Course Syllabus

When you need to get additional help on concepts in this course, we recommend the following priority, though of course this will also depend on your own preference!

1. Search/Post on Ed Discussions and/or Teams
2. Participate in Office Hours. No scheduling necessary, just drop in! Details follow.
3. Schedule free personalized tutoring with our College of Engineering student tutors. Make an appointment by navigating to https://beav.es/3n3.

Office Hours

TA Office Hours are held via the class-specific Microsoft Teams Team. For details on getting set up on Teams, please go Teams - How To.
This will walk you through getting logged in to the class Team.

Listing by Day (all times U.S. Pacific Time, UTC-08:00): 

Day	Office Hour Time and TA name
Monday	10:00 PM-11:30 PM (Derek Hand)
Wednesday	12:00 PM-1:30 PM (Alex Marx) 2:00 PM-3:30 PM (Yumeng Wang) 4:00 PM-5:30 PM (Ron Riza) 7:00 PM-8:30 PM (Yuhe Chen)
Thursday	9:00 AM-10:30 AM (Hailey Richter) 11:00 AM-12:30 PM (Chris Buss) 4:00 PM-5:30 PM (Ron Riza) 6:30 PM-8:00 PM (Chris Buss) 10:00 PM-11:30 PM (Derek Hand)
Friday	11:30 AM-1:00 PM (Hailey Richter) 2:00 PM-3:30 PM (Yumeng Wang) 7:00 PM-8:30 PM (Maddy Jacques) 7:00 PM-8:30 PM (Yuhe Chen)
Saturday	5:00 PM-6:30 PM (Maddy Jacques) 5:00 PM-6:30 PM (Alex Marx)

Communication Policy - Stephen Redfield

Please post all course-related questions in Ed Discussions so that the whole class may benefit from your conversation.  Not all posts require a reply from the instructor/TA and often it is better for students to hash out an answer to a question.

To contact the TAs, open Canvas Inbox, compose a new message, select this course, then next to the ‘To’ box click the address book, select “Teaching Assistants”, then choose the name(s) of TAs you wish to contact.

Please email your instructor only for matters of a personal or private (grading) nature.  The instructor or a TA will reply to most course-related questions within 24-48 hours.

Communication Policy - Eric Vogel

Please post questions about the course in Ed Discussions so that the entire class can benefit from our conversation. (You should also feel free to answer your colleagues’ questions!) I’ll respond to your questions on Ed Discussions, and any emails direct to me from 9am to 12pm Arizona Time (the same as Pacific Standard Time until Daylight Savings begins) Monday through Friday nights.

Reserve email for anything of a personal nature, including grade-related questions. Please email me at eric.vogel@oregonstate.edu rather than through Canvas. It’s a legal requirement that you use your OSU email account when sending me email. Put [CS 271] at the start of the subject line so it doesn’t get lost in my inbox.

Technical Questions

If you have a technical issue or question when using Canvas, 24/7 support is available in Canvas via chat, phone, or e-mail through the Help link in the menu on your left .

Additional technical support (use of software/browsers) can be accessed through the OSU Computer Helpdesk.

Academic or Student Support Services

For all other academic and student support services, refer to the Student Services link found in the course menu.

The following services are available to all Ecampus students:

• Ecampus Success Counseling
• Disability Access Services
• The Writing Center and Online Writing Lab
• The Valley Library and Ecampus Library Services
• Ecampus Enrollment & Student Services
• Check Your Computer test - ensure you have installed the minimum required technology for Ecampus courses.

Accessibility Tools for Canvas

The following tools are available within your Ecampus course. 

ReadSpeaker - is a tool that reads text on Canvas course pages aloud.

TextAid - is an additional tool that allows users to have nearly any text highlighted and read aloud, including documents, Web sites, text composed by a user, and more. For more information, please visit ReadSpeaker Text Aid.

Syllabus Link

Schedule Link

Syllabus Quiz: This quiz is based on the syllabus, so understand the syllabus before taking it. You'll need to score 100% in order to access the Week 1 materials! Don't Fall Behind!

Note: This quiz is only available to currently-registered students.

Instructor Introductions

Course Introduction

A former CS271 Instructor introduces the course.

Introduce Yourself

Hop on over to Ed Discussions (the link on the navigation sidebar will take you straight there) and introduce yourself!

Tools Used in CS 271

This section consists of installation & setup tutorials for Visual Studio 2019 and, for those who need it, Windows and/or Citrix:

What If I Don't Have Windows on My Computer?

