Getting Started (Java) Track Presentations
 | Take Note: The content of these presentations may be dated.
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My First Building Block
Tracy Engwirda, Blackboard
Building Blocks technology gives developers the power to integrate systems, tools and services with Blackboard Learning System and Blackboard Portal System. In this session attendees will learn, step by step, how to create their first Building Block for Blackboard Learning System using the Java Building Blocks SDK.
PPT
| Sample Code
Blackboard and Content Types for the Building Block Developer
Tracy Engwirda, Blackboard
An overview of how to create and work with Building Blocks that act as new content types (e.g., WYSIWYG) or that access external content systems.
PPT
| Sample Code
IDEs and Eclipse
Tom Joyce, Blackboard
A discussion of Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) with special focus on Eclipse.
PPT
| Sample Code
Portal Modules and Module Types
Tom Joyce, Blackboard
The Blackboard Portal (now Community) System provides institutions the ability to deliver a variety of information customized to each type of user on campus. In this session, attendees will learn, step by step, how to create their first Portal Module Building Block using the Java Building Blocks SDK.
PPT
| Sample Code
UI and Tag Libraries
Tom Joyce, Blackboard
Tag Libraries are re-usable code components defined by the Java Servlet specification. This session provides an overview of the tags used to create the Blackboard look and feel within your Extension.
PPT
| Sample Code
Advanced Topics Track Presentations
 | Take Note: The content of these presentations may be dated.
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Test Driven Development
Tim Moore, Blackboard
Test-Driven Development is a popular methodology for creating simple, flexible, and fully-tested code. This session will provide an introduction to unit testing with JUnit, an overview of Test-Driven Development techniques, and a brief example of TDD in practice, used to implement a simple Building Block.
PPT
Managing Performance in the Development Lifecycle
Steve Feldman, Tim Moore, and Ryan O'Neil, Blackboard
As Blackboard installations grow in adoption, developers must always be conscious of the performance implications for their extensions. This session discusses various performance concerns in the Blackboard Academic Suite and outlines best practices for extension developers.
PPT
| JProbe Doc
| Sample Script
Java Event API
Tracy Engwirda, Blackboard
The Event APIs give developers the ability to insert data and query the Blackboard database in near real-time. This session provides an overview of the Java-based Event-driven user APIs and an in-depth look at the API class libraries.
PPT
| Sample Code
Data Storage and Migration
Bob Alcorn, Blackboard
A discussion of the pitfalls in storing custom data in the Blackboard Academic Suite. Includes best practices for enabling "portable" data and ideas for creating flexible data structures.
PPT
Building Usable Building Blocks
Zahra Safavian, Blackboard
Conventional wisdom is that it is easy to build something hard to use, and hard to build something that is easy to use. Come learn from Blackboard's usability and user interface design team how to design your Building Block with ease-of-use and accessibility in mind.
PPT
New and Emerging Technologies
 | Take Note: The content of these presentations may be dated.
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My First Building Block (.NET)
Biran Zhang, Blackboard
Attendees will learn, step by step, how to create their first Building Block using the Building Blocks SDK for the Microsoft (R).NET Framework.
PPT
| Sample Code
.NET APIs in Detail
Biran Zhang, Blackboard
In this session, Blackboard Software Engineering developers will walk through the APIs for the Microsoft .NET framework, covering them at a detailed level.
PPT
Understanding Tag Libraries and Developing Portal Modules (.NET)
Biran Zhang, Blackboard
The Blackboard Portal System provides institutions the ability to deliver a variety of information customized to each type of user on campus. In this session, attendees will learn, step by step, how to create their first Portal Module Building Block using the Blackboard TagLibs and the Building Blocks SDK for the Microsoft .NET Framework.
PPT