P1--Simple Objects

Assignment #1:
Classes

Objectives: Gain experience using classes and objects.

Description: This program is intended to provide you with experience designing classes and instantiating objects from those classes.

There are, unfortunately, several different ways to format references in a research paper. Probably the most common ones are the APA style, the MLA style, and the Chicago style. You can find examples of each format in the Reference Styles help sheet.

This program is the first component that you will develop in the process of designing and implementing a reference formatting system. Notice that the different formatting styles often use variations on how the author's name is displayed, and often in how the publication or conference date is displayed.

This program will require you to create a programmer-defined clsDate class that will allow the storage and display of publication dates in different formats. In addition, it will require you to create a programmer-defined clsName class allow the storage and display of author names in various formats.

Required Classes

clsDate (You can use the clsDate class provided in the Example Program as a basis. )

Some publications include only a year, some include only a month and year, and some include an entire date. Therefore, your class must allow the storage of a 0 value for day for instances in which only the month and year of publication are known, and should also allow the user to specify both a 0 day and a 0 month for instances in which only the year of publication is known. This is why we cannot use the built-in Date class. It requires non-zero values for month, day, and year.

Instance Variables
- An integer variable called mm to store the month.
- An integer variable called dd to store the day of the month.
- An integer variable called yyyy to store the year.

Constructors and Finalizers
- A no argument constructor that sets mm, dd, and yyyy to the current date and increments the static variable. The constructor should allow setDate to handle all validation and initialization.
- A one-argument constructor that initializes the year instance variable to the parameter value. Month and day are set to zero. The constructor should allow setDate to handle all validation and initialization.
- A two-argument constructor that initializes the month and year instance variables to the parameter values. Day is set to zero. The constructor should allow setDate to handle all validation and initialization.
- A three argument constructor that initializes the instance variables to the parameter values. calls setDate to initialize mm, dd, and yyyy, and also increments the static variable. The constructor should allow setDate to handle all validation and initialization.
- A finalizer that calls the default finalizer.

Mutator Methods
- A method called setDate that accepts values for month, day, and year as arguments, validates their values by invoking the utility methods, and sets the instance variables to those values. According to our scenario, it should be possible to provide just a year and leave the month and day blank (or 0). The current version prohibits 0 values for month and day. Modify it so that if the month or day parameter is 0, then the instance variable is set to 0, otherwise the parameter value should be validated. Note that while a 0 day is valid as long as a month and year are provided, if the month value is zero then day must also be zero. The conditional statement is very useful in modifying the setDate method, so use it. For example, when validating the month value it will normally reject a 0 value. However, you can test to see if the initialization parameter for the month is 0. If it is, set the month instance variable to 0, if it is not then validate the parameter.
- A method called setDay that sets the day.
- A method called setMonth that sets the month.
- A method called setYear that sets the year.
Accessor Methods
- A method called getDay that returns the day.
- A method called getMonth that returns the month.
- A method called getYear that returns the year.
- A method called format that formats the date using the format specified in the formatSelector. The code provided code for this method no modification, but examine it to be sure you understand how it works.
Utility Methods
- A method called checkMonth that validates the month parameter.
- A method called checkDay that validates the day parameter.
- A method called checkYear that validates the year parameter.
- A method called getStrMonth that accepts the numeric value for month and returns the month name.

clsName

Instance Variables
- A string variable for first name.
- A string variable for middle initial.
- A string variable for last name.
Constructors
- provide the necessary constructors (there will always be a first and last name, but will there always be an initial?)
Mutator Methods
- A method called setFirstName.
- A method called setLastName.
- A method called setMiddleInitial.
- A method called setName.
Accessor Methods
- A method called getFirst.
- A method called getLast.
- A method called getMI.
- A method to format names like Jones, Anthony T. and Jones, A.T. You may want to write a single method that reads the value of a parameter that you pass to determine which format to use, but it is not required that it be a single method. Here are some possible combinations that you should provide:
  - A. Jones
  - A.T. Jones
  - Anthony Jones
  - Anthony T. Jones
  - Jones, A.
  - Jones, A.T.
  - Jones, Anthony
  - Jones, Anthony T.
Utility Methods
- Provide a method called getFirstInitial.

As always, the classes, instance variables and methods listed below are not exhaustive, and should be adapted as needed as you formulate your solution. Note that initial designs evolve as system details become more evident. However, you should contact the professor if you discover the need for any serious deviations from this general design.

The application should implement the interface below so that both the date and name can be tested.

Your interface should provide all possible formatting options for the name (the demo contains only four).

Download the demo here.

Hints

Help with the combo box:

// In declarations of testFrame
private String formatList[ ] =
                 { "Last, Fir st M.", "First M. Last", "F.M. Last", "Last, F.M."};

JComboBox jComboBoxFormat = new JComboBox(formatList);

// In jbInit of frame
jPanelFormat.add(jComboBoxFormat, null);

// in jbtnFormatName_actionPerformed
switch ( jComboBoxFormat.getSelectedIndex() )
{
     case 0:
          jtfResult.setText(testName.getLastFirstMi());
          break;
     case 1:
          jtfResult.setText(testName.getFirstMiLast());
          break;
     case 2:
          jtfResult.setText(testName.getFiMiLast());
          break;
     case 3:
          jtfResult.setText(testName.getLastFiMi());
          break;
}

// Substitute names that you selected for Items in red.