| Overview |
In the course of the semester, we will implement a compiler for a subset of C called
C--.
The project will consist
of a series of programming assignments, each of which depends on
all of the previous assignments. For this reason, it is
crucial that you write your code in a way that makes it easy to debug and
extend.
I will attempt to provide, to the best of my ability, a precise specification for each programming assignment. Programs are expected to meet these specifications exactly. Questions and clarifications should be settled beforehand. Programs that do not meet the stated specifications will be penalized heavily. |
| Time Allocation | Each programming assignment will involve a time cycle of approximately three weeks: roughly two weeks will be given to complete the programming and turn in the code, and another 5-7 days (partly spanning the grading time) will be available for correcting any bugs before the next assignment is given out. Individual assignments may depart from this somewhat, depending on their level of difficulty. |
| Grading |
Assignments are due at the time stated in the assignment handout.
Late submissions are permitted, but will be assessed a late penalty
of 10 points per day.
You may turn in multiple submissions for the same assignment: they will be graded separately, and you will be awarded the maximum of their scores (after adjusting for late penalties where appropriate). However, note that I will generally check the turned in assignments once a day, so a submission that comes soon after a previous one may overwrite the previous one. In this case, it will be possible to grade only the later submission.
In general, an assignment will be graded by comparing its output
against the ``expected output'' on a number of different test inputs
using the Correctness is always more important than efficiency. The size of the programs involved in the project makes it impractical for me to examine your source code to determine the problems. Instead, you will be awarded a preliminary score based on the number of test cases failed. The test inputs will then be made public, and if you have been penalized more than once for the same problem, you will be expected to bring this to my attention over the following week. Based on this, your preliminary score will then be adjusted if necessary. Different assignments will be given different weights, based on their relative difficulty, and the weighted scores will be used to determine the final grade. |
| Style | Some suggestions on programming style |
| Testing | Hints on Testing and test case generation |