Template for Coding Contests

Optimized for https://catcoder.codingcontest.org

Template for fast solving of catcoder codingcontests, with two command line utilities:

next-level command

• Logs into catcoder for you, checks your current level
• Creates folder for current level, code copied from previous level or template folder: codingcontest/level${LVL_NUMBER}
• Fetches pdf+zip of current level from catcoder
• Extracts zip, input files to in/, output files to out/
• Creates git commit at level start, and pushes (depending on CCC_GIT_MODE)

submit-solutions command

• Checks output files from out/ subfolder of current level, validates files with cat-coder
• Aborts on first unsuccessful file
• If all successful: Creates git commit for level end, and pushes. (depending on CCC_GIT_MODE)
• Automatically runs next-level for you if there are more levels.
• If partly successful, but not all: Creates git commit for level progress, and pushes. Remembers which parts were successful, does not re-submit them on re-run.

Installation

To install:

• Pre0) Install/Activate python 3.10.x or 3.11.x (e.g. with pyenv on linux)
• Pre1) Install poetry (recommended way: via pipx):

    pip install --upgrade pip
    pip install --user pipx
    python -m pipx ensurepath
    # Maybe restart shell if pipx command cannot be found
    pipx install poetry

1. From the project root: poetry install

2. Activate environment via poetry shell

=> You now have access to the command line command next-level and submit-sollution.

If you want additional libraries/packages, install them via: poetry add dependency

Setting up

Create .env file

In the repository root, create a file called .env. Example:

CCC_USERNAME=catcoder_username_or_email
CCC_PASSWORD=catcoder_password
CCC_CONTEST_ID=<from URL of contest, e.g. 4344>
CCC_GIT_MODE=<none|local|remote>
CCC_SOLUTION_SUBMIT_FILE=solve.py

• Username (can be an email) + Password of the catcoder login.
• Contest ID can be found in the contest URL, e.g. https://catcoder.codingcontest.org/training/140/play is 140.
• GIT_MODE:
  • none disables any git actions
  • local enables only local actions (creating commits for new level + successful submissions)
  • remote is like local, but also runs git pull + git push for you
• CCC_SOLUTION_SUBMIT_FILE: If set to a valid file within your template/level structure, it will submit this file as "your solution" after completing each level, to give you some bonus minutes. If not set to a valid file, you will not recieve bonus minutes for handing in your solution code.

Git setup (optional)

Copy this code to your own git repo (or change the remotes). If you want remote git support, make sure you can pull and push. For local git support, make sure you can commit.

Competing

• Edit codingcontest/template to your liking, it is your starting point for level1.
• Run next-level, this should create codingcontest/level1/
• while not done:
  • Edit solver code (levelX/solver.py if you are using the python template)
  • python solver.py will submit and call next level once the level is done.
  • If not using python, run submit-solutions manually to validate your .out files.
  • If a level is complete, submit-solutions will automatically fetch the following level, extract it and copy your previous level code there. No need for next-level.