umm: Unofficial Moodle Mobile app
Description
This is an unofficial clone of the Moodle Mobile app for iPhone that works on Android and Blackberry devices. It should work also on iPhone and iPad.
This application is intended and has been designed to be easily customizable by Institutions (University, corp..). This application uses common web technologies (HTML5 + CSS3 + JavaScript) and the high level multiplatform mobile Javascript framework Phonegap. Phonegap enables you to build your app once with web-standards and deploy to multiple platforms.
Please note that this app is not a replacement or improvement of the official app for iPhone (and Android when available). It has beend designed to be easily customizable and extendable using web technologies by anyone.
Technologies used:
- HTML5 + CSS3 + JavaScript
- Phonegap for packaging and access Mobile features
- jquery
- jquerymobile
Credits
Juan Leyva <http://twitter.com/#!/jleyvadelgado>
http://moodle.org/user/profile.php?id=49568
Testing the app in a computer
OPTION 1
Requeriments: Google Chrome browser + Ripple mobile enviroment emulator plugin (http://ripple.tinyhippos.com/)
You must run Google Chrome in Unsafe mode adding this params: --allow-file-access-from-files --disable-web-security
IMPORTANT: I strong recommend you to create a new link or application launch called "Google Unsafe" and use it only for testing the app
"Path to chrome\chrome.exe" --allow-file-access-from-files --disable-web-security
Open the index.html file in the Google Chrome unsafe and click on the Ripple icon to activate the emulator
Once opened in the Ripple settings block change Cross Domain Proxy to Disabled
Please note that some functionality (camera, audio recording, contact) will not work in the emulator
OPTION 2
Install the Android, BlackBerry or iPhone SDK and follow instructions in http://phonegap.com/start/
Configuring Moodle for using the application
- Administration -> Plugins -> Web Services -> External Services -> Enable mobile web service
- Administration -> Plugins -> Web Services -> Manage Protocols -> Enable REST (Click the eye icon if it doesn't have a / through it)
- Administration -> Users -> Permission -> Define roles -> Edit the Authenticated user role -> Allow webservice/rest:use
- Administration -> Security -> Site policies -> Change the server upload limit to anything other than Site upload limit. This is required to allow upload to work in the app. (This is required because there is a bug in Moodle Web Services see (http://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDL-30496)
Building this app for iPhone
You need to create a certificate in a Mac computer to sign the app
Please, read the section "Customizing your own app" bellow
Note also that for distributing your app you must add it in the app store.
Customizing your own app
Application name and description
Edit the config.xml file
Application icon
Replace the icon*.png files with your custom icons (PNG 32bits)
You can add also more icons if you mobile supports it editing the config.xml file
Style sheet
Create your own CSS
Include this CSS in all the files you want to customize
Translating
Add your custom language in the lang/ directory
Copy and rename an existing language (en.json) recommended
Edit the lib/common.js file for adding a new language in the array of available languages
var languages = {"es": "Español", "en": "English"};
Packaging the app for Android, Blackberry and iPhone
Crete a free account in https://build.phonegap.com/
Upload a zip with all the contents of your custom app
That's all, Phonegap Build do all the steps required
IMPORTANT: The files names cannot containts these chars: - or _
Extending the app
The app works as a mini HTML site, it is very easy to add custom pages. Just add new pages and create links between the new and old pages.
It's very easy also add new pages that consumes MoodleWebServices (there is a high level API for making Moodle WS Calls)
If you want integrate your app with your mobile device (accelerometer, camera, compass, contacts, gps) you can use de Phonegap API http://www.phonegap.com/
Known bugs and issues
Course contents visualization do not work offline
Contacts are saved in your Google account contacts (Android) This is a Phonegap bug
Profile users image are not displayed (This is a Moodle issue) See http://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDL-30495
Screenshots
See this post: http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=191144
