COE428 Lab Guide

General Information

Labs for this course can be found in website: http://www.ee.ryerson.ca/~courses/coe428/labs/

Setting up for a lab

Before starting your first lab, you need to create a directory called coe428 in your home directory. Then, within your coe428 directory, create a subdirectory called lab1. You will do the work for lab1 in that directory.

Subsequent labs will each have their own subdirectory.

All labs have some files that you need. The files are included in a labN.zip file (where N denotes the lab number) for the lab. Unzip this file in your lab directory. For example, for Lab 1, change to your lab1 directory and use the command:

 
 
 
unzip  /home/courses/coe428/lab1/lab1.zip
 
 
 

Submitting your lab

Preparing for submission

Your README file

All labs require that you write a short text file that must be named README. This file must describe (briefly!) what you accomplished in the lab and what problems (if any) still exist. Some labs also ask explicit questions; in this case, you must write the answers in the README file after the summary of your accomplishments.

For example, if a lab does not require answers to specific questions and all the programs you needed to write work, then a reasonable summary of what you did (assuming it is true!) could be:

Everything worked.

Such a brief description should only be used if you think it is true. For example, suppose that you were unable to write a foo.c file that would compile. In this case, your README might begin with:

Everything worked EXCEPT foo.c would not compile.

Note

If this were the case:

1. Do not delete your attempt at writing foo.c.

As a final remark, be honest and brief in your summary. For example, suppose that two students have submitted a lab that conforms to the requirements except for some minor bug. One student states that “everything works” (hoping that the minor bug won't be noticed) while the second student admits it in the README. Both students will lose marks because of the lack of functionality; however, the student that was aware of the bug and pointed it out will not lose as many points.

Electronic submission details

You must submit your lab electronically at least 48 hours before the beginning of your next lab.

To submit a lab electronically, do as follows. For submitting labN (where N = 1, 2, ...6),

1. You must be logged onto a workstation in the Department

2. Go to your coe428 directory

3. Zip your labN directory by using the following command:

zip -r labN.zip labN /

4. Submit the labN.zip file using the following command:

submit coe428 labN labN.zip

Multiple submissions

You can submit a lab as often as you want. Indeed, we recommend that you submit as soon as you have done anything! Then, re-submit as your lab gets better. (But, do NOT re-submit after the deadline.)

Each time you submit, your previous submission is replaced. We do NOT track your submissions. Your most recent submission is the one that is evaluated.

by Ken Clowes, revised by Olivia Das