CSCI 2321 (Principles of Computer Design), Spring 2002:
Submitting Source Code by E-Mail

Overview

To submit a program, e-mail its source code, as described below, to cs2321@cs.trinity.edu. You will be told, for each assignment, what source file or files are to be submitted.

Sending source code by e-mail

To e-mail source code, use one of the following approaches.

• From Linux/Unix, type the following command (all on one line):

  shar -m sourcefiles | mail -s "the subject" cs2321@cs.trinity.edu -c yourmailaddress

  where

  • sourcefiles is a list of files containing your source code (names separated by spaces).
  • the subject is the subject header requested for the assignment (e.g., ``cs2321 hw 1'').
  • yourmailaddress is your e-mail address (e.g., jsmith@trinity.edu).

  (What this does is use the shar program to combine your sourcefiles into a single file and then pass that to the mail program, which mails it to the cs2321 account. It also sends a copy of the e-mail message to yourmailaddress, as a safety check that you really sent what you thought you sent. The body of the e-mail message should include slightly garbled-looking copies of all the source code files you sent.)

  Example: To submit two files, mainpgm.cpp and classdefn.cpp, with subject heading ``cs2321 hw1'', and send a copy to jsmith@trinity.edu, type (all on one line):

  shar -m mainpgm.cpp classdefn.cpp | mail -s "cs2321 hw 1" cs2321@cs.trinity.edu -c jsmith@trinity.edu

  Normal output of this combination of commands is a line for each of your sourcefiles, for example:

  Saving mainpgm.cpp (text)
  Saving classdefn.cpp (text)

  If you see radically different output -- e.g., the whole source of your program(s) scrolling by -- you have probably done something wrong; check that you typed the command as described, include the | (vertical bar) character.

• Using any mail program that supports attachments, send a message to cs2321@cs.trinity.edu, with a subject header as specified for the assignment, and attach the file(s) containing the source code (i.e., send each source file as an attachment). The result should be a single mail message with one or more attachments, one for each source code file. As a safety check, you may want to send yourself a ``Cc'' copy of the message, to be sure you really sent what you thought you sent.

  Two such programs installed on the CS Linux machines are mutt and pine. Read the man page(s), or just try typing mutt addressToSendTo or pine addressToSendTo and then following the prompts and menus. These are text-mode programs and so will work even over a telnet/ssh session.

Helpful hints

• Be sure to send to cs2321@cs.trinity.edu and not cs2321@trinity.edu; the latter is not valid.

• Please use the cs2321@cs.trinity.edu address only for submitting homework. If you have questions, please use my main e-mail address bmassing@cs.trinity.edu.

• If all goes well, you will get an automated reply from the cs2321 account indicating that your homework was received. If you mistype the e-mail address, you will get a reply back from the mail system telling you about the problem.

  If you are submitting homework from one of the CS Linux machines, these replies will be delivered to the machine from which you send the mail. To have them forwarded to your usual e-mail address (probably a good idea), use your favorite text editor to create a text file called .forward in your home directory; in this file put a single line containing your usual e-mail address. Then make sure this file is readable to others, with the command chmod go+r .forward. To check that forwarding is working, try sending a test message to yourusername@cs.trinity.edu. If the test message does not show up at your usual e-mail address within a few minutes, something is probably wrong, and you should review the instructions or ask for help. Note that you should be able to check mail at your main Trinity address from one of the CS Linux machines by using TUCC's Web interface; see their info on Outlook Web access for details.

• If for some reason you submit a homework and then want to submit it again (perhaps you found a mistake in your program after submitting it), just repeat the above procedure. I will grade the most recent version I receive.