In a programming assignment, if your code failed during submission and was rejected, though it was passed locally, then it is high time to learn about the hidden “Debugging Secrets behind Failed Code Submissions”.
In such cases, your code is not actually wrong, but behaves differently in two different programming environments. So, you have to know the truth behind it to solve this hectic issue for most programmers.
In this article, we are going to first address the issue and list down the reasons that a code passes locally but fails on submission. Later, we will share some hidden debugging secrets to fix this problem. So, let’s start.
Addressing the issue and listing down the reasons is a critical first step, and if you need guidance through the rest of the coding process, you can always get expert help with your programming assignments.
TL;DR: Debugging Secrets Behind Failed Code Submissions
Aspect | Summary |
Problem Overview | If a code works locally, but may fail on submission because of compiler or environment differences, or mismatched inputs or outputs. |
Common Causes | Hardcoded values instead of user input, extra print lines or spaces in I/O, floating-point precision mismatch, compiler version difference, local file or directory dependencies |
Debugging Secrets |
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Case Study | A real Java Problem Statement has been taken with the following:
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What Does The ‘Fails On Submission’ Problem In Programming?
When you are working on a programming assignment problem, you develop the code and execute it on your local machine, where everything looks fine. All the test cases are passed, and execution is going properly.
However, when you submit that exact code to your university portal, it gets evaluated and rejected with zero score. This problem is known as the ‘Fails on Submission’ Problem.
This happens because the submission system doesn’t use the same local programming environment. It uses a different compiler, stricter input and output rules, hidden test cases, and a limited runtime environment.
If there is any doubt, we have to quickly clarify it with the instructor or fellow students, or, if needed, explore external support while being aware of how much programming assignment help costs.
Why Does Code Pass Locally But Fail On Submission?
- You might not be taking user inputs; rather, you are giving hardcoded values in your code.
- During input and output, you have mentioned unnecessary extra texts like ‘print(“Enter a number:”)’.
- You are not rounding off the floating-point numbers in the output, which creates a mismatch.
- In your output, there might be some extra spaces or newline issues like the ‘print(“CodingZap “)’.
- The compiler version of your local computer is different from the submission platform version.
Top 7 Debugging Secrets To Fix Failed Code Submissions In Assignments
So, the complete ‘Failed Code Submission’ problem should have become clear to you from the above discussion. Now, we will discuss the central theme of this article for which you are all waiting.
In this section, we will share 7 effective Debugging Tips to fix such failed code submissions. Let us check them.
1. Strictly Match The Input And Output:
When you are writing any code that you have to submit to any online grading systems, then you have to be careful with the Input and Output structure as the Online Grading Systems are very sensitive towards them.
In Input and Output statements, if you have mentioned any random line or prompt messages or even an extra space or newline, the system will reject the code and give you a zero score, as it will not match.
You can remember the following tips to avoid making similar mistakes in the future:
- Don’t use any explanatory or extra print statements before and after the Input and Output.
- Check the Input and Output structure given in the problem and write code accordingly.
- Before submission, recheck the code for any trailing statements, debugging comments, etc.
2. Be Careful With Floating-Point Outputs:
The code that you are developing, if it is giving a Floating-point Number as the output, then you have to be extra careful, as there might be some precision issues with your code when you submit it to the system.
Floating-point operations can sometimes give invisible precision errors that create output differences between the local and system execution. In such cases, output 12.000001 gets different from the output 12.0.
To address this issue and avoid making similar mistakes in your code, you can check the following tips:
- Always round off the decimal outputs in your code to a fixed digit mentioned in the problem.
- Use the same data type between DOUBLE and FLOAT throughout the program for calculation.
- Don’t do the direct equality of the code. Instead, compare the given output and the executed output.
3. Use Compatible Compiler And Version:
Different grading systems use different compilers and their different version. If you love to execute your code first on your local device, then you have to ensure that you are executing the code on a compatible compiler.
Based on the compatible compiler, the syntax, library support, and default settings can be changed. A code might execute on Java 21, but fail in Java 17. Similarly, a code executed on Python 3.11, but not on Python 3.8.
To use compatible compilers and their proper version, the following tips should be used.
- Before starting the assignment, check the compiler and its version mentioned in the problem.
- If no compiler or version has been mentioned, then ensure you are using the latest compiler version.
- Don’t use any version-specific library or methods unless it is mentioned in the problem.
4. Avoid Any Local Information:
When you are developing your code on your local machine, you develop it by involving some local information. But when you submit the same code to the system, it doesn’t get access, hence, it rejects the code.
