Project 3: Downloading Programs, ScreenShots and Zipping Files

Available Points:

  40% Step 1. System Summary (sysinfo.gif and lastname_project3.doc)
              5% sysinfo.gif
            35% lastname_project3.doc
  40% Step 2. Software Installation
            15% GanttProject (gantt.gif)
              5% Audacity (audacity.gif)
            20% Visio Flowchart (visio.gif)
  20% Step 3. Zipfile posted to Student Web Server (Lastname_project3.zip)
100% TOTAL

Due Dates:
Cascade: Monday, November 2, 2009
Sylvania: Thursday, November 5, 2009

Related Readings:

Text: Chapter 4 (System Unit), Chapter 7 (Storage) and Chapter 8 (Operating Systems)

Software: OS

Software: Applications

Using FTP in Internet Explorer

Zip Files

Print Screen (Prt Sc)

Gantt Charts

eTutorials for PCs, the Internet and MS Applications

Other Internet Pages identified below

This project covers the configuration and maintenance of operating systems, and the installation and configuration of applications.

The demonstration that you have accomplished the tasks will normally be a "screenshot" image captured using Alt+PrintScreen keys. This should then be saved as separate images in .GIF or .JPG format. You will have several of these image files when finished.

ZIP Files

All of the results will be combined into a ONE.ZIP file that will be uploaded to a folder called project_3 on your SWS account. You should have created this project_3 folder in your student folder on the sws.pcc.edu student web server when you did Part 3 of Project 2. If you did not complete Project 2 you will not be able to properly post your work to the SWS.

  1. System Information

    2. Windows Users

    System Summary

    1. Click Your Start Button, select Programs, Select Accessories, Select System Tools, then click System Information. The System Information window should open and it should look similar to the following:

    2. Do a snapshot of the System Summary in System Information (Alt + Print Screen). Be sure to size the window so all is viewed without scrolling vertically and all horizontal type shows as in the above example.
    3. Open your Paint program and paste the screen shot into it. Save As a .gif or ,jpg file named sysinfo.gif or sysinfo.jpg. ALSO, save this image as a 24-color Bitmap (bmp) image: sysinfo.bmp. Save the images into your project_3 folder on your disk that you made in the file management homework.
    4. Open Windows explorer on your USB or other storage disk, and write down the filesize for your sysinfo.gif or sysinfo.jpg and your sysinfo.bmp images. Assuming you were using a 56Kbps dial-up modem to transfer your files to the student server, how long would it take to send each of these? (theoretically, a 56Kbps modem will transfer 56,000 bits per second and there are 8 bits per byte). Do you see why compression is important?
    5. Open a Word document, type your name, campus and Project 3 in the upper left hand corner. Hit enter a few times and answer the questions in item 3 above. Save your document as lastname_project_3.doc in your project_3 folder. Keep your Word document open!
    6. Create a simple black and white image in Paint as follows:

      • Open Paint, select Image → Attributes, and enter a Width value of 400 pixels and a Height value of 200 pixels.

      • Select the Text tool button, create a text area of suitable size, and (in the font of your choice) write the text CIS 120 Project 3 with your last name under it.

      • Select the line tool (right below the spray can) then choose one of the heavier lines available at the bottom of the Paint toolbox.

      • Select the rectangle tool and draw a box around your text and a second box as a border to the entire image.

      • In the File → Save As... menu select 256 Color Bitmap under "Save as type:" and name your file project3_256.bmp.
        Answer yes at the prompt warning you about loosing some colors (it is only black and white to begin with!). Save your images in your project_3 folder on your disk.

      • Before leaving Paint, go to the File → Save As... menu again; this time select Monochrome Bitmap under "Save as type:" and name this version project3_bw.bmp.
        As above, answer yes at the prompt warning you about loosing some colors.

      • You should have two .bmp files and your images should look something like this:

      • Paste a copy of your image into your lastname_project3.doc. answer page.
        • In Paint go to Edit - Select All. Then go to Edit - Copy.
        • Return to your lastname_project3.doc and go to Edit - Paste. Your image should now appear in the lastname_project3.doc page.

    7. Answer these questions in your lastname_project3.doc: Type the answers into your lastname_project3.doc.

      1. What is the size (in bytes, remember how many bytes are in a kilobyte) of each file? project3_256.bmp__________project3_bw.bmp__________

      2. What is the ratio of the 2 file sizes? (Reduce your answer)__________ (HINT: For the mathematically challenged - ratio is the relation between two quantities expressed as the quotient of one divided by the other: The ratio of 7 to 4 is written 7:4 or 7/4.)

