µContest, what is it ? How to participate ? How to solve the challenges proposed ? What language ? You will find all the answers to theses questions in this page. Concerning more specific questions, you can ask them on the forum.

Prototype / Description

int MC_CheckLibVersion(int *pLibUpToDate)

Enables you to check if the lib version if up to date.

Parameters

• [out] int *pLibUpToDate : A pointer on a int variable that will receive 1 if the library is up to date, 0 otherwise.

Return value

• [out] int : An error code (see here)

Example

int LibUpToDate = 0;
			
ErrorCode = MC_CheckLibVersion(&LibUpToDate);           
if(ErrorCode != MC_OK)
{
    MC_ErrorMessage(ErrorCode, 1);
    return 0;
}
else if(LibUpToDate == 0)
{
    printf("Warning: the version of the libmicrocontest2 is not the last one.\n");
    printf("Current version:\t%s\n", MC_LIBVERSION);
    printf("This program may not work properly. Consider downloading the latest version on\nthis page : http://www.microcontest.com/download.php\n\n");
}

Prototype / Description

int MC_StartContest(int ContestID, const char *pNickname, const char *pPassword)

Downloads new variable values from the website and store it. You need to use MC_GetParam_xxx to get them.

Parameters

• [in] int ContestID : The ID of the contest you want to solve, written on every contest page.
• [in] const char *pNickname : Your nickname
• [in] const char *pPassword : Your password

Return value

• [out] int : An error code (see here)

Example

ErrorCode = MC_StartContest(13, "Your nickname", "Your password");   // Challenge 13
if(ErrorCode != MC_OK)
{
	MC_ErrorMessage(ErrorCode, 1);
	return 0;
}

Prototype / Description

int MC_GetParam_int(const char *pVariableName, int *pVariable_int)

Once you called MC_StartContest, you can retrieve the int variables values with this function.

Parameters

• [in] const char *pVariableName : The identificator string of the variable you want to retrieve written on every contest page.
• [out] int *pVariable_int) : A pointer on a int variable that will receive the variable value.

Return value

• [out] int : 1 if the function succeeded, 0 otherwise.

Example

int Nb1 = 0, Nb2 = 0;
			
ErrorCode = MC_GetParam_int("a", &Nb1);
ErrorCode *= MC_GetParam_int("b", &Nb2);
if(ErrorCode == 0)
{
	printf("Impossible to get the contest data. Please check the ID of the contest.\n");
	return 0;
}

Prototype / Description

int MC_GetParam_float(const char *pVariableName, float *pVariable_float)

Once you called MC_StartContest, you can retrieve the float variables values with this function.

Parameters

• [in] const char *pVariableName : The identificator string of the variable you want to retrieve written on every contest page.
• [out] float *pVariable_int) : A pointer on a float variable that will receive the variable value.

Return value

• [out] int : 1 if the function succeeded, 0 otherwise.

Example

float Nb = 0;
			
ErrorCode = MC_GetParam_float("height", &Nb);
if(ErrorCode == 0)
{
	printf("Impossible to get the contest data. Please check the ID of the contest.\n");
	return 0;
}

Prototype / Description

int MC_GetParam_char(const char *pVariableName, char **ppVariable_char, unsigned int *pLength)

Once you called MC_StartContest, you can retrieve the string variables values with this function. Note that it is the library that allocates the memory for the strings and frees it automatically. You don't need to take care of that.

Parameters

• [in] const char *pVariableName : The identificator string of the variable you want to retrieve written on every contest page.
• [out] char **ppVariable_char : A pointer on a char* pointeur that will receive the adress of the string. You can use it as a regular buffer.
• [out] unsigned int *pLength : A pointer on an unsigned int variable that will receive the length of the string.

Return value

• [out] int : 1 if the function succeeded, 0 otherwise.

Example

char *pCryptedText = NULL;
unsigned int CryptedTextLength = 0;
int Key = 0;
			
ErrorCode = MC_GetParam_char("txt_crypte", &pCryptedText, &CryptedTextLength);
ErrorCode *= MC_GetParam_int("key", &Key);
if(ErrorCode == 0)
{
    printf("Impossible to get the contest data. Please check the ID of the contest.\n");
    return 0;
}

Prototype / Description

int MC_AddVariableToSolution_int(const char *pVariableName, int Variable)

Once you solved the challenge, you need to add the answer(s) to the final solution. Then, you will call MC_SendSolution that will send all your answers to the website. You should use this function to add int variables to the solution.

Parameters

• [in] const char *pVariableName : The identificator string of the variable you want to add to the solution, written on every contest page.
• [int] int Variable : The int variable you want to add to the solution.

