Editing Problems

All of the information below comes from experience with the new editing system under Windows NT Workstation.

email: patsymc@tstar.net
email: patsymc@physics.utexas.edu

Getting Into the Editor

• You may have to download and install an Xterminal emulator like EWAN. For connection the "network address or host name" is hwedit.ph.utexas.edu and the "service port" is Telnet.
• Download and install Adobe Acrobat's Reader or Alladin's GhostView/GhostScript as plugins if you choose to view the output on the WWW. Adobe Reader is simpler to download and install.
• Once the telnet connection to hwedit.ph.utexas.edu is made, log in to the Unix prompt using "edit."
• Once into the Problem Editor,
  • Log in with your unique number and password.
  • Identify your "erase" key (i.e., the "Backspace" or "Delete" key).
  • You should probably use the WWW for viewing results. (Output is identical to other pdf/ps viewing in the homework service.) The viewing plugins are necessary here.
  • Choose your editor.
  • Select the type of editing you want to do and have fun.
• Editing is done in a temporary file. You can edit a current problem without fear of messing it up. When you finish editing a problem, you have the option of saving your changes in the bank or of quiting the editor without any changes being written to the permanent bank.

The Problem File Itself

The question(s) and explanation(s) are contained in a comment at the top of the program, and the algorithm (automatically generated in the compilation process) in a comment at the bottom of the program.

There are two sections we write in the problem file, each with specific requirements:

• Question and Explanation areas (TeX coding)
  • To print the value of r (and its unit of measure), use @r
  • To print the variable r, use $r$
  • To print the variable pi, use $\pi$
  • To print the value of pi, use $@pi$
  • Other details.
• Answer section (C coding)
  • Comments cannot be inserted here.
  • The correct unit of measure should be appended to the end of the correct answer designation in a comment.
  • Hints and more details.

Using the vi (Unix Line) Editor

• First recommendation--a good manual like Linda Lamb's Learning the vi Editor from O'Reilly.
• Commands and details.

Fixes For the vi Editor

• Problem: The lines sometimes garble together as you scroll down the page.
  Fix (not really a fix, but it works):
  • Click on Terminal
  • Choose Preferences
  • Reduce the buffer size by 1 (24 lines worked for me)

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Date of last update: 04/08/01