CCProbe FAQ

1. What is Waba?
2. Why are you using Waba?
3. What is a "LabBook"?
4. Where is the "LabBook" saved?
5. How can I get the source code?
6. What is Pedagogica?
7. What is the relationship between CCProbe and Pedagogica?
8. Why didn't the TEEMSS Project integrate CCProbe with Pedagogica from the start?

If you have more questions send them to stephen@concord.org.

What is Waba?

Waba is the programming language that CCProbe is written in. It is an open source Java-like language for handhelds.. A good place to learn more about it is at www.wabasoft.com.  The following is a short excerpt from the wabasoft documentation:

Waba is its own programming platform including a language, virtual machine, class file format and set of base classes.  Because of the way Waba was designed, developers can use Java development tools to write Waba programs and Waba programs can run as Java applets or applications with no native code.  Waba applications can run under Java but, for the most part, Java programs that use the Java Class Libraries can't run under Waba.

Why are you using Waba?

Simple Waba programs will run on many many platforms. In fact they will run on more handheld platforms than Java(tm). Waba programs can run on PalmOS, WinCE, PocketPC, and all desktop computers. In addition Waba programs can run on Apple Newtons, TI calculators, and old 386 pcs running MSDOS. Also, the Virtual Machines and compiling tools used by Waba are "open source", so we can fix bugs or speed up the Virtual Machine.

What is a "LabBook"?

We are using the term LabBook to describe the collection of LabObjects a particular user can access. Examples of LabObjects are Folders, Notes, Drawings, DataSets, DataCollectors, Images, or QuestionSets. LabObjects can be organized using Folders similar to files on a desktop computer. One "view" of the LabBook is the "tree" view. This is the default view seen when CCProbe first starts. In this view, you can expand and collapse folders by clicking on the triangles (twisties) to the left of the folder name.

Where is the "LabBook" saved?

On PalmOS it is saved in a database catalog named "LabBook.PDB".  On desktop operating systems it is saved in a file called "LabBook.PDB" which is located in the same directory as CCProbe and has the same format as the Palm database catalog.  Any changes made in a CCProbe LabBook on one system can be moved to a different operating system by copying the LabBook.PDB file.  

The exception to this LabBook portability is on WindowsCE and PocketPC.  On these system the LabBook is saved in a a file called "LabBook" in the top level "My Device" directory.  The LabBook file has mostly the same internal format as LabBook.PDB however you must use the CCProbe import and export commands to transfer LabBook information between this LabBook and desktop or PalmOS systems.

How can I get the source code?

We have a gzipped tar archive you can download of the source. You will need a Unix system of some sort in order to compile: ex Linux, MacOSX, etc. Go to CCProbe Source

What is Pedagogica?

Pedagogica˙ is a suite of Java-based, CC-proprietary software tools that enable us to build activities that make use of underlying simulation or modeling engines. These activities are implemented in the form of small programs, or scripts, that provide a communication link between the user and the underlying software engine. The scripts can communicate with the user via standard multimedia components (text, Flash animations, QuickTime, and virtual 3-D environments). They communicate with the simulation by sending it commands and by setting up „listener‰ agents that report when the engine enters or leaves a particular state. Scripts can be written either in ECMA or EASL (a CC-proprietary scripting language) and the process is supported by a visual node-and-arc interface that makes explicit the structure of the script. Screen layouts are associated with each node, and are also handled visually. The developer uses a click-and-drag interface to designate rectangular areas on the screen, and places buttons, text boxes, and other components in them. Our goal is over time to gradually increase the number of programming affordances that can be accessed visually, and to reduce correspondingly the amount of code that must be written in order to produce a working activity.

What is the relationship between CCProbe and Pedagogica?

CCProbe was inspired by but developed separately from Pedagogica.  At this time Pedagogica is not able to script CCProbe.  Several of the sequential scripting design elements of CCProbe are inspired by work done in Pedagogica.  The recently funded CC project Modeling Across the Curriculum (MAC) is working to simplify the core scripting technologies in Pedagogica to enable these to be used on smaller systems such as the WABA VM that CCProbe uses.  CCProbe has developed the concept of a portfolio architecture that combines both activities and the students work.  MAC is extending the work CCProbe has done with Portfolios to Pedagogica.  We hope to see a synthesis of the two technologies in the next year.

Why didn't the TEEMSS Project integrate CCProbe with Pedagogica from the start?

The TEEMSS project selected the Palm IIIc handheld as the main deployment platform for delivering our activities.  This system has a total of 8MB of memory for both storage and running programs and uses an embedded 68000 processor running at 20 MHz.  In December 2001 when we were making architectural decisions about how to get scriptable probeware functionality on the Palm the Java VM available for the Palm was immature and underpowered.  In addition the source code was not available for us to fix and/or extend the VM.  Pedagogica has been designed to run on current full-size OSes running Java 1.2 VMs.  So because of the limited development resources in the TEEMSS project, the lack of a suitable Java virtual machine for handheld systems in which Pedagogica could run, and the large size of the current Pedagogica implementation, we decided to first develop CCProbe separately in Waba.

---

Questions and comments: stephen@concord.org