      3. How many bits per pixel are needed to represent a black and white image?__________

      4. How many bits per pixel are needed to represent 256 colors?__________

      5. What is the ratio of the bits per pixel in the previous 2 questions?__________

    8. Now complete the following steps: NOTE: The following steps should be possible in the classroom or on your home computer. They may not be possible in the CRC as some procedures are restricted in the CRC lab. Do the best you can with these steps.
      • Open the project3_bw.bmp image in Paint and in the File → Save As... menu select JPEG File Interchange Format under "Save as type:" and name your file project3_JPEG.jpg. Save in your project3 folder.

      • Repeat the process and in the File → Save As... menu select Graphics Interchange Format under "Save as type:" and name your file project3_GIF.gif. Save in your project3 folder.

    9. Answer these questions in your lastname_project3.doc:

      1. Are the .jpg and .gif files larger or smaller than the .BMP files?__________

      2. What is the size (in bytes) of each file? project3_JPEG.jpg__________project3_GIF.gif__________

    10. After you have answered the questions save and close your lastname_project3.doc in your project3 folder on your disk.

    The .jpg and .gif image types are used with Web pages. We will discuss these at some length later in the course.

    Mac Users - for system information screenshot only. Be sure to do the questions above on a PC.

    1. Click the Apple button in the upper left-hand corner of the screen
    2. Select About this Mac
    3. In the About This Mac window, click the More Info... button
    4. Take a screen shot of Hardware Overview

  2. Software Installation

In this part of the assignment, you are going to download and install 3 pieces of software and take screenshots of the results. The first program is GanttProject, a Java program for creating gantt charts that are used in the management of projects; Audacity, sound editing software; and Visio, Microsoft's diagramming program for creating such things as organization charts, network schematics, flowcharts, database diagrams, gantt charts, etc. GanttProject and Audacity are available for Windows and Mac Users and available on the Internet to download for free. Visio is a commercial program; however, PCC has an agreement with Microsoft to allow students to download and use this program for free as long as you are a student.

This can also be performed in the CIS/CS lab in TCB 308 of the Sylvania Campus. The campus CRCs do not want you to download and install anything on those PCs. Approximate file sizes are noted so that you can determine how long the download should take.

GanttProject (9 MB)

To download GanttProject, do the following:

  • Click on this GanttProject link
  • Click the Download and Install link
  • If you are a Windows user, click the Windows Installer Link
  • If you are a Mac user, click the Mac OSX Package Link (10 MB file size)
  • Download and Install GanttProject to your PC or Mac
  • Start GanttProject
  • Create a Project that has at least 2 Tasks
  • Examples Might Be:
    • Going on a Vacation
    • Building Something
    • Remodeling Something
    • Getting a Degree
    • Writing a Program
    • Completing a Paper
  • Take a screenshot of the Gantt tab information which shows the Tasks and Timeline.
  • Open Your Paint or Draw program and paste the image into it.
  • Save the image as gantt.gif or gantt.jpg.
  • Close the program.
  • NOTE: For more information on projects, project management, gantt charts and using the GanttProject project, click the following link: Gantt Charts. It is highly recomended that you go to this link as it will guide you through the process of creating a Gnatt Chart.
  • Your image should look something like this:

Audacity (2 MB)

Audacity® is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds. Be sure to download the latest release; do not download the beta version. Audacity 1.2.6 Installer for Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/Vista installs with IE 7.0.5730.13 (to check your version, open IE, click Help on them menu bar, then select About Internet Explorer). NOTE: Some students have had difficulty using Internet Explorer to do the download. It is recommended to try using Mozzila instead. Do the following:

Windows

  1. Go to the Audacity web site: Audacity
  2. In the Stable: 1.2.6 box, click on the Windows link. If you like being on the bleeding edge of technology, click on the Windows link in the Beta: 1.3.4 box.
  3. After you have downloaded and installed Audacity, open it and take a screen shot of the resulting window. Paste the screen shot into your favorite Paint or Draw program and SAVE AS "audacity.gif or audacity.jpg ".

    audacity1

Mac

  1. Mac Users, click on the Mac OS X link in the Stable: 1.2.6 box.
  2. Click on the Audacity 1.2.5 or 1.2.6 link associated with your processor and OS.


    3. audacity2
  3. After you have downloaded and installed Audacity, open it and take a screen shot of the resulting window. Paste the screen shot into your Paint program and SAVE AS "audacity.gif or audacity.jpg ".
  4. Your "audacity.gif" or "audacity .jpg" image should look something like the following:

Visio
-- this should be installed on the CIS Classroom and Lab PCs. If you want to download to your own PC, do the following on that PC: NOTE: Cascade labs do not have Visio so you will have to download or you can use the flowchart drawing tools in M.S. Word.

