plz help.

[aparnasofte]

I hav to do a project on online examination using java and j2ee concepts. I donno from where and how to start. I donno which concepts to use. Am not confident with the concepts. But am sure I can learn and do.. plz someone guide me to do the project.

Problem description:
The examination consists of 60 multiple choice questions and they should be generated at random. A time duration of 60 mins should be given.

Am using SQL 2005 as the back end. I don't know to start from the scratch. so, guide me so that i can do it step by step.

Thanks in advance

[Ezzaral]

For your reading: http://www.daniweb.com/forums/announcement9-2.html

[aparnasofte]

Excuse me,
I'm not trying to pose my work on some one else's back and neither 'm asking u for a code solution. All i meant was someone could guide me like "refer to this material, use such and such a concept etc., like that because i don't have anyone to provide technical guidance. Am totally helpless at present. u hav misunderstood me. I really dont want any code solution.. I should know from where and how to begin thats all.

[VernonDozier]

First off, you need to figure out exactly what the requirements are. Those will help guide what you need to do. For instance, you mentioned SQL, so I assume there's a database somewhere. You need to know the specifics of that database. If there's no database requirement, there's no need for SQL.

You need to know the layout of the questions and answers. For example, each question perhaps has four possibilities, one of which is correct? Or do the number of possible answers vary? That will affect the organization. Or is it up to you?

Perhaps the questions and answers are in a file somewhere? Then you will need to know how to open the file. Do you need to score the test? What's the criteria? Can there be more than one correct answer to a question? Is there a log-in? "Online Examination" could mean a variety of things, from fairly basic to incredibly complex.

Etc. etc. The tools you use depend on the exact requirements/specifications. Your post is too vague. You need to know what's required and what's up to your discretion before you can begin to start. Also, what's your SQL background, what's your Java background? How you approach it depends on what you already know.

[aparnasofte]

I need to store the questions and answers in the DB. I have used only a single word like 'username or password etc.. in the database. I don't know how to store the full question in the DB. I don't have a clue if I have to use seperate tables for question and answers. If i use seperate tables, how to store the multiple answers for the same question in the DB and how to fetch the correct answer,.. so basically, i Don't know how to store questions and the answers in the DB. This is the first step i have to do.

Next, I need to know which concept to use for the examination part. As per the requirement each question has five answers, and there can be more then one correct answer for the same question.

Thanks for replying for my post :)

[VernonDozier]

Well, if you are brand new to all of this, this is quite an ambitious project. You have the database aspect of the problem. You have the Java aspect of the problem. Then you have an interaction between Java and the database. That's enough right there. I've never really used Java EE, but I've used Tomcat/JSP, so on top of the database and the Java, you may need to set up HTML forms, pass data from them to a jsp page or whatever, which will execute a java function, etc.

You have several tasks, which are all complicated enough before you attempt to integrate them. Regarding the database design, Daniweb has a Database/MySQL forum and you may want to ask there. If you're brand new to databases and you don't a table from an entity from an attribute from a record, I would put this assignment on hold and spend several days learning about relational databases. After that, spend a few days learning about MySQL queries and practicing with them, then setting up your database for this project.

If you're brand new to all this, get a good book or a good tutorial. Perhaps this one, but there are lots.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0596008643/102-5829692-3205743?ie=UTF8&tag=develshedinc-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0596008643

Regarding Java, presumably you'll have classes that strongly resemble your database setup, possibly looking similar to this:

class Option
{
    QuizQuestion quizQuestion;
    String answer;
    boolean answerIsCorrect;
}

class QuizQuestion
{
    String question;
    Option options[];
}

class Quiz
{
    QuizQuestion questions[];
}

Here's your base tutorial section for Java:
http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/

Here's one on interacting with databases:
http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/jdbc/index.html

Here's your base pages for Java SE documentation:
http://java.sun.com/javase/reference/index.jsp
http://java.sun.com/javase/6/docs/api/

Here's your JavaEE base page (there's a lot of overlap in these links)
http://java.sun.com/j2ee/1.4/docs/api/

Basically if you are a complete beginner on all of this, I'd drop this particular project for now, take some time to learn some basics, then come back to it. There are just too many aspects to the project to do and learn all at once.

[aparnasofte]

Am not totally new to these concepts. I have some exposure to them. i hav just done small programs in java, and used little bit concepts of ejb and stuffs. I havn't done any real time project like this alone. Anyways, thanks for the links. I'l try them out.

Thanks.