| topic started 10/4/2000; 1:56:15 PM last post 10/4/2000; 1:56:15 PM |
10/4/2000; 1:56:15 PM (reads: 1081, responses: 0) |
FAQ -- Managing a WeBWorK Course
What is the best way to add new students early in a course? I want the new student to have the same due dates as the other students. How are the paper set header and screen set header files typically used? What is the "Housekeeping" item on the professor's page? Should I use it?
When I click on "login" I get: Can't locate /home/httpd/webwork/system/courses/math121/webworkCourse.ph in @INC (did you run h2ph?)
The problem is that WeBWorK can not locate or read the file
webworkCourse.ph. Assuming the class_id is mth100, this file is located
in .../webwork/courses/mth100/. The most likely reasons are:
What is the best way to add new students early in a course? I want the new student to have the same due dates as the other students. To add a new student and give them the same due dates as the other students, first go to the Add Student(s) Page (linked to from the Professor's Page) and add the new student(s). However, do not select any problem sets for them. Then, go to the Build Problem Set page and build all sets again. This will build the sets for the new students and give them the same due dates as other students (i.e., the due dates listed in the set definition files). It will not affect any previously existing students' data. Specifically, it will not reset any scoring data.
If you build problem sets for the new students directly from the Add
Student(s) Page, you will have to select sets one at a time and enter
the desired open, due, and answer dates for each one. This is the
desired behavior if a new student is added later in the semester, and
you want to give them time to catch up. How are the paper set header and screen set header files typically used? The paper set header and screen set header files determine what information is output at the start of a problem set. The paper set header determines what is at the start of a hard copy (PDF or Postscript), and the screen set header determines what appears to the right of the problem list when selecting problems online. The header files used are the ones given in the set definition file, in lines like these:
#paperHeaderFile = paperSetHeader1.pg If these lines don't exist, or are commented out (as above), then the default headers are used. Default headers are stored in the templates directory of your course. Custom headers for a particular problem set should be stored in the problem set directory. Note that you will have to include the directory in the set definition file: screenHeaderFile = set0/set0screen.pg
Nonstandard paper headers are almost never used. If you want to give
specific information on an assignment (e.g. relevant sections in the
text, upcoming exam reminders) then it is best to use a screen header
file. Make sure the file has permission 660 and the same group as your
other files so the webserver can read it. Some students don't ever use
a paper copy, so don't put vital information there. If you really want
to alert the students to something, send an individualized e-mail (from
the Send Mail professor's page). What is the "Housekeeping" item on the professor's page? Should I use it?
The housekeeping professor's page is a maintanence tool that cleans up
temporary files, compresses the database, and shows currently logged in
users. The list of current users is for curiosity's sake only, but the
other two options can and should be used about once every other week or
so. The first item, "Remove unnecessary tmp files", will scan your temp
directory and delete outdated temporary files. This can save quite a
bit of space. The second item, "Compress gbdm database", will remove
the "garbage" from the WeBWorK database. This will both save space and
increase efficiency. Typically, the gbdm file size will be decreased by
50-60%, and sometimes substantially more. Either or both of these
operations can be performed at any time; they have no effect on
currently logged in users. |