Exercises and Assignments:

In ECE 264, you need to submit two types of homework. The first type is called exercises and the second type is assignments. Exercises are

• short. You can probably complete each exercise within 2 hours
• focused. You can learn one tool in each exercise.
• precise. Step-by-step instructions are given to you. If you follow the steps exactly, you should be able to finish within 30 minutes. Do not skip or modify the steps. Otherwise,  you will likely spend much more time. If you want to finish quickly, follow the instructions.

Assignments are

• longer. You need to write a "non-trivial" program for each assignment. Each assignment is expected to take 10 to 20 hours.
• integrated. You need to apply multiple concepts and tools to finish each assignment. 
• flexible. You have more freedom on the design and implementation based on the specification.

Please be aware that an assignment requires much more work than an exercise. You can finish an exercise within an hour. It is extremely unlikely that you can finish any assignment within five hours. You must start doing each assignment early. 

If your program cannot run on msee190pcxx, it will not be graded.

All exercises and assignments are graded using the Linux-Intel computers in MSEE 190. If you are unfamiliar with Linux / UNIX, you can find many tutorials on-line. It is your responsibility to ensure your programs can be executed on these machines. If your program cannot be compiled, it will not be graded. If your program terminated unexpectedly (such as "Segmentation Fault"), the program will not be graded. Do not use Visual Studio to write your programs. In Windows, you can use Cygwin or Virtualbox. Cygwin emulates a UNIX environment; Virtualbox allows you to simultaneously run Windows and Linux. Before submission, you should check whether your code can run on the machines in MSEE 190.  If you have questions about installation in your home computer, you may post questions in Blackboard - Discussion and other students may share their experience. If you cannot set up your home computer properly, please use the computers on campus.

Due to the large number of submissions, they are graded by using a set of programs. Please follow the specification precisely.

In addition to the computers in MSEE 190, you can also use the computers in ENAD 302E. You can use other machines and remotely connect (ssh) to the following computers:

• msee190pc1.ecn.purdue.edu - msee190pc21.ecn.purdue.edu (21 machines)
• qstruct01.ecn.purdue.edu - qstruct19.ecn.purdue.edu (19 machines)
• algol01.ecn.purdue.edu - algol20.ecn.purdue.edu (20 machines)
• enad302pc01.ecn.purdue.edu - enad302pc24.ecn.purdue.edu (24 machines)

To connect to the machines remotely, type

                            ssh [your class account]@machinename

for example

                            ssh ece264a9@msee190pc11.ecn.purdue.edu

You are taking this course to learn. Strong programming skills help you become a better engineer, as computers are widely used in all areas. ECE 264 emphasizes deep understanding of important programming concepts by individual students. You can discuss the concepts and ideas. However, collaboration is not allowed; sharing code is strictly forbidden. Tools will be adopted to check code similarity. Dishonest behavior will be reported to the associate head of ECE.  You should protect your own code, including the printout of your code. Keep all printouts until the semester ends. Do not throw away the printout of your code in a computer room. If you give someone your code, you also violate the honesty rules and will received an F. You may be expelled from Purdue if you cheat. Copying code can lead to jail time, as in the Cadence-Avanti case. 

If you need help, please talk to the instructor or the teaching assistant during office hours. Do not ask your classmate to give you code. Do not give your code to anyone.

Please use your "common sense." This is a large class. The instructor and the teaching assistant want to help everyone, not just you. Unreasonable requests will be rejected. Your grade is determined only by what you submit through Blackboard. You must submit through the specified procedure, not by email. Neither the instructor nor the teaching assistant will go to your home to check what is stored in your home computer. (Thank you for the invitation. No.) Do not send your password and ask the instructor or the teaching assistant to enter your account.  Do not send your code to the instructor or the teaching assistant and ask them to debug for you. Such a request is always ignored. 

Submission Procedure

All submissions must use Purdue Blackboard. Please follow this procedure

1. log into Blackboard
2. select ECE 264
3. select Programming Assignment or Exercise
4. select the one you want to submit
5. select Add Attachment
6. click Submit

You are strongly encouraged to submit your work in progress so that you may receive some points. If you want to submit a newer version, please follow steps 1 - 4. On the right upper corner, there is an icon . If you click this icon, the previous submission is withdrawn. You can submit again. Please withdraw only when you have a new version ready; you should submit the new version immediately. If you withdraw without immediate resubmission, you may miss the deadline and receive zero.

You can click this file to see the screenshots of the procedure.

Deadlines

Each exercise is due at 5:59PM on a Wednesday.  You can submit, withdraw, and resubmit before the deadline. You have a 7-day no-penalty extension. You can submit but cannot withdraw nor resubmit. The extension already accommodates unexpected events, such as network problems or power failures.  If you have a truly exceptional emergency situation, please provide a police report or a proof of visiting a hospital emergency room.