Quixote FAQ
===========

This FAQ provides quick answers to common questions about Quixote.

.. _do-i-need-to-know-python-to-use-quixote-:

Do I need to know Python to use Quixote ?
-----------------------------------------

While being a Python expert would certainly help when using Quixote,
there are no requirements except for basic knowledge of the syntax.

.. _i-have-a-moulinette-how-can-i-test-it-:

I have a moulinette, how can I test it ?
----------------------------------------

Moulinettes can be tested locally using the *Dulcinea* tool, which can be
installed through ``pip``. See the :doc:`Testing your moulinette <testing_moulinettes_locally>` tutorial.

.. _i-already-have-a-moulinette-in-another-language-can-i-adapt-it-:

I already have a moulinette in another language, can I adapt it ?
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Yes. Here are a few common cases for exising moulinettes:

-  If your moulinette is already a full-featured program, you can
   execute it using the :func:`~quixote.inspection.exec.command` built-in from the
   :mod:`~quixote.inspection` module, and then collect its output or its return
   code.
-  If your moulinette is rather a reference program (that is, a correct
   implementation of the exercise), you can use the :func:`~quixote.inspection.check.diff_exec`
   built-in (also in the :mod:`~quixote.inspection` module) to check for any
   difference between the student's delivery and the reference program.
   This is explained in details in the :doc:`Writing a moulinette with a reference
   program <writing_a_moulinette_with_a_reference_program>` tutorial.

.. _which-python-modules-can-i-use-within-quixote-:

Which Python modules can I use within Quixote ?
-----------------------------------------------

The build and fetch phases are executed in a basic environment,
containing the Python Standard Library, Quixote, and the ``requests``
module.

The inspection phase is executed inside the environment built by the
``build`` phase, therefore it can contain any module installed by the
``build`` phase. This topic is discussed in details in the :doc:`Writing a
moulinette with external Python modules <writing_a_moulinette_with_external_python_modules>` tutorial.

How can I stop the inspection if a given step fails ?
-----------------------------------------------------

Sometimes, a single step is essential to the whole inspection process, in such a way that there is no
point in continuing the inspection if that step fails. In order to mark such a step, the
:func:`~quixote.inspector` decorator accepts a ``critical`` argument, defaulting it to ``False``.

If the argument is instead set to ``True``, and the marked step fails, then the next steps will not be
executed, causing the inspection to stop early.