Need some ideas for teacher's gradebook

[mystica]

Hey all,

I was thinking about trying to use ams to develop a teacher's gradebook for personal use in the classroom ... but after sitting here thinking about how I might go about this, am really at a loss as to how to even get started for something like this.

I've seen examples of stuff for this kind of thing developed in Excel, and even whole database applications packed into full free-standing software packages.

But none is what I'm really looking for. I don't want to overcomplicate things, and am just looking for a really basic and simple kind of setup, that will allow me to enter, store and display lists of student-names, together with grades/results for each exam. And maybe with some kind of database-style link to details about each student.

I don't have a damm clue about SQLite, so was looking at the Grid-Object for a while but this doesn't seem to be of much use for this task. I was also thinking about burying my head in MS-Access for a while to learn how to build with that, but it just looks so damm complicated.

Does anyone have some other ideas for how I might get started on this type of project? :huh

PS.
Some visual inspiration might be helpful, too ... because I'm feeling decidedly un-imaginative at the moment.

[RizlaUK]

mmm, a teacher that dont know where to start....god help us :D

jk, check PM :yes

[mystica]

mmm, a teacher that dont know where to start....god help us :D

LOL! :D
Now, that's just plain mean. http://www.roguefaction.com/forum/images/smilies/devil.gif

[JDog37]

Hey mystica!!! How the he(double hockey stick)are ya!? ;) LMAO, Give me a few color ideas and or some ideas on how you want it to look and I might be able to help with graphics?

[mystica]

Hey mystica!!! How the he(double hockey stick)are ya!? ;) LMAO, Give me a few color ideas and or some ideas on how you want it to look and I might be able to help with graphics?

Open to anything at this stage, JD. Just needs be easy to interpret, visually-speaking.

[infinityscape]

you could use XML to store the students information, grades etc. i use XML all the time now is its very easy to make and very flexible and also provides a database without actually needing a database.

[mystica]

you could use XML to store the students information, grades etc. i use XML all the time now is its very easy to make and very flexible and also provides a database without actually needing a database.

I'm not too familar on working with the XML functions but will definitely look into it. Gotta be easier to understand then sqlite. :lol

[JDog37]

Ideas are starting this way.. Give me more Ideas!! Now of course there will be sub cat... But this is a start.;)

Joe

[mystica]

Looks really good, JD! Nicely done.
More ideas you ask? Okay ... well the inside needs to contain some kind of grid/column arrangement. (ie. student-names down the left, results of each exam adjacent each name, across the page).

example:
http://img.loldepot.com/7eceed7c2b1299e54044.jpeg


The real problem is how to display such an arrangement, so that the cells are editable and storeable. Is why I was looking at the ams grid-object originally. Guess it needs sqlite or xml working in tandem to do this though, and this where I'm getting thrown, 'cause I know stuff all about these two functions.

[JDog37]

How do I populate the grid object?? I never used it before.. I have a excel file like you were saying names on the left, and classes across the top, but I dont know how to populate the grid object at all.. lol. I put the excel file in the docs folder, but how to use?? :eek:

Joe

[mystica]

Heh-heh, yeah ... that's the problem. I know stuff-all (ie. nothing) about grids, xml and sqlite which are the very things I need for this project. And the documentation is either too scant to be of much use, or too difficult to make sense out of.

[JDog37]

I wonder if you can do it out of a listbox, and check boxes... or something? :huh

[mystica]

I wonder if you can do it out of a listbox, and check boxes... or something? :huh
I'm sure you can, but it wouldn't be very effecient.
I saw this example yesterday: registro (http://www.indigorose.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=9203&d=1264713794) (original thread: http://www.indigorose.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28867),
which is sort of like what I'm after, but way more complex than what I had in mind.

[RizlaUK]

which is sort of like what I'm after, but way more complex than what I had in mind.

just how non complex do you want it :p

iv been working hard on this database setup, in fact i think iv gone a little overboard, this is turning into a full scale school management system :D

[mystica]

http://www.roguefaction.com/forum/images/smilies/yikes.sml.gif
Far out, man! That looks friggin' awesome!
Yes please!
http://www.roguefaction.com/forum/images/smilies/gimmeh.gif

[RizlaUK]

lol, well i'll get the rest of the input screens done and tie everything together and send the 1st draft over, we can build it up from there :yes

[JDog37]

Dude... that is sweet, I just wanted to say, that is VERY impressive. To bad you are so far away.. I'd buy you lunch! Lol

Nice work, :yes:yes
Joe

[mystica]

Dude... that is sweet, I just wanted to say, that is VERY impressive. To bad you are so far away.. I'd buy you lunch! Lol

Nice work, :yes:yes
Joe

I second that motion. Motion is passed. Dude's work is hereby deemed, sweet.
Look forward to seeing it! :yes

[RizlaUK]

Dude's work is hereby deemed, sweet.

ok, sweet ;)

yea, this wont be ready for a while yet, so dont go getting to excited now will you, lol

seriously, a few days of hard coding yet, and then lots of bug tracking (:eek: bugs in my code....never!)

and remember, nothing in life is free, for this, i want one of your kidneys, just in case i ever need a transplant! *one in the bank*

[mystica]

for this, i want one of your kidneys, just in case i ever need a transplant! *one in the bank*

Dunno about that. But you can have my liver if you like ... I'm sure it's probably got Cirrhosis by now. :p

[JDog37]

Well Ill donate my friends organs... LOL Hey no rush there Riz.. I know your a busy guy.. JUST HURRY!!! LMFAO ;) You sweet Mother F!@!@# you!:D

[mystica]

LMFAO ;) You sweet Mother F!@!@# you!:D
You got a dirty mouth there, JD ... kiss your mother with that thing??
heh,heh,heh
:D

[Centauri Soldier]

@mystica
For future reference, reteset has developed a very cool little SQLite3 plugin and I gotta say, the more I use SQLite3 the easier it seems. The learning curve is pretty short. It just looks scary at first.

If you ever decide to use XML (which is really stupid simple to learn) I have a few functions tucked away that might help.

Also, keep in mind that XML(in AMS) can only work on one file at a time so if you need a hybrid, try my INIPlus Action Plugin (uses a hybrid of the XML and INI document formats).

So there are a lot of options there.


You got a dirty mouth there, JD ... kiss your mother with that thing??
heh,heh,heh
:D

A Mother? I always assumed that Joe was spawned from some swamp in the midwest or summoned by the Dragon Priests of the Dark Tower. Huh! Well, learn somethin' new everyday.

:D

[RizlaUK]

A Mother? I always assumed that Joe was spawned from some swamp

HaHaHa, its Swamp Thang


http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/80228/larry_swamp_thang.jpg

[mystica]

@Centauri
Ah okay ... thanks Centauri, I'll keep that stuff in mind. Guess I gotta put my head down and get a handle on XML first, though.


A Mother? I always assumed that Joe was spawned from some swamp in the midwest or summoned by the Dragon Priests of the Dark Tower. Huh! Well, learn somethin' new everyday.:D

Hahahaha! Oh man, funny stuff!
You not gonna let that one slide, are you JD?
:D



@RizlaUK


http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/80228/larry_swamp_thang.jpg

Looks familiar somehow ... reminds me of someone. It'll come to me, I'm sure ... ahhhhh, cuppla dayz. :lol

[JDog37]

LMAO, you guys are to much! Swamp thing.. pic and all.. :D
You not gonna let that one slide, are you JD? No way.. Good things come to those who wait.. I'm going to wait for my time to shine!!! Hehe.. @!&#$@@!@@#$!!!!!!