In this article, we explain what to do if you receive the following message when uploading a paper-based exam to Ans:
"Cannot process because all pages are unidentified"
What's going on?
This error usually occurs because the exam paper has not been submitted in the correct format. Ans only accepts A4 and Letter sizes with an aspect ratio of 1.41 or 1.29 (with a margin of 0.05). Other formats with the same aspect ratio are automatically converted to A4 where possible. Files with too much white space or scans that have been zoomed out too far may also cause recognition problems.
Solutions
Before scanning or printing, always check that the exam is set to A4 size. Other sizes may not be supported. If you have not done this, you can do the following:
Removing excess white space
If there is a lot of blank space around the exam content, Ans cannot find the identification squares. See the example below
To prevent this:
- Check that the text on the exam paper is positioned close enough to the edges of the page.
- Trim off any large white margins or zoom in slightly on the document before uploading it.
Other solutions
- Manually resize the file to A4 format and upload it again.
- Create a new written exam in A4 format and re-enter the answers (you may use the physical A3 version as a reference if necessary).
- Create a digital assignment using the ‘upload file’ question type and mark the submission there.
- Create a new assignment and add the submission to it.
Contact and information
Would you like to learn more about peer-reviewed assessments? See our other guides:
Do you need help? Please contact the functional administrator for your faculty.