Computer programming applied to bio-information technology - Teoria (2008/2009)

Learning outcomes

This course provides some basic concepts to learn Java from the beginning. An introduction to the representation of numbers is followed by tools for the use of Java with objects. The last part of the course is devoted to show inheritability and polymorfism in Java.
At the end of the course students will be able to read Java programs as well as create and use simple (also inherited) objects through code written by themselves.

Part I (Oct-Dec)

Compiling, interpreting and executing code. Java Virtual Machine.

Number representations in the electronic machines:
- concepts;
- positional notation of integer numbers;
- base conversions.

Binary representations:
- unsigned numbers;
- signed-magnitude representation;
- one's complement;
- two's complement;
- rational numbers, fixed-point representation;
- arithmetic operations.

Introduction to codes:
- ASCII;
- Unicode.

Java:
- Esecution under Unix-like environments
- Classes and objects
- Prototypes and signatures
- Variables and types
- Instructions if e if…else
- Boolean type. Conditions
- Instructions while e do…while
- Instruction for. Index variables
- Operations. Expressions. Precedence. Type conversions
- Instruction switch
- Input files.

Part II (Jan-Mar)

- Arrays: declaration, creation, access to elements
- Explicit array inizialization
- Command line parameters
- Multidimensional arrays
- Parameter passing. Return
- Organization of the memory
- Recursive methods
- Inheritability
- Polymorfism

Each lecture provides part of the contents of the course books. These books are sufficient to acquire the skills needed to pass the exam.

The exam consists in solving simple problems and realizing a program. The exam merges with the course of Laboratorio di Programmazione per Bioinformatica. It is rated based not only on correctness, but also simplicity, clarity, and compilability of the program.

There are two (non-exclusive) ways to pass the exam:

1) (suggested) to pass two intermediate tests (Dec 2008 and Mar 2009)

2) to pass one official test across the year. Submitting a test cancels the results of any previous submission, including the intermediate test results.