Principles of Plant Design I Notes
Principles of Plant Design I Notes
Notes
Flowcharting
Flowcharting notes
Flowcharting - Definition
The flowchart is a means of visually
presenting the flow of data through an
information processing systems, the
operations performed within the system
and the sequence in which they are
performed.
A flowchart is a diagrammatic
representation that illustrates the
sequence of operations to be performed to
get the solution of a problem.
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Benefits
Flowcharts are generally drawn in the early
stages of formulating computer solutions.
Flowcharts facilitate communication between
programmers and business people.
These flowcharts play a vital role in the
programming of a problem and are quite helpful
in understanding the logic of complicated and
lengthy problems.
Once the flowchart is drawn, it becomes easy
to write the program in any high level language.
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Symbols 01
Symbols 02
Symbols 03
Guidelines in Flowcharting 01
In drawing a proper flowchart, all
necessary requirements should be listed
out in logical order.
The flowchart should be clear, neat and
easy to follow. There should not be any
room for ambiguity in understanding the
flowchart.
The usual direction of the flow of a
procedure or system is from left to right or
top to bottom.
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Guidelines in Flowcharting
02
Only one flow line
should come out
from a process
symbol.
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Guidelines in Flowcharting
03
Only one flow line
should enter a
decision symbol,
but two or three
flow lines, one for
each possible
answer, should
leave the decision
symbol.
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Guidelines in Flowcharting
04
Only one flow line
is used in
conjunction with
terminal symbol.
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Guidelines in Flowcharting
05
Write within
standard symbols
briefly. As
necessary, you can
use the annotation
symbol to describe
data or
computational
steps more clearly.
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Guidelines in Flowcharting
06
If the flowchart becomes complex, it
is better to use connector symbols to
reduce the number of flow lines.
Avoid the intersection of flow lines if
you want to make it more effective
and better way of communication.
Ensure that the flowchart has a
logical start and finish.
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Guidelines in Flowcharting
07
It is useful to test the validity of the
flowchart by passing through it with
a simple test data.
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Advantages of Using
Flowcharts 02
5. Efficient Coding: The flowcharts act as a
guide or blueprint during the systems
analysis and program development phase.
6. Proper Debugging: The flowchart helps in
debugging process.
7. Efficient Program Maintenance: The
maintenance of operating program
becomes easy with the help of flowchart.
It helps the programmer to put efforts
more efficiently on that part
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Limitations of Using
Flowcharts
1. Complex logic: Sometimes, the program logic is
quite complicated. In that case, flowchart
becomes complex and clumsy.
2. Alterations and Modifications: If alterations are
required the flowchart may require re-drawing
completely.
3. Reproduction: As the flowchart symbols cannot
be typed, reproduction of flowchart becomes a
problem.
4. The essentials of what is done can easily be lost
in the technical details of how it is done.
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Fill in Questions
1. A program flowchart indicates the_________ to be
per formed and the __________ in which they
occur.
2. A program flowchart is generally read from
_____________ to ________________
3. Flowcharting symbols are connected together by
means of ___________________
4. A decision symbol may be used in determining
the ____________ or ___________ of two data items.
5. __________ are used to join remote portions of a
flowchart
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Off page
Terminal
Documenting
ANSI (American
National
Standards
Institute)
10.Flowcharting
template
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Remember to do
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