File system repository: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 11:31, 3 October 2012

The file system repository allows access to files which have been uploaded (e.g. via FTP) into designated folders on the server. A file system repository may be available site wide for everyone; within an individual course or for an individual user.(However - see this tracker entry regarding course and individual repositories)

Once a repository has been created and files uploaded to it, the files can be made available within the file picker for use within a course. There are several steps to take to implement this feature:-

These must be done by a systems admin who has write permissions to the server directories and admin permissions within Moodle.

1. Creating folders for your file system repositories

Find the moodledata folder on the server
Inside it, create a folder called "repository"
Inside that folder, create as many folders as you need, named appropriately.

Copy into the appropriate folder the files you want (using FTP, SFTP, shared folder etc.). (The folders can hold all types of files)

2. Enabling the File System repository plugin

Go to Settings > Site administration > Plugins > Repositories > Manage Repositories;
Select from the drop down next to File sytem "Enabled and visible"

Click settings. There are two check boxes which may be set, These control the appearance of the 'Create Instance' menu item within the settings for all courses and if the second box is checked the create instance menu item appears within a users profile. See notes 4 and 5 below.

3. Setting up a site-wide file system repository

Once the repository is enabled as above, click on the "Settings" link to the right.
Scroll down to Repositories instances of the site
Click Create a repository instance

Give it a name and (if there are several folders on the server) choose from the dropdown the one you want. Click save

It will now be available in the file picker in all courses.

NOTE: Just repeat the process to get more than one site wide file system repository

4. Setting up a repository inside a course NOTE only Moodle admins can do this in version 2.3

If the first box has been checked (See 2 above) then-
Go to the desired course and click on “repositories” in the administration block
Scroll down and click "Create File System instance"

Follow the same process as here

5. Setting up an individual file system repository instance NOTE: Onle Moodle admins can do this in version 2.3)

In the navigation block, click on “my profile”
Click on “repositories”
Scroll down and click “create File System instance”
Follow the same process as here
This will create a personal file system repository connecting just you to a folder on the server.

6. Upload any files required by course creators to the appropriate folders

Server permissions needed here

From this point on the check boxes need not be set - leaving them set just invites people to create a repository instance and then advises them that they do not have sufficient privilges.

Using a File System repository file

A course creator can now make use of the uploaded files by accessing the repository from within the file picker, creating a resource link to a document, for example. This process copies the uploaded file into Moodle and students may access the resource.

Note that file types are respected (based on file extensions), so if you are adding an image in the editor, then you won't see Office docs (for example) appear in the File Picker.

