AMC-TEXT Shuffling (and fixing) blocks of questions (Feature #195)

This looks very useful already. I've tried it with various combinations of text boxes and included graphics and it places questions properly without leaving odd spaces on the page. I will create and grade an exam using this option on Monday/Tuesday and let you know if anything unusual comes up.

This is really a great help for our teachers. With this feature added they have a set of tools they need to create many types of exams in AMC-TXT.

Many thanks,

Niko Z.

Also, from revision r1414, you can use something like that:

*( Introductory text

* Question 1
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+

* Question 2
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*) Closing text.

Excellent! If we combine this with [next] option for questions enclosed within brackets we get a fine control of which questions within a block get shuffled and which come in a sequence. Simple syntax but very effective, provides a lot of options for the text maker, exactly what was needed.

I've tried this with text boxes within minipages and various positions of pictures next to/above/below text/textboxes, everything displayed properly.

It seems that by default introductory and closing text (text box/framed box/minipage) always get flushed left. So, for example if I want to display quoted paragraph in a framed box placed in a center of a page (which comes up often in language exams) I have to position it manually using \hspace. Centering options in LaTex don't seem to work for minipages in AMC-TXT (at least the ones I know, which are not that many :). This is not a big problem in itself and I don't mean to be nitpicky, just thought I might mention that for future reference. Presently, if we change the size of paper we have to reset all horizontal spaces. It might be nice to have a code available for that at some point.

Anyway, that very minor point aside, thank you so much for creating [next] and the 'Introductory/closing text' options. This really resolves the main point of this issue. Moreover, it seems that my original post was too broadly framed as it was really several issues rolled in one. So far you've already created two new features to address the issue. Perhaps it might be better to consider the present issue successfully resolved and I could open a separate one for implementing groups (to help teachers who wish to append essay questions at the end of (shuffled) multiple choice questions). That way it might be easier to keep track and focus.

Best,

Niko Z.

Oh, just one thing that I just noticed. Combining [next] and *( Introductory text works very well, except if we want to specify which question should come right after introductory text. For example, the following code will put Question 1 and Question 2 in a sequence while 3 and 4 are shuffled. However, Qustions 1 and 2 will not appear right after the Introductory text. In other words, option [next] next to Question 1 has no effect on position. Could it be implemented so that specifying [next] as an option for Question 1 results in it always appearing right after Introductory text?

Thanks,

Niko Z.

*( Introductory text

*[next] Question 1
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*[next] Question 2
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* Question 3
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+

* Question 4
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+

*) Closing text.

With revision r1446, you can use first:

*( Introductory text

*[first] Question 1
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*[first] Question 2
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+

* Question 3
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+

* Question 4
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+

*) Closing text.

I've just tried this, it works well. Thanks for all the new features, together they allow a very fine control of question sequence. I am sure it will be useful for many teachers.

What is the syntax in latex?
I have the graph of a function and 3 questions about it. I want insert the 3 questions right after the graph shuffling them among themselves. The set {graph} U {3questions} should be shuffled as a unique object among other questions.

It seems very similar to what has been asked here above but with no first, next or last restrictions (if I understood correctly).

Thanks,
Giovanni

If questions is your global group of questions, you can use something like:

\element{graph}{
  ... question A related to the graph ...
}

\element{graph}{
  ... question B related to the graph ...
}

\setgroupmode{graph}{withoutreplacement}

\element{questions}{
  ... show the graph ...

  \insertgroup{graph}
}