Assignment 2 was a continuation of our Assignment 1 store that mostly focused on keeping track of users and ensuring that their information could be properly stored and accessed. This was done with the creation of new user registration, as well as allowing users to login using their newly created account. Of course, we had to make sure that valid information was being used to register/login, which made this assignment even more challenging. Refer to the assignment 2 overview here.
I learned lots about input validations and especially more regarding manipulation of the query string. This assignment truly prepared me for assignment 3 in order to appreciate the use of sessions and cookies to make the management of the query string much easier.
I did not work with a partner.
Similar to last assignment, I met with Dan to help with large problems in my assignment, and relied on online resources to fix smaller bugs within my code. The biggest challenge that I faced within this assignment was trying to keep the query string intact within each page of my website. Each time a form was submitted or a page was redirected, I had to make sure to attach and save the query string with the product quantities, in order for my invoice to successfully display.
Once again, this assignment was more focused on input validation and checking values inputted by the user to the values stored on our server. This assignment did not value the creation of unique pages and items as much as assignment 1, but rather focused on the internal functioning of our website.
I would say I spent about 30% thinking, 25% writing, and a large chunk ~ 55% testing and debugging.
Although I was successfully able to pass the query string with the product quantities to the invoice, whenever I attempted to do small changes such as making the forms sticky, the query string would get destroyed and the invoice would not properly load.
I would spend more time getting help on understanding each individual action within my code for the manipuation of the query string, as at times, I had to “hard code” certain values into my query string in order to pull the values. As a result, there were certain errors and bugs that resulted from attempting to add more to the query string, which resulted in my entire invoice not being able to display.