Gb New Assignment

When NOT to Use

• Read-only comparison work — use gb-compare
• Score entry or score reconciliation — use gb-sync
• Editing, deleting, or bulk-maintaining assignments that already exist in Aeries
• Any run where the assignment list has not been validated yet

Guardrails

⚠️ Must NOT:

• Never create assignments until you show the proposed create list and skip list and get explicit user approval.
• Never create duplicates. Always scan existing Aeries assignments first and skip anything already present.
• Never edit or delete an existing Aeries assignment in this workflow.
• Never hardcode category indexes. Aeries category options are course-specific and must be matched by displayed name each run.
• Never change MOM-derived category or points values during entry. Preserve the category exactly and map MOM pts into Aeries #Assignment_MaxScore.
• Never navigate away from the Aeries gradebook page except for in-place Aeries dialogs already opened from that page.
• Never trust a save without verification. Confirm the modal state after each save and run a post-batch verification pass before writing the completion temp file.
• Never overwrite the Stage 2 temp file with false success. Record created, skipped, and failed assignments separately.

Quick Start

1. Load the missing assignments from the Stage 1 gb_compare_{gradebookNum}.json file.
2. Scan current Aeries assignments, build the create/skip preview, and get explicit user approval.
3. Create only the remaining assignments, verify them, then write gb_new_assignment_{gradebookNum}.json.

Workflow

Phase 1: Attach to the Correct Aeries Gradebook

• INPUT: Open browser tabs managed by Playwriter
• ACTION:
  • Find the Aeries page whose URL contains both aeries and gradebook.
  • Confirm the page responds before doing any extraction.
  • Extract gradebookNum from the URL for temp-file naming.
• OUTPUT: Live state.aeries page plus gradebookNum for Stage 2 input/output.

const aeriesPage = context.pages().find(p =>
  p.url().includes('aeries') && p.url().toLowerCase().includes('gradebook')
);
if (!aeriesPage) throw new Error('No Aeries Gradebook tab found — open it first.');
await aeriesPage.evaluate(() => document.title);
state.aeries = aeriesPage;
const gradebookNum = state.aeries.url().match(/gradebook\/(\d+)/)?.[1] ?? 'unknown';

Phase 2: Load the Stage 1 Input File or Manual Fallback

• INPUT: gradebookNum and optional user-provided assignments
• ACTION:
  • Read the Stage 1 temp file first.
  • Preserve the legacy temp-file references exactly:
    • Input: C:\Users\shuff\grade-cloning\temp\gb_compare_${gradebookNum}.json
    • Output: C:\Users\shuff\grade-cloning\temp\gb_new_assignment_${gradebookNum}.json
  • If the compare file exists, use compareData.missing directly.
  • If the compare file is absent, fall back to a manual assignment list supplied by the user.
  • Normalize every item into this shape: { name, category, pts, assignedDate, dueDate }
• OUTPUT: Candidate assignment list for idempotency review.

const fs = require('fs');
const comparePath = `C:\\Users\\shuff\\grade-cloning\\temp\\gb_compare_${gradebookNum}.json`;

let assignments;
if (fs.existsSync(comparePath)) {
  const compareData = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(comparePath, 'utf8'));
  assignments = compareData.missing.map(a => ({
    name: a.name,
    category: a.category,
    pts: a.pts,
    assignedDate: a.assignedDate,
    dueDate: a.dueDate,
  }));
  console.log('Loaded ' + assignments.length + ' missing assignments from gb_compare temp file');
} else {
  console.warn('No gb_compare temp file at ' + comparePath + ' — using manual assignment list');
  assignments = [/* user-provided fallback */];
}

Phase 3: Preflight Idempotency Scan + Approval Gate

• INPUT: Candidate assignments and the live Aeries gradebook page
• ACTION:
  • Scrape existing Aeries assignments before opening the Add Assignment modal.
  • Use the full assignment name when available: a.assignment-edit[data-assignment-name] first, then fall back to th[data-an] text.
  • Normalize whitespace/case and compare by normalized full name.
  • Split the incoming list into:
    • toCreate — not already present in Aeries
    • skippedExisting — already present, therefore skipped
  • Show the user a preview containing both lists and wait for explicit approval.
  • If toCreate.length === 0, stop safely and still write a completion file showing only skips.
• OUTPUT: Approved toCreate list and a recorded skippedExisting list.

