For certain subjects, such as computer science, plain text questions may not be able to test a student's knowledge regarding all the material taught in the course. In these situations the ability to import graphics and HTML is not only helpful but also necessary. Test tool supports the importing of HTML into a test question as well as the importing of files as test answers. Figure 2.2A shows the form that is brought up when a professor selects 'Next' on the 'New Database Question' form and has selected to import a file.
Figure 2.2A - Blank Importing Form
The first line asks the professor to select the type of file to imported from the pull down menu. The pull down menu contains only the file types supported by Test Tool to prevent an error from an unsupported file type. The second line in the form asks the professor to either input the filename or to select the 'Browse' button to locate a file manually.
If the imported file is HTML, as in figure 2.2B, the third line asks the professor if the file should appear as HTML or as plain text. The example in figure 2.2B shows the HTML selected as plain text. In this case the file is simply shown in a window and is used as part of the question. If the professor chooses to have it viewed as HTML then the student test taker can features of the HTML while taking the test. The line labeled "Images" states the name of the current image being displayed in the HTML, if any. The images must be stored in the designated images folder.
Once a file has been selected the 'Preview' window shows how the file will look when used in the question. If the user chooses to import HTML it becomes the question. It is no longer necessary to have text in the 'Question' line in the first step of creating a new question. The three buttons at the bottom of the form allow the user to confirm the importing of the file, clear the form, or cancel and return to the previous form. Figure 2.2B illustrates what the form looks like once it has been filled out.
Figure 2.2B - Filled in Importing Form
If the professor chooses to view the HTML file as HTML he or she is given the form shown in figure 2.2C. As before the actual HTML part of the question is shown in a box. However, now there are two radio buttons below the box, one labled "Edit HTML" and another labeled "Render HTML", which allow the professor to edit and view the text..
Figure 2.2C shows the browser view in which the HTML is viewed in a browser within Test Tool's broswer. In order to edit anything relating to the HTML the actual code must be edited. Editing the HTML will most likely be done outside of Test Tool because it can only be done through code but this feature is useful for touching up the HTML and making minor cosmetic changes. Figure 2.2D shows a form being used to import and edit a question in HTML.
Figure 2.2C - The Import Form when HTML is viewed as HTML in Test Tool's browser.
Figure 2.2D - The Import Form when HTML is viewed as HTML in Test Tool's HTML editor.
To imput image files there must be an image tag in the HTML and the corresponding image in the images folder. Figures 2.2E shows an import form that has been filled out for a question importing a JPEG file named Tree.jpeg As the filename accurately describes the image is a JPEG image of a tree data structure. In this example, a true / false question is asked regarding whether the tree in the picture is a binary search tree.
Figure 2.2E - Importing Form when adding an image
In addition to importing graphics and HTML it can be useful in programming to import the use of an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for questions relating to writing compilable code segments. A student may be slowed down while looking for a minor bug or syntax error but since the segment of code that a student is asked in a test is relatively short and precise this will not pose much of a problem in most cases. If a problem arises in such a case the professor has the option of manually examining and grading the code.
Figure 2.2F shows the importing form when used to import an IDE. In the 'Type of file" pull down menu the professor can select from the IDE's supported by Test Tool. The difference between importing an IDE is that instead of manually entering or searching for the file name this field is automatically filled in with the executable file of the IDE selected in the 'Type of File' menu. The IDE's executable file is not normally renamed but the possibility of entering an incorrect name in the 'File Name' field is significant, therefore, it is not necessary to allow the user to type in the launch file's location. The preview window shows the question, as before, shows the question and another box with the imported files. In this case there are two buttons in the import window. The button labeled 'Open JCreator...' launches the IDE's executable file in a separate window. For security reasons this button can only be clicked once before being grayed out. The student is allowed to switch back and forth between the two windows during the test but is not allowed to open any other windows. The second button labeled 'Upload Java file from JCreator' uploads the last saved file in the opened IDE. As with the previous button this can only be clicked once for security reasons.
Figure 2.2F - Importing form when adding the use of an IDE
To prevent cheating the student will not be allowed to open any other files or create new files in the IDE. The proctor will be notified if the test taker attempts to use the new or open operations. In addition, the student's test will be frozen, giving the proctor an opportunity to investigate and allow the student to continue taking the test if the proctor deems it appropriate. Of course there is no way to tell if a student attempts to open or create a new document with the intention of cheating. However, if a student knows that a test can be frozen upon attempting to open or create a new document the student will be less likely to cheat.
Figure 2.2G - Test Freeze when a student attemps to open a file in an IDE during a test
An example of a student attempting to use the "Open" feature in JCreator is shown in figure 2.2G. The test is frozen only at the point where the open operation has been started. As soon as the "Open" dialog box appears the test is frozen and a warning message appears. At this point the proctor is notified of the violation and is advised to investigate it. In order for the student to be allowed to finish taking the test the proctor must authorize permission from his or her computer. At that point the warning message is removed and the IDE is closed. Any data that the student had been working on, whether or not it was saved, is lost. It is also important to note that the student is not allowed to make up the time lost when the test was frozen.
The main errors that can occur when a professor attempts to import a file are shown in figure 2.2H and 2.2I. Figure 2.2H shows what happens when the file name entered by the user does not match the type of file selected by the user from the first pull down menu. After the user has typed the name of the file, "ProfessorName.JPG" in the example, and has clicked outside of the text box Test Tool will compare the file's three or four letter suffix to the file type selected from the pull down menu. If the two file types do not match the preview window will not attempt to render a preview image and the error box in Figure 2.2H appears. Upon clicking the "OK" button in the error box the importing form is cleared and the user must start over with the current import. Because the import form is relatively short having the user start over does not require the redundant input of information.
Figure 2.2H - File name does not match the type of file.
The second common error associated with importing a file involves the editing of HTML files. Test Tools broswer works just like any other browser; if the tags are not typed correctly the browser will not render them correctly. For example, Figure 2.2I shows a user's attempt to add a justified alignment to the text but has left out the opening bracket. Since the user did type the opening bracket the browser reads the entire comment as regular text and displays as such.
Figure 2.2I - HTML tags were not closed properly.