Visual Studio Installation and Setup for Windows (not required if using Citrix)

Installing and Using Citrix (required for Macs with Apple M1 or later processor)

Common Issues with Visual Studio Setup

Using GitHub for Version Control

In completing this module you should have done the following:

• Gained access to a Windows installation, if you don't already have one
• Set up Microsoft Visual Studio in your Windows installation
• Installed and configured Kip Irvine libraries
• Started a new Assembly code project
• Verified that Visual Studio is installed properly

What If I Don't Have Windows on My Computer?

Since the Microsoft Assembler (packaged with Visual Studio) only runs on Microsoft Windows, you will need access to a Windows installation. Fortunately, all the tools that you need are provided for OSU students for free. If you already have a Windows PC that meets the minimum system requirements for Visual Studio 2019, you are all set. If you have a computer with an Intel processor (PC or Mac) that does not have Windows installed, you have several options:

• For For Mac users, the Guide to Windows Installation for Mac Users will help getting Windows installed. 
• OSU students get free access to virtualization products including VMware Fusion (for Mac OS) and VMware Workstation (for Linux). Both of those tools are available for download at the VMware Academic Site  (Links to an external site.). The Linux version supports Ubuntu, RHEL, CentOS, Oracle Linux, and SUSE.
• For Linux users, Virtual Box  (Links to an external site.) is recommended to run Windows within their Linux installation. Virtual Box is completely free so it has widespread support across numerous distros.
• Mac and Linux users can also dual-boot their computer to run Windows.

If you do not want to use any of the above (or can't, in the case of Macs with an Apple M1 or later processor), you may use the Citrix Virtual Desktop service, which will run Windows remotely on one of the OSU servers. Be aware that your files will also be stored in a temporary instance, so be sure they are saved to your private drive (Z:) on the remote desktop. For details on using Citrix, check the Installing and Using Citrix (required for Macs with Apple M1 or later processor) section below.

*** NOTE TO STEPHEN: the Windows 10 download information below is obsolete; no alternative identified yet ***

Whichever strategy you choose (except Citrix), you will still need to have access to the Windows installation media. This is also available for free on the Microsoft Azure site (Links to an external site.). The Windows 10 download can be located in the section: "All Services --> Other --> Education --> Software --> Windows 10 (consumer editions)".

For other recommendations or advice, feel free to post a question on the Ed Discussions forum (see link in the sidebar).

Visual Studio Installation and Setup for Windows
(not required if using Citrix)

Part 1: Installing Visual Studio 

Visual Studio is now available through the Microsoft Azure program.
To get started, visit the Microsoft Azure site (Links to an external site.) and log in using a Microsoft account. You should be able to log in with your OSU email address (username@oregonstate.edu) which will forward you to the OSU central login page. Sometimes Microsoft requires that you log in with a non-OSU email (if you have an existing account you can use it) and then verify your OSU email to obtain access. Once you are logged in, the main portal should look similar to the first image below. In order to access the Visual Studio download, select "Software" under "Learning Resources" on the left navigation panel.

Next, type "Visual Studio Community" in the search bar and select "Visual Studio Community 2019". I suggest installing Visual Studio 2019 Enterprise simply because that is the most recent version, but previous versions of Visual Studio (back to even Visual Studio 2010) will work for this course.

You can then view your assigned license key and download the software. When you install Visual Studio you will be asked to select your intended workload (e.g. how do you plan to use Visual Studio). You should select "Desktop  development with C++" as that is the best option for our purposes. You don't need to select any additional options at this point. The default for "Desktop  development with C++" is suitable for our class.

Your Visual Studio install will need to be "Activated" with your Product Key.  You can retrieve this key at any time through the Microsoft Azure site (Links to an external site.) by looking in "All Services --> Other --> Education --> Software" and clicking on the Visual Studio product that you installed.

Part 2: Setting Up the Irvine Library and the CS 271 Sample Project

You will need to download two ZIP files and extract their contents to the proper location.

• First download the file http://asmirvine.com/gettingStartedVS2019/Irvine.zip  (Links to an external site.) (You may need to copy-paste this URL into your address bar to download the file.)
  Extract the contents of this ZIP file into the C:\ directory. If the files were extracted properly, the following file should exist on your computer:
  C:\Irvine\Irvine32.lib
• Next, we need to download the Visual Studio project file. For this step, it's recommended that you create the directory C:\CS271.
  You can then download the file Project0.zip and extract the contents into C:\CS271
  If the extraction was successful you should be able to locate the file: C:\CS271\Project0\RemoveMe.asm.

If you are using an older version of Visual Studio (prior to 2019), other versions of these libraries are available from the Kip Irvine website at http://asmirvine.com/  (Links to an external site.)

