[MacPerl] Re: Back to where you were...

[jneely@ubd1.vdospk.com (Joel Neely)]

[Disclaimer:  although I describe code running under Unix below, I'm
 assuming that the same principle could be implemented on the Mac by
 someone (with more experience than I) using a Mac http server.     ]

At 3:56 PM 1/30/96, eric m. mosher wrote:
>...
>when they are done with a couple (it takes a while to do one problem)
>they usually log out and then come back
>maybe the next day, and log in again to complete the problem
>set.
>
>My boss would like it that when
>the student logs in the secon, and third and fourth time etc.
>that they do not have to scroll through this long html.

The way I've handled this kind of thing (albeit on a Unix box; sorry...)
is to have the form generated "on the fly" by a perl script that can
use previously-stored data to customize the form.  It could be done
something like this:

The student begins with a tiny form that just asks for identification
(name, SSN, student ID#, ... whatever).  The handler for that form first
verifies the student as being in the class, then scans a "results" file
corresponding to the exam/exercise set for any previous entries by the
student.  If none are found, the entire exam/exercise form is sent back.
If entries have been made by the student, the handler script matches the
items in the results file with a template of the entire form, and sends
back a form containing only those items from the template which DO NOT
appear in the results file.

With only a little effort, one can add a button to the generated form
which requests that the entire exam/exercise be sent back (of course,
with any previously submitted results from that student filled in).

>the entire program is in perl.

But, of course!  ;-)

>current server is httpd on unix system
>or http 2.0 on mac server.


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-jn- (my two cats have accepted full responsibility for my opinions)
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