Assignment: Weather Data Processing System

Objectives

The objectives of this homework assignment:

1. Familiarize with the use of arrays

a. Manipulate a collection of data values (objects) using an array
b. Compute statistics out of an array of values
c. Declare and use an array of reference data types

2. Familiarize with the use of exception handling for data format and range checking

3. Master the use of standard Java classes

a. How to find out what these classes are through the online Application Program Interface (API)
b. How to find out about the data members of these classes through the online API
c. How to find out how to use the methods of these classes through the online API

4. Understand the concept of object-oriented programming.

a. How one class uses another class elegantly!
b. Understand the concepts of object instantiation.

5. Familiarize with methods

a. How to use the results of one method in another method

6. Use existing classes

7. Familiarize with code documentation, compilation, and execution

8. Expose to Java syntax, programming styles, and Java classes

Problem Description

For this homework assignment, you are to create an application to process weather data. In order to do this, you will need to create a weather data class that stores the recorded weather data for a specific day at a specific location. You will use this class to create objects that you store in an array for the processing application. You will be required to get the data from a supplied data loading class and store the weather data objects for the entire year of 2008 at four locations in a single multi-dimensioned array. The weather data processed in the system should be stored in Java arrays. Note: You cannot use JCF classes or any standard classes to store the weather data objects.

You are given the following set of minimum requirements to design and implement the weather data class that stores the recorded weather data for a specific day at a specific location.

1. The class should be able to store the following attributes:

a. Location (String)
b. Date (Gregorian Calendar)
c. High Temp (Integer)
d. Low Temp (Integer)
e. Average Wind Speed (Integer)
f. Max Wind Gust (Integer)
g. Precipitation (Double)

2. All data values should have "get" and "set" methods for storing and accessing the data of the class.

3. This class should be able to nicely "print" itself.

You are given the following set of requirements to design and implement the overall weather data processing application.

1. First, your system will need to load the weather data from a supplied class called WeatherDataLoad.java into your array of objects. This class has all the individual data values for the High Temp, Low Temp, Average Wind, Max Wind, and Precipitation stored in order by location by date. You will need to review this class, understand how it works, and call its methods in order to load all of your Weather Data objects with the appropriate data. Data in the WeatherDataLoad.java class represent all of the weather data from 2008 for the following four towns/cities: Eagle, NE; New York, NY; Houston, TX; and LA, CA. The data is ordered for each attribute starting with Eagle, NE on January 1st, 2008. It has the full year of Eagle's data before it moves on to NY's data. NY's year of data is followed by Houston's data and all of the data ends with LA, CA on December 31st, 2008. Please keep in mind that 2008 was a leap year, so there is 29 days worth of values for February for each town/city.

2. You should store all of the weather data in a single three dimensioned array. This array will have an individual weather data record object for each day (up to 31) for each of the twelve months for each of the four cities. The weather data processed in the system should be stored in Java arrays. Note: You cannot use JCF classes or any standard classes to store the weather data objects. You are also expected to properly handle any exceptions that could be thrown during the processing of your array.

3. Once the data is loaded, then the user should have some options for processing the weather data. This should be a "menu" of choices for the user to choose from and the user should be able to continue to use the overall program until they decide to quit. You are also expected to properly handle any exceptions that could be thrown during the processing of user input/entry. The main menu will need to support the following features:

a. Weather Record: The user should be able to enter a date (MM/DD/2008) and see the weather record for all four locations for the specified date. Once selected, this option should repeat allowing the user to enter in another date.

b. Averages: The user should be able to select a data value (High Temp, Low Temp, Average Wind, Max Wind, and Precipitation) for which they want to see the averages printed for each month for each location. Once selected, this option should repeat allowing the user to enter in another data value. All resulting averaged values should be displayed to only four decimal places.

c. Maximums: The user should be able to select a data value (High Temp, Low Temp, Average Wind, Max Wind, and Precipitation) for which they want to see the maximum amounts printed for each month for each location. This option should repeat allowing the user to enter in another data value. If Precipitation is selected, the resulting values should be displayed to only two decimal places.

d. Minimums: The user should be able to select a data value (High Temp, Low Temp, Average Wind, Max Wind, and Precipitation) for which they want to see the minimum amounts printed for each month for each location. This option should repeat allowing the user to enter in another data value. If Precipitation is selected, the resulting values should be displayed to only two decimal places.

e. Total Precipitation: The user should be able to select a location and see the total rain fall for each month over the entire year. This option should repeat allowing the user to enter in another location. All resulting totaled values should be displayed to only two decimal places.

f. Extremes: The user should be able to select a location and see the extreme values for each of the following data values: show the highest High Temp recorded (and the date it occurred), the lowest Low Temp recorded (and the date it occurred), the highest Max Wind recorded (and the date it occurred), and the largest amount of Precipitation recorded (to two decimal places) (and the date it occurred) for the specified location. This option should repeat allowing the user to enter in another location.

4. All data values should have "get" and "set" methods for storing and accessing the data values of the class.

To do this, you need to program a Weather Processing System using solid object oriented programming methodologies.