A Complete Guide - JakesCode/Biology-Department-Equipment-Revision-Version-2 GitHub Wiki
#QuikPractical/Biology-Department-Equipment-Requisition Complete Guide ##For Version 3.3.0.3
On first glance
BDER features the following inputs:
- Teacher | Drop-Down
- Date Select | DatePicker
- Year Group | Drop-Down
- Groups Select | Drop-Down
- Equipment | Textbox
- Period | Drop-Down
- Hazcards | Textbox
- Risk Assessment | Checkbox
- Dissection | Checkbox
- Submit | Button
- Load | Button
Teacher, Year Group, Groups and Period Selection
These are in the form of drop-down menus with an already defined list of selections. The 'Teachers' menu includes the name and initials of the staff.
Equipment and Hazcards Textbox
There are no pre-defined selections in the textboxes, it is completely freeform.
Date Select
The date select comes in the form of a Datepicker.
The Date select only selects dates. To select the time, the Period drop-down menu is used (explained above).
Risk Assessment and Dissection Checkboxes
Leaving the Risk Assessment box unchecked will result in an error, as it must be checked for the request to go through and be uploaded to the Calendar.
Checking the Dissection box will ask for confirmation - leaving this box checked will add two additional reminders to your request - reminding the technicians of your experiment one day in advance via email and a pop-up reminder.
Submit and Load Buttons
Clicking Submit will check if all of the inputs are valid, and then uploads the data to the Calendar. On the first run of the program, an additional webpage may open which requests for access. Please allow access, as the program cannot run without the permission to modify the Calendar in your name. Once Permission has been granted, you will be asked to enter a short "nickname" for your experiment. The "nickname" you provide forms the filename of the request, and is saved in a folder called "history" within the installation directory. You will then also have the option to view your newly created event within the Google Calendar website (to possibly make some small changes) or simply close the program.
Clicking Load will allow you to browse the "history" folder and load in any previous experiments to either make changes, or send the same request again. (reminder - the date and risk assessment checkbox is not read-in or saved, to allow you to either select/confirm them yourself.)
###Scenario Walkthrough In this example, I have freshly installed the program.
####Step One - Fill in all the information
The following is an example of a correctly filled form:
####Step Two - Click Submit
A window appears in my default browser (which is Chrome in this case) asking me to select an account. I select my account.
####Step Three - Validate
I am then presented with a Deny/Allow page. Please select Allow, and also take note that the app requests for permission to manage the Calendar. Whilst it is a shared Calendar, requests you submit are submitted in your name.
####Step Four - Nicknaming
I am told that the verification code has been received. In the "My Documents" folder on my computer, a folder called ".credentials" has been created, containing information about the fact I have allowed access to the Calendar from the program.
Next, I am shown a box which asks me to enter a short, recognizable name for the practical.
The box closes, and I am then presented with another box:
Clicking "See the event...." will open the newly created event in my default browser.
####Step Five - Saving and Loading
Let's say I wanted to do the Potato Osmosis experiment again, but wished to do it with three groups instead, and a week later. I would simply click "Load", and select the file I created earlier:
I am then alerted of the following:
The date is not read in, and for security purposes, the "Risk Assessment" checkbox is also not saved/read in. You must check this box yourself.
####Step Six - Creating the new request
Now that the file has been read in, I can safely select a new date and check that a risk assessment has been carried out. For example, I have selected the 30th of December 2015 (represented as 30/12). I will then click "Submit" again, and the box to view my request in Google Calendar appears again. Clicking it shows me this:
The new request has been created successfully, with the updated information.
Phone and Tablet Support
In Version 3.0.3.3, tablet and phone support comes in the form of the Google Calendar app for Android and iOS. One such example of its usage is as follows:
Viewing details....
###...and editing them.
Obviously, all changes made are synced with the real-time Google Calendar and are then made visible to everyone else. Events can also be deleted from your phone/tablet too.