Create A Program To Track A Media Library

Create A Program That Will Keep Track Of A Media Library To Store Movi

Create a program that will keep track of a media library to store movies. It will store all of the data using arrays. Since we have not learned how to use files or a database, the information will not be stored anywhere and will be lost once the program ends. The program will keep track of a movie’s title, actors/actresses with characters, movie length, and year of the movie. All data will be stored in arrays.

Arrays needed for Movie Library:

  • Title
  • Length
  • Year
  • Rating (index value of drop-down)
  • Actors/characters (must be able to have more than one actor per movie)

Other requirements include:

  • Use multiple forms
  • Use textboxes, labels, list boxes, dropdowns (combo box), menus, splash screen, about dialog
  • Use a module file
  • Use non-event procedures (procedures defined by you)
  • Prompt user on exit, save, and delete actions to confirm intentions
  • Use variables within procedures and functions
  • Validate all input fields (numeric check, empty check, etc.)
  • Convert numeric fields using CInt or CDec and assign to variables

Bonus: Store data in a file for additional points.

Specific functionalities include:

  • Populating dropdowns with movie selections
  • Disabling all fields initially
  • Add new movie: enable fields, prompt, validate input, check for duplicates, resize arrays if necessary, set focus to title field
  • Save new movie: ensure all fields filled, numeric validation for year and length, display messages for errors, select newly added movie in list, disable controls
  • Item selection: populate fields with selected movie details, including actors
  • Add actors: prompt number to add, add each actor and character
  • Delete actor: select from list, confirm deletion
  • Update actors list: add only if there is room

Paper For Above instruction

The proposed media library application aims to facilitate efficient organization and management of movies through a user-friendly graphical interface. Developed using multiple forms, this system leverages arrays for data storage, ensuring quick access and manipulation of movie information such as titles, actors, movie length, release year, and ratings. Despite current limitations, notably the absence of file storage, this design adheres to core programming principles, emphasizing validation, user interaction, and modularity.

The core architecture consists of several interconnected modules. The main form serves as the primary interface where users can add, select, modify, and delete movies. It features controls such as textboxes for input, list boxes for displaying actor lists, dropdowns for selecting movies and ratings, and menus for additional options. The application begins with all input fields disabled to prevent unintended edits and becomes active when the user initiates an "Add New Movie" operation.

Arrays stand as the backbone of data storage in this application. Separate arrays are maintained for titles, lengths, years, ratings, and actors/characters. For the actor data associated with each movie, a two-dimensional array or a nested array structure can be utilized, allowing multiple actors per movie with associated characters. To handle dynamic data, the program dynamically resizes arrays when capacity is exceeded, ensuring scalability without predefined limits.

Adding a new movie requires enabling input controls, prompting the user for necessary data, and validating each field. Validation ensures fields are not empty, numeric fields contain valid numbers, and that duplicate titles are not introduced. Once validated, the information is stored in corresponding arrays, and the new movie is automatically selected in the list box, updating the display fields accordingly. The user is then prompted to confirm saving, with options to cancel or confirm the operation.

Selecting an existing movie from the list populates all related fields, including the actors list. This facilitates easy editing or deletion. To add actors, the user specifies the number of actors to be added, and then inputs each actor's name and corresponding character. Actors can be deleted by selecting them from the list and confirming the deletion. The application ensures all modifications are reflected promptly in the arrays and the display controls.

Error handling is a critical feature. The application prompts users with confirmation dialogs before exiting, saving, or deleting data. It validates all user inputs and displays appropriate messages for invalid entries, such as empty fields or non-numeric data in numeric fields. These validations prevent runtime errors and maintain data integrity. Additionally, all procedures use local variables to avoid unintended side effects and enhance code clarity.

Future enhancements include storing all data persistently in external files, allowing data retention across sessions, which would significantly increase the program's practicality. This could be achieved using file I/O operations to save and load data in structured formats like CSV or XML, adding a higher level of complexity and usability.

In conclusion, this media library application combines fundamental programming concepts such as array management, user input validation, modular code, and graphical controls to create a comprehensive and manageable movie database system. While current limitations restrict data persistence, the design lays a solid foundation for future development and feature expansion.

References

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