21

I'm using the great exam package to create exams. But sometimes there are many students so I need to create different "versions" - Group A and Group B.

Mainly the differences are only the numbers in questions so the text of questions are similar. Now I do the follow:

  • create a command named \finalexam which has the questions with macros (\question[5] What is the result of $\a\cdot\b$)
  • create the macros (\def\a{10}, \def\b{20})
  • call \finalexam
  • change the macros (\def\a{20}, def\b{30})
  • call \finalexam

Is there any other (better) solution or a ready-to-use package?

Edit: a simple example

\documentclass{exam}
\usepackage[magyar]{babel}
\usepackage[utf8x]{inputenc}
\usepackage{t1enc}
\usepackage{nicefrac}
\usepackage{siunitx}
\usepackage{multicol}
\pagestyle{empty}
\addpoints
\pointname{ pont}
\pointsinrightmargin
\marginpointname{ pont}
\begin{document}
\newcommand{\doga}{
\centerline{\large V. exam -- \group\ group}
\begin{questions}
    \question[5]What is the result of $\a\cdot\b$?
\end{questions}}
%
\newcommand{\group}{A}
\renewcommand{\a}{5}
\renewcommand{\b}{10}
\doga
%
\renewcommand{\group}{B}
\renewcommand{\a}{10}
\renewcommand{\b}{20}
\doga
\end{document}
uzsolt
  • 1,431
  • While code snippets are useful in explanations, it is always best to compose a fully compilable MWE which those trying to help cam adapt to yield a better solution for you. – Peter Grill May 23 '12 at 08:27

4 Answers4

16

Use mailmerge and declare some fields (\mailfields), define the repetitions (\mailrepeat) and define different sets of parameters (\mailentry).

See the documentation for persuasive examples.

Edit: Here's your example with mailmerge:

\documentclass{exam}
\usepackage[magyar]{babel}
\usepackage[utf8x]{inputenc}
\usepackage{t1enc}
\usepackage{nicefrac}
\usepackage{siunitx}
\usepackage{multicol}
\usepackage{mailmerge}
\pagestyle{empty}
\addpoints
\pointname{ pont}
\pointsinrightmargin
\marginpointname{ pont}
\begin{document}
\mailfields{group,a,b}
\mailrepeat{
\centerline{\large V. exam -- \field{group} group}
\begin{questions}
    \question[5]What is the result of $\field{a}\cdot\field{b}$?
\end{questions}\clearpage}
\mailentry{A,5,10}
\mailentry{B,10,20}
\end{document}
Hasan Zakeri
  • 1,942
13

This question is the reason for the »variations« feature of exsheets introduced in v0.6. The command \vary is provided which in the default setting has two arguments. The command \variant{<num>} (where <num> is either 1 or 2) will choose if the first or second argument is used.

Here is a use-case example:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage[magyar]{babel}

\usepackage[load-headings]{exsheets}
\SetupExSheets{
  headings = runin-nr ,
  headings-format = \normalfont ,
  points/name = pont/ok % this is what translate.google.com tells me...
}

\begin{document}

% \variant{1} % default
\centerline{\large V. exam -- \vary{A}{B} group}
\bigskip

\begin{question}{5}
 What is the result of $\vary{5}{10}\cdot\vary{10}{20}$?
\end{question}

\bigskip
\variant{2}
\centerline{\large V. exam -- \vary{A}{B} group}
\bigskip

\begin{question}{5}
 What is the result of $\vary{5}{10}\cdot\vary{10}{20}$?
\end{question}

\end{document}

enter image description here

If you wanted more than two variations you could for example issue \SetVariations{3} in the preamble which would cause \vary to have three arguments. <num> in \variant{<num>} now could be 1, 2 or 3.

cgnieder
  • 66,645
1

Maybe your problem is solved by the (brand new) exsheets package? Questions can be assigned classes and you can select what classes to show...

long tom
  • 1,079
  • It seems very impressive. But (as I see) I can't do what I want: same questions with different datas. If it's possible I don't want type any text twice if it doesn't need. Please see Hasan Zakeri's answer.

    Or can I do it?

     – uzsolt Oct 21 '12 at 17:13
  • @uzsolt It can't right now. I might add something, though. – cgnieder Dec 03 '12 at 11:26
  • @cgnieder do you are the developer? :) I'm waiting about this. Do you accept "feature requests"? :) – uzsolt Dec 03 '12 at 15:34
  • @uzsolt I am :) You can report issues and make requests at the bitbucket site or send me an email. Both addresses are mentioned in the manual. – cgnieder Dec 03 '12 at 17:51
0

Compile with LuaTeX and define a macro that returns either the text for variation A or variation B. That allows you to edit the variations in place. Same syntax as with \vary with exsheets. You have to manually switch between the variations though and compile twice. 

% !TEX TS-program = lualatex
% !TEX encoding = UTF-8 Unicode
\documentclass [11pt]{exam}
\usepackage{luacode}
\usepackage[a4paper, total={16cm, 26cm}]{geometry}
\usepackage{fontspec}

% defines a command for the variations
% change to variation B by replacing '#1' with '#2'
\newcommand{\var}[2]{\luadirect{tex.sprint('#1')}}

\begin{document}
\begin{questions}
\question Boris throws two six-sided dices.
\begin{parts}
\part[2] Compute the Probability that \var{both dices display 6}{the results of both diced add up to 12}.
\vspace{3cm}
\part[3] Compute the probability that at least one of the dices shows a \var{1}{2}.
\end{parts}
\end{questions}
\end{document}
kinnla
  • 101