DHF Guide 4: Deep Dive into the Lab File System and Size Variations

📂 Guide 4: Deep Dive into the Lab File System and Size Variations

This guide explains the technical relationship between the workspace folder, the operating system backend, and why file sizes change when you work. Understanding this prevents the common issue of submitting "empty" work. 

1. The Home/Student Workspace DirectoryWhen you click "Start Lab" on the dashboard, the platform boots up a virtual machine running a Linux operating system backend. This system is strictly configured to look at one specific directory pathway: home/student/workspace. 

• The Golden Rule: Every file you create, edit, or paste code into must live inside this designated workspace folder. 
  
  
• What happens if you break this rule: If you accidentally create a new root folder outside of the default workspace, or save your script in a different directory level, the automated grader will search home/student/workspace, find nothing, and automatically award you a 0/100. The grading tool is a rigid automated script that cannot search around your virtual machine to find misplaced files. 
  
  

2. Tracking Your File Changes Using Bytes and KilobytesBefore you click submit on a lab project, you can actually verify if the system has recorded your work by looking closely at the file system table inside your lab interface.

• The Default State: When an instructor provides a template file (such as a default Python or Jupyter Notebook file like visualisation.ipynb), it often starts at a very minimal file size, such as 17 Bytes (17 B). This tiny size indicates that the file is just an empty shell with no code inside. 
  
  
• The Modified State: As you type out your variables, import modules, build loops, or write code functions, you are adding data characters to that file. When you properly save your work, you will notice that the size counter changes—for instance, jumping from 17 Bytes to 1.3 Kilobytes (1.3 KB). Because a kilobyte is significantly larger than a byte, this visual change tells you that your code has successfully updated on the server server. 
  
  
• The 0-Byte Danger Zone: If you spend hours typing code but fail to hit Control + S or click File > Save All, the file counter will remain at its default 17 Bytes. If you submit at this stage, the platform will grade the original empty template, resulting in an immediate project failure. Always double-check that your file size has visibly increased before pushing the submit button.