Projects Instead of Quizzes

  This is for you if you consider yourself advanced in programming. Instead of doing the two lab quizzes, you will do a small project in consultation with the instructor. Before deciding that you'd like to apply for this, read this page and the assignments that you'll have to do very soon, carefully. Then contact the instructor.

Schedule

You must adhere to this schedule or you will be expected to write the lab quizzes. If you are ahead of schedule, please feel free to submit things early. This way you will get feedback if there appears to be a problem and it will make the load of marking more distributed. This is strongly encouraged!

Feburary 2

Assignments 4-7 are due. Please see submission format below.

Feburary 7

Project proposals due. These can be emailed to jayar@eecg.toronto.edu or submitted in class. Please see the project expectations below.

Feburary 23

Assignment 8 is due. The format for grading this will be decided later.

March 1

Progress report on your project.

March 20

Project demonstrations will begin. If you are done earlier, that is even better. Avoid the end of term rush!

Submitting Assignments 4-7

The assignments will be graded by having you mail them to jayar@eecg.toronto.edu in the following manner.

1. Create a directory with the name of your login id.
2. Inside that directory, make a subdirectory for each assignment, called assign4, assign5, assign6, assign7
3. In each directory, put in the source code for each assignment, as well as any other files that might be required.
4. In each directory, create a file called README. In this file, you should include some comments about your program. These comments should include:
   • A short description of what all the files in the directory include.
   • How you tested your programs and how to run your programs.
   • Describe any extra features you might have implemented.
   • Describe any limitations of your program. This will include situations that you know your program will not handle, but you have not included any tests for it. Briefly describe how you might handle these problems. This could also be done by putting comments in your code at the appropriate points that describe what to do like
      
     % Should really check that the input is < 0 here
      
     
5. When you are ready to submit your assignments, use the following procedure:
   1. Go to the directory that contains the directory you made with the name yourloginid.
   2. Execute the following command:
       
      tar cf - yourloginid | uuencode yourloginid.tar > yourloginid.uu
       
      

      This will create the file yourloginid.uu. What you just did was create an archive file with the tar command, which just packages all the directories and files in the directory yourloginid. The uuencode program makes the file into a format that can be sent by mail.

   3. Now mail your file to jayar@eecg.toronto.edu:
       
      mail jayar@eecg < yourloginid.uu

To summarize, the sequence of commands that you will use will look something like this:

	cd	# to get to your home directory
	mkdir yourloginid
	cd yourloginid
	mkdir assign4 assign5 assign6 assign7
	# put stuff in the directories
	cd	# to get back to your home directory
	tar cf - yourloginid | uuencode yourloginid.tar > yourloginid.uu
	mail jayar@eecg < yourloginid.uu

Project Expectations

The project need not be a massive piece of software. The main requirement is that you demonstrate reasonable programming skills on a non-trivial task. Programs like a simple game or a very simple graphics editor are appropriate.

You may work in teams, however, you must be prepared to identify the components of the program that each member contributed.

The project proposal and report can be emailed to jayar@eecg.toronto.edu, or handed in on paper. (email is preferred)

Project Proposal

For the project proposal you should submit about one to two pages with the following information:

• Your name and login id.
• A description of what the program will do.
• What language you are using and why.
• Your estimate of the final code size.
• For a group project, you must indicate how the task is being partitioned, i.e., describe what each person will be doing.

You will receive some indication as to whether the project seems reasonable.

Progress Report

This should describe what you have accomplished and what remains to be accomplished. If necessary, you may modify your original specification if you do not feel that you will be able to finish according to your original plan. In the case of a modification, there may be some discussion about whether it is still a reasonable project.

Final Demo

You will demonstrate your program on ECF facilities. If, for some reason, you are doing something that cannot be demonstrated on ECF facilities, you must arrange something yourself, such as bringing in a laptop with the appropriate hardware/software that you require.