function normalizeName(s) {
  return String(s ?? '').toLowerCase().replace(/\s+/g, ' ').trim();
}

const existingNames = await state.aeries.evaluate(() => {
  return [...document.querySelectorAll('th[data-an]')].map(th => {
    const full = th.querySelector('a.assignment-edit')?.getAttribute('data-assignment-name');
    return (full || th.textContent || '').trim();
  });
});

const existingSet = new Set(existingNames.map(normalizeName));
const skippedExisting = [];
const toCreate = [];

for (const assignment of assignments) {
  if (existingSet.has(normalizeName(assignment.name))) {
    skippedExisting.push(assignment);
  } else {
    toCreate.push(assignment);
  }
}

console.log(JSON.stringify({
  toCreate: toCreate.map(a => ({ name: a.name, category: a.category, pts: a.pts })),
  skippedExisting: skippedExisting.map(a => ({ name: a.name, category: a.category, pts: a.pts })),
}, null, 2));
// STOP here and get explicit user approval before opening the add form.

Phase 4: Open the Add Assignment Dialog

• INPUT: Approved toCreate list
• ACTION:
  • On the first item only, click #subHeaderAddAssignment.
  • Do not wait for navigation; this opens a Kendo modal in place.
  • Wait briefly, then verify #Assignment_Description exists before continuing.
  • On later items, reuse the blank form opened by Save and Add New.
• OUTPUT: Ready Aeries assignment form.

if (i === 0) {
  await state.aeries.locator('#subHeaderAddAssignment').click();
  await state.aeries.waitForTimeout(1500);
  const isOpen = await state.aeries.evaluate(() => !!document.querySelector('#Assignment_Description'));
  if (!isOpen) throw new Error('Add Assignment modal did not open.');
}

Phase 5: Fill the Aeries Form with MOM Data

• INPUT: One approved assignment: { name, category, pts, assignedDate, dueDate }
• ACTION:
  • Fill Name into #Assignment_Description.
  • Resolve Category through the Kendo DropDownList at #Assignment_Category by matching the displayed category name exactly.
  • Set Assigned On and Due On through Kendo DatePickers: #Assignment_DateAssigned and #Assignment_DateDue.
  • Set Number Correct Possible in #Assignment_MaxNumberCorrect to 100 so Stage 3 score sync can enter percentages consistently.
  • Set Points Possible in #Assignment_MaxScore to the exact MOM pts value.
• OUTPUT: A fully populated assignment form ready to save.

Field Mapping

await state.aeries.locator('#Assignment_Description').fill(a.name);

const catOptions = await state.aeries.evaluate(() => {
  const ddl = jQuery('#Assignment_Category').data('kendoDropDownList');
  return ddl.dataSource.data().map((d, idx) => {
    const obj = typeof d.toJSON === 'function' ? d.toJSON() : d;
    return { idx, name: obj.Name || obj.name };
  });
});
const catIdx = catOptions.findIndex(o => o.name === a.category);
if (catIdx === -1) throw new Error(`Category "${a.category}" not found. Available: ${catOptions.map(o => o.name).join(', ')}`);
await state.aeries.evaluate((idx) => {
  const ddl = jQuery('#Assignment_Category').data('kendoDropDownList');
  ddl.select(idx);
  ddl.trigger('change');
}, catIdx);

await state.aeries.evaluate(({ ad, dd }) => {
  const assigned = jQuery('#Assignment_DateAssigned').data('kendoDatePicker');
  assigned.value(new Date(ad)); assigned.trigger('change');
  const due = jQuery('#Assignment_DateDue').data('kendoDatePicker');
  due.value(new Date(dd)); due.trigger('change');
}, { ad: a.assignedDate, dd: a.dueDate });

await state.aeries.locator('#Assignment_MaxNumberCorrect').click({ clickCount: 3 });
await state.aeries.locator('#Assignment_MaxNumberCorrect').fill('100');
await state.aeries.locator('#Assignment_MaxScore').click({ clickCount: 3 });
await state.aeries.locator('#Assignment_MaxScore').fill(String(a.pts));