Part 3: Verifying Your Visual Studio Installation

This video shows how to start a new Assembly code project and verify that Visual Studio is installed properly. Although this video illustrates the procedure using Visual Studio 2015, any recent version of Visual Studio (2015-2019) will work.

Installing and Using Citrix
(required for Macs with Apple M1 or later processor)

Citrix is a software product that allows you to access programs on a remote computer as if you were sitting at the desktop. Visual Studio performs better when run from a local computer, rather than using Citrix, because there is no lag due to the speed of your Internet connection. However, if you must use Citrix (Macs with an Apple M1 or later processor) or want to try Citrix (Intel Macs or Linux machines without a Windows installation, or older computers running Windows that do not meet the minimum Visual Studio system requirements), you should be able to access Visual Studio on our OSU Citrix Servers  (Links to an external site.) as follows:

Part 1: Creating Your ENGR Account and Installing Citrix

1. Before you access Citrix, you'll need to sign up for a College of Engineering ENGR account. This is an student account in addition to your normal ONID account. To sign up, click the ”Create a new account” link on the login page to COE TEACH here: https://teach.engr.oregonstate.edu.
2. Install Citrix following the instructions here. Run the Citrix Workspace client, choose the “Desktops” choice at the top of the screen after you are logged in, then the “MIME EECS Desktops” choice followed by Open. (If MIME EECS Desktops isn't showing up, it's likely you did not create your ENGR account (above). If you already did, submit an IT ticket or contact ENGR support.) This will create a session as if you were logged on to a computer in an on-campus lab.

Part 2: Setting Up the CS 271 Sample Project

In the Citrix session, log in to the CS271 Canvas site and return to these instructions on the Tools tab of the Syllabus page in the Citrix environment. Download the zip file Project0.zip, then use File Explorer to open the Downloads folder. Double-click Project0.zip to run 7-Zip, then extract its contents to the Z:\CS271 folder (enter Z:\CS271 in the 7-Zip Copy to: field:

Each of your projects should have its own folder within this Z:\CS271 folder, because the contents of your Z: drive are preserved even when you log out of Citrix.

If the extraction was successful you should be able to locate the file: C:\CS271\Project0\RemoveMe.asm.

Note 1: You do not have to download/install the Irvine library if you use the Citrix environment. The MIME EECS Desktop configuration already has the Irvine library installed.

Note 2: Be aware that your files will NOT reside on your home computer. If you want copies of them, you'll have to copy them manually to a drive on your computer using File Explorer in the Citrix environment.

Part 3: Setting Up Antivirus Exclusions for the CS 271 Sample Project

When using Citrix for CS 271, it is highly likely that your programs will be flagged by the Citrix antivirus software as dangerous or as viruses, which will prevent the execution of your programs. This problem is listed below as the second most common issue with Visual Studio setup, but on Citrix you do not have permission to do the workaround described (exclude your CS271 folder from antivirus scans). Instead, you must use a Citrix predefined temporary folder that is excluded from antivirus scans where your executable programs will run unimpeded. 

Modify the Visual Studio project configuration for the project in this directory as follows:

• Open the .sln file for your template folder.
• Right click Projects in Solution Explorer, and choose Properties.
• From the Configuration dropdown at the top, choose All Configurations.
• Choose Configuration Properties\General, then Output Directory.
• Click the $(SolutionDir)$(Configuration)\ value and change it to the following (note the \ before the $):
  
  D:\autodelete_noav\$(Configuration)\
  
  then click OK:

Your template project is now configured to put your executable programs in a safe location that is excluded from antivirus scans in the Citrix environment.

Note 3: D:\autodelete_noav is automatically erased when you log off from Citrix, so configure VS to put only your executable programs here. Leave your CS271 project folder and all your source files on the Z:\ drive so they will be retained between sessions.

Note 4: It is recommended that you have a clean template project directory as a starting point for new assignments. If you reuse this project directory as your template (after the verification step below, you won't have to configure this antivirus exclusion for each project.

Part 4: Verifying Your Visual Studio Installation

To verify that you can use Visual Studio for this course, follow the verification steps shown in Part 3: Verifying Your Visual Studio Installation. Any time the video refers to C:\CS271, in the Citrix environment you will refer to Z:\CS271 instead.

 

Note 5: When using the Citrix desktop client, eventually you may encounter the Citrix error “Desktop failed to start.”. If that happens, log in to Citrix via the OSU Apps Portal, choose Desktops, then MIME EECS Desktops, then Restart. You should then be able to use the Citrix desktop client again.

