Forum archive 2000-2006

Andy Miller - Question about editing problems

Andy Miller - Question about editing problems

by Arnold Pizer -
Number of replies: 0
inactiveTopicQuestion about editing problems topic started 8/24/2006; 3:59:39 PM
last post 8/24/2006; 8:50:58 PM
userAndy Miller - Question about editing problems  blueArrow
8/24/2006; 3:59:39 PM (reads: 187, responses: 4)
I'm trying to edit the problems in the "Orientation" assignment, both to fix some errors (the first problem, for example, makes reference to a red panel, when the panels are blue) and to localize the information (for example, where to get help). Note that this is with a course hosted on the Rochester server.

First, I create a local editable copy at [TMPL]/setOrientation/prob1.pg. Then, after I make some changes, when I try to view the edited problem, I get the error:

Can't locate macro file |setOrientation.pl| via path: |.|, |/ww/webwork/courses/Belmont_MTH1110/templates/macros|, |/ww/webwork/pg/macros|, |/ww/webwork/union_problib/macros|, |/ww/webwork/union_problib/parserOrientation|, |/ww/webwork/nau_problib/macros|, |/ww/webwork/dartmouth_problib/Stewart|, |/ww/webwork/dcds_problib/macros| at line 272 of (eval 156) Died within main::loadMacros called at line 3 of [TMPL]/setOrientation/prob1.pg

How can I fix this?

Sorry if this is specific to the fact that I have a hosted course (I suspect it is) and thus not of interest to the group as a whole.

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userDavide P. Cervone - Re: Question about editing problems  blueArrow
8/24/2006; 4:57:16 PM (reads: 249, responses: 0)
The reason is that the setOrientation.pl file is in the original parserOrientation directory and when you make your local copy that directory doesn't have a setOrientation.pl file, and so when your modified problem asks for it, it is not found. If you copy the setOrientation.pl file to your local directory, it should work.

Davide

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userDavide P. Cervone - Re: Question about editing problems  blueArrow
8/24/2006; 5:35:22 PM (reads: 241, responses: 0)
On a second look at your error message, I see that you are using setOrientation rather than parserOrientation. That is an older version of the problems from before the answer checkers were converted to use the new Parser. It contains information that is no longer current because the new Parser produces different error messages and handles some mathematics that the old parser didn't.

You should be using the parserOrientation rather than setOrientation. I noticed in your error message that you already have union/parserOrientation in your macros path, so you will not need to move the setOrientation.pl file as I suggested above (in fact, the file used is parserOrienation.pl not setOrientation.pl if you use union/parserOrientation).

I should go back and update setOrientation now that the traditional answer checkers call the new Parser behind the scenes.

Davide

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userMichael Gage - Re: Question about editing problems  blueArrow
8/24/2006; 6:10:07 PM (reads: 245, responses: 1)
Hi David and Andy,

I've added setOrientation.pl a macros file where it will be found -- for backward compatibility.

I'll use the parserOrientation set when setting up new course on hosted in the future. Meantime you can find this new set by using the Library browser and finding the set "parserOrientation" in the Union repository.

Thanks for posting -- I think this will actually interest most people.

And thanks Davide for writing these improved versions of set0 -- I think they give a gentler learning curve slope than our original set0 does.

-- Mike

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userDavide P. Cervone - Re: Question about editing problems  blueArrow
8/24/2006; 8:50:58 PM (reads: 295, responses: 0)
And thanks Davide for writing these improved versions of set0

Credit should also go to Kathryn Lesh (also of Union College), who had a big hand in writing these.

For those who do use parserOrientation, note that several problems may not be appropriate for all courses. Some deal with how to enter vectors and points, for example, and these would not be needed until multivariable calculus, in general. SO be sure to check through them and see that they are all needed for you.

Andy is right that there is some union-specific information. We use our school colors, here, rather than the default ones, and there is a reference to our Calculus Help Center in the last problem. There are also references to our userID and password policy in some of the info files. Finally, we have made some minor adjustments to the interface that are not part of the system, and so some items might be slightly different at your site. For example, we have a "time remaining" indicator at the top of the page that is not part of the standard interface; you would want to remove the explanation of that from prob01.pg.

While we did try to make them as reusable by others as we could, some Union-specific items did have to be included (of course, that was also true of the Rochester set0). Now that others are using it, I may go back over it to make it easier to remove those references and customize the data for your own courses.

Don't forget to use the set header and course info files that are in the parserOrientation folder as well. These are important parts of the orientation, and will help the students get started. Once the Orientation set is completed, you can change the course info file to whatever you usually use for that.

Davide

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