F- AEP Client (Assignment Evaluation Program)

AEP is a client program both for ASEP Server and Oracle database server. Instructors and assistants use this program to evaluate the submitted assignments, grade them and attach feedback files if required.

What does AEP do?

• It presents a simple and easy to use interface (GUI) to the users.
• It gets the user’s request and sends them to the ASEP Server.
• It receives the results back from the ASEP Server and presents them to the user.
• It checks the user’s login and password.
• It receives the specified assignment file from the ASEP Server in an accurate way and displays it.
• It allows users to change their user passwords.
• It makes it easy to evaluate and grade the submitted assignments more efficiently.
• It allows users to attach feedback files.
• It makes easy to assign new assignments and set its properties (e.g., type, deadline, and format).

In order to use AEP Client program the users must log on to the system. Since there are two different user types (assistants, instructors) for this program, users must specify their category. The other requirements are same as the ASP Client login process. When the OK button is pressed first the given ASEP Server IP is checked and then user login and password is sent as a query to the database server to be validated. If they are confirmed the user logs in to the system. Figure 17 shows an example snap shot of the logging process.

When the user enter the program he/she sees a GUI as in figure 18. The courses and corresponding assignments are listed in choice boxes. The user can see the number of submitted or evaluated assignment files easily. Figure 19 shows the evaluation part of the program. Through a very simple interface the users are able to see which students submitted their assignments, which ones evaluated or which ones are to be evaluated. When the Evaluate button is pressed the assignment viewer form becomes visible as it seen in figure 20.

To view an assignment file, first of all the user must browse the viewer program. When he/she presses the View File button the AEP program first receives the assignment file from the ASEP Server then runs the external viewer program and opens the assignment file. After viewing the assignment file, the user can evaluate the assignment, assign a grade, and also can attach a feedback file.
 
Here is the code that implements the operation of viewing an assignment file.
try {
pm.setShowLabel(true);
Socket client;
InputStream inS;
OutputStream outS;
DataOutputStream DoutS;
DataInputStream DinS;
byte[] dataBuffer = new byte[1024];
statusBar1.setText("Please wait. Connecting to ASEP Server");
// CONNECT TO THE ASEP SERVER
client=new Socket(InetAddress.getByName(serverIP),5000);
statusBar1.setText("Connected to ASEP Server");
outS=client.getOutputStream();
DoutS=new DataOutputStream(outS);
inS=client.getInputStream();
DinS=new DataInputStream(inS);
String dir="Courses";
// MAKE A LOCAL DIRECTORY TO STORE THE RECEIVED FILE
File newDirectory=new File(dir);
if (!newDirectory.exists()){
newDirectory.mkdir();
}
newDirectory=new File(dir + "\\" + courseName);
if (!newDirectory.exists()){
newDirectory.mkdir();
}
newDirectory=new File(dir + "\\"+courseName +"\\"+assignmentType);
if (!newDirectory.exists())
newDirectory.mkdir();
assignmentFileName=studentLogin+"."+assignmentFileFormat;
// OPEN A NEW DISK FILE
OutputStream outFile= new FileOutputStream("Courses\\"+courseName+
"\\"+assignmentType+"\\" + assignmentFileName);
statusBar1.setText("Receiving the assignment file...");
// SEND THE ESSENTIAL DATA TO GET ASSIGNMENT FILE FROM THE ASEP SERVER
DoutS.writeUTF("AEP ASSIGNMENT");
DoutS.writeUTF(userLogin);
DoutS.writeUTF(courseName);
DoutS.writeUTF(assignmentType);
DoutS.writeUTF(assignmentFileFormat);
DoutS.writeUTF(studentLogin);
fileSize=DinS.readLong();
pm.setShowLabel(true);
pm.setValue(0);
long readB=0;
double gone;
// READ THE INPUT FILE
while ( readB != fileSize ) {
int t=inS.read(dataBuffer);
outFile.write(dataBuffer,0,t);
readB= readB + t;
gone=readB/(double)fileSize;
gone=gone*100;
pm.setValue((int)gone);
}
outFile.flush();
outFile.close();
pm.setValue(0);
pm.setShowLabel(false);
statusBar1.setText("Assignment file is received. Now viewer program opens it...");
// SEND THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT DATA TO FINISH THE JOB
DoutS.writeUTF("THE END");
DoutS.flush();
try{
// GET THE RUNTIME ENVIRONMENT
Runtime rt=Runtime.getRuntime();
// START THE EXTERNAL VIEWER PROGRAM TO VIEW THE ASSIGNMENT FILE
Process p=rt.exec(viewerProgramName+" courses\\"+courseName+"\\"+assignmentType+"\\"+assignmentFileName);
viewerFileFormat=assignmentFileFormat;
}
catch(IOException ex2){
viewerFileFormat="";
statusBar1.setText(ex2.toString());
System.out.println(ex2.toString());
}
}
catch(IOException ex){
statusBar1.setText(ex.toString());
System.out.println(ex.toString());
}