notes.txt

Development team notes:

Database Test Data
------------------
After each pull, please do the following to place the database in
a simple starter state we can all use:
    
    rake db:reset
    rake db:populate

The initial database population is defined by lib/tasks/sample_data.rake.
It uses the factories defined in spec/factories/* to generate entities.
If you add new modael classes and want to generate test data in the
database, please add to the sample_data.rake file so that this population
will happen automatically for everyone.  The sample_data.rake contains
only "sample/try out" data for use during development, and it won't
appear on the production server.  Initial database contents provided
for all new installs, including the production server, is described
in db/seeds.rb instead.
    
  - The initial database includes the following accounts:
    - admin@codeworkout.org (pass: adminadmin), has admin-level access
    - example-1@railstutorial.org (pass: hokiehokie), has instructor access
    - example-*@railstutorial.org (pass: hokiehokie) 50 students
    
    It also includes the following other objects:
    - two terms (spring 2013 and fall 2013),
    - one organization (VT)
    - one course (CS 1114)
    - two offerings of 1114 (one each semester)
      - one course offering is set up with the admin and instructor
        as instructors, and all other sample accounts as students


Git Practices
-------------
Do all work in your own branch, then merge into master when features
are tested/working.  Pull master changes and merge them into your branch
when necessary.

After pulling updates from git, be sure to run this to update any Gem
changes to the project:

    bundle install

After pulling updates from git, be sure to run this to bring the database
up to speed:

    rake db:populate

The db:populate task with reset the database to an empty state with
the current schema, and then preload it with some sample data.  Use
"rake db:reset" if you want to go to an empty database without any
sample data instead.


Updating Documentation
----------------------
Some documentation is auto-generated.  In model classes, schema comments
in the model source files show the table structure.  To update those
comments, use:

    bundle exec annotate

In the root of the project, the erd.pdf file presents an entity relationship
diagram (ERD) showing the relationships between the model entities.  Diagram
generation requires graphviz to be installed.  If you have it installed,
you can update the erd.pdf diagram using:

    rake erd notation=bachman polymporphism=true


Basic Code Formatting
---------------------
+   Read the Ruby style guide:

        https://github.com/bbatsov/ruby-style-guide

+   Please use spaces around operators (e.g., "a = 10" instead of "a=10",
    or "a + b" instead of "a+b").

+   Please use spaces after commas (e.g., "function(a, b)" instead of
    "function(a,b)".

+   In comments, please use a space after the comment character, separating
    it from the first word of the comment.

+   In Ruby control constructs, use a space after Ruby keywords like "if"
    (i.e., "if x == 0", not "if( x == 0 )").  Parentheses are OK, but are
    not required in conditions.

+   Set your editor to automatically trim white space at the ends of lines,
    and to use only spaces for indentation (indentation step size = 2), and
    to ensure files end in a newline (i.e., no EOF on a meaningful line of
    text).
    --  In Eclipse, go to the Preferences dialog.  Under Aptana Studio->
        Editors->Ruby, then set tab policy to "use spaces" with a tab size of
        2.  Then go to Aptana Studio->Editors and check to "remove trailing
        whitespace characters".

+   Keep lines under 80 columns where possible.  Break long lines when possible
    to do this.
    --  In Eclipse, go to the Preferences dialog.  Then go to General->
        Editors->Text Editors, check to show the print margin and set the
        print margin to 80 columns.