Software Engineering

Code Design

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Code design
The purpose of code is to make the task easy for identification and retrieval of items of information when there are several items in the group In any computer system , data to be processed have codes so that sorting , retrieving , storing etc will become efficient Codes are necessary because
Data is easily identified Data is simplified and standardized . Hence the number of mistakes are reduced to the extent possible. Data processing operations can be done easily It help to make the computer system work more efficently Copyright BCA Notes All Rights Reserved.

code
A code is a group of character or digit that identify and describe an item. E.g. pin code number Codes are frequently used to describe customer , product , materials or events . Hence description of items is also needed. generally code number are referred to as key fields on transaction and records Principle of code design
Uniqueness : code for any particular item is unique eg grno of student Compactness: the length of code should be as minimum as possible . However code alone are not sufficent for easy identification and verification eg the codes mand f for male n female Copyright BCA Notes All Rights Reserved.

 Uniformity: uniform signs and format is highly desirable in mechanized data processing system. Expansibility: the code structure should allow growth. Enough room should be provided in the construction itself for accommodating possible future expansion Simplicity: the code should be simple to use and easy to understand by each user even with minimum experience Versatility : it should be easy to modify to reflect necessary changes in condition , characteristics and relationship of the encoded entities Clarification : for the user , sorted output data in a predetermined format is valuable although data must be sorted and collated , it representative code does not need to be in sortable form Stability: codes should not be updated or modified frequently Meanigfullness codes should be meaning ful code value should echo the characteristics of the encoded entities
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Significant codes
In significant codes , digits or letter may describe a measurable or identifiable characteristics of the item . It is frequently used for coding inventory items E.g. in coding electric bulb for inventory purpose Product classification
Bulbs 1 2 3 automobile domestic use clinical use
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 Colour
Colorless 1 Milky 2 Yellow 3 Red 4 Green 5 Wattage 25w 00025 40w 00040 100w 00100 E.g. the domestic use bulb of 100w of color red can be coded as D400100
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 In digital code , the individual values are derived in conjunction with a consistent , well defined rate or procedure (algorithm) In logical codes we have 2 types
Check digit code Matrix code
E.g. the following matrix gives the air line distance between the cities in km x-> 1 2 3 4 1-Surat 1 0 220 100 1200 2-Mumbai 2 220 0 120 1420 3- vapi 3 100 120 0 1300 4-delhi 4 1200 1420 1300 0 The (x,y) coordinate (3,2) will refer to distance between mumbai and vapi which is 120
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Logical codes(Digital codes)

Collating codes
Collating codes are widely use code system the collating code structure is designed so that when sorted by code number, the item represented by the codes are placed in predetermine sequence Collating codes are of 4 types
Alphabetic code: alphabetic coding requires placement of all items in alphabetical sequence, then assignment of code of ever increasing value
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1 deshpande vaishali vasudev 2 Bhagwad smitha sharad 2 Gavaskar sunil manohar 3 Agarwal amit dinesh In allotting examination seat number these students can be given the number in alphabetic order which their surname appear 0001 Agarwal amit dinesh 0002 Bhagwad smitha sharad 0003 deshpande vaishali vasudev 0004 Gavaskar sunil manohar
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 Advantages of alphabetic codes

It is easy for sorting It is easy for maintenance With any initial encoding we can access the code
Disadvantages of alphabetical codes
All items will have to be encoded at one time to get reasonable spacing for new entries It has relatively short life There is necessity of central control for number issuing

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Hierarchical codes
It provides a top down interpretation for an item . Even item coded is factored into groups ,subgroups and so forth For e.g. region: eastern ,western , northern , southern , central(denote this by one character code E , W, S, N, C City : this will occupy position 2 to 4 in character(pune PUN, Nasik NSK) Group: divided into manageable groups each group can be denoted by 2 digit occupying 5 and 6 position Number : each salesman given 2 digit number A salesman with no 12 in group 3 in Nasik city belong to western region WNSK0312
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Classification codes
Classification codes place separate entities such as event, people, or object into distinct groups called classes A code is used to distinguish one class from another. A classification is by nature and order systematic structure Classification codes are 2 types
Decimal code is useful when we cannot tell exact quantity of items to be coded used in libraries for uniquely coding the book Subject code Sociology 300 Philology 400 Physic 530 Mechanics 531 Machine 531.1 Level and bank 531.11 Pulley 531.14 Pulley compound 531.141
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 Faceted codes : certain kind of classification code are known as faceted codes . This kind of code represent different facet of the decoded item each facet is given as many characters as required E.g. footwear manufacturers code can have it facets type sex size style material (shoes SH (M/F) (1 to 10) (3 digit (Three char Chappal CH) code) PLA,LEH,RUB

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Chronological codes
As the name suggest this code is assigned in the order of events so that each code has a higher value than the last code assigned e.g. list of students according to date of birth Abbreviation : many times coding is done by taking the abbreviation of the name of an entity there are 2 method of doing this
Mnemonic : it means assisting the memory . The code should help to convey the meaning quickly to the user eg 21 inch color tv TV CL -21, mca master of computer application Acronyms codes : it is a particular type of mnemonic representation constructed from the first letter or letters of several words eg WHO world health organization ,FORTRAN formula translation
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Non significant codes

A non significant code conveys no information by itself eg a range of number may be allocated to customer, account codes etc Non significant are of 2 types
Sequential codes ( serial or tag code) they are either number or letters assigned in series they tell the order in which events have occurred e.g. numbering in pass book is done sequentially The code value has no significance in itself but does uniquely identify the entity It makes no provision for classifying groups of like item A set of sequential code is divided into blocks that classify them into specific classes Steel rod : 0001 to 0170 Steel pipe : 0171 to 0340 Steel plates : 0341 to 0500

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 Random code : is drawn from a number list which is not detectable in order of sequence Lists are available in statistical table or can be generated through a computer program In this method each additional item may not be given next serial number No logical way to predict the next number Random coder may be used in case where security of data is needed since method is cumbersome not in much practice

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Additional points in code design

Hyphens, commas and other wild characters should be avoided in code It should not be too lengthy a code of length 12 is difficult to handle The coding should enable fast processing by computer If data is common then code used in one subsystem should be applicable in other subsystem as well
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