Go Code It

So I hit a hurdle around two weeks ago. While adding the Time2Code projects I finally got to the files and libraries section and had to pause. I have a file system built in the background already, however it was pretty basic and just wouldn’t really be enough if the system needs to allow students to play around with files in a more practical way.

So for the last couple of weeks, since the last update, I have been working to implement as full featured ‘virtual’ file system as I possibly can to allow them to be incorporated into the projects you set….and I ‘think’ I am mostly there.

Before I continue, a caveat and a few things that need to be discussed.

Firstly a caveat…while I have tested I cannot be certain that everything works as it should and also if, in the process, I haven’t broken something. I don’t believe I have but I know how good students are at breaking things for me. So, although I am still testing, I am releasing the file system for you to try out and hopefully not break anything when I do!

Now some things that need to be discussed:

1. It’s a virtual file system

So this should be obvious but creating the files in the tabs doesn’t actually create ‘files’. The tabs created mimic the behaviour of files and you can access the data within them through your code as you would a file, but you currently cannot download and upload the files. It doesn’t work like that…yet. You should be able to download and upload at some point but currently when you use the download and upload function, that only works on the ‘main.py’ file. You can as always simply paste of copy directly to and from the content though.

2. It’s the ‘GoCodeIt file system’

I know you will be thinking, what does that mean. Well the platform is not built to be an all in one coding platform only. It is also built to allow educators to set bespoke projects, which include set files, with possible restrictions, or indeed no files at all.

When you look at the projects that are available now, you will see that they do not have any files attached and it is not possible to create any. This is because they do not need additional files to function.

When files are needed, they can be enabled by the project creator with a greater level of flexibility compared to other systems.

I am now in a position to start adding projects that use the files so when I add the next set of T2C projects for files you will see this in action.

Options for projects will include:

• The ability allow or not allow the ability for the student to create their own files
• The ability to add set files with specific content, through the project creator
• The ability to ‘lock’ a file so that it cannot be edited
• The ability to enable/disable the ability to write to a file

This will allow more control over the conditions for setting up tests and will allow a framework around which projects with files can be used to test certain aspects of code while under more controlled conditions.

3. There are limits on the file sizes

When enabled, files are limited to a maximum of 10 including the main.py file and each file has a limit of 500 lines or 3kB, whichever is hit first.

If you feel this is too restrictive or even not restrictive enough then let me know.

4. Support for file functions and import

The whole file system is custom written.

I believe that I have set up the file mechanism so that it will support as wide a range of possible file functions that would commonly be used and that these functions accurately represent how that function would be used. However….while I have tested as much as I can, I can’t be certain that there is not something weird or strange somewhere in there.

It is also worth noting that there may be places where a function is not currently supported. If you come across something that either doesn’t work as it should or you would like to see added, let me know.

5. It is integrated into the submission system BUT..

..files cannot currently be seen in the grader. I have a lot of work to do on the markbook/grader to get it to support the extra files but this may take a little longer. This means that although I can add the file projects and the students could complete them and save their work, until the grader has been updated these projects won’t work in the grader. It shouldn’t take too long but I was eager to show you all the update and didn’t want to wait another few weeks to let you play around with it.

6. It’s a big update

Up until this point I have really been trying to keep the code as lightweight as possible. I do need to do some refactoring at some point and tidy up some of what I have done. I am prety sure there is room for improvement. However, this is still quite a large update with a chunk of additional code that needs to be loaded to make the whole think function.

Hopefully, the impact on overall loading times is not significant but if, since this update is actioned, you are finding page load times have deteriorated significantly, let me know.

---

I’d like you to play around and let me know if there are any issues.

Please bear in mind that this is a significant update and bug fixes may take a little longer than usual. Although anything that really breaks things will get priority.