Scripting Languages Assignment (a bash script and a simple explanation of the code not more than 220 words)

AI Tool Utilisation Whereas AI tools can serve as a very useful tool in the software engineering workplace, they are not to be used to complete any of the assessments in this unit, either in-part or in totality. This is because the focus of this unit is the development of authentic knowledge of, and skill in applying, various scripting languages to achieve specific outcomes, and not the use of AI tools to act on a programmer’s behalf. This acquisition of authentic knowledge extends beyond the outcomes of this unit and is important to a student’s future ability to be successful in obtaining a Work Integrated Learning placement, and ultimately, a job in industry. Employers already use AI tools extensively and know what they can and cannot do – they see no value in hiring graduates whose demonstrable skills do not exceed that of existing AI tools. Additionally, students suspected of representing AI output as their own work may be called upon to demonstrate functional knowledge of this work, which, if not forthcoming, may in turn lead to allegations of academic misconduct.

General Assignment Requirements ▪ Your script will be run/assessed in the Azure Linux VM provided at the beginning of semester. It is expected that you will develop and test your script in this Azure environment to ensure full compatibility. ▪ Your script must be a bash script and nothing else, i.e. the shebang line used is #!/bin/bash. Scripts of any other type, e.g. #!/bin/sh will receive a grade of zero (0). ▪ Ensure the script you write is fully self-contained and is not configured to be dependent on external files, libraries or resources to run. Non-observance of this requirement may cause your script to run incorrectly or not at all. ▪ Carefully check your submission before uploading it to Canvas. What you submit is what gets assessed! If you make a submission error, e.g. submit a wrong file, an empty .zip archive etc, no further/subsequent submissions will be accepted, which may result in a substantial loss of marks, or even a zero (0) result in some cases. ▪ You must only submit a single shell script (.sh) file named parsechars.sh contained within a .zip file with the stipulated name in any individual upload action. Do not upload multiple files/zip archives in the same upload action as all will be considered invalid and will not be assessed. Also note that only the most recent individual submission made (as determined by the timestamp Canvas allocates) will be assessed. ▪ If your script does not run for any reason, e.g. hard-coding of files/directories/paths, use of a development environment not compatible with the Azure Linux VM provided at the beginning of semester, only a partial mark may be awarded on a code-readthrough basis at the assessor’s discretion. Your assessor will not fix non-functional, dysfunctional or incompatible scripts. Page 3 of 6

Task – Parse Characters (20 marks) Write a bash script that processes a list of strings contained in an external text file, and for each string in the list, parses out characters that are allowed characters from those characters that are disallowed, printing a report to the screen of total [T], allowed [A] and disallowed [D] characters found, and their counts. Only the following characters are allowed: • Uppercase vowels • Even numbers within the range 0-9 • The following subset of special characters: &#!$- All other characters are disallowed. Task Constraints • You may only use commands, utilities and programmatic techniques addressed in Lectures 1-5 inclusive • Ensure your script includes appropriate use of: o IFS management when reading external files o BRE and/or ERE to classify each string’s individual characters correctly o The cut command to isolate each string’s individual characters for regex matching o Indexed arrays to store sorted characters for final display to the terminal o Loop structures to handle user input and external file processing o Control structures for decision-making, i.e. if-else statements o Command flags as required o Piping as required o Command substitution as required Required Script Functionality ▪ When your script is run, it is to prompt the user for the name of a file in their current working directory. ▪ If the file name provided does not exist in the user’s current working directory, or if it does exist but contains no data (is empty), the user is to be accurate informed of what the error is and then reprompted for a valid file that contains data. The re-prompting process must not involve the script terminating then restarting. ▪ If the file name entered by the user does exist and does contain data, your script is to process each of the strings it contains and parse out its allowed and disallowed characters, with the results reported to the screen precisely as shown in the screenshot below. ▪ Also ensure the user can exit the script at the prompt if they wish to by entering -q

Other Compulsory Requirements ▪ Call the script parsechars.sh. ▪ Your full name and student number must be placed at the top of your script (as comments) immediately after the shebang line. ▪ Immediately after your name and student number, provide an explanation of no more than 220 words that articulates your thinking in regard to how you approached the design and construction of your script to solve for the stipulated task. Be sure to provide a rationale for the way in which you have utilised the commands, utilities and programmatic techniques your script employs, and the role each serves in the context of the script’s overall functionality. This statement is of course to take the form of comments. Please split the statement over multiple lines for easy readability. [IMPORTANT NOTE: AI-generated explanations will receive a mark of zero (0) in this part of the rubric] ▪ To construct your script, use a carefully considered combination of commands, utilities and programmatic techniques sourced from Lectures 1-5 inclusive) including those listed in the Task Constraints section above. Do not use bash/shell script commands, utilities and programmatic techniques not addressed in Lectures 1-5 inclusive as this will result in a lower mark (see rubric for details). ▪ Your script must contain concise ‘in-situ’ comments that accurately explain all of the code elements it contains in your own words. Note: Comments that are not relevant and accurate in regard to the code they describe, or a complete lack of comments, will not only attract a lower marks, but may be viewed as suggestive of possible academic misconduct. [IMPORTANT NOTE: AI-generated comments will receive a mark of zero (0) in this section of the rubric] ▪ Any temporary files and/or folders created by your script in the course of its execution must be programmatically removed from the assessor’s system when the script terminates. ▪ The efficiency and correctness with which the commands, utilities and programmatic techniques within your script have been utilised will also form part of your mark, so please pay close attention to this aspect of your code as well. For example, your parsechars.sh script is expected to make use of appropriately selected and correctly applied commands/options, including everything listed in the Task Constraints section above. The total lines-of-code your script employs will also be considered, with deductions applicable should this significantly exceed the total deemed necessary to achieve the stipulated outcomes. ▪ To assist you in the development and testing of your script, you have been provided with three (3) test files named rpl1.txt, rpl2.txt, and rpl3.txt, each of which contains a list of random strings of varying lengths and character combinations. Important Note: Your assessor will not use any of these test files for the marking process so do not hard code any of them into your script. Your assessor will use a different set of test files (.txt) files, that have different names and that contain different lists of random strings. Also note that the space character may also be present in the strings your assessor uses, which need to be treated just like any other character, so make sure your bash script allows for this.