JMU
Help Submitting Assignments Using Web-CAT


1 About Web-CAT

Web-CAT is an acronym for "Web-based Center for Automated Testing". It is used at a number of universities for the electronic submission and grading of programming assignments. It was developed at Virginia Tech.

2 Overview of the Submission Process

To submit as assignment using Web-CAT you must:
  1. Compile your code off-line to ensure that it is syntactically correct.
  2. Test your code off-line to try and ensure that it executes correctly. (This is especially important if the number of submissions is limited and/or penalties are imposed for "excessive" submissions.)
  3. Create a .zip file containing the source files (i.e., the .java files) to be submitted.
  4. Open the JMU CS Web-CAT home page. (Note: You may be re-directed to another page.)
  5. Login to Web-CAT (using your JMU eID and password).
  6. Click on the appropriate Submit button (i.e., the Submit button for the assignment you are submitting).
  7. Browse to the .zip file that contains your source files and click on Upload Submission.
  8. Confirm that the correct files were uploaded and click on Confirm.
  9. Wait for the "Submission Results" report.
  10. Review results and re-submit if necessary.
  11. Logout.

Additional details are provided below.

3 Understanding Web-CAT Reports

Web-CAT analyzes your code in several different ways.

3.1 Style/Coding

The Style/Coding score is based on your adherance to the course style guide.

The "Full Printable Report" contains detailed information about the Style/Coding defects in your submission. In general, each "Error Box" contains an "Expected" line that describes the defect.

Note that you must include a blank line at the end of all of your .java files so that Web-CAT is able to insert information about Style/Coding defects.

3.2 Correctness/Testing

The Correctness/Testing score is based on the results of a suite of unit tests.

The summary page contains an "Estimate of Problem Coverage". It is the percentage of unit tests that your submission performed correctly on. Unfortunately, since the definition of a unit test is somewhat arbitrary, the percentage itself is difficult to interpret. Even were that not the case, it would not provide any information about the number of faults in your code, just the number of trigger conditions that led to failures.

For some assignments, the bottom of the report may include hints that can help you locate the faults. However, you should not expect hints. If your code contains faults its is your responsibility to test your code, identify the faults, and correct them.

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