Web and Mobile Development: WeatherUSA Client (100 Points)

Assignment Goals

The goals of this assignment are:
  1. To invoke a RESTful web service using node.js

The Assignment

If (and only if) you are using GitHub to submit, you can clone this assignment from GitHub Classroom at https://classroom.github.com/a/En0_7Wun. Otherwise, you may skip this step!

In this lab, you will use the WeatherUSA API to access a weather report from a nearby weather station.

Step 1: Obtaining your FIPS Code

First, we must obtain the latitude and longitude coordinates that correspond to your location. The place Feed Type will allow you to do this. The query string is a place of your choosing: you can use a town, a zip code, or an airport code. You can use 19426, which is the zip code for Collegeville, or any valid query you’d like. Obtain the lat and long values from this result. If you obtain an array as the result, you may choose the coordinates from the first element of the array (or any that you please).

Step 2: Finding Weather Stations Near You

Use the latitude and longitude to query the stationlist Feed Type. Choose the station from the array with the minimum distance field value, and obtain its station_id field.

Step 3: Getting the Current Weather Conditions

Now, use the obs Feed Type to obtain the current weather conditions. You can use the station_id that you just obtained as the query parameter here. Print out at least 4 fields to the console, with appropriate labels so that you can read it.

Submission

In your submission, please include answers to any questions asked on the assignment page in your README file. If you wrote code as part of this assignment, please describe your design, approach, and implementation in your README file as well. Finally, include answers to the following questions:
  • Describe what you did, how you did it, what challenges you encountered, and how you solved them.
  • Please answer any questions found throughout the narrative of this assignment.
  • If collaboration with a buddy was permitted, did you work with a buddy on this assignment? If so, who? If not, do you certify that this submission represents your own original work?
  • Please identify any and all portions of your submission that were not originally written by you (for example, code originally written by your buddy, or anything taken or adapted from a non-classroom resource). It is always OK to use your textbook and instructor notes; however, you are certifying that any portions not designated as coming from an outside person or source are your own original work.
  • Approximately how many hours it took you to finish this assignment (I will not judge you for this at all...I am simply using it to gauge if the assignments are too easy or hard)?
  • Your overall impression of the assignment. Did you love it, hate it, or were you neutral? One word answers are fine, but if you have any suggestions for the future let me know.
  • Using the grading specifications on this page, discuss briefly the grade you would give yourself and why. Discuss each item in the grading specification.
  • Any other concerns that you have. For instance, if you have a bug that you were unable to solve but you made progress, write that here. The more you articulate the problem the more partial credit you will receive (it is fine to leave this blank).

Assignment Rubric

Description Pre-Emerging (< 50%) Beginning (50%) Progressing (85%) Proficient (100%)
Algorithm Implementation (50%) The algorithm fails on the test inputs due to major issues, or the program fails to compile and/or run The algorithm fails on the test inputs due to one or more minor issues The algorithm is implemented to solve the problem correctly according to given test inputs, but would fail if executed in a general case due to a minor issue or omission in the algorithm design or implementation A reasonable algorithm is implemented to solve the problem which correctly solves the problem according to the given test inputs, and would be reasonably expected to solve the problem in the general case
Code Quality and Documentation (40%) Code commenting and structure are absent, or code structure departs significantly from best practice, and/or the code departs significantly from the style guide Code commenting and structure is limited in ways that reduce the readability of the program, and/or there are minor departures from the style guide Code documentation is present that re-states the explicit code definitions, and/or code is written that mostly adheres to the style guide Code is documented at non-trivial points in a manner that enhances the readability of the program, and code is written according to the style guide
Writeup and Submission (10%) An incomplete submission is provided The program is submitted, but not according to the directions in one or more ways (for example, because it is lacking a readme writeup) The program is submitted according to the directions with a minor omission or correction needed The program is submitted according to the directions, including a readme writeup describing the solution

Please refer to the Style Guide for code quality examples and guidelines.