Using Grfix

The program grfix is used to repair mistakes students make in entering their ID information on the mark sense forms, to alphabetize the students, and to integrate the key file from grtex with the student responses, to make the input for the grading program grad. (Some historical background).

Running grfix (Simple version)

Before running this program you need to get your roster, which you can do by
cp /home/crsadmin/data/rosterXXX roster
where XXX needs to be changed to the three digit number of your course. [See note below about maintaining a better version of roster]

Then, if the file from gread with the exam data is called 204s08h1.ms the key file 204s08h1.k, and you are okay with the output files being called 204s08h1.ok and 204s08h1.flis, you can run the program with
grfix 204s08h1
and answering the questions. You should have a copy of the exam labels, or other connection of student names with exam codes, and also something with the names and student IDs. If you care about sections, you should have that information with you as well.

Running grfix (More flexibility in filenames)

If you need more flexibility with the names of files,
grfix
will ask you for all the file names, or
grfix 204b08h1 rosterG12
will act as Grfix 204b08h1 except it will take the roster from the specified file rosterG12 instead of one called roster

A detailed example of a grfix run

Maintaining the roster file

Because the registrar tends to deregister students midterm, it might be better to not use the latest rosterXXX as is, but instead combine it with what we already have. Then if roster is your old file,
cat /home/crsadmin/data/rosterXXX >> roster
sort roster > roster.tmp
uniq roster.tmp > roster
will just add new entries without removing any.

One of the files produced by grfix, say 204s08h1.ok, is the input file you will need for GRAD. The other file has a record of what you did.

For more detailed information of what grfix does, see the file /home/shapiro/helping/grading/exams/grfix/grfix.Instructions.

Some historical background

In the GREK environment this function was served by GRED. But GRED relied on the full use of GREK, which required elaborate setting up of RECIT environments for each course. When Baki Brahmia's gradebook replaced GREK for record keeping, it was no longer thought worthwhile to initiate these environments. An alternate mechanism for knowing the student names, IDs, and sections was required. Prof. Kalelkar asked me to make this, and this function is now provided by grfix with the procedure above.
Criticisms or additions to this page should be sent to
Joel Shapiro
(shapirophysics) Last modified: Wed Dec 23 11:34:42 2009