Return value

• [out] int : 1 if the function succeeded, 0 otherwise.

Example

int Number = 0;
			
// computing the value of Number...

ErrorCode = MC_AddVariableToSolution_int("frequency", Number);
if(ErrorCode == 0)
{
	printf("Impossible to add the variable(s) to the solution\n");
	return 0;
}

Prototype / Description

int MC_AddVariableToSolution_float(const char *pVariableName, float Variable)

Once you solved the challenge, you need to add the answer(s) to the final solution. Then, you will can MC_SendSolution that will send all your answers to the website. You should use this function to add float variables to the solution.

Parameters

• [in] const char *pVariableName : The identificator string of the variable you want to add to the solution, written on every contest page.
• [int] float Variable : The float variable you want to add to the solution.

Return value

• [out] int : 1 if the function succeeded, 0 otherwise.

Example

int Freq = 0;
float Duration = 0;
			
// computing the value of Freq and Duration...

ErrorCode = MC_AddVariableToSolution_int("frequency", Freq);
ErrorCode *= MC_AddVariableToSolution_float("duration", Duration);
if(ErrorCode == 0)
{
	printf("Impossible to add the variable(s) to the solution\n");
	return 0;
}

Prototype / Description

int MC_AddVariableToSolution_char(const char *pVariableName, const char *pVariable, int Length)

Once you solved the challenge, you need to add the answer(s) to the final solution. Then, you will can MC_SendSolution that will send all your answers to the website. You should use this function to add strings to the solution.

Parameters

• [in] const char *pVariableName : The identificator string of the variable you want to add to the solution, written on every contest page.
• [int] const char *pVariable : The string you want to add to the solution.
• [int] int Length : The length of the string you want to add to the solution. Be carefull, use the function strlen only if you are sure there are no null characters inside.

Return value

• [out] int : 1 if the function succeeded, 0 otherwise.

Example

char PlainText[] = "HELLO THIS IS THE SOLUTION STRING";

ErrorCode = MC_AddVariableToSolution_char("plain_text", PlainText, strlen(PlainText);
if(ErrorCode == 0)
{
	printf("Impossible to add the variable(s) to the solution\n");
	return 0;
}

Prototype / Description

int MC_SendSolution(MC_ResultStruct *pResult)

Once you solved the challenge and added all the answer variables to the solution, you need to call this function in order to send the solution to the website. *pResult is filled with the results.

Parameters

• [out] MC_ResultStruct *pResult : A pointer on a MC_ResultStruct variable that will receive the results of the challenge (succeeded or not, points earned etc). Use the function MC_ResultMessage in order to visualise the results. See here for more details about this structure.

Return value

• [out] int : An error code (see here).

Example

MC_ResultStruct Res;
			
MC_AddVariableToSolution_char("txt_clair", pPlainText, strlen(pPlainText));
	
ErrorCode = MC_SendSolution(&Res);
if(ErrorCode != MC_OK)
    MC_ErrorMessage(ErrorCode, 1);
 
MC_ResultMessage(&Res, 1);

Prototype / Description

char* MC_ResultMessage(MC_ResultStruct *pResult, int Print)

Once you sent the solution, a MC_ResultStruct structure has been filled. Use this function to get a formatted summary of the results. You can choose to print it or the get a pointer on the formatted string.

Parameters

• [in] MC_ResultStruct *pResult : A pointer on a MC_ResultStruct variable that has been filled with the results by MC_SendSolution. See here for more details about this structure.
• [in] int Print : 1 if you want to print the summary in the standard output, or 0 otherwise.

Return value

• [out] char* : A pointer on the formatted result string.

Example

MC_ResultStruct Res;
			
MC_AddVariableToSolution_char("txt_clair", pPlainText, strlen(pPlainText));
	
ErrorCode = MC_SendSolution(&Res);
if(ErrorCode != MC_OK)
    MC_ErrorMessage(ErrorCode, 1);
 
MC_ResultMessage(&Res, 1);

Prototype / Description

char* MC_ErrorMessage(unsigned int ErrorCode, int Print)

Most of the functions of the library return an error code. You can consult the meaning here, or use this function.

Parameters

• [in] unsigned int ErrorCode : The error code you want to get the message.
• [in] int Print : 1 if you want to print the error message in the standard output, or 0 otherwise.

Return value

• [out] char* : A pointer on the formatted error message string.

Example

MC_ResultStruct Res;
			
MC_AddVariableToSolution_char("txt_clair", pPlainText, strlen(pPlainText));
	
ErrorCode = MC_SendSolution(&Res);
if(ErrorCode != MC_OK)
    MC_ErrorMessage(ErrorCode, 1);
 
MC_ResultMessage(&Res, 1);