# README #

1. [Installation](#installation)
2. [Running a demo](#running-a-demo)
3. [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting)

## Installation

### Requirements

The webserver is a python application and requires `python3.6` and `pip` to be installed, plus the following additional packages:

- CherryPy
- Mako
- Markdown
- PyYAML
- Pygments
- SQLAlchemy
- bcrypt

These can be installed for a single user (recommended), in a python virtual environment or system wide.

#### Installing packages for a single user (recommended)

```.bash
pip install --user cherrypy mako markdown pyyaml pygments sqlalchemy bcrypt
```

#### Installing packages in a virtual environment (alternative)

```.bash
pyvenv-3.6 venv/perguntations              # or other virtualenv directory
source venv/perguntations/bin/activate     # activate virtualenv

pip install cherrypy mako markdown pyyaml pygments sqlalchemy bcrypt
```

#### Installing packages system wide (alternative)

I personally prefer python packages to be installed for a single user, but if a system wide installation is required, it is probably better to use the operating system package manager instead of `pip`:

- Linux: apt-get, etc
- macOS: macports, etc

### Installing perguntations

```.bash
cd WHERE/TO/PUT/THE/SOFTWARE
git clone https://USERNAME@bitbucket.org/USERNAME/perguntations.git
```

where USERNAME is your account on bitbucket.

## Running a demo

The directory `demo` includes a demo test that can be used as a template for your own tests and questions.

To run the demonstration test:

```.bash
cd WHERE/YOU/INSTALLED/perguntations

# create and initialize database using one of the following methods:
./initdb.py students.csv    # from CSV file
./initdb.py --demo          # initialize with fake students
./initdb.py                 # empty
mv students.db demo/

# create directory to put the student's answered tests
mkdir demo/ans

# edit test configuration and check if everything looks right
vi demo/test.yaml
```

We are now ready to run the server:

```.bash
./serve.py --help            # get help
./serve.py demo/test.yaml    # run demo test
```

By default the server listens on port 8080 and on all IPs of all network interfaces.
Open the browser at `http://127.0.0.1:8080/` and login as user number `0` (administrator) and choose any password. Then

1. Authorize students by clicking the checkboxes.
2. Open a different browser at `http://127.0.0.1:8080/` and login as one of the authorized students. Answer the questions and submit.

The server can be stoped from the terminal with `^C`.

## Running on port 80

Ports 80 and 443 are reserved for the root user and and this software _should NOT be run as root_. Instead, the firewall should be configured to forward tcp traffic from port 80 to 8080 where the server is listening. The details depend on the operating system.

### debian:

```.bash
iptables -t nat -I PREROUTING -i eth0 -p tcp --dport 80 -j REDIRECT --to-ports 8080
```

Explanation:

- `-t nat` is the table consulted when a packet creates a new connection.
- `-I PREROUTING` inserts rules at the head of the chain.
- `-p tcp` selected protocol.
- `-s 0/0` source network address/mask.
- `-i eth0` interface via which the packet was received.
- `--dport 80` destination port.
- `-j REDIRECT` what to do when packet matches the rule.
- `--to-ports 8080` where to redirect the packets.

### FreeBSD and pf

Edit `/etc/pf.conf`:

    ext_if="em0"
    rdr on $ext_if proto tcp from any to any port 80 -> 127.0.0.1 port 8080
    rdr on $ext_if proto tcp from any to any port 443 -> 127.0.0.1 port 8443

or `ext_if="vtnet0"` for guest additions under virtual box.

Edit `rc.conf`

    pf_enable="YES"
    pf_flags=""
    pf_rules="/etc/pf.conf"

    # optional logging:
    pflog_enable="YES"
    pflog_flags=""
    pflog_logfile="/var/log/pflog"

Reboot.

## Enabling SSL

Todo...

## Troubleshooting

* The server tries to run `python3`. If only a `python3.6` command is available, you need to set the default python using the OS package manager or manually create a symbolic link:
    - macOS/macports: `sudo port select --set python3 python36`
    - FreeBSD 11: `cd /usr/local/bin; ln -s python3.6 python3`

* If you are getting any `UnicodeEncodeError` type of errors that's because the terminal is not supporting UTF-8. This error may occur when a unicode character is printed to the screen by the server or, when running question generator or correction scripts, a message is piped between the server and the scripts that includes unicode characters.
Try running `locale` on the terminal and see if there are any error messages. Solutions:
    - debian: fix it with `sudo dpkg-reconfigure locales`, select your UTF-8 locales and try again.
    - FreeBSD: edit `~/.login_conf` to use UTF-8, for example:

        ```
        me:\
                :charset=UTF-8:\
                :lang=en_US.UTF-8:
        ```

## Contribute ###

* Writing questions in yaml format
* Testing and reporting bugs
* Code review
* New features and ideas

### Contacts ###

* Miguel Barão mjsb@di.uevora.pt