Organizing

1
Organizing Hosting a Student Programming Contest

• Brian Hare, UMKC, Moderator
• James Cain, Southwest Baptist University
• John Cigas, Park University

2
Annual Contests

• ACM
• CCSC
• IEEEXtreme
• Many others, often sponsored by professional
  society or user groups
• Also various online programming challenges some
  time-limited, some ongoing

3
Main Features

• Team programming
• Typically 3 contestants per team
• 1 workstation per team
• Several problems of varying difficulty
• Scoring based on number of problems solved
• Ties broken based on time to complete
• Identifying problems that can be solved quickly
  is part of the challenge!

4
Problem set

• For each problem
• Description, sample input/output
• For judges Solution, Input file, Output file
• Program can run w/o intervention (data entry,
  etc)
• Usually console (text mode) based.
• Input usually via file in default directory,
  output to standard output.
• Correct answer must be unambiguous format
  specified
• Description may include how to break ties
• Usually machine graded via file comparison of
  output
• Variety of problem types
• Graph, numeric, text-processing, geometric,
  optimization, etc
• Each problem has 1 main feature
• Parsing complicated input, producing complicated
  output, implementing complicated algorithm, etc.

5
Problem set

• Boundary conditions specified for all problems
• Judging input usually has at least 1 case that
  tests each boundary condition
• Warn students if the obvious algorithm wont work
  (usually because of time limit)
• No obligation to give them a hint about a better
  algorithm.
• Range of difficulty
• Goal is for all teams to be able to solve at
  least 1 problem, but no team solves all problems

6
Languages

• Most contests restricted to C, C, Java
• Difficulty should be roughly the same in each
  language
• Some problems are fairly involved in C but
  theres a Java class that makes problem trivial
• Occasionally something in C STL causing same
  problem in other direction
• Some problems that are fairly hard in
  system-level languages (C, C, Java) are
  5-liners in dynamic languages such as Python
• So, hold Python contest separately from Java
  contest

7
Judging

• ACM judging utility
• Program Contest Control (PC2) program
• Manually
• Copy source code to clean directory
• Build/Compile
• Copy input file to directory, run program
• Compare program output with judges output

8
Judging Feedback

• For ACM, one of
• Submission error
• Run-time Error
• Time Limit Exceeded
• Wrong answer
• Presentation (format) error
• Success
• Each incorrect submission (anything other than
  Success) adds 20-minute time penalty to score
• Others varyAlabama State High School contest
  feedback includes the input case that caused the
  program to fail.

9
Other judging feedback

• Clarification of problem
• Only if
• Problem is ambiguous or incomplete,
• Sample input/output is incorrect or misleading,
  or
• Contestants question cannot be answered by
  closely reading the problem
• Most common feedback is Read the problem
  carefully.
• Hardware/software troubleshooting
• Every site directors nightmare.
• What do you mean, the debuggers not there?
• If students are just unfamiliar with this IDE,
  thats their issue.

10
Hardware

• Dont need screaming new hardware
• BUT all teams should be on substantially equal
  footing
• 5 year old commodity workstations are fine,
  provided that everyones on similar 5 year old
  commodity workstations, so no one has any
  particular advantage

11
Software

• ACM requires MinGW port of gcc for C and C
• ACM coordinating multiple sites worldwide
  strictly local contests may have different needs.
• Usual practice is to use freely available
  compilers/IDEs
• Gcc (MinGW, Cygwin), etc.
• Eclipse, NetBeans, DevC
• Some IDEs such as Eclipse support multiple
  languages, so only 1 IDE is needed
• Other compilers/languages should NOT be present
  on contest workstations

12
Whats allowed

• Usually provide Java class documentation, C STL
  documentation from SGI
• Allowed to bring printouts, hardcopies,
  textbooks, etc at regional contests
• World Finals limit hardcopies to 25 pages

13
Whats not allowed

• Internet access usually blocked
• Not allowed electronic media
• CDs/DVDs
• Thumb drives
• Cell phones/smartphones
• Cameras
• Anything machine-readable
• Calculators also prohibited

14
Infrastructure

• Workstations for teams
• Spread out enough so teams can talk quietly w/o
  being overheard
• Ideally, each team in a separate room with
  whiteboard
• Ideal is seldom available in practice
• Separate area for judges
• Storage of student phones etc.
• Workstation (or 2, or 3) for judging
• Privacy to discuss problems or gray areas
• Periods of boredom, then very busy

15
Infrastructure

• Network connection if electronically submitting
  programs
• Otherwise, 2 flash drives per team several
  runners to carry drives to/from judging area
• Mark flash drives w/ team number (or use numbered
  envelope for courier) so no one gets handed
  someone elses code
• Printer for contestants (source code)
• Printer for judges (results, rankings)
• Optional
• Separate area for team to confer, maybe w/
  whiteboard
• Soda, bottled water, snacks, etc

16
Budgeting

• Software cost usually minimal
• Depending on distance traveled schedule
• Meal before (box lunch, sandwiches, etc)
• Snacks during
• Pizza after
• Copies
• Judging forms/log sheets
• 3 copies problem set per team
• Feedback forms, notes to teams, etc (3
  copies/team)
• Envelopes, signage, etc.
• Prizes
• Certificates
• Trophies
• Geek toys / swag
• Dont forget something for support judging
  staff!

17
Time demands

• Writing/testing problems
• Original problems vs published problems
• Setting up workstations
• Configuring software testing configuration
• Setting up testing judging software, PC2
• Preparing signage, running copies, ordering box
  lunches, etc
• Training/coordinating student volunteers
• Corresponding w/ other schools, contestants
• Cleanup
• Reconfiguring/reimaging workstations

18
High School v. Collegiate Contests

• Time limits usually shorter
• 2 3 hours typical, seldom more than 4
• Problem difficulty lower
• Intermediate problem for collegiate contest would
  be hard problem for high school
• Fewer problems requiring advanced math or
  algorithmic sophistication/depth
• Problem descriptions more straightforward

19
Resources

• ACM Mid-Central Programming Contest
  www.mcpc.cigas.net
• IBM Programming Contest Central (aimed at HS
  contests)
• https//www-927.ibm.com/ibm/cas/
  hspc/Welcome/index.shtml
• ACM Live Archive http//acmicpc-live-archive.uva.
  es/nuevoportal/
• Google programming contest or programming
  challenge for many, many more, in many
  languages, at many levels.

20
Further Resources

• Brian Hare
• hareb_at_umkc.edu
• John Cigas
• john.cigas_at_park.edu
• James Cain
• jcain_at_sbuniv.edu
• These slides available at
• http//h.web.umkc.edu/hareb/