Note: You are currently viewing documentation for Moodle 2.9. Up-to-date documentation for the latest stable version of Moodle may be available here: Installing plugins.

Installing plugins: Difference between revisions

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If you obtain an error, please [[Debugging|turn debugging on]] to obtain additional information about the cause of the error.
If you obtain an error, please [[Debugging|turn debugging on]] to obtain additional information about the cause of the error.


;tool_installaddon/err_curl_exec - cURL error 60 : This suggests problems with the validation of the SSL certificate of the remote (moodle.org) site. This is also a known problem in Moodle Windows 7 servers running the Moodle package for Windows. See [[SSL certificate for moodle.org]] for more info.
;tool_installaddon/err_curl_exec - cURL error 60 : This suggests problems with the validation of the SSL certificate of the remote (moodle.org) site. This is also a known problem in Moodle Windows 7 servers running the Moodle package for Windows. See [[SSL certificate for moodle.org]] for more info and possible solutions.


==Uninstalling an add-on==
==Uninstalling an add-on==

Revision as of 13:15, 3 May 2013

An add-on is an optional plugin for adding additional features and functionality to Moodle, such as new activities, new quiz question types, new reports, integrations with other systems and many more.

What is meant by the words 'plugin' and 'add-on'?

Moodle = core code + plugins

Plugins may be either standard plugins (included in the Moodle download package) or add-ons.

Before you do anything else...

VERY IMPORTANT Warning: Please be aware that some add-ons have not been reviewed, and the quality and/or suitability for your Moodle site has not been checked. Please be careful. It may not do what you expect, it may have serious security issues or it may even not work at all.

  • Do you really need the add-on? More functionality means more things to support, more things to (potentially) go wrong and more things to worry about at upgrade time.
  • Is the add-on supported and maintained? If something goes wrong can you get support? Will bugs be fixed?
  • If the add-on does not work in a future version of Moodle, what will you do about it?
  • Beware of patches! If an add-on modifies or replaces core files then be very careful. It can only be guaranteed to work with the exact build (version) of Moodle it was created for and is highly unlikely to survive a Moodle upgrade.

Installing an add-on

New feature
in Moodle 2.9!
In Moodle 2.5 onwards, add-ons may be from within Moodle, either directly from the Moodle plugins directory or by uploading a ZIP file.

To install an add-on directly from the Moodle plugins directory:

  1. Login as an admin and go to Administration > Site administration > Plugins > Install add-ons.
  2. Click the button 'Install add-ons from Moodle plugins directory'.
  3. Choose a plugin with an Install button (i.e. suitable for 2.5), click the Install button then click Continue.
  4. Check that you obtain a 'Validation passed!' message, then click the button 'Install add-on'.

To install an add-on by uploading a ZIP file:

  1. Go to the Moodle plugins directory, select Moodle 2.5 as version, then choose an add-on with a Download button and download the ZIP file.
  2. Login to your Moodle site as an admin and go to Administration > Site administration > Plugins > Install add-ons.
  3. Upload the ZIP file, select the appropriate plugin type, tick the acknowledgement checkbox, then click the button 'Install add-on from the ZIP file'.
  4. Check that you obtain a 'Validation passed!' message, then click the button 'Install add-on'.

For both methods, after clicking the button 'Install add-on', you will then be automatically redirected to Settings > Site administration > Notifications where you will see a message saying that the add-on is installed.

Note: The add-on may contain language files. They'll be found by your Moodle automatically. These language strings can be customized using the standard Settings > Site administration > Language editing interface.

Errors

If you obtain an error, please turn debugging on to obtain additional information about the cause of the error.

tool_installaddon/err_curl_exec - cURL error 60
This suggests problems with the validation of the SSL certificate of the remote (moodle.org) site. This is also a known problem in Moodle Windows 7 servers running the Moodle package for Windows. See SSL certificate for moodle.org for more info and possible solutions.

Uninstalling an add-on

To uninstall an add-on

  1. Go to Settings > Site Administration > Plugins > Plugins overview and click the Uninstall link opposite the add-on you wish to remove
  2. Use a file manager to remove/delete the actual plugin directory as instructed, otherwise Moodle will reinstall it next time you access the site administration

Note: Certain plugin types offer the removal from the disk as well, though not yet all.

Plugins overview

Plugins overview highlighting available update with install button

The Plugins overview page in Settings > Site Administration > Plugins > Plugins overview lists all installed plugins, together with the version number, availability (enabled or disabled) and settings link (if applicable).

A 'Check for available updates' button enables admins to quickly check for any updates available to standard plugins or add-ons installed on the site (from the plugins directory). Any updates available are highlighted, with further information and a download link in the notes column opposite the plugin.

Plugin updating from within Moodle

In Moodle 2.4 onwards, an administrator can enable updates deployment in Administration > Site Administration > Server > Update notifications. Then when updates are available, 'Install this update' buttons are shown on the Plugins overview page. See Automatic updates deployment for more details.

Preventing installing add-ons from within Moodle

If required, installing and updating from within Moodle can be prevented by copying the following lines of code from config-dist.php and pasting them in config.php.

// Use the following flag to completely disable the On-click add-on installation
// feature and hide it from the server administration UI.
//
//      $CFG->disableonclickaddoninstall = true;

See also

For developers: