I don't think that this is possible without changing the class file. Since exams with the structure that you describe are pretty common, it might be worth emailing the author of the class to request that he adds this feature.
In the meantime, here is a horribly crude workaround. Make a new copy of exam.cls, and call it something different; say myexam.cls. In your exam, change your document class to myexam, and add something along the lines of
\newcommand{\mytotalpoints}{100}
Then open the myexam.cls file, and search for the string
\prt@hlfcntr{tbl@points}
Replacing the correct instance of this with
\mytotalpoints
will do the trick. Exactly where the change needs to be made depends on the type of gradetable that you use. A bit of trial and error may be needed.
Here is a sample of my exam basic structure. I know there is room for improvement but I haven't had much time to deal with it. After consultation with the author the exam class, adding:
\makeatletter
\newcommand{\firstquestion}[1]{%
\@ifundefined{tbl@#1@firstq}%
{0}%
{\csname tbl@#1@firstq\endcsname}%
}
\newcommand{\lastquestion}[1]{%
\@ifundefined{tbl@#1@lastq}%
{0}%
{\csname tbl@#1@lastq\endcsname}%
}
\newcounter{qcounter}
\newcommand{\numqinrange}[1]{%
\setcounter{qcounter}{\lastquestion{#1}}%
\addtocounter{qcounter}{-\firstquestion{#1}}%
\stepcounter{qcounter}%
\arabic{qcounter}%
}
\makeatother
%---------------------------------------------------------------------
to the preamble enables the user to access the number of questions in a range with the command \numqinrange{myrange}, first with \firstquestion{myrange} and last question with \lastquestion{myrange}. See the example below:
\documentclass[letterpaper,addpoints]{exam}
\usepackage[bottom=3cm,top=3cm,right=2cm,left=2cm]{geometry} % Optional geometry specifications
\usepackage{amsmath,amssymb,tikz,calc} % Optional packages
\usepackage{lipsum}
\parindent0pt
%--------------------------------------------------------------------
% Thanks to the author of the exam class Philip Hirschhorn
% This adds the option to count the number of questions in the range.
% Thus we would use \numqinrange{myrange} to get the number of questions in the range.
% You can also say \firstquestion{myrange} to get the first question and \lastquestion{myrange} to get the last question.
\makeatletter
\newcommand{\firstquestion}[1]{%
\@ifundefined{tbl@#1@firstq}%
{0}%
{\csname tbl@#1@firstq\endcsname}%
}
\newcommand{\lastquestion}[1]{%
\@ifundefined{tbl@#1@lastq}%
{0}%
{\csname tbl@#1@lastq\endcsname}%
}
\newcounter{qcounter}
\newcommand{\numqinrange}[1]{%
\setcounter{qcounter}{\lastquestion{#1}}%
\addtocounter{qcounter}{-\firstquestion{#1}}%
\stepcounter{qcounter}%
\arabic{qcounter}%
}
\makeatother
%---------------------------------------------------------------------
\pagestyle{headandfoot} % Used for the header and footer options
\firstpageheadrule % Head rules for fancy page style
\runningheadrule
% Header is optional and may vary depending on your exams.
\firstpageheader{Intermediate Algebra$|$MTH103}{Final Exam}{November 30, 2012}
\runningheader{MTH103}{Final Exam}{\iflastpage{End of exam}{\emph{continued}}}
\firstpagefooter{}{Please go on to the next page\ldots}{Page \thepage\ of \numpages}
\runningfooter{}{\iflastpage{AT THIS POINT, GO OVER YOUR WORK}{Please go on to the next page\ldots}}{Page \thepage\ of \numpages}
% This command is specific to a question so not really needed here.
\def\Bsqr{%
\lower1ex\hbox{%
\begin{tikzpicture}
\draw (0,0)rectangle(0.5,0.5);
\end{tikzpicture}}}
\begin{document}
\begin{coverpages}
% Here you can put anything as your cover page. Specifics about your exam.
\lipsum[1-2]
% Defining the grading tables. We use \fullwidth to ensure it acts as an instruction.
\fullwidth{\Large \textbf{Structured Questions}}
\begin{flushleft}
%
% Grading table for the structured questions, Part A and Part B range.
\partialgradetable{structuredquestions}[h][questions]
\hfill
\partialgradetable{OptionalPartA}[h][questions] \raisebox{1.5\baselineskip}{\rotatebox{-90}{\textbf{Part A}}}
\vskip0.5\baselineskip\hfill
\partialgradetable{OptionalPartB}[h][questions] \raisebox{1.5\baselineskip}{\rotatebox{-90}{\textbf{Part B}}}
\end{flushleft}
\vfill
\hrule\vspace{0.125cm}
\centerline{DO NOT TURN THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO}
\end{coverpages}
% Structured questions section.
