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gateway test -- bug, authoring, use

gateway test -- bug, authoring, use

by Dick Lane -
Number of replies: 2
1.  [http://bugs.webwork.maa.org/show_bug.cgi?id=3054]
My PGcourse.pl has
    $when = (time >= $main::dueDate ? "Always" : "Correct");
    ProblemRandomize(when=>$when, onlyAfterDue=>0, style=>"Button") if [student];

If a problem loading my PGcourse is used in a Gateway, then
a) parameters are unconditionally re-randomized after Grade Test is invoked, that essentially guarantees all answers for non-static problems will be scored as wrong.
b) answer to first problem is always discarded.

Since I will use a separate "course" for my Differentiation gateway, my fix is simply to not put my PGcourse.pl into that course's macros directory.  For use in a regular course, Gavin's comment in  http://webwork.maa.org/moodle/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=3252  seems relevant.


2.  Since gateway problems are always labeled with a problem number and "(1 point)", using TEXT(beginproblem()); will add a superfluous "(1 pt)" preceding the problem statement.  Gavin's gateway problems include TEXT();  [i.e., omit "begin problem()"]  but I suspect it is safe to omit even that --- i.e., to begin
    DOCUMENT();
    loadMacros( ... );
    Context('Numeric');
    [setup]
    BEGIN_TEXT


3.  Is it safe to add problems to a group while a Gateway is active?
I would never change an active regular assignment by adding a new problem (but a defective problem might be fixed on-the-fly).  OTOH, it might be nice to enlarge a group's pool of problems without waiting for the next gateway.  (Although the gateway is assigned to students, none of the groups are assigned to anybody.)


4.  [This item is an observation.  It does not advocate a change.]
Solutions, if any, are now displayed using a knowl (link, underlined with dots) after a gateway test is closed.  On the other hand, those knowls are not displayed by default when a closed test is viewed --- it is necessary to scroll to end of the test, check "Show Solutions" (&/or "Show Answers"), and invoke the Check Test button.
In reply to Dick Lane

Re: gateway test -- bug, authoring, use

by Dick Lane -
2.  "beginproblem()" supplies two items
  a)  "(# pt)" for point information to everybody
  b)  path to file for instructor's info [if enabled in course.conf]

Is there a way to get path info displayed for an instructor while still suppressing the superfluous-on-a-gateway info about point-value?
In reply to Dick Lane

Re: gateway test -- bug, authoring, use

by Dick Lane -
Although the default header file will show dueDate for a particular version of a gateway test, the reported name for the assignment omits the version/test number.

I.e., the textual content of  $setNumber  could be
    Diff-Skills
rather than
    Diff-Skills, v3
or
    Diff-Skills, test 3

while  $formattedDueDate  will show when this version closes rather than the later date when the whole test process concludes.  (FWiW: my actual headers use Danny Glin's nifty set of Header File Variables, http://webwork.maa.org/wiki/Header_File_Variables, to present such date-and-time info in a more readable fashion.  [DG: thanks yet again!])