Getting started with MoodleSync
Welcome to the MoodleSync "Getting started" wiki! Here you will find a brief explanation on how to configure your Moodle-Platform to use MoodleSync, install the application and use it.
To use the course-modification functions of MoodleSync, the Moodle-Plugin "sync_service" must be installed. Download- and installation-instructions can be found in its GitHub reporsitory here. Furthermore use the instructions inside the wiki to configure your Moodle-Platform and give users the permissions to use the Moodle-Plugin.
The easiest way to use the application is to download the zip-archive published with each release (MoodleSync-1.0.XX-windows-x86_64.zip). After unzipping the archive inside a dedicated directory, open the directory and start the application via the moodle-sync-fx.exe.
After the application launched, the first step to do is to open the settings page via the button in the top right corner. The following settings must be set:
- Root directory: Please choose a directory in which the application will create sub-directories for each Moodle-course, that should be synchronized via the application.
- Moodle-Platform URL: Enter the URL of the used Moodle-Platform.
- Moodle-Platform Token: Insert your "Moodle Security Key", called "token" (depending on the specifications of your Moodle-Platform, you can either find your "token" in "user menu -> Settings -> Security keys - > Course Sync Extension Service" or an admin needs to generate it for you).
Note: If you only want to use the "Course participant functions" of MoodleSync, you can use the token from the Moodle Mobile App, found similarly: ... -> Security Keys -> Moodle mobile web service. Furthermore the next three steps are not relevant.
-
Moodle-Platform File formats: Specify which files should be uploaded to the Moodle-Platform by adding the used file formats. Note: Please use the given syntax by using commas and no spaces.
-
Fileserver provider: Until now you can only use a Panopto cloud to upload large video files (FTP support needs some adaptions before it can be used). To use a Panopto cloud please follow the steps under "How to upload files to a Panopto cloud".
-
Futhermore you can choose if files with unknown file formats should be displayed (Note: they are disabled and cannot be synchronized).
Close the settings page by clicking the "close"-button. Now you can select one of your current or future Moode-courses with the help of the "Course"-menu. The whole course should be displayed. With the help of the "Section"-menu you can select if you want to see the whole Course ("Show all") or display only one course-section.
MoodleSync functions can be grouped in two parts: firstly there are functions that every course participant can use and which cannot modify the course but will help to display and archive the course. Secondly MoodleSync provides functions to modify the course-contents. Those functions are only available for course participants with modification permissions.
Course participants will have a reduced sight of the course. Files which are not available yet or which are hidden will not be displayed. Furthermore there are no modification options but the users can use MoodleSync to download and archive the course.
- Download a single file: To download a single file, simply press the "download"-button next to the downloadable file (1). The file will be instantly downloaded and saved inside the courses directory (3) in the corresponding section sub-directory. Afterward the course is automatically refreshed.
- Download and archive a complete section or course: In order to download and archive a complete section, choose the section you want to archive by using the "Section"-menu. Next press the "download"-Button (2) in the top right corner. The download will start and the progress will be shown in the progressbar in the bottom right corner. When the download is finished, the files will be saved inside the sections sub-directory and furthermore will be archived inside a zip-archive. You can find the zip-archive inside the root directory. If you archive another section, the content of all archived sections will be archived inside the zip. To archive a complete course, use the section "Show all" and press the "download"-Button (2).
Please note: The course participant functions are all included in the "Moodle mobile web service"-external service, which is used by the Moodle Mobile App. This means that course participants do not need access to a security token from the "Course Sync Extension Service"-external service, nor is the Moodle Plugin "sync_service" needed to be installed.
MoodleSync offers the possiblity to quickly and efficiently upload new files/ folders / videos, update old files/ folders and customize the location of existing course-modules. Furthermore new course-sections can be added and modules can be moved. In order to use those functions, the user needs permissions to edit course-contents and access to the users specific "Course Sync Extension Service"-external service security token.
- Upload new files: To upload new files, simply paste the file inside the course-sections subdirectory, which you can find inside the Root directory. Note: The button in the top left corner will automatically open the courses directory (3). After the file is inserted in the directory, the file should be displayed in the dedicated course-section inside the app (blue highlighted) (4). Now you can change the position inside the course-section via drag-and-drop and specify the visibility and availability options (10) of the created course-module, containing the file. Furthermore you can change the name of the course-module (11). Then select the files CheckBox "Execute" (9) and press the "Sync"-button to execute the synchronization. Afterwards a new course-module is created and positioned at the dedicated location. The course is automatically refreshed in the application.
- Update existing files: In order to update already published files, paste the new file inside the course-sections subdirectory or change the exisisting file inside the directory. Inside the application, the file should be highlighted green (5). Afterwards you can customize the position, visibility or availability and execute the synchronization. Note: In order to work correctly, the names of the already uploaded file and the newer file need to be the same. Furthermore you should be aware that other course-module options, e.g. display-options or completion-options, will be deleted when the file is updated.
- Add and update folders: You can upload (6) and update (7) course-modules of the type "folder" the same way like files. Simply paste the directories you want to synchronize inside the course-sections subdirectory and customize the settings inside the app. After pressing the "Sync"-button, a new course-modul of type "folder" is created or the existing one is updated. Note: The app only uploads and recognizes files of the spezified Moodle-Platform file formats and it is only possible to update files or add new ones to folders.
- Upload videos to a fileserver: You can directly upload files, whoose file formats are specified in the settings, to a fileserver (orange highlighted) (8). Those files are then linked to the Moodle-course via it´s URL. Please visit the following wiki How to upload files to a Panopto cloud.
- Move exisiting modules: With the help of drag-and-drop you can change the position of exisiting course-modules (12). Simply move the module, check the "execute"-CheckBox and execute the synchronization. Note: There may be some (local) duplications if you move a course-module containing a "local" file inside another course-section.
- Adding a new course-section: By adding a new directory inside the courses subdirectory you can add a new section. The new section will be displayed at the bottom of the course inside the application (13). You can add it by checking the "execute"-CheckBox and executing the synchronization. Note: Due to an Moodle-intern functionality, Moodle might change the name of the following course-sections if they are numbered. This can cause some local problems with the course-sections subdirectories and can be prevented by not using automatically created sections.
- To support the utilization of the MoodleSync CI-Tool, you can determine the course-id and section-id by selecting a course-module inside the relevant section. The dedicated course-id and section-id are displayed at the bottom (14).
