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1.1     ! bowersj2    1: \label{Cascading_Parameters}
        !             2: 
        !             3: LON-CAPA uses a powerful and flexible {}``cascading parameter''
        !             4: system. A {}``parameter'' is anything that can be set for a problem
        !             5: in a course, such as a due date. LON-CAPA parameters can be set for
        !             6: the {}``entire course'', for {}``all problems in a particular sequence'',
        !             7: or for an {}``individual problem''. Fully independently of that,
        !             8: they can be set for {}``everyone in a course'', for {}``everyone
        !             9: in a section'', or for {}``a single person''. More specific parameter
        !            10: settings override more general ones.
        !            11: 
        !            12: Some of the more common parameters include {}``open date'' (when
        !            13: a problem becomes visible for the student to complete), {}``due date''
        !            14: (the time the student must have the problem done by), {}``answer
        !            15: date'' (an optional date where the solution to the problem becomes
        !            16: visible if they did not complete it earlier), and {}``weight'' (the
        !            17: point value of the problem). Different problem types can also take
        !            18: different parameters; for instance, the instructor can override the
        !            19: {}``tolerance'' for a numerical problem (how close the student must
        !            20: come for a numerical problem to be considered correct), or control
        !            21: the style of the problem (for instance, the system has an {}``exam''
        !            22: mode where it will give the student multiple choices for a numerical
        !            23: problem, which is useful for printed exams). Problems can also export
        !            24: arbitrary other parameters, which may give instructors the ability
        !            25: to control the difficulty level or select a specific varient of the
        !            26: problem, depending on how the problem was authored.
        !            27: 
        !            28: This parameter system makes most common manipulations of these parameters
        !            29: very easy. If a specific section missed a lab because of a fire drill,
        !            30: that section can have its due date extended for the week without affecting
        !            31: any other section with a single operation. A single student can have
        !            32: their problems opened earlier if they're going to be gone for some
        !            33: excused reason. An entire self-paced learning course can have a global
        !            34: due-date set at the beginning of the course.
        !            35: 
        !            36: On a technical level, the parameter setting is handled by \texttt{lonparmset}.
        !            37: \texttt{lonnavmaps} provides an easy-to-use interface to most of the
        !            38: common parameters while doing much of the bookkeeping for you. See
        !            39: documentation for those things in the appropriate section below. A
        !            40: function called {}``\texttt{parmval}'' in \texttt{Apache::lonnavmaps::navmap}
        !            41: and \texttt{Apache::assesscalc} handle the computation of which parameter
        !            42: is in effect and can be consulted for precise details on the cascading.
        !            43: