1. Overview
2. Accounts
3. Submissions
4. Grades
5. Troubleshooting

Overview

1. What is CourseTool?
   
   CourseTool is a simple course management system that enables you to perform many course-related tasks(like submitting assignments, viewing grades, exchanging messages etc.,) using the web. CourseTool is free and available under a GPL-like license. More information on coursetool can be obtained from the CourseTool development page.
   
   
2. How do I use CourseTool?
   
   First you need to have an account to access CourseTool system. If you don't already have one, you can register for an account by following the New User link from the Login page.
   
   
3. I am not able to register for an account!
   
   Registration may be closed after some period. If this is the case, contact the person who manages courseTool.
   
   
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Accounts

1. I forgot my username!
   
   You can retrieve your username by following the Forgot Username/Password link in the Login page. The Forgot Username/Password link will lead you to a page with 3 options. Choose the "I don't know my username" option. In the resulting page, enter your firstname/middle initial/lastname information as you entered them during registration. CourseTool will then display your username.
   
   
2. I forgot my password!
   
   Follow the Forgot Username/Password link from the Login page. Choose the "I don't know my password" option. You will be asked to enter your username . CourseTool will then send you an authorization number by email, which will allow you to choose a new password. The email address used will be the one that you supplied at the time of registration. The authorization number is needed to prevent misuse of CourseTool accounts.
   
   
3. Is there some other way of retrieving my password?
   
   Not really. Passwords are stored in an encrypted format and hence cannot be retrieved. The administrator can change or reset your password. You should ask your TA/Instructor to change your password only if you can't do it by yourself.
   
   
4. Why can't I retrieve my password if I forget it?
   
   Passwords are stored in a one-way encrypted form. Once encrypted the passwords cannot be decrypted back to the plain password. This means your plain password is not known to anyone other than you, so it's not possible for CourseTool to retrieve your plain text password.
   
   
5. When I try to login, I get a message that my account has be blocked!
   
   CourseTool Security Manager might block or deactivate an account for security violations. This happens very rarely though. If this is the case, please contact your administrator to resolve the problem.
   
   
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Submissions

1. How do I submit my assignment?
   
   You should choose the "Submit an assignment" option from the main menu. It will lead you to a submission page, where you will have to choose an assignment for submission. You can locate the file that you would like to submit by clicking on the "Browse" Button. The file you selected will appear on the File field. Now you can submit your assignment by clicking on the Submit button, which will cause CourseTool to upload your assignment. CourseTool will then issue you a Submission Ticket .
   
   
2. I get a warning that the file I uploaded is of size zero bytes
   
   This means that you haven't selected the file properly. Click on the Browse button in the submission page and locate the file correctly.
   
   
3. Can I resubmit my assignment?
   
   You can submit your assignment as many times as you want before the submission deadline. If you submit an assignment again, courseTool will disregard earlier submissions.
   
   
4. What is a Submission Ticket?
   
   Whenever you submit an assignment, CourseTool issues you a Submission Ticket. The ticket has an unique finger print composed from the files that you submit. The ticket serves as a confirmation that your assignment has been stored successfully in the server. Also, in the rare event that something goes wrong with the server file system, this ticket can help validate your assignments.
   
   
5. I submitted an assignment, but I didn't receive a Submission Ticket? Is this okay??
   
   You cannot assume your files have been uploaded correctly unless you have a submission ticket. Try to resubmit the assignment.
   
   
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Grades

1. My TA changed my grade for a project but it's not reflected in the Grades displayed by CourseTool.
   
   CourseTool's copy of grades is updated periodically. The date of last update is shown to you in the grades page. If your grades change, it will be visible in CourseTool only after the next update cycle.
   
   
2. I am not able to view my grades!
   
   There are many reasons why this may happen. If the grades file is undergoing updates, then you won't be able to view your grades for a short time. Also, when courseTool is performing maintanence, it won't display grades. If you are not able to view your grades, try after some time. If the problem persists for more than a day, contact your TA.
   
   
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Troubleshooting

1. I am not able access CourseTool! I get an error message "Internal Server Error"
   
   CourseTool downtimes are usually very short (around 10-15 minutes). Wait for some time and then try.
   
   
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