University of Toronto - Spring 2000
Department of Computer Science

CSC 228: File Structures and Data Management
Instructor: Diane Horton

Advice in Advance of Term

I will be teaching both sections of csc228 (downtown) in the Spring 2000 term. Below is some information for those of you who are planning to take the course.

Textbooks

You will be required to buy:

Title:          File Structures: An Object-Oriented Approach with C++,
Authors:        M.J.~Folk, B.~Zoellick, and G.~Riccardi
Publisher:      Addison-Wesley 1998.
Type:           Required

You will also need a reference book (of your choice) on C++. The classic reference is:

Title:          The C++ Programming Language
Authors:        Stroustrop
Publisher:      Addison-Wesley, 1997.
Type:           Reference

but most students find this a hard book to digest. Unfortunately, I know of no C++ book in the same league as King's wonderful C book: "C programming: a modern approach". You may find these suggestions (from csc270 students, compiled by Jim Clarke) helpful.

What the course is like

All assignments are written in C++. You will have learned some C++ in csc270, and we will take you farther into the language. The assignments involve large programs, and most students find that managing these large programs is challenging.

Mastering the actual material in the course is not a big problem for most students.

The course is also challenging because it requires you to write a very large project. The project is done in groups of 2 or 3. Students who manage the software design process effectively (i.e., who have a serious plan for designing, implementing, and testing their code), and who manage their team effectively (i.e., who have a serious plan for who will do what, when, etc.) have a huge advantage over everyone else.

Preparing for the course

If you want to do something over the holidays to gear up for 228, I'd suggest reviewing C++, and maybe writing some small programs. If you have the basics of the language down, try using templates or operator overloading.

I hope all of this helps. Good luck on your exams and have a great holiday!

Diane Horton