===== Help Submitting Labs =====

This page concerns submitting a lab via Gradescope. In particular, labs that require to be in PDF format like the ones found in [[https://catalog.jmu.edu/preview_course_nopop.php?catoid=50&coid=257227|CS261]].

Unless you are editing the PDF directly, you need to convert an image of your completed lab to PDF format. Gradescope may encounter issues when uploading a PDF generated with certain PDF editors; thus, this page is for verified processes for submitting valid PDFs that don't encounter issues when submitted for grading. 
To avoid errors, **do not submit multi-page labs as a single page**. Put another way: do not submit a 2-page lab as a 1-page document. Gradescope may fail to locate where your answers are on the document. 

==== Submitting Using a Physical Scanner ====
The most traditional way of converting your hand-written work to PDF is a document scanner. These can be purchased as a standalone unit or be part of an all-in-one printer. You may also use the scanners in the [[https://ask.lib.jmu.edu/faq/76884|JMU Libraries]] or your [[https://www.usa.gov/libraries-and-archives|local library]].

==== Submitting Using Gradescope ====
Gradescope has [[https://guides.gradescope.com/hc/en-us/articles/22016028459789-Using-the-Gradescope-Mobile-App-for-Students#h_01HH0C6Z9XRHCCCMYYN8840ZFA|built-in support]] for both document scanning and existing files that's already present on your device. 

:!: If you are submitting with files already present on your device, keep in mind that Gradescope //will not// automatically crop and re-size the image for you.

=== Submitting Using a PDF Editor ===
If you have images on your computer you want to convert to PDF, you may want to use a PDF editor.

=== Adobe Acrobat Pro ===
While you may have heard of [[https://get.adobe.com/reader/|Adobe Acrobat Reader]], it unfortunately does not support editing PDFs. To obtain a first-party solution, you must purchase [[https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/acrobat-pro.html|Adobe Acrobat Pro]] ($20 per month [[https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/pricing/students.html|for students]]).

=== SimplePDF === 
A third-party, free, web-based PDF editor. [[https://simplepdf.com/|SimplePDF]] has been in development for a few years and still receives updates.  


==== Submitting Using a Scanner App ====
The Gradescope app can behave inconsistently at times, or the scanner may not capture your work clearly; in this case, you may want to explore a 3rd party scanner app to generate the PDF needed to submit your work. 

=== Adobe Scan ===
[[https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/mobile/scanner-app.html|Adobe Scan]] is a first-party app found in the [[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.adobe.scan.android|Play Store]] and the [[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/adobe-scan-pdf-ocr-scanner/id1199564834|App Store]]. This app is ideal because it supports IOS and Android; however, it requires an Adobe account and stores your documents in the cloud by default.