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IMDB database simulator

by Daniel Ghindea

Dependencies

This program uses JSON.simple toolkit to save database elements in JSON files. To compile code in IntelliJ add JSON.simple dependency as it follows:

File > Project Structure... > Modules > Dependencies > + > JARs or Directories > json-simple-1.1.1.jar (located in project root)

Description

This Java program simulates simple functionalities of IMDb in a CLI environment, using OOP concepts, JSON files and Design Pattern principles.

Upcoming update

GUI environment created with SWING package is on its way.

How it works

• Tester.java is the class that contains main() method. Run it to launch program.
• IMDB is the main class of the program. It is a singleton class that contains arrays that store Production, User, Actor objects. It also has 'run()' method that runs the program.
• Login, Parser and Actions classes implement methods that perform the functionalities of the program
• UserFactory and ProductionFactory are classes that define how different user and production types are created by following factory pattern principle.
• Observable is a class used to implement observer pattern for different objects that suffers state changes : Request, Actor, Production

Program flow

1. Parsing files to memory

   • In order to keep data consistency from one run of the program to another, the database elements are saved in JSON files.
   • At the beggining of every run Parser.parseDatabaseToMemory() method loads saved data into memory, every object type being added to its corresponding array list located in IMDB

2. Solving discrepancies

   • Since there are chances to have actors with performances or performances with actors that don't have a corresponding IMDb page, system automatically creates empty pages for them and sends edit requests to Staff members for those pages.
   • To implement notifications functionality every Observable object requires a list of observers that is constructed accordingly to their relation with the subject.

3. Logging in

   • To know which functionalities are available for a user it has to be logged in the platform. After the credentials are given, Login.start() method searches the user base and returns the User instance that matches the credentials.

4. Running the aplication

   • Depending on the account type of the logged user different commands are available (see below table).
   • A menu with the available commands is displayed and an index is requested to select a command.
   • Most of these functionalities are based on a loop system, meaning that the user will be able to make these actions until 'exit' or 'done' commands are given.

5. Running actions

   • Actions class contains static methods that implement all the required functionalities and static String members used for CLI display.

6. Logging out

   • When 'log out' command is given the main loop is breaked and the user has the option to log in again or to close the aplication.

7. Parsing memory to files

   • To save changes, before the program is finished, all elements of the database are parsed back into the original JSONs with Parser.parseDatabaseToJSONs() method.

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Option	Regular	Contributor	Admin
View all productions	X	X	X
View all actors	X	X	X
View all notifications	X	X	X
Find in database	X	X	X
Add page to favorites	X	X	X
Push/Pull a request	X	X
Create/Delete a page			X
View requests		X	X
Add a rating for production	X
Add/Delete user			X
Log out	X	X	X

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Bibliography

• JSON parsing
• DP concepts