HOW TO SUBMIT HOMEWORK

It is critical that you follow these steps when submitting homework.

If you do not follow these instructions, your assignment will receive a major deduct. Why all the fuss? Because we have several hundred of these assignments to grade, and we use computer tools to automate as much of the process as possible. If you deviate from these instructions, our grading tools will not work. And that makes us very unhappy. And when we're unhappy, we give penalties. Thus, make us happy.

INSTRUCTIONS

Here are step-by-step instructions for submitting your homework properly:

0. File and folder names are extremely important in this process. Please double-check carefully, to ensure things are named correctly.
   1. The top-level folder of your project can be named anything you like, but it should be something meaningful to yourself so you will be able to find it later (e.g., HW01).
   2. Inside this top-level folder, create a folder named weekXX, where XX=01 for Homework 01 assignment, etc.. You will copy your program files into this weekXX folder (steps 1-2), zip this weekXX folder (steps 3-4), and then submit a zipped file (steps 5-11) to Blackboard.
   3. For example, when you zip/submit Homework 01, the file inside the weekXX folder will be named main.cpp. For Homework 2 and beyond, we will have other files inside the weekXX folder. These should be named as described in the lab or homework being completed.


1. Using Windows Explorer (not to be confused with Internet Explorer), find the file named "main.cpp" located inside the folder for the particular homework assignment you are trying to submit. For example, in the Z:\CSCI261\Homework01\Homework01\ folder.
   
   STOP: Are you really sure you are viewing the correct homework assignment's folder?
   
   
2. Now, for Homework 1, right click on the main.cpp to copy the file. Then, return to the weekXX folder and right click to paste the file. In other words, put a copy of your homework's solution into the weekXX folder.
   
   STOP: Are you really sure your weekXX folder now has your code?
   
   
3. Now, right-click on the "weekXX" folder.
1. In the pop-up menu that opens, move the mouse "Send to..." and expand the sub-menu.
2. In the sub-menu that opens, select "Compressed (zipped) folder".

STOP: Are you really sure you are zipping a weekXX folder with a main.cpp file in it?


4. After the previous step, you should now see a "weekXX.zip" folder. (If you do not see the ".zip" file extension, you did not adjust your windows configuration properly. Do so now.)


5. Now visit the Blackboard page for this course and click the "Content" button in the sidebar.
6. Find the relevant assignment, click on it, find the "Attach file" area, and then click the "Browse My Computer" button.
7. Find the "weekXX.zip" file created earlier and click the "Open" button.
   
   STOP: Are you really sure you are selecting the right homework assignment? Are you double-sure?
   
   
8. WAIT! There's one more super-important step. Click on the blue "Submit" button to submit your homework.
9. No, really, make sure you click the "Submit" button to actually submit your homework. Clicking the "Open" button in the previous step kind of makes it feel like you're done, but you must click the Submit button as well! And you must allow the file time to upload before you turn off your computer!
10. Blackboard should say "This assignment is complete. Click OK to review the results.". Click "OK" and view the files within the zip file you submitted. In other words, verify you submitted what you think you submitted!

In summary, you must zip the "weekXX" folder and only the "weekXX" folder, you must name it correctly, you must submit the correct zip file for each homework, and you must click the "Submit" button. Not doing these steps is like bringing your homework to class but forgetting to hand it in. No concessions will be made for incorrectly submitted work. If you incorrectly submit your homework, we will not be able to give you full credit. And that makes us unhappy.