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I've realized the necessity for a program which can perform a specific task multiple times at once. I am not a programmer, and have very minimal experience. I have outlined a list of specifications and would like tips on which programming language i should use, any manuals that i should read (preferably available pdfs), or any sites that have source code which i can adapt or copy freely. Also, feel free to make suggestions.
Design specifications:
1. I want to make a program. Maybe in html, maybe in something else... like java or whatever. Probably whatever is easiest. Not very specific here.
2. I don't really want it to run from a browser. An exe file or something... but whatever. These things I'm not very specific about, but a small little packaged deal would be great.
3. This program should allow a user (me) to select a number (maybe from a drop down menu). This number needs to indicate a specific location on a website.
4. To define this location the program would need to find the selected number on the website, and retrieve another value which would be associated with that number.
5. This other value which the program will need to be able to retrieve changes often (i want to sample from this location).
6. Once specified, the user can begin sampling from that location by clicking a button (which only has to say something like "go").
7. Also, pressing "go" needs to record the current time and convert the current time into minutes + (seconds/60) for future calculations.
8. I want the sampling rate to be every 10 or 15 seconds (one or the other).
9. Next, I need the samples to be stored someplace in memory but not displayed.
10. The values will be altered according to a predefined set of rules (which I have) in order to produce a number OR an error. I have to be able to edit this.
11. Numbers will either be an exact copy of the retrieved value or a random number generated within a specific range of numbers
12. The error will replace the output with the word CLOSED (or something)
13. From these sample numbers I want to calculate an average.
14. The average number will be used in another calculation for estimated duration (i have this equation). I will need to be able to edit this aspect of the program.
15. Each time estimated duration is calculated (whenever the new average number comes in, so every 10 or 15 seconds) the new estimated duration needs to be reduced to time remaining which will be used for the next equation (with the new average number, which is calculated after the next website sample).
16. I want to display these estimates, which will serve as a count down that will update every time the new number is calculated (so loading may be an issue to avoid).
17. When values reach less than or equal to 1 minute I want the estimated time remaining to turn green. At 30 seconds remaining, red. Blink red/orange at 0 seconds.
18. Once it reaches 0:00 seconds, the counter should stop calculating time remaining, and stop collecting samples from the website location (specified by the user selected number).
19. I also hope to have locations automatically change order based on time remaining.
20. Basically, this is all I want displayed (with up to 30 outputs).
21. By pressing the [x] button, the dynamic output should be removed.
22. By pressing the [<<] button, the output should reset and time remaining should begin to be calculated once again.
INPUT BAR:
Location: |_____| Start: |_GO_|
Output
Location: |_____| Est. Time Remaining |_____:___| [<<] [x]
Location: |_____| Est. Time Remaining |_____:___| [<<] [x]
Location: |_____| Est. Time Remaining |_____:___| [<<] [x]
any help is greatly appreciated.
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14 Jun, 2008 - 03:11 PM
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