IT 140 Module Two Assignment | Software Development Introduction

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Important

GitHub repository options

Do not select Fork or Use this template. These options will interfere with the repository setup commands later in this README.

• 🚫 Fork — Do not use
• 🚫 Use this template — Do not use
• ⭐ Star — The setup commands later in this README will bookmark this repository for you.
• 👁️ Watch
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Note

🆕 New for 2026 C-5: IT 140 now uses GitHub repositories to provide assignment starter files, development resources, and supporting documentation.

If you find a problem with this GitHub repository or its instructions, or have a suggestion for improvement, please open GitHub Issues to review existing issues or create a new issue.

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• Course: IT 140 - Introduction to Scripting
• Task Title: 2-3: Software Development Introduction
• Task Type: Required, graded, one submission required
• Repository Version: 1.0.2
• Repository Version DTG: 2026-08-30-12-56

Table of Contents

Complete the following tasks in order to complete the Module Two assignment. Each task is described in detail below.

• 0. Meet the Prerequisites
• 1. Setup the Assignment
• 2. Complete Part A
• 3. Complete Part B
• 4. Submit Your Assignment
• Get Help and Support

0. Meet the Prerequisites

• Required. To start this assignment, you must have completed the GitHub and Codio sections of the Module One Setup Tasks. If you have not done so, please complete those tasks now. Return here after completing those tasks.

• Recommended. Complete all Module One and Two zyBooks activities (Participation and Lab) in D2L Brightspace. These activities introduce you to the skills you will use in this assignment.

1. Setup the Assignment

We strongly recommend that you complete this first assignment using the Codio Virtual Desktop (CVD). The CVD provides a consistent user experience regardless of your local computer's operating system. If you do choose to use your local computer, start at Step 2 below.

1. Launch the CVD now and carry out the remaining instructions from within the CVD.

   • If you bookmarked the CVD, open that link.
   • If not, open the CVD from within D2L Brightspace. Follow the Launch the CVD instructions if you need a refresher.

2. Click the browser icon on the taskbar to open a browser. Then, point the browser to https://github.com/GC-STEM/it140-m2-assignment. Arrange the browser window on one side of your screen, as shown below.

3. Click the terminal icon on the taskbar to open a terminal window. Arrange it on the other side of your screen from the browser window, as shown below.

   

4. In the CVD terminal window, type update_it140.sh and press Enter. This will update the course IDE to the latest version. Be patient. It may take a few minutes to complete. If using a local computer, use the appropriate script extension for your operating system:

   • Windows: update_it140.ps1
   • macOS : update_it140.zsh
   • Linux : update_it140.sh

5. Review the output of the update script. You are mainly interested in Failures: 0 and the Restart required: message.

   • If Failures is greater than 0, review the Get Help and Support section.
   • If Restart required: No, type exit and press Enter to close the terminal window.
   • If Restart required: Yes, click the RESTART VM button on the Codio taskbar and wait for the CVD to restart.

   

6. Open a new terminal window and copy the following command block and paste it into the new terminal window. If prompted about a "Potentially Unsafe Paste", click the Paste button. Press Enter to run the commands.

   cd ~/Repos
   gh auth setup-git
   gh api --method PUT /user/starred/GC-STEM/it140-m2-assignment
   gh repo create it140-m2-assignment --template GC-STEM/it140-m2-assignment --private --clone
   cd it140-m2-assignment
   git remote -v

   Note. The above commands only work the first time you run them successfully. If you want to update your repository later or start over, see the Get Help and Support section.

7. Review the output of the last command. You should see output similar to the what is shown below, except with your GitHub username in place of petey-penmen.

   

8. Determine if you want to continue to Part A now or if you want to stop and continue later.

   • If you want to continue to Part A now, type code . and press Enter. Skip to Step 3 in 2. Complete Part A.
   • If done for now, type exit and press Enter to close the terminal window. Bookmark the CVD page in your local browser, if you have not already, so you can return to it later without going through D2L Brightspace.

2. Complete Part A

1. Launch the CVD and carry out the remaining instructions from within the CVD.

2. Open a terminal window. Copy and paste the following command to open the assignment repository in VS Code. Press Enter to run.

   code ~/Repos/it140-m2-assignment

   Reminder. Path shortcuts: In terminal commands, ~ means your home folder, and . means your current folder. For example:

   • cd ~/Repos means change directory to the Repos folder inside your home folder.
   • code . opens the current folder in VS Code.

3. If the Chat pane opens in VS Code, click the X in the upper right corner for that pane to close it. Do NOT click the X to close the entire VS Code window right above it.

   

4. In the Explorer pane of VS Code"

   • Click > it140-m2-assignment to expand the folder, if needed.
   • Click > Part-A to expand the folder, if needed.

   

5. Right-click on the Part-A/README.md file and select Open to the Side.

   

6. You will now follow instructions in the Part-A/README.md file. When ready, maximize the VS Code window by clicking the Maximize button in the upper right corner of the VS Code window. Look for the green box in the previous screenshot.

3. Complete Part B

1. If not already running, launch the CVD and carry out the remaining instructions from within the CVD.

2. Open a terminal window. Copy and paste the following command to open the assignment repository in VS Code. Press Enter to run.

   code ~/Repos/it140-m2-assignment

3. If the Chat pane opens in VS Code, click the X in the upper right corner for that pane to close it. Do NOT click the X to close the entire VS Code window.

