Course Information
Overview
CS 2112/ENGRD 2112 is an honors version of CS 2110/ENGRD 2110. Credit is given for only one of 2110 and 2112. Transfer between 2110 and 2112 (in either direction) is encouraged during the first three weeks. We cover intermediate software design and introduce some key computer science ideas. The topics are similar to those in 2110 but are covered in greater depth with more challenging assignments. Topics include object-oriented programming, program structure and organization, program reasoning using specifications and invariants, recursion, design patterns, concurrent programming, graphical user interfaces, data structures, sorting and graph algorithms, asymptotic complexity, and simple algorithm analysis. Java is the principal programming language.
Time & Place
Lecture:
- Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:10-11am,
Gates G01
(ground floor, below the main entrance).
Labs:
- Mondays 7:30-8:20pm, Phillips 407 or
- Wednesdays 7:30-8:20pm, Upson 216
Discussions:
- Tuesdays 12:20-1:10pm, Hollister 306 or
- Wednesdays 1:25-2:15pm, Hollister 206
You are expected to attend all lectures, one lab, and one discussion each week.
Course Staff
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Prerequisites
Very good performance in CS 1110 or an equivalent course, or permission of the instructor. If you are unsure whether CS 2110 or CS 2112 is the right course for you, please talk to the instructor of either course. Both courses cover similar material and satisfy the same requirements, but CS 2112 covers material in more depth and has more challenging assignments. It is aimed at computer science majors.
Texts
You are required to read the course notes posted on the web site. These will often contain more detail than what was presented in lecture.
There is a recommended textbook, which is also the textbook for CS 2110. It is useful especially for examples of how to implement various data structures.
- • Data Structures and Abstractions with Java, 4th edition, Frank M. Carrano and Timothy Henry, Pearson Education, 2014. ISBN-10: 0133744051, ISBN-13: 9780133744057.
See also the companion website for additional material.
Other Sources
- • Data Structures and Problem Solving Using Java, 3rd edition, Mark Allen Weiss, Addison Wesley, 2006. ISBN 0-321-32213-4. See also Weiss's website for additional material. A required text from previous years.
- • Program development in Java: Abstraction, Specification, and Object-Oriented Design, B. Liskov and J. Guttag, Addison-Wesley, 2000. ISBN 0-201-65768-6. An excellent source of material on designing and specifying abstractions.
- • Java Precisely, 2nd edition, P. Sestoft, MIT Press, 2005. To access the entire book for free, login via the Cornell Engineering Library.
- • Design Patterns, Erich Gamma, Richard Helm, Ralph Johnson, and John M. Vlissides, Addison Wesley, 1994. ISBN 0-201-63361-2. An extremely influential book on software engineering. According to Wikipedia, as of April 2007, the book was in its 36th printing and has sold over 500,000 copies in English and 13 other languages.
- • Java in a Nutshell, 5th edition, David Flanagan, O'Reilly, 2005. ISBN 0-596-00773-6.
These titles are on reserve in the Engineering library, Carpenter Hall.
The CS 2110 Java HyperText has many online learning aids and tutorial videos, including introductory videos on Java and Eclipse.
Piazza
We will be using Piazza as an online discussion forum. You are encouraged to post any questions you might have about the course material. The course staff monitor Piazza fairly closely and you will usually get a quick response. If you know the answer to a question, you are encouraged to post it, but please avoid giving away any hints on the homework or posting any part of a solution—this is considered a violation of academic integrity.
By default, your posts are visible to the course staff and other students, and you should prefer this mode so that others can benefit from your question and the answer. However, you can post privately so that only the course staff can see your question, and you should do so if your post might reveal information about a solution to a homework problem. If you post privately, we reserve the right to make your post public if we think the class will benefit. You can also post anonymously if you wish not to reveal your identity.
Piazza is the most effective way to communicate with the staff and is the preferred mode of interaction. Please reserve email for urgent or confidential matters. Free-ranging technical discussions are especially encouraged. Broadcast messages from the course staff to students will be sent using Piazza and all course announcements will be posted there, so check in often.
CMS
We will be using the course management system CMS for managing assignments, exams, and grades. Everyone who preregistered for the course should be entered, but if you did not preregister, you are probably missing. Please login here and check whether you exist. There will be a list of courses you are registered for, and CS 2112 should be one of them. If not, please send your full name and Cornell netId to the Administrative Assistant so that you can be registered.
You can check your grades, submit homework, and request regrades in CMS. Please check your grades regularly to make sure we are recording things properly. The system also provides some grading statistics. There is a help page with instructions.
Please do not repost course materials released on CMS publicly. These materials are intellectual property and are meant for participants in the course. They are not free to the public.
