Hi Maggie. I've also long wondered about object descriptions in IT. <br><br>The last time I went hunting for examples of them on the web, I came to the conclusion that they were a timid and endangered type of beast never seen in the wild, and living only in the protected sanctuary of the IT study design. <br>
<br>But after a new safari, I've found an example at...<br><br><a href="http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/iadthelp/v7r0/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.etools.iseries.langref2.doc/disod.html" target="_blank">http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/iadthelp/v7r0/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.etools.iseries.langref2.doc/disod.html</a><br>
<br>which might help a bit. They seem intended to give information about objects' properties in the same way a data dictionary gives information about data. <br><br>But they still don't seem to breed outside of captivity.<br>
<br>On 3 September 2012 08:04, Sonia McDonald <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:Sonia.McDonald@gippslandgs.vic.edu.au" target="_blank">Sonia.McDonald@gippslandgs.vic.edu.au</a>></span> wrote:<br>
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<p>Hi Maggie,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In answer to your question, I'll give a bit more info (you may already know this)...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Objects are models of something that can do certain things and have certain things done to them. Formally, an object is a collection of data and associated behaviours.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Data in this instance represents the individucal characteristics of a certain object. A class of objects can define specific characteristics that are shared by all instances of that class. For example, if we have four grapes on the table in front of us,
each grape may have a different weight. The weight is a characteristic called an attribute.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Behaviours are actions that occur on an object. The behaviours that can be performed on a specific class of objects are called methods. Methods are like funcitons, they house parameters and values. For example, one grape method may have a 'pick' and a 'squeeze'
action.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In this instance, I believe that object descriptions are to describe what data and behaviours the objects have.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I usually get my kids to put it in a table:</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Object Description</b></p>
<p>Grape Has the 'pick' and 'squeeze' methods.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Then I get them to further clarify by describing what the methods do in pseudocode.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kind regards,</p>
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<p> </p>
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<p><b><font face="Arial">Sonia McDonald</font></b></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Teacher of Information Technology/Multimedia - Garnsey Campus</font></p>
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<div style="DIRECTION:ltr"><font color="#000000" face="Tahoma"><b>From:</b> <a href="mailto:sofdev-bounces@edulists.com.au" target="_blank">sofdev-bounces@edulists.com.au</a> [<a href="mailto:sofdev-bounces@edulists.com.au" target="_blank">sofdev-bounces@edulists.com.au</a>] on behalf of Margaret Iaquinto [iaquinto@ozemail..com.au]<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Sunday, 2 September 2012 12:10 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> SD List<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Year 12 SofDev] object descriptions<br>
</font><br>
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<div>Would someone out there, who understands heaps about OOP, please give an opinion or example of what we should expect from 'object descriptions'?<br>
<br>
It is found in the KK for U3O2:<br>
<br>
<span style="LINE-HEIGHT:115%;FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri','sans-serif';FONT-SIZE:12pt">methods of expressing software designs using data dictionaries and data structure diagrams, object descriptions and pseudocode
</span><br>
<br>
<br>
Maggie<br>
(ICT at St Leonards)<br>
<br>
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