\fullwidth{\Large \textbf{Structured Questions}}
\vskip\baselineskip
% Implementing the \numqinrange{myrange} to count the number of question in the structured section grading range
This section contains \numqinrange{structuredquestions} question(s) of which \textbf{all} must be answered on your answer sheet.
\begingradingrange{structuredquestions}
\begin{questions}
\question
\begin{parts}
\part Simplify the following numerical expressions.\label{q1}
\begin{subparts}
\subpart[3] $\dfrac{9^{-1}2^3}{3^2}\cdot \dfrac{(-3)^3}{-2^3}$\label{q1a}\vskip\baselineskip
\subpart[3] $\dfrac{\frac{2}{5}-\left|\frac{5}{3}-\frac{5}{2}\right|}{\frac{2}{5}\div 6\div\left(-\frac{2}{39}\right)}$\label{q1b}\vskip\baselineskip
\end{subparts}
\part[2] Use the results in (\ref{q1}) above to place the appropriate relational symbol ($<,>,\mbox{ or }=$) to make the following statement true.
\[ \dfrac{9^{-1}2^3}{3^2}\cdot \dfrac{(-3)^3}{-2^3} \quad \Bsqr \quad \dfrac{\frac{2}{5}-\left|\frac{5}{3}-\frac{5}{2}\right|}{\frac{2}{5}\div 6\div\left(-\frac{2}{39}\right)}\]
\part[4] If the results in (\ref{q1}) are rational numbers, determine their decimal representation and describe it (i.e. state whether it is terminating or recurring.)\label{q3}
\part[2] Using (\ref{q3}.) above, approximate (\ref{q1a}) and (\ref{q1b}) in (\ref{q1}) to 2 s.f. and 2 d.p. respectively.
\end{parts}\vspace{0.25cm}
\endgradingrange{structuredquestions}
\fullwidth{\hrulefill\par\flushright \textbf{Total Points: \pointsonpage{\thepage} points}}
\newpage
%--------------------------------------------------------------------------
\fullwidth{\Large \textbf{Optional Questions}}
\vskip0.5\baselineskip
\fullwidth{This section contains 2 subsections: Part A and Part B. Choose \textbf{ONE} subsection and answer \textbf{all} questions.}\vskip0.25\baselineskip
\fullwidth{%
\fbox{%
\makebox[\dimexpr\textwidth-2\fboxsep-0.79999pt\relax]{%
\rule{0pt}{1cm}\Large%
\newlength{\word}
\settoheight{\word}{\Large\textbf{Part A}}
\raisebox{\dimexpr1cm-2\word\relax}{\textbf{Part A}}}}}
\vskip\baselineskip
\begingradingrange{OptionalPartA}
\question Let $f(x)=2x^3+11x^2-7x-6$
\begin{parts}
\part[1] Use the Rational Zeros Theorem to determine the potential rational zeros for $f(x)$.
\part[3] Hence, factorize completely $f(x)$.
\part[3] Solve $f(x)=0$.\vskip\baselineskip
\end{parts}
\endgradingrange{OptionalPartA}
\fullwidth{\hrulefill\par\flushright \textbf{Total Points: \pointsonpage{\thepage} points}}
\newpage
\fullwidth{%
\fbox{%
\makebox[\dimexpr\textwidth-2\fboxsep-0.79999pt\relax]{%
\rule{0pt}{1cm}\Large%
%\newlength{\word}
\settoheight{\word}{\Large\textbf{Part B}}
\raisebox{\dimexpr1cm-2\word\relax}{\textbf{Part B}}}}}
\vskip\baselineskip
\begingradingrange{OptionalPartB}
\question[5] Find the \textbf{sum} of $a$, $b$, $c$ and $d$ if $\dfrac{x^3-2x^2+3x+5}{x+2}=ax^2+bx+c+\dfrac{d}{x+2}$.\vskip\baselineskip
\question
\begin{parts}
\part[8] Show that $\dfrac{x+3}{x^2-y^2}\div\dfrac{x^2+2x-3}{x^2+xy}-\dfrac{y}{x^2-x-xy+y}=\dfrac{1}{x-1}$
\part[6] Simplify $3-\dfrac{3}{\raisebox{1.1ex}{$1-$}\left(\raisebox{1.1ex}{$\dfrac{3}{3-\dfrac{\mathstrut 3}{x^2}}$}\right)}$\vskip\baselineskip
\end{parts}
\endgradingrange{OptionalPartB}
\fullwidth{\hrulefill\par\flushright \textbf{Total Points: \pointsonpage{\thepage} points}}
\end{questions}
\end{document}
Best Answer
Here is a solution using the
totcountpackage and redefining the\questioncommand with\squestionfor the short questions and\equestionfor the essay questions.And here is the output:
Note The
\numquestionscommand hasn't been modified so that you can still use it if you need to have the total number of questions (both short ones and essay ones).