Help for Professor Build Problem Set Page
- Build Problem Sets
- Set Definition Files
Problem sets are built from their respective set definition files. This is a file that resides on the server and contains information about the start and due dates of the problem set and the filenames of each problem in the set. These items and others can be changed by going to #11 on the Professor Page: 'Examine or modify data for all students'.- How to Build Problem Sets
You can select any or all of the set definition files in the pop_up list on the page. Some browsers may require you to hold down ctrl or some other meta key to select more than one file name. NOTE: If you have built a particular problem set before, building it again will NOT destroy the data for students who were already in the set. It will, however, add any new students who may have been added. If you want to edit the data for students who are already in the set you can do that in a variety of ways from the Professor's Page.- Listing Actions
You can, if you wish, have all the actions that are performed for each student as the set is built be listed on the screen. This, however, can generate a great deal of information and so you can narrow this down to just listing the actions for new students or not listing any of the actions on individual students. This option will still show which sets were built and general data such as how many new students were added, how many students were already in the set, and the dates for the problem set.- Edit Set Definition Files
This option is not currently available throught the web interface. You can, however, edit set definition files from the command line. If your set already has a set definition file then that file will be the name of the set will a .def extension. If your set does not already have a set definition file, the easiest way to make one is to copy an already existing .def file and edit the specific information within the file with your favorite text editor. Be sure, however, to keep the same formatting of the file (i.e. line spacing). Once your set definition file has been created, you can reload the Build Problem Set Page and that .def file should appear in the pop_up list of problem sets. If it does not, check to make sure that you have the file in the correct directory (with all the other .def files) and that it does in fact have a .def extension.- Destroy and Rebuild Problem Sets
If instead of just adding new students to a problem set, you want to change the problem set for all the students you can choose to destroy and rebuild problem sets. NOTE: This will make it seem as if the problem sets you destroy and rebuild had NEVER been built in the first place. Any data for any student that might have already started the problem set will be completely erased. Also, the seeds and psvns for each student will be changed so if any student has looked at their problems, any randomly chosen numbers (such as coefficients on an equation) will be completely changed. Be very careful. If you want to save the current scoring information for the set before you destroy and rebuild it, go to the scoring page and score the set and then move the .sco files out of the DATA directory (or else they will still be deleted).Be careful and think before you click. Again you can select to see all the actions performed for each student or to just get the general information for each rebuilt set.
For more information on WeBWorK: Webwork docs.
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Last updated: 29 September 2000