FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about the "handin" process

This document provides additional information on some of the most common problems encountered by students using the handin facility. Be sure you read the general description of the process before you try to use this page.

• Yikes!!! I did exactly what you said, and I got the message
  

  Submitting filename.c... failed: rcvhandin: not authorized for access to Lab01
  

  Response: This probably means the instructor hasn't put your name in the list of accounts allowed to submit to this assignment. Please email the instructor and inform him or her.

• Help!!! I did exactly what you said, and I got the message handin: Command not found. Try typing '/usr/local/bin/handin' rather than just handin. Type this every time you log into your unix account. If you want a more permanent solution, talk to your instructor.
• Yeow!!! I did exactly what you said, and I got some message about /home/ then something-or-other, and then No such file or directory.

Response: Well, I cannot confirm exactly what you did, but I do know two things:

• It's good that you tried to give the error message (rather than just tell me something failed), but I usually need to know exactly what the error message said before I can even try to help you.
• In this case, however, you lucked out. A message like that most commonly appears when you make a mistake while typing the handin... line. The something-or-other echoed what you did type, and you could compare that to what you needed to type, to determine what went wrong.

 

• Yikes!!! I did exactly what you said, and I got the message

·                Submitting FILENAME.java... failed: rcvhandin: subdirectory "AAAA" doesn't exist

·                Existing subdirectories (comments in parentheses):

·                Test    (Use this ONLY to test use of the "handin" system!)

·                Pgm1    (Program Assignment 1: Due 11:59 pm on Sunday, October 1.)

·                Late    (Submit here when taking an authorized "Credit Day" for late work.)

Response: Well, the system is telling you exactly what went wrong: You tried to submit to assignment folder AAAA, and the only ones currently open for submission are Test, Pgm1, and Late.

• Drat!! I did exactly what you said, and I got the message Skipping FILENAME.java: file non-existant or irregular

Response: Well, the system is telling you exactly what went wrong: You tried to submit a file called FILENAME.java, and somehow the system couldn't find it or couldn't use it. Make sure you have a good, clean copy in the directory from which you are issuing the handin command.

• Oops!! I submitted an old version of my program by mistake. I have a newer one that is the one I really want you to grade: what do I do now?

Response: No problem (as long as you discover this before the assignment deadline). Just run handin another time, and it'll overwrite your previous submission with the newer file(s). Note that I am assuming here that you are submitting files that use the exact filenames indicated in the assignment write-ups: you cannot delete a file you previously submitted, you can only overwrite it with a newer one of the same name as long as handin is enabled for a particular assignment folder.

• Ouff!! I submitted (or am ready to submit) a file, but I'm not sure if it's the right one. Is there any help available for me?

Response: Of course there is! .

So, right there in the terminal window to your Unix account (e.g., using QVT/Term), you can just use the standard compile and execute commands, e.g.,

% javac Something.java

% java Something

to test your files before you hand them in. If they don't work on unix, well, then you still have to figure out where things went wrong. But, if you always test your files before you use handin, you will significantly reduce the risk that you'll later find out that the file you submitted was not the one you intended to handin.

• Grumble... OK, that last answer looked like what I wanted, but the files I submitted (or am ready to submit) are part of an applet: Is there any help available for me?

Response: Absolutely! Start by compiling your .java file(s) into .class file(s) as described above. After that, though, the best approach to take next depends on the level of your understanding of HTML and web pages:

• If you are an HTML-novice:
  Since you can't run any sort of "appletviewer" in your typical 101 setup, the easiest thing for you to do is most likely this:
• Use your favorite file transfer protocol (ssh or putty) tool to upload the new .class file(s) back to your local machine;
• Launch your favorite local web browser and File/OpenPage the .html file that calls it.
• If you already have (and understand) your own website on unix:
  Probably the best thing for you to do would have been to save these files on unix right in your website folder (www), and compile & handin your files from there. If you didn't think of that ahead of time, however, you can still compile them (as described above) and then move the resulting .class and corresponding .html files into your www folder (or a sub-folder of that, to remind you to put later applets there too), and then:
• launch your favorite web browser, and File/OpenLocation the .html file for your assignment.

Alternatively, you can follow the same process suggested for the HTML-novice above.

Finally, please remember this safety rule: since you had to log in to your unix account to run handin, you have to logout from it when you are done.

Copyright © 2000 by Carol Scheftic. All rights reserved.
(Thanks to Professor Phil Nico for assistance in setting up this "handin" process.)
Requests to reuse information from this page should be directed to Carol Scheftic.
Page created 29 September 2000; last updated by J. Dalbey 1 Apr 2013.