Development:Customisable user profiles

Overview

The main goal is to allow administrators to add/edit user profile fields. These fields may also be categorised, ordered, locked, hidden.

Database Changes

New tables

There are 3 new tables:

• user_info_field
• user_info_category
• user_info_data

Splitting the current user table

In version 1.9, the following fields will be moved from the user table and placed in a category named optional

• icq
• skype
• yahoo
• aim
• msn
• phone1
• phone2
• institution
• department
• address
• url

The remaining fields will remain hardcoded in the user profile form.

Admin's Interface

Various field flags

• required - a required field. Fields marked as required will also be displayed in the signup form;
• locked - can the user edit this field?;
• unique - the data entered must be unique;
• signup - the field should appear on the signup page;
• visible - can the user see this field? Options are:
  • Not visible - only a site administrator can see and edit this field
  • Visible to user - information is private to the user
  • Visible to everyone - information is available to anyone who can view user profiles

Adding/Editing fields

Steps

• 1. Make a category
  • For example: "Class Information"
  • Then in the lower left-hand part of the page, you'll see "Create a new profile field:."
• 2. Choose: "Menu of choices"
  • Example: Enter "p-teacher" then "Teacher" then a list of teachers who teach a given course.
  • Example: Enter "p-major" then "Major" then a list of the majors offered at your school
• 3. Make another category, for example: "Personal Info"
• 4. Choose: "Text"
  • Example: Enter "p-hobby" then "Hobbies"
  • Example: Enter "p-birthday" then "Birthday"
• 5. Now go to your own profile and click the "edit profile" tab to see how it looks.

User's Interface

The signup page

The signup form will be changed to include all required custom profile fields.

See also

• Using Moodle Should I hack the mdl_user table, or add my own? forum discussion