Exam class points in margin at arbitrary positions

Question

Using exam class I can assign points to questions, parts and subparts with

\documentclass{exam}
\begin{document}
    \begin{questions}
        \question[20]
        \begin{parts}
            \part[8]
            \begin{subparts}
                \subpart[3]
            \end{subparts}
        \end{parts}
    \end{questions}
\end{document}

These points appear in the margin which is nice.

Now, I need to have more points in the margin that are not attached to a \question, \part or \subpart and that don't come with their own question/part/subpart number. So the only thing that I want to achieve is to have extra points in the margin without any other change in the text.

How can I add these points to the margin?

Answer 1

\setpoint{<q, p or s>}{<text>} will put a short text in the margin emulating the question points.

UPDATE after follow up question.

Use \setpoint{q}{<text>} inside \question to match the indentation of the question; idem with

\setpoint{p}{<text>} inside parts and

\setpoint{s}{<text>} inside subparts.

\documentclass{exam}
    
\usepackage{ifthen}
\newlength{\mypoints}
\newlength{\marginindent}   

\newcommand{\pointsstyle}{\scriptsize}% use small font size
\pointsinmargin          % points in the margin    
\pointformat{\pointsstyle \thepoints} 

\newcommand{\setpoints}[2]{%  added <<<<<<<<<<<<<< \setpoint{q p s}{<text>}
    \ifthenelse{\equal{#1}{q}}{\setlength{\marginindent}{6ex}}{}
    \ifthenelse{\equal{#1}{p}}{\setlength{\marginindent}{11ex}}{}
    \ifthenelse{\equal{#1}{s}}{\setlength{\marginindent}{15ex}}{}
    \parindent0pt\par%
    \settowidth{\mypoints}{\pointsstyle #2}
        \hspace*{\dimexpr-\mypoints-\the\marginindent} %changed <<<<<<<<
        {\pointsstyle #2}%
    }
    
  \begin{document}
    \begin{questions}
        \question[20]
        xxx         
        \setpoints{q}{100 points} % <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 
                            
        \begin{parts}
            \part[8]
            www                             
            \setpoints{p}{34 points} %
                
            \begin{subparts}
                \subpart[3]
                qqq
                
            \setpoints{s}{42 bonus pts.} %
                
            \end{subparts}
        \end{parts}
    \end{questions} 

\end{document}