, 2008. You have a four day, automatic, no-need-for-a-lame-excuse grace period.

No project will be accepted after March 14, 2008. NO EXCEPTIONS! NO EXCUSES!

Bob Tarr
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
tarr@umbc.edu

UMBC | CSEE | Tarr | CS484