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The '''Certificate module''' creates PDF certificates/diplomas for students of the course and is completely customizable. You can add borders, watermarks, seals and even show grade information. A contributed module, it was originally created by Hugo Salgado, July, 2004, updated by David T. Cannon, July, 2005 to use FPDF and include printing grades, updated and currently maintained by [http://moodle.org/user/view.php?id=3239&course=5 Chardelle Bush] to include backup/restore, types, reporting, emailing, unicode support, etc.
{{Update}}{{Certificate}}
The '''Certificate module''' creates PDF certificates/diplomas for students of the course and is completely customizable. You can add borders, watermarks, seals and even show grade information.  


There are different certificate modules for 1.6 and 1.7.  They are not compatible.  These instructions were written for 1.6.  Chardelle Bush has made sure Certificate is updated for every version through 1.9.
Certificate 2.x should be tested on your site or a place that will be similar to your production site. The PukunuiAustralia version is the best one to download for 2.x production serversSee bugs comments below.
 
==Certificate companions==
===Certificate Site-wide Report===
As of February 2008, there is a '''Certificate Site-wide Report''' which can be added in Moodle 1.9, as a supplement. This is an add-on to the certificate module--if installed, you will have an option when creating a certificate to send that certificate's info to the report. A block is included that provides a link to the report. Students will see a list of all received certificates. Administrators (or those who have the capability of viewing site reports) will see a link on the Certificate Report page to view/download a report of all students' received certificates.
 
===Certificate validation block===
A companion to the Certificate module for Moodle 1.9This is a block with a form for entering a given certificate code for verification. The verification page shows the student name, course name, date received and grade (if a grade is printed on the certificate).  The certificate code can be printed on a certificate. 
 
This feature is useful when a Registrar, supervisor or administrator wishes to verify that the printed certificate is valid for that student.


==Certificate examples==
Here are 3 examples.  A certificate that uses the standard features found in the install package.  Then 2 others with slightly more customization.
<gallery caption="Certificate examples - click on any to enlarge" widths="200px" heights="100px" perrow="6">
Image:Certificate 1.gif|Standard features showing: Fancy border, signature line, seal, code
Image:Certificate199 example lines.png|Standard lines, signature, seal, watermark, code, grade, outcomes, with custom text
Image:Certificate199 example creative.png|Custom border, custom signature, custom seal, custom watermark, code, outcome
</gallery>


==Installing==
==Installing==
#Download and Unpack the Certificate zip file in a temporary area,
#Download and Unpack the Certificate zip file in a temporary area,
#Copy the "certificate" folder to your moodle mod folder located for example at yourhost\moodle\mod . This will include folders db, lang and all the subfolders located under pics.
#Copy the "certificate" folder to your moodle mod folder located for example at yourhost\moodle\mod . This will include folders backup, db, lang, pix (including subfolders for  borders, seals, signatures and watermarks),  and type (with sub folders for each of 4 default types).
#Note:  It is not necessary to move the lang file into the Moodle lang folder, the certificate lang folder can stay in the mod/certificate folder.
#Go to your Moodle, and click on the Notifications link in the Site administration. Moodle knows something has been added and it will proceed to install the certificate module.
#Go to your Moodle, and click on the Notifications link in the administation block. Moodle knows something has been added and it will proceed to install the certificate module.
:Note:  It is not necessary to move the lang file into the Moodle lang folder, the certificate lang folder can stay in the mod/certificate folder.
:Note:  If the download zip/tar file does not create a certificate folder, rename the top folder certificate. There needs to be a folder in /mod called certificate.
See also: [[Installing_contributed_modules_or_plugins]] in MoodleDocs.


==Settings==
==Settings==
Help buttons give more information about each setting.
This is a short list of settings listed by their group. Please see [[Add/edit_certificate_module]] for more detailed information.
{| border="1"
|-
| [[Image:Certificate1 8 Settings page top.JPG|thumb|400px|Moodle 1.8 Certificate Settings]]||
|}


==Tips & Tricks==
*General - Certificate name and introduction.  The certificate will use the course name, this is the link name.
* Want to indicate specific credits to display for a course? Use the Course ID field to record this informationFor example "IS101- CREDIT HOURS 5.0" or simply "5.0 CEUs"
*Issue options -Here you can set email options, determine if you want to save and or reissue certificates.
*Print text options - determine date,  security code, grade outcomes, credit hours, teachers names, custom text.
*Design (and image) options - select Type, then determine orientation, and select images for border, lines, watermark, signature, seal or say no to any or all of them.
*Common module settings -These are standard Moodle module settingsSee [[Common module settings]]
*Locking options - if conditional dependencies has been turned on by the site administrator,  teacher can set standards that must be met before certificate can be issued.