Announcements and Handouts
Announcements will be posted to Piazza. Homework and exam solutions will be available in CMS. Check frequently for new postings.
Assignments & Exams
There will be seven assignments, mostly involving programming but also some written problems. The first assignment will be done alone. The second and third will be done in pairs, which we will assign. The last four assignments are parts of a single project. These assignments will be done in pairs or triples, and you may choose your partner(s).
Unless otherwise specified, assignments may be turned in late with a penalty of 10% up to 5pm on the day of the first grading session following the due date (Wednesdays this year). Extensions may be granted in case of illness or other acceptable excuse; please contact the course instructor.
There will be one 1½-hour evening prelim and a 2½-hour final exam. Please check the schedule page for times and locations.
Your final grade will be based on your assignment and exam scores according to the following weights:
| Assignments | 45% |
| Prelim | 20% |
| Final | 35% |
Regrades
Graded homework will be available on CMS. Graded exams will be available in the handback room, 216 Gates.
Homework regrade requests can be submitted electronically in CMS. Exam regrades should be handwritten and submitted to the course staff. Graded exams will be available in the handback room in Gates 216. Please include a description of the grading error with your regrade request.
Academic Integrity
The utmost level of academic integrity is expected of all students. Under no circumstances may you submit work done with or by someone else under your own name or share detailed proofs or code with anyone else except your partner. However, questions regarding general techniques or the requirements of the assignment are permissible.
You must cite all sources, including Internet sources. You must acknowledge by name anyone whom you consulted (excluding course staff). You may not give nor receive assistance from anyone else during an exam. You may not give any hints or post any material that might be part of a solution publicly on Piazza. If your question necessarily includes such material, post privately.
If you are unsure about what is permissible and what is not, please ask.
Academic Integrity Resources:
- • Cornell University Code of Academic Integrity
- • Computer Science Department Code of Academic Integrity
- • Explanation of AI Proceedings
Special Needs
We will provide appropriate accommodation for students with special needs or disabilities. Requests for accommodation are to be made during the first three weeks of the semester and must be accompanied by official documentation. Please register with Student Disability Services in 110 Ho Plaza (Cornell Health Building), Level 5 to document your eligibility.
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Resources
- Course notes
- Java
- Interactive development environments (IDEs)
- Programming advice and resources
- Computer labs
- Support services
Course notes
Course notes for individual lectures and recitations can be found on the course schedule. The notes are also available as a single printable document.
Java
Java is one of the most widely used object-oriented programming languages, and programming skill in the Java language is in high demand. Nevertheless, this is not a course about Java. Java is simply a good vehicle for explaining many of the ideas on data structures, algorithms, and software engineering that will be covered in the course. Most of the ideas you will be exposed to in this course, and the skills you will develop, will transfer to other programming languages.
Online Resources
• The CS 2110 Java HyperText is a comprehensive collection of online modules introducing Java and Eclipse.
• The Java API contains documentation for the extensive Java class library.
• The Java Language Specification is helpful if you want to really understand how Java works.
• Oracle has an official Java Tutorial.
Brushing Up
Review the introductory chapters in the textbook and the Java reference books listed on the course info page. For students with C++ experience, check out this Wikipedia page comparing C++ with Java.
Java version
We will be using the Java 10 Standard Edition (Java SE 10) platform, which consists of the Java Development Kit (JDK) and the Java Runtime Environment (JRE). Java 8 (aka 1.8) or 9 will also suffice. If you are using Java 7 or earlier, please upgrade.
To find out which version of the JRE you are
running, open a command window (in Windows, Start > Run... and type cmd,
and in Mac OS, Applications > Utilities > Terminal)
and type java -version at the command prompt:
$ java -version java version "10.0.2" 2018-07-17 Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment 18.3 (build 10.0.2+13) Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM 18.3 (build 10.0.2+13, mixed mode)
This says I have version 10 installed.
If you are on a PC running Windows and have never installed a version
of the Java Development Kit (JDK) on your machine, you probably don't have it.
If you are on a Mac, you probably do. To find out, type javac -version:
$ javac -version javac 10.0.2
If you get an error message or the version is earlier than 8, you must (re)install the JDK.
Installing the JDK
The JDK is already installed in CIT and ACCEL labs. However, installing it own your own machine will greatly facilitate your work.
To download the JDK, visit Oracle's Java web site and download and install the appropriate version of the JDK for your platform.
Compiling and Running from the Command Line
Compiling: Say your main class is MyProgram and it is
contained in the source file MyProgram.java.
