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Learning objectives
Learning objectives
Describe the main features of different types of user interface: windows, icons, menu, pointer (WIMP), command line and forms dialogue;
Evaluate different types of user interface: WIMP, command line and forms dialogue;
Describe how text, sound and video can be input using a range of devices, such as personal computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones;
Exam Top tips
Exam Top tips
Not asked every year. Not asked in 2021, 2019, 2018.
Normally only one question on the paper, not a number of questions.
User Interfaces
User Interfaces
There are a variety of approaches taken to the development of a user interface and the interface type chosen will often depend on a variety of factors such as:–
User ability
Range of input and output devices available
Processor capability
Memory capacity
CCEA Fact File
Exam tip: Has not been asked before. Probably not likely to, more of an introduction into User Interfaces.
Wndows Icons Menu Pointer (WIMP)
Wndows Icons Menu Pointer (WIMP)
The WIMP interface (shown in figure 1.1) will allow the user to communicate with the computer using:–
Windows – These represent an active area of the computer screen which is opened up to display some form of activity; perhaps in the form of processing in a program or perhaps presenting a range of files and folders. More than one window can be open on screen at any one time and it can be moved around or closed down.
Icons – These are small pictures used to provide a graphical representation of an application or activity. An icon can be selected by moving a selection tool over the top of the icon and an activity can be started through double clicking on the icon.
Menus – A menu is used to present an end user with a range of options. The menu system is used to group related options / actions together. A variety of menu types may be presented to the end user including pop-up menus (often used to present a series of shortcuts to the user when they right click on the computer screen) and pull-down menus (normally used to present a range of options / items in a submenu, linked to a menu title presented across the top of a screen).
Pointers – A pointer will move around a computer screen based on the movements instigated by the end users manipulation of a peripheral device such as a tracker pad or a mouse. The pointer can be used to select an item on screen, (for example an icon or a menu option) it may change shape. The user can then initiate further action to indicate their desire to select said item; perhaps a left button click or double click.
CCEA Fact File
Exam tip: Never been asked to describe each individually and unlikely too.
This is a GUI
Each task/process has its own window containing icons and/or menus.
A pointer and mouse/touchpad are used to navigate and to select icons and/or menu options.
WIMP more intuitive.
Context sensitive help may be available.
WIMP skills are transferable.
CCEA 2024 Q4 b [Part of an evaluation question with respect to an inexperienced user]
Other points to note:
Visually interesting.
A common User Interface.
Takes up a lot of memory on a computer.
Command Line
Command Line
A command line interface allows the user to type commands which the computer will execute.
Commands are usually fixed in structure (syntax) and limited to one line.
Users require an intricate knowledge of the internal operation of the computer in order to use a command line interface and they must be well versed in the range of acceptable commands made available to them using the interface.
Instructions can be combined to carry out more complex tasks.
CCEA Fact File
There is a pre-set list of commands.
Commands are usually one line and must follow syntax/structure.
Each command is entered at a prompt and usually includes parameters and/or switches.
CLI Users require an intricate knowledge of hardware.
May find it difficult to remember the list of CLI commands.
May have difficulty entering CLI commands exactly due to lack of ICT skills.
CCEA 2024 Q4 b [Part of an evaluation question with respect to an inexperienced user]
Other points to remember:
Large set of commands to learn.
Commands must be typed accurately.
Not suitable for young children.
An experienced user will prefer CL as a single command may perform a task which would require a large number of mouse clicks and menu selection on a WIMP interface.
Forms DialogUE
Forms DialogUE
A forms dialogue interface will use the following methods to secure the required input from the end user:
Response field – a position on the forms dialogue box where the end user will enter a response. The may move the cursor from field to field, e.g. with a mouse click or perhaps using the tab key on a keyboard.
Prompt – a prompt may appear for the end user at the position where data entry is required. The prompt may be in the form of a flashing cursor in a response field.
Error messages – used to inform the end user there has been an error in the data entry process. The most user friendly error messages will include some form of diagnostic information for the end user.
CCEA Fact File
Exam tip: HAS NOT BEEN ASKED BEFORE.
Evaluate different types of user interface: WIMP, command line and forms dialogue
Evaluate different types of user interface: WIMP, command line and forms dialogue
CCEA Fact File
Describe how text, sound and video can be input using a range of devices, such as personal computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones
Describe how text, sound and video can be input using a range of devices, such as personal computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones
Text input
Text input
Text may be input to digital devices using a variety of methods; the most common being via a keyboard.
The QWERTY keyboard is the most common keyboard format available on digital devices; it will incorporate letters, digits and a range of special characters.
Some devices may however have a separate numeric keypad.
The set of characters represented on a digital device at any one time is known as the character set of that device. ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) is a common character set on digital devices.
The ASCII code uses 7 bits which gives 32 control codes and 96 displayable characters or symbols.
The eighth bit can be used for error checking. The depression / selection of a key on any device will generate a digital signal representing the character code.
When a symbol representing a particular character is to be printed or displayed on the screen of a particular device the character code is converted into the appropriate symbol.
CCEA Fact File
sound input
sound input
Most digital devices are now supplied with simple microphones for recording sound.
Since sound is produced by the vibration of air it can be said to be analogue in format (i.e. it is a continually varying signal).
The electrical output from a microphone also consists of a continually varying signal in the form of voltage.
Devices such as personal computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones all store data in digital format so conversion of the analogue signal and the digital data is needed.
This is achieved through the process of sound sampling where special hardware measures the level of the sound many times and then records this as a numerical value (see the previous section on wav file formats for additional detail on sampling).
CCEA Fact File
video input
video input
It is common place now for digital devices to have a camera incorporated for the recording of digital still and digital video images.
Digital video cameras have two main components; the camera, which is the image capturing component, and the recorder which is the component of the video camera that stores the captured video images.
The image is recorded using the digital camera.
The captured image is then transmitted into computer pixels which is then stored in whatever media storage is available to the digital video camera.
CCEA Fact File
Identify 3 ways in which text can be input into a smartphone. [3]
Using a physical/on-screen keyboard.
Using a stylus.
Using speech recognition software.
Via its camera using character recognition software.
CCEA 2023 Q4 c
The tablet uses voice recognition.
Explain how voice recognition is achieved. [4]
HW Internal microphone
SW AD conversion
Signal sampling
… rate/resolution
Voice recognition
Comparison to database (4 × [1])
Describe how a touch screen can be used to input text into a smart phone. [4]
A capacitive touch screen is used [1]
This consists of a grid of tiny, transparent electrodes [1]
The touch screen displays a keyboard [1]
When the screen is touched with a finger or stylus, there is a change in the electrostatic properties at that point [1]
This enables the typed character to be determined [1]
Specimen Q3 d
AS2 User Interface.pptxPast Paper Questions
Past Paper Questions
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