Front page settings
The site's Front page is similar to a course page. The front page settings, roles, filters, backup, restore and questions are currently duplicated in Administration> Front page settings AND Settings > Site administration > Front page (reported as MDL-26012).
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Front Page roles
As in a course, you can assign users roles just in the context of this page. Note this is different from the default Authenticated User on Front Page role found in front page settings. As a security issue, usually only admins can modify the front page, other users do not.
It is possible to upload users as students in the front page with a csv file using the site short name as 'course1' field, student in 'role1' field (and, if needed, chosen group name in 'group1' field.) (new in 2.5)New feature
in Moodle 3.5!
Front Page backup
You can backup the front page, similar to a Course backup.
Front Page restore
As in a course, you can Restore a backed up version of the front page. However, there are currently issues with front page restore, as outlined in MDL-31500 and MDL-30808
Front Page questions
The Question bank is accessible from the Front Page. For example, if "topic" is checked in the front page settings, you can add a Quiz module activity.
Tips and Tricks
A Moodle site's front page can be reconfigured from the default standard to give it a different look and or change how it functions. Depending upon the changes, this can be a simple or a more complex process. Of course a custom theme may have it's own unique front page format. Here are some examples using the formal white standard theme:
Visual examples
- Guest view, same Theme- click on any to enlarge
3 column Front Page, topic checked
2 column Front Page, blocks right
2 column Front Page, blocks left
3 column Front Page, Categories and courses
2 column Front Page, Categories only
Clean look, topic checked, no blocks
Central area, Courses or Categories?
This is a major decision, what is it you want in the centre of your front page? You can have a list of categories, a list of categories and courses, or neither, a label with a table full of images works just as well. The issue is always the same, actually, what looks good.
Clean look, topic checked, no blocks
The standard Moodle page format of Blocks on the left and blocks on the right is not always appropriate or considered pretty. The site administrator can change this basic format by simply deleting or hiding blocks that can be seen by users. Navigation can be placed on the dock.
The two column format
The Administrator decides which blocks should appear on the front page and moves all of them to the left or right side. This format allows you to decide what you want in the centre, and where you want the blocks, left or right.
- Tip: It is possible to force a block column to assume a specific width. For example, placing an image of 400 px in a block will force that column to 400 px.
The clean look example
Some sites want an uncluttered look. A site administrator or designer wants to start with the most basic look and then add features.
- The site administrator will turn on editing and hide or delete all blocks that can be see by teachers or students on the front page.
- Then go to the Site administration block► Front Page ► Front Page settings and:
- Set the "Front page" list to None, None, None, None
- Set "Front page items when logged in" list to the same
- Check the box for "Include Topic section"
- Save
All the above was done with 1 theme, and a simple front page.
Block settings
Each block has a number of configuration settings that you can change. See Managing blocks for more details.