Sometimes, a programmer takes the Input values from the files or directory and submits that code. The online system doesn’t have access to the file or directory. So, ensure the submission code doesn’t have any local data.
The following tips can be used to avoid including any local information in your code. Check them out.
- Don’t use any Hardcoded Values in your program from the files; instead, take data from the user.
- While taking data from the user, always use STDIN and STDOUT for input and output.
- Don’t use any external files in your code, unless it is mentioned in the problem statement.
5. Optimize The Code Execution Time:
Another hidden secret for which a locally working code might fail on submission is due to the Code Execution Time. In modern times, every submission platform has a strict time limit for execution.
If your code is executed normally without giving any output, even in the submission platform, then it might also get rejected, as it is consuming more time to get executed. Hence, the Time Complexity has increased.
The following tips can be used to reduce the Time Complexity and execution time of the code.
- If not necessary, don’t use any Nested Loops in your program, as they increase execution time.
- All the constant calculations should be removed outside of the loop ranges.
- Don’t take any Input Value by executing any loop in the program.
6. Test The Code With Multiple Inputs:
Another important tip that you can use to avoid Code Submission Failure is to check your code with multiple input values. After all, the online system is going to do the same, so why not do it yourself?
Sometimes, we check program execution with some simple input values. But, the online systems check the code with some Hidden Test Cases that you can’t even imagine to check the best performance of the code.
The following tips you can certainly implement in your case while testing code with multiple inputs.
- Use both the Minimum and Maximum input value range to check the program behavior.
- You can use a large dataset to verify whether the code crashes with the load.
- Try to execute the code with invalid inputs to check its response to them.
7. Execute The Code On Online Platforms:
Another trick that you can use to avoid failed code submission is to use Online Compilers and Platforms. Whatever code you have developed, execute the same code on the various online compilers.
The online compilers use a somewhat similar structure where you are going to submit the code. From there, you can check the response of the code that you have developed locally on your machine.
To execute the code on any online platform, the following tips should be used without hesitation.
- Set the Online Compiler with the same programming language and its version.
- Paste the Input Structure in the online compiler’s input field and execute the code.
- Execute the code with multiple test cases on the online compiler to know the behavior.
Case Study: Debugging A Failed Code Submission From An Assignment
We hope whatever we have discussed till now has become clear to you. So, in this section, we will take a real case study where there will be a failed code submission, and we will debug the code live.
So, we will start with the detailed problem statement first. And then, we will share the failed code submission.
Problem Statement:
Write a Java program that reads two floating-point numbers and prints their average.
- Input Format: Two decimal numbers separated by a space.
- Output Format: A single decimal number rounded to two decimal places.
Failed Code Submission:
A student has developed the following working code locally, which will fail during submission.
import java.util.*;
public class Main
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
Scanner sc = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.println("Enter The Numbers: "); // Extra Input Text
// Accepting The Input Values
double a = sc.nextDouble();
double b = sc.nextDouble();
double avg = (a + b) / 2; // The Precision Error In Floating Point
System.out.println("The average is " + avg); // Extra Output Text
sc.close();
}
}
Here, we will check out why the code has failed in submission, but not in local execution. Let us check them.
- While taking the input, an extra prompt text has been added, which will not be accepted.
- While printing the output, similar extra text has been added, which is also not accepted.
- There will be precision issues with the printed output and the given output format.
Correct Code Submission:
Now, we will use the debugging secrets and fix this code, which will now be accepted by the submission system.
import java.util.*;
public class Main
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
Scanner sc = new Scanner(System.in);
// No Input Texts, Only Value Acceptance
double a = sc.nextDouble();
double b = sc.nextDouble();
double avg = (a + b) / 2; // No Precision Error In Floating Point
System.out.println("%.2f", avg); // No Extra Text And Decimal Points
sc.close();
}
}
The changes that we have made in this code are the following. Let us go through them.
- No extra text has been mentioned in the Input or Output in the code.
- The floating-point output is rounded off to two decimal places, which is accepted.
A Printable Mini Checklist For Debugging Failed Code Submissions
In the end, we understand, it is very difficult to remember these debugging secrets every time during a code submission, especially if you are a beginner in Computer Science. So, here is some great stuff for you.
We have brought a Printable Mini Checklist for debugging the failed code submissions in your programming assignments. You can print this checklist and pin it to your desk to avoid making any submission mistakes.
Key Takeaways:
- Failed Code Submission is the issue where a locally developed code is rejected by the grading system.
- Due to a programming environment mismatch, the failed code submission issue occurs.
- Adding extra line, space in inputs and outputs, precision errors, compiler versions, etc., are the causes.
- Matching input and output, compiler version, avoiding precision error, and local data are the fixes.
