Lab Rules / AFS / Handing in Homeworks

Lab Computers

The machines in the REL are a shared resource, please treat them as such. The machines are setup in a way that all CMRoboBits students share the same Windows Account.

This means that you need to follow a few simple rules:

• Do not modify any system settings.
  Certain customizations might work well for you, but they can end up confusing other students. Stick with the standard installation settings, or consult the TA if you need to modify any critical settings.
  
  
• Do not store your files on the local hard-drive.
  Storing files on the local drive (e.g. "C:", "Desktop" or "My Documents") means that anybody else could read, edit, or delete your files. It will furthermore clutter the local machine, encourage cheating, and increase the risk of data-loss. Avoid this at any cost!
  Instead, use your personal AFS directory that we provide to you (see further below for more info). Alternatively, you could use a memory stick or portable drive when working on the lab-machines, but keep in mind that your data will not be as safe as in your AFS directory.
  
  
• Use Common Sense.
  For anything you do on the local machine, please think about how it might affect other students who want to use the same machine.

Your personal AFS directory

We provide each student with a dedicated space to store their project-related files. This space will also act as a digital dropbox to hand in your labs. Your directory is named by your andrew-id and is located in We strongly encourage all students use AFS to store their files because it is secure, backed-up nightly, and machine-independent. Not being able to hand-in a homework due to data-loss on your local hard-drive is not an excuse!

You can mount your dedicated space to the local machine with OpenAFS. OpenAFS is a program that is loaded on all the programs in the lab and allows you to keep a virtual copy of your AFS space to your local machine as if it were a local drive.

How To Hand-In your Homework

Within your AFS directory you will find a "dropbox" folder which contains a folder for each lab that you are going to hand in. Simply copy your entire project into this directory before the due date. IMPORTANT: It is not sufficient to only hand in the .mvpl file. You need to hand-in your entire project-directory including all .xml files etc...

Additionally, place a readme.txt file in the same directory. In it, please put:

• Your name, email-address, and andrew-id
• Anything you would like the TA or instructors to know about your project (any quirks, bugs, special features)
• Any comments for how this lab could be improved

Accessing AFS from other facilitized windows-machines (e.g. Computer Cluster)

To access your AFS directory from any facilitized windows machine, simply do the following:

• Click "Start"->"Programs"->"OpenAFS"->"Authentication"
• The AFS client should either pop-up, or you might see a little lock icon in your system tray on which you can click.
• If the login-window did not pop-up then you can log-in by clicking "Obtain New Token..."
• Make sure AFS Cell is "andrew.cmu.edu", then use your andrew-id and password and hit "ok".
• Now go to the "Drive Letters" tab and click "Add..."
• Pick a drive letter (e.g. R:) and type the following afs path:
  /afs/andrew.cmu.edu/course/15/491/students
  Leave the "submount" field empty and hit ok.
• Voila, now you should be able to access your directory with the drive letter you just mounted.