The Easy University system will require a user hierarchy that identifies what user of the system has access to what. This is a critical system for the future of students registering at Easy University and others who will be responsible for updating it with changes in course lectures and so forth. The hierarchy will be broken up into Administration, and student levels (see USER HIERARCHY diagram below). Since administration accounts exist, it is necessary that effective passwords that are not guessable be chosen for each account on the system. For example, forcing the user to choose a password with a non-alphabetic character in the middle of their password, such as HUS*LER as opposed to HUSTLER. As well, passwords of 6 or more characters/numbers is enforced for each user.

The Administration Level:

This type of login will allow the user to have access to all parts of the registration system. This will include the ability to:

(a) create a new student account,

(b) delete / modify student records on the system,

(c) add /delete / modify fields of the database tables,

(e) miscellaneous duties (Registrar).

The administration account will be in use by the Office of the Registrar employees for modifying and keeping up-to-date records for existing student accounts on the system.

(a) Creating a NEW Student Account:

This will be done by the administrator of the system. The account will be created and the system will generate a password and username for the new account. The student ID number will be used as a username for the student as a rule. Once this is completed the user will be notified that they can log onto the system and add/drop/modify courses at will.

(b) Deleting / Modify a Student Account:

This is done by login into the system as ADMIN and entering the student information form which has a search button. This brings up a dialog box and requests to enter a username or student id number. Once this is complete, the system finds the student record and presents it to the ADMIN. At this stage, the ADMIN can modify any field in the record and the changes will be automatically updated on the system. Or, the ADMIN can delete the account by clicking on the DELETE RECORD button. A dialog box confirming this action wil be presented and the ADMIN will have to answer YES or NO to deleting the account.

(c) Adding/Deleting/Modifying fields of the Database Tables:

This is done by login into the system as ADMIN, which gives the user full read/write/modify/create/supervisor access to the directory of the machine that the application is on. Once this is accomplished, the ADMIN can then go ahead and edit the database tables and see how all the information is maintained on the system. In addition to this, the admin can install new features, such as button, into forms that will provide the user with more options when using the system.

(d) Miscellaneous Duties (Registrar):

There are many other miscellaneous features that the system provides the ADMIN account with. These include:

i) Class lists: This gives a professor using the ADMIN account the ability to generate a class list of the all the students in their class. This includes the students full name, their ID number, as well as other general information.

ii) Prerequisites: This gives ADMIN users the ability to check student information to see if a particular student has the correct prerequisites to register for a course. Although the system presents a messagebox when the student tries to add a course that they don't have the prerequisites for, this is the case when the student has filled out a special request for admission into a course without the prerequisites. This feature gives the Head of the Department the ability too make the choice whether or not to allow special entry into the required course.

iii) Querying number of people in classes: This gives a breakdown of the number of students that will be occupying classrooms for courses. This will allow the registrar, for example, the ability to better utilize classrooms around the University.

iv) Since the Registrar is using the ADMIN account to process student records, the ADMIN is allowed the ability for scheduling course examination timetables and modify them if a conflict exists with student timetables.

The Student Level:

This login identity will allow students to modify their own accounts on the system. The user will be issued a user name (their student ID number always) and password from the system administrator. Once the user enters the password assigned to them by the sysadmin, they will be forced to choose a new password for themselves. Only after they enter in a valid password is the user able to access the system. This will all be done in a GUI environment with dialog boxes for the user to enter information into.

After this, the user's current timetable will be loaded into the system. Changes made by the student will be automatically displayed. User confirmation for withdrawing from a course as well as for other critical operations will be provided to ensure that the student doesn't accidentally destroy their account.

The student will log into the system and will be presented with a main form giving them various broad choices, such as Student Records, Course Registration, and Logout. By clicking the Course Registration button, the student is presented with another form that allows the student the abilities to add/drop/modify their schedule of classes. This includes the ability to enter a course name, for example CPSC451, and the appropriate information for that course is displayed to the user. This information contains:

i) The course general description

ii) The course instructor

iii) The cost of the course

iv) The course information (duration, when?, where?)

v) The course prerequisites

vi) Other information that will be of use to the student before registraring for that course.

Once the student has modified their account to the point where they are satisfied with their, the student is given a view of the their timetable with the courses filled in over a one week period. This timetable is updated each time the student adds or drops a course. The student then has the ability to exit this Course Registration menu and enter the Student Records menu to print off a report of their fee / timetable or a report on their previously taken courses / GPA (Grade Point Average).

Some special functions that are available to the student include:

(a) Viewing / printing current timetable,

(b) Generate previously taken courses summary,

(c) generate current fee report.

(a) Viewing / Printing current timetable:

The student will log into the system and wil have to choose the Student Records option from the main menu. This will present buttons that allow the user to spawn off print jobs to any specified printer at the University. To simply view the timetable on the system, the user will have to enter the Course Registration option from the main menu. This will present the user with an up-to-date view of their timetable.