Note 6: Do not try to install, configure, or use ASMDude syntax highlighting in the Citrix environment -- you do not have administrative privileges to do so.

Common Issues with Visual Studio Setup

1. LNK1104 cannot open file 'Irvine32.lib'
   

   If you're getting this error, it's likely that you did not extract the Irvine library files into the correct folder. Ensure that the folder structure is such that the Irvine32.lib file exists in the C:\Irvine\Irvine32.lib folder and try again. The most common issue is that you will end up with the following incorrect path due the zip extraction process: "C:\Irvine\Irvine\Irvine32.lib".

2. "File not found" or "cannot execute the specified program" errors; programs flagged as Trojan horses or other viruses; other antivirus issues
   

   Visual Studio generates executable programs (.EXE files) that run when after you assemble your source code for your programming assignments. Even after working fine for a while, at some point you may see an error message that the file cannot be found, or your program prints the message "The system cannot execute the specified program.", or your program is flagged as a Trojan horse or other type of virus. This probably means your antivirus program has falsely identified your executable program as a threat (false positive) and blocked it from running. Exclude your entire CS271 folder (and all its subfolders) from being virus scanned, and you should be able to proceed without further antivirus interference with your work.

3. INCLUDE errors: By installing additional extensions beyond what is required for this course, the INCLUDE structure may be prone to error.
   

   Please ensure that the path "C:\Irvine" is explicitly written in the Project Properties in the two fields specified below:
   To enter the Project Properties select the "Project" menu, then select "Project Properties".  Or, right click "Project" in the Solution Explorer and select "Project Properties"

   • Configuration Properties ➝ Linker ➝ "Additional Library Directories" should be: "c:\Irvine;%(AdditionalLibraryDirectories)" (without quotes).
   • Configuration Properties ➝ Microsoft Macro Assembler ➝ "Include Paths" should be: "c:\Irvine" (without quotes).
     
     
4. Eliminating the "... exited with code 0." message
   

   If when you run a program, the message ".... (process xxxxxx) exited with code 0." becomes annoying, here are the steps to keep that message from showing:

   • From with Visual Studio select the "Debug" menu, then select "Options".
   • Under Debugging > General, ensure "Automatically close the console when debugging stops." is checked.
   • Run your program again. The message should be gone.
     
     
5. Syntax Highlighting
   

   By default, Visual Studio does not include syntax highlighting for Assembly code. This can sometimes make it more difficult to read your source code. To enable syntax highlighting in Visual Studio 2015 or later, you may want to install AsmDude:

   • From within Visual Studio select the "Extensions" menu, then select "Manage Extensions".
   • Search for AsmDude, select it, click Download, and wait for it to complete.
   • Close Visual Studio and a VSIX Installer dialog will pop up asking for permission to install AsmDude. Let it do so.
   • Reopen Visual Studio. MASM syntax highlighting support should now be installed.
   • Disable ASMDude options that interfere with the INCLUDE Irvine32.inc statement and general usability:
     • Go to Tools > Options > AsmDude, and find the Intellisense section under "General".
     • Turn off "Enable Code Completion".
     • Disable "Show in error list" and "Decorate with Squiggle" options for Undefined Labels, Clashing Labels, and Undefined Includes.
     • Click OK.
   • If you are unable to complete Project 0, disable AsmDude.
   • If you use the dark Visual Studio color scheme, you can change the color of certain text to be more readable. Go to Tools>Options>AsmDude and change the color for Mnemonic.
     
     Note 1: Do not try to install ASMDude syntax highlighting in the Citrix environment -- you do not have administrative rights to do so.
     Note 2: We recommend not using Visual Studio's native (and imperfect) MASM syntax highlighting features due to adverse side effects.
     
6. "Inconsistent Line Endings" error from Visual Studi

   A fairly catch-all solution to this is eliminating any non-Unicode characters from your .ASM file. To do this...

   • Copy the entire body of your .ASM file.
   • Paste it into a non-formatting text editor like Notepad. Save this copy to be sure you don't lose anything.
   • Open a new, working project (copy one known to work from a different folder, or use the clean template from the Canvas site)
   • Copy everything from the Notepad file into this new, clean project file and try running again.
     
     
7. Windows Environment Variables
   It is recommended you do not try to locate, read, or alter any environment variables created and assigned by Visual Studio. VS has a complex way of managing them while it is running, and using them is way beyond the scope of what is needed in CS 271.

Using GitHub for Version Control

It is recommended that you use GitHub for version control. The many benefits of using this for version control do not need to be listed here. If you do use GitHub, ensure all repos are set to private. Public GitHub repos (other than for the final project) are considered a violation of Academic Conduct.