PC Users:

To download Visio, please use Internet Explorer (If you use another browser, such as Firefox, the extension of the downloaded file will likely be wrong and you will need to change it to exe) and go to the ELMS download site at: http://msdn04.e-academy.com/pccmurray_cis/ . You should have already obtained your logon ID and password in Project 1; you will need those now to logon to the ELMS site. Once you logon, do the following:

  • Click on the Software button.
  • Locate the Visio Professional 2003 or 2007 ICON (make sure you click on Visio and NOT Visual Studio) and click on it
  • Add the program to your cart
  • Write down the Serial number that you are given
  • Click the Download button
  • Click Run in the Download window presented.
  • A small 412KB downloader file will download to your PC.  This program is run to download the Visio program to your PC.
  • Click Run in the Downloader window to start the download.
  • You will receive a Step 1 Authorization.  Either accept c:\Temp for the download or change to another folder.  Click the continue button.
  • You will see a completion bar at the bottom of the window.  Go do something else as this will take a little while.
  • When done, click the Launch Install button.  This doesn't actually start the install, but opens a WIndows Explorer window with the Visio 2003 folders and files in it or an iso file if you downloaded Visio 2007..
  • For Visio 2003, locate the setup.exe file and double-click it to start the installation. For Visio 2007, you will have an iso file which is a disk image. An ISO file is a disk image file that needs to be burned to a CD before it can be installed. This file cannot be burned to a CD with any old burning or copying program, it has to be burned with a program that will burn ISO files to a CD. You have to have a writable CD Drive to be able to do this. The best program I have found to do this is Microsoft's ISO Recorder. It can be downloaded from: http://isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/isorecorder.htm.
    Instructions on how to use the ISO Recorder can be found at:
    http://isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/HowTo.htm
    Once you have the ISO(s) file burned to a CD, you would start the install of the product from the CD.

Visio is a large program and can take a long time to download, especially if you have a dial-up connection. If you have tried downloading and installing it and still do not have it installed after a couple of hours, move on to the next step and make a note in your assignment that you could not get it installed and working. You are still expected to create the flowchart. You can do this in Word, Writer or PowerPoint. Name the file flowchart.doc or flowchart.ppt and include it in your zip file.

  • Create the flowchart as depicted in the image below. To create a flowchart, do the following:
    1. On the Category pane, select Flowchart, then Basic Flowchart
    2. If the Category pane is not open, click File, New, Flowchart, Basic Flowchart
    3. Create the following flowchart

Flowchart

    1. Take a screen shot of your flowchart. NOTE: You may need to reduce the view in Visio to get your entire flowchart to show in the window. You need to do this so it will show in Paint. Paste the snapsnot into the Paint program (NOTE: You should crop your image so it just shows the flowchart and not all of the window from the screen print) and Save As "visio.gif". Feel free to practice and use Visio.
    2. For tutorials on using Visio to create a Flowchart, click on the following link

      Introduction to Visio 2003

      Creating Flowcharts in Visio

    3. NOTE: If you cannot get Visio installed, you are still required to create the flowchart and submit it as a GIF, JPG or PNG image. You could do this by using Gliffy or you could create the diagram using Word Drawing tools or PowerPoint drawing tools. In this case, you would need to take a screen shot of your diagram, load it into MS Paint, and saving as a GIF or JPG image.

Mac Users or PC Users:

MS Visio does not run on the Mac.

If you don't already have something like Omni Graffle or ConceptDraw or can't get MS Visio downloaded, you might consider using Gliffy. Click on this Gliffy link for information on downloading and using it.

Create the flowchart shown above, take a screen shot of it, save as jpg or png image and include in your zip file for submission.

Submitting Project 3

You need to create ONE ZIP file named "lastname_project3.zip" where "lastname" is replaced with your lastname. In this zip file, you will want to place the following image files:

sysinfo.gif or sysinfo.jpg
gantt.gif or gantt.jpg
audacity.gif or audacity.jpg
visio.gif or visio.jpg

To learn more about Zip files and using WinZip in Windows or the CuteZIP standalone program, click on the following link: Zipping Files.

On most Windows machines to create a .zip file simply right click in the right pane of Windows Explorer - choose New - choose WinZip File. Rename the file making sure not to loose the .zip extension. Once the .zip file is created drag your image files to it.

   Submit the following:
  • Transfer your "lastname_project3.zip" file with the 4 images in it to your project_3 folder on the student web server
    by the due date for Project 3.

  • Printout your lastname_project_3.doc and turn it in on the due date for Project 3 in your notebook.

Revised: 09-13-2009 - Russ Erdman