   

4. In the Explorer pane of VS Code"

   • Click > it140-m2-assignment to expand the folder, if needed.
   • Click > Part-B to expand the folder, if needed.

   

5. Right-click on the Part-B/README.md file and select Open to the Side.

   

6. You will now follow instructions in the Part-B/README.md file. When ready, maximize the VS Code window by clicking the Maximize button in the upper right corner of the VS Code window right above it. Look for the green box in the previous screenshot.

4. Submit Your Assignment

In your IT 140 course in D2L Brightspace, go to the Course Menu and select Assignments. Click on the 2-3 Assignment: Software Development Introduction link. Follow the instructions to submit your assignment. Submit the following files in Brightspace as one submission:

• Graded files:

  • name_age.py
  • ide_features.md

• Ungraded files:

  • name_age_sdw.md

Get Help and Support

The course IDE Update reports a failure

If Step 5 reports Failures greater than 0, stop before continuing to Step 6. Follow the Action required and Next step shown in the Update summary.

If the problem is not resolved, see Setup Problems and Support. That page explains what information to collect and where to ask for help with course IDE setup and lifecycle-script problems.

Before asking for help, save the exact Update summary and error message. The lifecycle scripts also save a diagnostic log under ~/it140/logs/ or the corresponding it140/logs folder in your user profile.

Warning

Do not attempt manual sudo, package-manager, system, or course-file repairs unless the course instructions or technical support specifically direct you to do so.

Your Module Two assignment already exists somewhere

Your Module Two assignment will have several related copies:

• Public course template on GitHub: GC-STEM/it140-m2-assignment. This is the course-provided starting point. You cannot modify this copy.

• Your personal GitHub repository: it140-m2-assignment in your own GitHub account. This stores the work you "push" (upload) to GitHub.

• A local clone on a device: Usually ~/Repos/it140-m2-assignment on the CVD or your local computer. This is the copy you open in VS Code and edit.

Step 6 creates your personal GitHub repository and then creates a local clone on the device where you run the commands.

Choose the situation below that matches what you see.

Your personal GitHub repository and local clone both exist on this device

For example, you created your personal GitHub repository while working on the CVD, and ~/Repos/it140-m2-assignment also exists on that CVD.

Do not run the Step 6 setup commands again.

Open the local clone on your current device:

code ~/Repos/it140-m2-assignment

Your personal GitHub repository exists, but there is no local clone on this device

For example, you created your personal GitHub repository and local clone on the CVD, but now you are using your local computer for the first time.

Do not create another personal GitHub repository from the public course template.

Instead, create a local clone of your existing personal GitHub repository on the current device:

cd ~/Repos
gh auth setup-git
gh repo clone "$(gh api user --jq .login)/it140-m2-assignment"
cd it140-m2-assignment
git remote -v

Then open the new local clone on the current device in VS Code:

code .

A local clone exists on this device, but you are not sure about your personal GitHub repository

Do not delete the local clone on this device and do not run the Step 6 setup commands again. The local clone may contain assignment work that has not yet been pushed to your personal GitHub repository.

From the device that contains the local clone, run:

cd ~/Repos/it140-m2-assignment
git remote -v

This shows which GitHub repository the local clone is connected to.

If you are unsure what the output means, or your expected personal GitHub repository is missing, ask for help before deleting or replacing the local clone or anything in your GitHub account.

Working on the assignment from more than one device

Important

We highly recommend completing IT 140 work on just one device. Using one device for the course helps avoid Git and GitHub complications that can occur when the same personal GitHub repository is cloned onto more than one device.

If you are already comfortable working with Git and GitHub, you may work from more than one device. Follow the instructions below carefully to keep your copies synchronized.

A single personal GitHub repository can have a local clone on more than one device. For example:

• First device: Your CVD
• Second device: Your local computer

Before leaving the first device, save your changes in the local clone on that first device and push them to your personal GitHub repository.

On the first device, before switching:

cd ~/Repos/it140-m2-assignment
git status
git add -A
git commit -m "Save work before switching devices"
git push

After moving to the second device, update the local clone on that second device from your personal GitHub repository before making any new changes.

On the second device, before starting work:

cd ~/Repos/it140-m2-assignment
git pull --ff-only
git status
code .

Important

The second command block assumes that a local clone already exists on the second device. If there is no ~/Repos/it140-m2-assignment folder on the second device, follow Your personal GitHub repository exists, but there is no local clone on this device above instead.

If git push on the first device or git pull --ff-only on the second device reports an error, stop and ask for help before making additional changes on either device.

You intentionally want to start over

Starting over may involve one or more separate copies:

• Your personal GitHub repository in your GitHub account
• Your local clone on your CVD
• Your local clone on your local computer

Deleting one copy does not necessarily delete the others.

Before deleting or replacing anything, make sure you have saved any work you want to keep. If you have already started the assignment or are unsure which copy is safe to replace, ask for help before continuing.

For more information about these different copies, see Course Repositories.

Other technical problems

For a current course-wide technical problem, check Course Status.

If you find a problem with the public course template or its instructions, review existing reports or open a new GitHub Issue.

Warning

Never post passwords, authentication or verification codes, recovery codes, access tokens, private identifying information, or complete solutions to graded assignments in a public GitHub issue or discussion.