Phase 6: Save Each Assignment in the Correct Sequence

• INPUT: Populated form and loop position
• ACTION:
  • If more assignments remain, click #assignmentSaveNAdd.
  • If this is the last assignment (or the only one), click #assignmentSaveNClose.
  • Remember: these save controls are <span> elements, not accessible buttons.
  • After each save, verify the expected modal state:
    • intermediate save: blank form reopened
    • final save: modal closed
• OUTPUT: Saved assignment plus either the next blank form or a closed modal.

if (isLast) {
  await state.aeries.locator('#assignmentSaveNClose').click();
  await state.aeries.waitForTimeout(3000);
  const stillOpen = await state.aeries.evaluate(() => !!document.querySelector('#assignmentSave'));
  if (stillOpen) throw new Error('Modal still open after Save — check for validation errors.');
  console.log('Saved and closed: "' + a.name + '"');
} else {
  await state.aeries.locator('#assignmentSaveNAdd').click();
  await state.aeries.waitForTimeout(2000);
  const newFormOpen = await state.aeries.evaluate(() => {
    const f = document.querySelector('#Assignment_Description');
    return f && f.value === '';
  });
  if (!newFormOpen) throw new Error('New blank form did not open after Save and Add New.');
  console.log('Saved, opening next form: "' + a.name + '"');
}

Phase 7: Verify the Batch Before Writing Stage 2 Output

• INPUT: toCreate and skippedExisting
• ACTION:
  • Reload the gradebook page after the batch.
  • Re-scrape assignment names from the page.
  • Confirm each newly created assignment exists by normalized full-name matching.
  • Record three lists:
    • created
    • skippedExisting
    • failed
• OUTPUT: Verified Stage 2 result set.

await state.aeries.reload({ waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
await state.aeries.waitForTimeout(3000);

const finalNames = await state.aeries.evaluate(() => {
  return [...document.querySelectorAll('th[data-an]')].map(th => {
    const full = th.querySelector('a.assignment-edit')?.getAttribute('data-assignment-name');
    return (full || th.textContent || '').trim();
  });
});

const finalSet = new Set(finalNames.map(normalizeName));
const created = [];
const failed = [];

for (const assignment of toCreate) {
  if (finalSet.has(normalizeName(assignment.name))) created.push(assignment.name);
  else failed.push(assignment.name);
}

Phase 8: Write the Stage 2 Temp File

• INPUT: Verified created, skippedExisting, and failed lists
• ACTION:
  • Ensure the temp directory exists.
  • Write the Stage 2 completion file at: C:\Users\shuff\grade-cloning\temp\gb_new_assignment_${gradebookNum}.json
  • Preserve enough data for gb-pipeline to decide whether Stage 2 succeeded and whether a rerun should skip existing items.
• OUTPUT: Stage 2 temp file for the pipeline.

const tempPath = `C:\\Users\\shuff\\grade-cloning\\temp\\gb_new_assignment_${gradebookNum}.json`;
fs.mkdirSync('C:\\Users\\shuff\\grade-cloning\\temp', { recursive: true });
fs.writeFileSync(tempPath, JSON.stringify({
  metadata: {
    gradebookNum,
    completedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
  },
  created,
  skippedExisting: skippedExisting.map(a => a.name),
  failed,
}, null, 2));
console.log('Completion temp file written: ' + tempPath);

Error Handling

Common Mistakes

State Management

Temp-file contract

Input shape from Stage 1

{
  "metadata": {
    "gradebookNum": "12345",
    "aeriesBase": "https://example.aeries.net",
    "extractedAt": "2026-03-15T12:00:00.000Z"
  },
  "missing": [
    {
      "name": "Homework 3.1",
      "pts": 12,
      "category": "HW",
      "weight": "15%",
      "assignedDate": "01/28/2026",
      "dueDate": "01/28/2026"
    }
  ]
}

Output shape from Stage 2

{
  "metadata": {
    "gradebookNum": "12345",
    "completedAt": "2026-03-15T12:20:00.000Z"
  },
  "created": ["Homework 3.1"],
  "skippedExisting": ["Homework 2.9"],
  "failed": []
}

Selectors / References

Aeries assignment creation selectors

Non-obvious Aeries behaviors