GUI vs Command Line (1 Viewer)

[pungemo]

I am currently facing a bit of a problem with my major project. I am making a file/text encryption program. I've written all the algorithms and have a user interface developed. However the highly sequencial nature of the encryption process is making it very difficult to integrate into an event-based system. I was wondering whether it would be more effective to program a command-line based system rather than spending a long time trying to make it fit into a user interface.

The command line would still use a menu, such as the following:

1. New File
2. Open Plain-Text File
3. Open Encrypted File
4. Help
5. Quit

My main concern is that I won't be able to off the same level of user documentation built into the program (such as launching a web page or a help topics thing). Any help would be appreciated.

 

[dddman]

ok first of all for a SDD major project it seems very confusing and that it may be out of your reach not because of skill but however the time u may have over it.

1. what programming lang are you using? (VB,java and C++ would be good to use)

My main concern is that I won't be able to off the same level of user documentation built into the program (such as launching a web page or a help topics thing). Any help would be appreciated

sorry i dont understand what do ya mean from that statement, are you trying to get something like a user manual to pop out of something if so just build a main menu with the option to read the user instruction, FAQ....etc. PM me if u have any precise problems

 

[acmilan]

I think because of the nature of SDD major projects, its not a good idea to make a non-event driven program. I'm assuming you mean you just enter text/file and the program does the rest and outputs the encrypted thing. If you want to do this program, you'll perhaps have to consider splitting the encryption into stages, and perhaps having a different screen for each stage where the user can control when the stage begins. This way i guess you could have help by assisting the user at each stage, perhaps giving them different encryption options etc.

If you've already got the algorithms and the know-how to code it, i dont think it'll be an extremely hard thing to code. Depends what encryption algorithms you're using i guess.

 

[pungemo]

I have already split the encryption process into stages, the problem lies in the dynamic memory allocation I require and the tools I will use if I develop a user interface. I am currently working in C++ because that is the language that I am most comfortable with but it doesn't matter I can switch easily enough.

If I create an interface I would use Visual Studio. Visual studio uses a string array for the rich text element. To implement the encryption I need to work on a character level. This is easy enough to adapt but I'm not sure I have the time to do this.

Also, I need to determine key sizes and array lengths before implementing the encryption processes. I can do all this, I was just wondering whether it would be better to spend the time working on documentation.

Regarding the help-file thing I realise I wasn't particularly specific. Unfortunately I don't know exactly what it is called, a Windows Help File would probably be closest. It's pretty much a compressed web page built around a rigid structure. Usually listed under 'Contents...' and 'Index...' in a program's help menu. I've already got the web page organised, however I cannot create user documentation before I decide whether to go GUI or command-line.

 

[dddman]

well it would depend on your marking cretia of ur assessment and also once u encrypt it wouldn't b logical to have a program that reverses the process and Windows Help MANUAL is what they call if for "help"