3.28.2011

Only a few more weeks to go until our final presentation. We have made great progress in recent weeks, but are currently trying to solve a few bugs. One of the major things we are working on right now is still loading patient data. Our goal since the last update was to provide a way to choose a particular test when a patient has multiple tests. While we have accomplished the task of allowing the user to see that multiple tests exist, we are still trying to allow them to make a selection of a particular test. We have added a method of selecting the test, but our Java code is not currently recognizing the selection. I expect to have this function working by tomorrow, and that will be the last major feature of our software.

We also need to provide a printable format of the data. Currently, a Ctrl+PrtScn works, but we are going to look into other methods of doing this. This is not an extremely essential part of the program, but it could enhance it a bit.

If we get time, we will begin working on some other features to enhance the software. A graphing function would be nice, as would a way of storing GPS coordinates. But those things are not in essential in the scope of our project, so they will be researched only after everything else is complete.

3.14.2011

We have successfully created a way of loading patient data back into the forms using SQL queries. On our last post we mentioned that we were trying to come up with a unique identifier, such as a Social Security number, but we were unable to do that. Instead, we have just created an extra menu option that allows you to create a new patient or load previous patient data by entering their name and date of birth. This does not exhaustively prevent multiple patients having the same information, but it does greatly reduce the odds.

There are two more items that we definitely need to address before our final presentation in a month. The first is: provide a way to load specific data when a user has multiple tests. Currently, if a user has taken a test multiple times, our loading option will only load the first test results. We need to provide a way for Rick to choose which specific test he wants (or maybe he wants to load all of them). That should not be too hard. It should just take a little bit of Java code using "if-then" statements.

The second item that we want to focus on is giving the missionaries a way to print their final medical report. Currently, they are using the "PrtScn" button to save the image into Microsoft Paint to print, but we should be able to create something a little bit more professional than this. Patrick has been researching this and should have something in the next week or two.

There are several other features that would be nice additions to the program, but they are not essential. If we are able to finish the two main items in the next week or two then we will begin to look at ways of statistically analyzing the data, as well as implementing GPS.

2.21.2011

The database implementation is coming along at lot smoother than we expected. We have already fully designed our database and connected it to our cIMT software. We have already tested it a few times and it is pretty easy to add a patient to the database.

What we are working on now is finding a way to recognize a single patient and recall their information. We know how to load patient information by calling it from a database, but we would like to have some sort of number that associates with one individual. In the United States, we have that. It is called a Social Security number. But in South Africa, they do not have anything like that, so we are brainstorming, trying to come up with a unique way of remembering a single patient.

Once that is accomplished, we will then work on calling a single patient and loading all of their information from a previous test into the cIMT forms. On our original schedule, we planned on working on that by March 8, so we are ahead of schedule, but we were also not expecting to have to develop a unique identifier for a patient. So that should put us right on schedule.

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