If you are using your own theme you have to put the icon.gif inside a folder called certificate and put in your mod folder image
==Customizing certificate==
There are several ways to create a custom certificate.  Please see [[Certificate customizing]] for many examples and code hints.  A few quick examples from easiest to more skilled required:
*Add your images to the appropriate /mod/certificate/pix folder. This will make them available under settings. 
**Add your logo to the "seals" folder, or a new background image, or different signature to the appropriate folder
*Edit the text strings in the /mod/certificate/lang folder files, or though the customize language tool available to site administrators.
*Create a copy of a folder under type, then reposition and format text and images in that folder's code.
**You may create as many "types" of certificates as you wish. This is more complicated and requires some knowledge of PHP and TCPDF (which is the open source software used by Moodle to generate the Certificate files.


===Lesson dependency trick 1===
==Certificate companions==
Many Moodlers issue a certificate upon sucessful completion of a course.  For those who use Questions in a Lesson to determine if a student can receive a certificate, here is one way to hide the certificate until the student passes.  At the end of a lesson we will provide the student an option to select a link that will print a hidden certificate activity.  The only non standard Moodle feature this uses is the Certificate module itself.  [[Adding/editing_a_lesson#Dependent_on |Lesson dependency]] is available from 1.6 onward.   
{{Update}}
Not all these may work with Moodle 2.x.   


*Create a Certificate activity. Hide it.
===Certificate Site-wide Report===
*Create a lesson. We will call it "Certificate Qualification".  This is the lesson that needs to be passed to get a certificate. We might add questions to this lesson as a means to automatically determine that student qualifies for a certificate.
As of February 2008, there is a '''Certificate Site-wide Report''' which can be added in Moodle 1.9, as a supplement. This is an add-on to the certificate module--if installed, you will have an option when creating a certificate to send that certificate's info to the report. An optional  block is included that provides a link to the report. Students will see a list of all received certificates. Administrators (or those who have the capability of viewing site reports) will see a link on the Certificate Report page to view/download a report of all students' received certificates.  To install: Place the certificates folder in your root (main) moodle folder and upload to your server.  Place the my_certificates block folder under your moodle/blocks folder, upload to your server and click on the Administration>>Notifications link to install.
*Create another lesson. We will call it "Certificate Gateway".  In lesson settings make it [[Adding/editing_a_lesson#Dependent_on |dependent]] upon the "Certificate Qualification". For example we might say a student must answer 80% of the questions correctly. Still in lesson setting go to the [[Adding/editing_a_lesson#Link_to_activity |link to activity setting]] and link it to Certificate.


Student view of the above example. The student will see a course with 2 lessonsIf they try to enter the Certificate Gateway Lesson, first, they will be told that they must pass the Certificate Qualification Lesson with a score of 80% or higher. When the student takes the Certificate Qualification Lesson and only scores 70%, they will not be able to take the Certificate Gateway Lesson.   The only way they can get to the certificate is to qualify to take the Certificate Gateway Lesson.
===Certificate Verification Block===
A companion to the Certificate module for Moodle 1.9This is a block with a form for entering a given certificate code for verification. The verification page shows the student name, course name, date received and grade (if a grade is printed on the certificate). The certificate code can be printed on a certificate.
This feature is useful when a Registrar, supervisor or administrator wishes to verify that the printed certificate is valid for that student.  To install: Place the verify_certificate block folder under your moodle/blocks folder, upload to your server and click on the Administration>>Notifications link to install.


'''Important Note''': For this trick to work you must have Show Grades set to Yes in the Course settings page or this trick won't work (and you'll get very frustrated wondering why :) )
In Certificate for 2.x, the view certificates will show the student name, date received, grade and code.  These are downloadable via several file types.


==See also==
==See also==
* [[Add/edit certificate module]]
* [[mod/certificate/view|Viewing a Certificate]]
* [[Certificate customizing]] - many tips and how tos
The links below will lead to the current download areas
The links below will lead to the current download areas
{{Update}}


* Moodle.org link [http://moodle.org/mod/data/view.php?d=13&rid=683 Certificate at Modules and plugins]
*[https://github.com/PukunuiAustralia/moodle-mod_certificate PukunuiAustralia / moodle-mod_certificate] Version 2.0 but will work with 2.1 as well.
* Moodle.org link [http://moodle.org/mod/data/view.php?d=13&rid=1160 Certificate Sitewide Reports at Modules and plugins]
* Moodle.org link [http://moodle.org/mod/data/view.php?d=13&rid=1161 Certificate Validation Block at Modules and plugins]
* Moodle.org link? Certificate Sitewide Reports plugin
* Moodle.org link? Certificate Validation Block plugin




* Using Moodle [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=33997 Certificate module] forum
* Using Moodle [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/view.php?id=7163 Certificate module] forum
* [[Activity_Locking]] - a conditional dependency add-in  
* [[Activity_Locking]] - a conditional dependency add-in  
* [[Development:Certificate Module|Development of the certificate module]]
* [[Development:Certificate Module|Development of the certificate module]]
* [http://tracker.moodle.org/browse/CONTRIB-334 Patch to enable linking] to [[Face-to-face module|Face-to-Face]] contributed module.


