Second Assignment - Mechanix Tutorial

Overview
For the second course assignment, you are asked to do problems 1 through 11 of the TAMU Mechanix Tutorial.  Mechanix is one of the largest projects in the Sketch Recognition Lab, and it uses  a combination of many recognition algorithms to automatically evaluate student truss diagrams.  Truss diagrams are used in several areas of engineering, especially civil engineering, and Mechanix aims to be a personal tutor as it teaches these concepts to students.

While most of you probably do not have a background in civil engineering, the Mechanix tutorial you have been assigned should be very easy to follow.  Ultimately, the goal is to be a good learning experience while providing you with an introduction to the state of current sketch recognition software.

Instructions

1. Go to http://faculty.cs.tamu.edu/hammond/mechanix.php and download Mechanix Student Version from the links on the lower right side (Direct Download Link).
2. Ensure you have Java installed, either the JRE or the JDK, but you must have either version 7 or version 8 under 8u24.
3. Once you have Java installed and have downloaded the Mechanix application, double-click it to run the installer.  This will download the latest version directly from our servers for you.
4. Now, with Java and Mechanix ready to go, you should see a login screen to Mechanix.  Login with the user name you selected in class.  The user name will be "srl" + the number you called in class, e.g. "srl25".  The password will be the exact same as your id.  If you missed class or forgot your id, see the instructions below.
5. Select the TAMU Mechanix Tutorial; there should be only one.
6. Step through problems 1 to 11, reading the instructions and submitting until you receive a "Correct" response each time.  Mechanix provides a checklist and specific responses at each stage of the submission, so feel free to submit as often as possible until you get the correct solution.
7. Problem 12 requires extra knowledge not well explained in the text.  Paired with a couple small  bugs, it is best if you do not attempt this problem.  You may if you wish, but it will not be counted.

Obtaining Credit

Your submissions will automatically be visible to us on the instructor side, so you do not need to submit any certificate or problem solutions.  However, we need to know who is who.  A Google Sheet has been created so that you can fill out your name next to your id.

If you already have an id number and remember it, fill out your name next to that id.  If you do not have an id or have forgotten your number, select an id in the range of srl30 or later (srl01 through srl29 were assigned in class and should mostly be claimed).

Finally, before attempting to alter the sheet, be aware that you must login to Google through your TAMU account to edit.

Mechanix IDs Spreadsheet

Due Date
Sep. 11, Friday @ Midnight
No late submissions allowed.  I will be checking right after this time, and you will get a percentage based on the number of problems complete for your ID.  You must put your ID on the spreadsheet to receive credit.