If it is not in a package, navigate
to the folder containing MyProgram.java
and type javac MyProgram.java. If it is in a package (say myPackage), the
source should be in a folder called myPackage. Navigate
to the folder containing myPackage
and type javac myPackage/MyProgram.java.
Running: From the same folder you compiled from, type
java MyProgram <program arguments> if it is not
in a package, and java myPackage.MyProgram <program arguments> if it is.
Specifying a Classpath: Sometimes you may need to inform Java where to find auxiliary
classes. You can do this with the -cp option
to the java command.
Supply a sequence of folders telling Java where to look
for classes, separated by : (Mac) or
; (Windows).
Local Software
Some Java libraries have been developed for use in CS 2110 and CS 2112 assignments. Feel free to use them.
EasyIO: Support for easy console input and output, and for scanning
input from a file or string (like java.util.Scanner, but more powerful).
[ doc | jar | source ]
cs2110: Various types of queues, including a priority queue supporting in situ adjustment of priorities;
a DelimitedStringBuilder similar to one found in OCaml; a module that runs an external script that takes a
string on stdin and writes a string to stdout; and a module for easy access to a text resource file.
[ doc | jar | source ]
IDEs
IDE stands for integrated development environment. The use of an IDE is the best way to develop Java programs. IDEs provide many valuable aids such as syntax checking, debugging, and refactoring that can save you a lot of effort.
There are many good IDEs. We recommend Eclipse, but you may use any one that you like, or none at all. Eclipse is installed in all the labs, along with some others. Early recitation sections will get you started with Eclipse if you are not familiar with an IDE.
Here are some links:
You should follow the 2110 style guide for naming conventions and code format. If you use Eclipse, you can download and install the Eclipse style template used by the course staff.
Programming
There are many valuable resources that can help you take your programming skills to the next level. Here are a few links:
General
Software Development Methodologies
Debugging
Just for Fun
- Please Don't Learn to Code
- Teach Yourself Programming in Ten Years
- Quines (Self-Reproducing Programs)
- Powers Of Ten
- Programming Quotes
- How To Become A Hacker
- How To Write Unmaintainable Code
- History of Operator Precedence
- Software Bugs & Glitches
- Doom for System Administration
- The International Obfuscated C Code Contest
- The Easter Egg Archive
- OOP Criticism
- Esoteric Programming Languages
Computer Labs
CIT Labs
Cornell Information Technologies (CIT) runs several computer labs across campus for all members of the Cornell community. The JDK and Eclipse are installed on these machines. Check here for locations and times of operation.
ACCEL Lab
You can also find the course software in the Academic Computing Center (ACCEL), located in the Engineering Library in Carpenter Hall. Any CS student may register for an account.
Support Services
Academic Excellence Workshops
The Academic Excellence Workshops (AEW) offer an opportunity for students to gain additional experience with course concepts in a cooperative learning environment. Research has shown that cooperative and collaborative methods promote higher grades, greater persistence, and deeper comprehension. The material presented in the workshop is at or above the level of the regular course. We do not require joining the AEW program, but do encourage students to join if they are seeking an exciting and fun way to learn. The AEW carries one S/U credit based on participation and attendance. The time commitment is two hours per week in the lab. No homework will be given. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to seek extra help on course topics in a small group setting.
Your fellow undergraduate students, who are familiar with the course material, teach the sessions with material that they prepare. The course staff provide guidance and support but do not actually teach the AEW course content or any session. A representative from the AEW program will be speaking about the program and registration procedures in lecture.
One of your TAs will be designated as the AEW liaison for CS 2112. Watch the announcements to find out who.
See the AEW webpage for further information.
Other Support Services
| PROGRAM | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| Registrar's Office | General services for the Cornell community. |
| Engineering College | Support services for Engineering students. |
| Arts College | Support services for Arts students. |
| CIT | Services offered by Cornell Information Technologies (CIT), including computer training. |
| Cornell Health | The Cornell University Health Service Center. For all health related concerns and counseling services. |
| Learning Styles | Not everyone learns the same way. If you are curious about how you learn, check out this collection. |
Assignments
All source code will be available on CMS.
| Assignment 1 | Introduction to Java Last update 8/24 11:50pm | |
| Assignment 2 | Ciphers and Encryption Last update 9/16 3:50pm | Design document |
| Assignment 3 | Data Structures and Text Editing | Design document |
| Assignment 4 | Parsing and Fault Injection | Design document |
| Assignment 5 | Interpretation and Simulation Last update 10/28 6:30pm | Design document |
| Assignment 6 | Graphical User Interface Design | Design document |
| Assignment 7 | Distributed and Concurrent Programming Last update 11/19 9:30am | Design document |