[[Category:Certificate]]
[[Category:Contributed code]]
[[Category:Contributed code]]


[[es:Certificate]]
[[es:Certificate]]

Latest revision as of 12:31, 12 November 2011

This page requires updating for Moodle 2.3. Please do so and remove this template when finished.

The Certificate module creates PDF certificates/diplomas for students of the course and is completely customizable. You can add borders, watermarks, seals and even show grade information.

Certificate 2.x should be tested on your site or a place that will be similar to your production site. The PukunuiAustralia version is the best one to download for 2.x production servers. See bugs comments below.

Certificate examples

Here are 3 examples. A certificate that uses the standard features found in the install package. Then 2 others with slightly more customization.

Installing

  1. Download and Unpack the Certificate zip file in a temporary area,
  2. Copy the "certificate" folder to your moodle mod folder located for example at yourhost\moodle\mod . This will include folders backup, db, lang, pix (including subfolders for borders, seals, signatures and watermarks), and type (with sub folders for each of 4 default types).
  3. Go to your Moodle, and click on the Notifications link in the Site administration. Moodle knows something has been added and it will proceed to install the certificate module.
Note: It is not necessary to move the lang file into the Moodle lang folder, the certificate lang folder can stay in the mod/certificate folder.
Note: If the download zip/tar file does not create a certificate folder, rename the top folder certificate. There needs to be a folder in /mod called certificate.

See also: Installing_contributed_modules_or_plugins in MoodleDocs.

Settings

This is a short list of settings listed by their group. Please see Add/edit_certificate_module for more detailed information.

  • General - Certificate name and introduction. The certificate will use the course name, this is the link name.
  • Issue options -Here you can set email options, determine if you want to save and or reissue certificates.
  • Print text options - determine date, security code, grade outcomes, credit hours, teachers names, custom text.
  • Design (and image) options - select Type, then determine orientation, and select images for border, lines, watermark, signature, seal or say no to any or all of them.
  • Common module settings -These are standard Moodle module settings. See Common module settings
  • Locking options - if conditional dependencies has been turned on by the site administrator, teacher can set standards that must be met before certificate can be issued.

Customizing certificate

There are several ways to create a custom certificate. Please see Certificate customizing for many examples and code hints. A few quick examples from easiest to more skilled required:

  • Add your images to the appropriate /mod/certificate/pix folder. This will make them available under settings.
    • Add your logo to the "seals" folder, or a new background image, or different signature to the appropriate folder.
  • Edit the text strings in the /mod/certificate/lang folder files, or though the customize language tool available to site administrators.
  • Create a copy of a folder under type, then reposition and format text and images in that folder's code.
    • You may create as many "types" of certificates as you wish. This is more complicated and requires some knowledge of PHP and TCPDF (which is the open source software used by Moodle to generate the Certificate files.

Certificate companions

This page requires updating for Moodle 2.3. Please do so and remove this template when finished.


Not all these may work with Moodle 2.x.

Certificate Site-wide Report

As of February 2008, there is a Certificate Site-wide Report which can be added in Moodle 1.9, as a supplement. This is an add-on to the certificate module--if installed, you will have an option when creating a certificate to send that certificate's info to the report. An optional block is included that provides a link to the report. Students will see a list of all received certificates. Administrators (or those who have the capability of viewing site reports) will see a link on the Certificate Report page to view/download a report of all students' received certificates. To install: Place the certificates folder in your root (main) moodle folder and upload to your server. Place the my_certificates block folder under your moodle/blocks folder, upload to your server and click on the Administration>>Notifications link to install.

Certificate Verification Block

A companion to the Certificate module for Moodle 1.9. This is a block with a form for entering a given certificate code for verification. The verification page shows the student name, course name, date received and grade (if a grade is printed on the certificate). The certificate code can be printed on a certificate.

This feature is useful when a Registrar, supervisor or administrator wishes to verify that the printed certificate is valid for that student. To install: Place the verify_certificate block folder under your moodle/blocks folder, upload to your server and click on the Administration>>Notifications link to install.

In Certificate for 2.x, the view certificates will show the student name, date received, grade and code. These are downloadable via several file types.

See also


The links below will lead to the current download areas

This page requires updating for Moodle 2.3. Please do so and remove this template when finished.


  • Moodle.org link? Certificate Sitewide Reports plugin
  • Moodle.org link? Certificate Validation Block plugin