Site policies

Location: Administration > Security > Site policies

Open to Google

Enabling this setting allows Google's search spiders guest access to your site. Any part of the site that allows guest access will then be searchable on Google. In addition, people coming in to your site via a Google search will automatically be logged in as a guest.

Maximum uploaded file size

Probably the most frequently asked question in the Moodle.org Using Moodle forums is "How do I increase the upload file size limit?"

Upload file sizes are restricted in a number of ways - each one in this list restricts the following ones:

1. The Apache server setting LimitRequestBody ... default in Apache 2.x or greater is set to 0 or an unlimited upload size

2. The PHP site settings post_max_size and upload_max_filesize in php.ini : modify php.ini in web server directories ( apache2.x.x/bin/php.ini ) not in php directories :

post_max_size = 128M;  to increase limit to 128 Megabytes;
upload_max_filesize = 128M;  to increase limit to 128 Megabytes;
max_execution_time = 600 ; Maximum execution time of each script, in seconds;

3. The Moodle site-wide maximum uploaded file size setting: Administration > Security > Site policies > Maximum uploaded file size [128M].

4. The Moodle course maximum uploaded file size setting in the course settings: Administration > Courses > Add/Edit courses > select Course category & edit each course > Maximum upload size [128M].

5. Certain course activity module settings (for example, Assignment)

See Also

• File Upload Size

Enable messaging system

Click the checkbox to enable site-wide Messaging.

Note: If you enable the messaging system, all users will be able to send and receive messages at any time. Teachers can't choose whether or not messaging is allowed between students in their particular course.

Force users to login

If you turn this setting on all users must login before they even see the front page of the site.

Force users to login for profiles

Leave this set to Yes to keep anonymous visitors away from user profiles. (See the Using Moodle forum discussion 3rd party spam exploit possible? Help please!.)

Enable trusted content

Please refer to Development:Trusttext cleaning bypass for further information.

Maximum time to edit posts

This sets the editing time for forum postings. The editing time is the amount of time users have to change forum postings before they are mailed to subscribers.

Please refer to the forum discussions Editing a forum post after the 30 minutes deadline and The philosophy underlying "no editing after 30 minutes"

Allow extended characters in usernames

The default here, unchecked = unenabled, is to only allow alphanumeric characters a-Z 0-9 (and "." (don't know if space is allowed, but I doubt it) ). If you enable this, it will be possible to have usernames including even other characters, like underscore "_".

Site policy URL

If you have a site policy that all users must see and agree to before using this site, then specify the URL to it here, otherwise leave this field blank. The URL can point to anywhere, for example a file in the site files.

Tips

• It is recommended that the site policy is on the same domain as Moodle to avoid the problem of Internet Explorer users seeing a blank screen when the site policy is on a different domain.
• If the front page of your site is open to guests (i.e. not forcing everyone to log in before viewing the front page) then you can upload it to your site files area.
• If you do force everyone to log in then you will need to upload it via FTP to another location; i.e. the root of your web server.

Blog visibility

To enable Blogs, select the level to which user blogs can be viewed.

By default, all site users can see all blogs. Blog visibility may be restricted so that users can only see blogs for people whom they share a course with or whom they share a group with.

Note: This setting is for specifying the maximum context of the VIEWER not the poster. To limit blogging to specific users only, a Blogger role should be created and users assigned to it in the system context.

Enable tags functionality

Moodle1.9

In Moodle 1.9 onwards, users may tag themselves and create interest pages around those tags.

Keep tag name casing

If checked, then tags like the following will be displayed: SOCCER, gUiTaR, MacDonalds, music

If unchecked, then all tags will be displayed as follows: Soccer, Guitar, Macdonalds, Music

Tips:

• For English, off is useful.
• For Japanese, no changes are made either way.
• For languages where this kind of capitalization changes the meaning, it is best to keep this option on.

Profiles for enrolled users only

In Moodle 1.7.7, 1.8.8 and in 1.9.4 onwards, to prevent misuse by spammers, profile descriptions of users who are not yet enrolled in any course are hidden. New users must enrol in at least one course before they can add a profile description.

Password policy

Moodle1.9

In Moodle 1.9 onwards, a password policy may be set up, ensuring users choose passwords of a certain length etc. The password policy is enabled by default in Moodle 1.9.7 (upgrades and new installs) onwards.

There is a check box to determine if password complexity should be enforced or not, the option to set the minimum length of the password, the minimum number of digits, the minimum number of lowercase characters, the minimum number of uppercase characters and the minimum number of non alphanumeric characters.

If a user enters a password that does not meet those requirements, they are given an error message indicating the nature of the problem with the entered password.

If you enable the password policy it will not affect existing users until they decide to or are required to change their password.

Enforcing password complexity along with requiring users to change their initial password go a long way in helping ensure that users choose and are in fact using "good passwords".

Tip: In Moodle 1.9.4 onwards, the password policy may also be applied to enrolment keys by setting enrol_manual_usepasswordpolicy to Yes in the Internal enrolment settings.

Disable user profile images

In Moodle 1.9 onwards, the ability for users to change their profile images may be disabled by checking the disableuserimages box.

Email change confirmation

Moodle1.8

In Moodle 1.8.6 and in 1.9.2 onwards, a confirmation step is required for users to change their email address unless the emailchangeconfirmation box is unchecked.

Enable notes

Moodle1.9

In Moodle 1.9.4 onwards, Notes may be disabled.

See also

• Administration FAQ