Repository capabilities

There is just one capability, View file system repository, which is allowed for the default authenticated user role. This means that if a student is required to upload a file - upload assignment, for example, then the repository files may be browsed. It may be more appropriate for this permission to be changed so that course creators have the capabilty, but not students.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-==How to use the filesystem as a repository==
+{{Repositories}}
+The file system repository allows access to files which have been uploaded (e.g. via FTP) into designated folders on the server.  A file system repository may be available site wide for everyone; within an individual course or for an individual user.(However - see this [http://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDL-28656  tracker entry] regarding course and individual repositories)
-This module allows you to share any of the sub-directories found in $CFG->dataroot/repository as a browseable repository inside Moodle.
+Once a repository has been created and files uploaded to it, the files can be made available within the file picker for use within a course.  There are several steps to take to implement this feature:-
-It needs to be configured by a system administrator, because it requires write access to the system disk.
-Here is [http://moodle.drupalgardens.com/article/tue-06152010-1918/ftp-files-moodle-20-repository-api a video] that may be helpful.
+These must be done by a systems admin who  has write permissions to the server directories and admin permissions within Moodle.
-===1. Create some folders to be repositories===
+'''1.  Creating  folders for your file system repositories'''
+*Find the moodledata folder on the server
+*Inside it, create a folder  called "repository"
+*Inside that folder, create as many folders as you need, named appropriately.
+[[File:Moodledatarepo2.png]]
+*Copy into the appropriate folder the files you want (using FTP, SFTP, shared folder etc.). (The folders can hold all types of files)
-Inside your "Moodledata" directory (the one where all your data is stored), create one called "repository".
+'''2. Enabling the File System repository plugin'''
+*Go to ''Settings > Site administration > Plugins > Repositories > Manage Repositories'';
+*Select from the drop down next to File sytem "Enabled and visible"
+[[File:Filesystemrepo.png]]
+*Click settings.  There are two check boxes which may be set, These control the appearance of the 'Create Instance' menu item within the settings for all courses and if the second box is checked the create instance menu item appears within a users profile.  See notes 4 and 5 below.
-Inside that, make one folder for each repository you want to create.  Short, simple, one-word names are best, I'm going to use "clipart" as my example.
+'''3. Setting up a site-wide file system repository'''
+*Once the repository is enabled as above, click on the  "Settings" link to the right.
+*Scroll down to Repositories instances of the site
+*Click Create a repository instance
+[[File:Sitefilesystemrepo.png]]
+*Give it a name and (if there are several folders on the server) choose from the dropdown the one you want. Click save
+[[File:Namedfilesystem.png]]
+*It will now be available in the file picker in all courses.
+''NOTE: Just repeat the process to get more than one site wide file system repository''
-Inside your "clipart" folder put your files (in this example it could be hundreds of useful images that you got from [http://www.openclipart.org/ openclipart.org]).
+'''4. Setting up a repository inside a course'''
+''NOTE only Moodle admins can do this in version 2.3''
+*If the first box has been checked (See 2 above) then-
+*Go to the desired course and click on “repositories” in the administration block
+*Scroll down and click "Create File System instance"
+[[File:Courseinstance.png]]
+*Follow the same process as [[#Setting_up_a_site-wide_file_system_repository|here]]
-Note that these directories can be ANYTHING your operating system supports.  You could mount a whole hard drive there, or mount a shared Windows network drive via SAMBA.  You could have a symbolic link to a directory that allows FTP access.  The sky is the limit here for a creative Moodle admin!!
+'''5. Setting up an individual file system repository instance'''
+''NOTE: Onle Moodle admins can do this in version 2.3)''
+*In the navigation block, click on “my profile”
+*Click on “repositories”
+*Scroll down and click “create File System instance”
+*Follow the same process as [[#Setting_up_a_site-wide_file_system_repository|here]]
+*This will create a personal file system repository connecting just you to a folder on the server.
+[[File:Privaterepo2.png]]
-===2. Enable the File System repository plugin===
+'''6. Upload any files required by course creators to the appropriate folders'''
+*Server permissions needed here
-You do this in the Settings block, under Site Administration > Plugins > Repositories > Manage repositories >File system.
+From this point on the check boxes need not be set - leaving them set just invites people to create a repository instance and then advises them that they do not have sufficient privilges.
-Once enabled, click on the "Settings" link beside it.
-Alternatively, you will now see "File system" in the list of links in Plugins > Repositories.  Click on this link, will also take you to the settings page.
+===Using a File System repository file===
-===3. (Optional) Set up the personal repositories===
+* A course creator can now make use of the uploaded files by accessing the repository from within the file picker, creating a resource link to a document, for example.  This process copies the uploaded file into Moodle and students may access the resource.
-Still in the File system settings page:
-You can safely ignore the settings at the top.  These are for rare cases where you want to allow users to create their own virtual repositories from the filesystem, either for themselves or a course.
-===4. Create some actual usable repositories (instances)===
+Note that file types are respected (based on file extensions), so if you are adding an image in the editor, then you won't see Office docs (for example) appear in the File Picker.
-In settings at the bottom of the page
-# Click on "Add a repository instance".
-# Give it a name.  The name will display in the [[File picker]] interface  with the other repository areas.
-# Choose the appropriate subdirectory from the list.
-# Click save
-===5. Check permissions===
-Although permissions should be on by default, you may have to check the roles and make sure that the "Authenticated User" role (or some other role, if you have set up a special one) has the "repository/filesystem:view" capability allowed.
-(If you are using 2.0 Preview 1 then this was not on by default)
-===6. Use it!===
-Everything should be working.  If you try to add a file in Moodle, then the File Picker should show you your new file system repository, and you should be able to browse it and select files to use.
-Note that file types are respected (based on file extensions), so if you are adding an image in the editor, then you won't see Office docs (for example) appear in the File Picker.
+[[File:Filesystemeg.png]]
-[[Image:Repository-filesystem-filepicker.png]]
+==Repository capabilities==
-==FAQ==
+There is just one capability, [[Capabilities/repository/filesystem:view|View file system repository]], which is allowed for the default authenticated user role.
-===How do the files get into the File system repository?===
+This means that if a student is required to upload a file - upload assignment, for example, then the repository files may be browsed.  It may be more appropriate for this permission to be changed so that course creators have the capabilty, but not students.
-#Get your person with server access to copy them in
-#Set up FTP
-===Is there a way to upload files to a File system repository from inside Moodle?===
-If you are talking about core (vanilla) Moodle: not at the moment
 ==See also==
+*[[File_system_repository_FAQ|File system repository FAQ]]
 * Overview of [[Repositories|Repositories]]
-* [http://moodle.drupalgardens.com/article/tue-06152010-1918/ftp-files-moodle-20-repository-api FTP files into Moodle 2.0 with the repository API article from moodle.drupalgardens.com] including screencast
+* [http://www.somerandomthoughts.com/blog/2010/06/15/ftp-files-into-moodle-2-0-with-the-repository-api/ FTP files into Moodle 2.0 with the repository API article from somerandomthoughts.com] including screencast
-[[Category:Repositories]]
+[[Category:Site administration]]
 [[de:Dateisystem-Repository]]
+If the file within the repository folder is modified the

Documentation

File system repository: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 11:31, 3 October 2012

Using a File System repository file

Repository capabilities

See also