Virtual lab filter

Description

A Moodle filter plug-in to embed ChemCollective Virtual Lab problems using the Vlab Java applet. It embeds any assigments (both local and global).

NOTICE: this software is in no way endorsed by or affiliated with the official ChemCollective project or team.

• This filter will replace links to a Vlab file (.xml) in [vlab]...[/vlab] block with a java applet that plays that ChemCollective Virtual Lab inline
• Because of differences in the license, some files needed to run virtual laboratory are not included in the package filter VlabEmbed. But they can be downloaded from an external source using the built vlabinstaller.php.

Installation

Installation for recent Moodle branches

• Install from Administration > Site administration > Plugins > Install plugins
• Visit Administration > Site administration > Notifications

Alternate installation method for all Moodle 2.x branches

• Download the ZIP file from https://moodle.org/plugins/pluginversions.php?plugin=filter_vlabembed.
• Un-compress the Zip/Gzip archive, and copy the folder renamed 'vlabembed' to your moodle/filter/ directory.
• Visit Administration > Site administration > Notifications

To activate the filter

• Log in to Moodle as admininstrator, go to Administration > Site Administration > Plugins > Filters > Manage Filters .

• Choose 'On' or 'Off but available' in the drop-down menu next to 'VlabEmbed'.

• Click on Settings to configure plugin width, height, autodownload facilities and language.
• Available languages codes are: BR - Brasilian Portugese, CA - Català, DE - Deutsch, ES - Español, FR - Français, GR - Greek, RU - Russian, UK - Ukrainian

You need to have JAVA installed in the user's computer

• If you do not have Java installed in the computer where you will see the Virtual lab, when you try to use the filter the computer will prompt you to download and install Java. You do not need to install Java in the Moodle server.

• When you try to install Java you might get a warning about a vulnerabilty associated to the Java plugin just above the link that you need to click to finally activate Java in your computer.

• You might want to read about this Java vulnerabilty before actually enabling this plugin. If you can contact the person in your institution who is in charge of computer security, it might be worth consulting with him.
• There might be another step where you can verify thata your Java installation was OK.

• Your browser and/or Operating System might even prompt you yet again to approve running Java on your computer.

• And the browser that you are using to see your Moodle site might also ask you for security confirmation about running Java

• Notice in the above images that Moodle is running in LOCALHOST. It is always a good idea to try new plugins in a localhost server befor trying it in a real working server.

• You will finally get a message telling you that your Java version is OK. Remember to update Java (as well as all software) regularly.

Obtain the other needed files

• You need to obtain some Vlab files from external sources for the filter to work.
• By default, Virtual Lab applet files are not included into VlabEmbed filter package due to it license (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) is not compatible with the GNU GPLv3.
• You can install Vlab files via vlabinstaller.php.
• You can also manually download archive of Vlab applet files from http://ict-chem.ccjournals.eu/vlab_ukr.zip, http://kdpu.edu.ua/download/kaf_chem/books/vlab_ukr.zip or https://sites.google.com/site/kafedrahimiie/necipurenko-p/chemistry-virtual-lab-ukrainian-version/ukraienskaversiavirtuallab/vlab_ukr.zip and extract them into filter directory (yoursitemoodledirectory/filter/vlabembed) or download it separately from ChemCollective site:

a) Download and put into your_site_moodle_directory/filter/vlabembed the following files:

     http://chemcollective.org/assets/modules/activities/vlab/vlab.jar
     http://chemcollective.org/assets/modules/activities/vlab/junit.jar
     http://chemcollective.org/assets/modules/activities/vlab/logclient.jar
     http://chemcollective.org/assets/modules/activities/vlab/lang.xml
     http://chemcollective.org/assets/modules/activities/vlab/lang_ar.xml
     http://chemcollective.org/assets/modules/activities/vlab/lang_ru.xml
     http://chemcollective.org/assets/modules/activities/vlab/language.xml

b) Create subdir 'assignments' at yoursite_moodle_directory/filter/vlabembed/ and put into it the following files:

     http://chemcollective.org/assets/modules/activities/vlab/assignments/Default.xml
     http://chemcollective.org/assets/modules/activities/vlab/assignments/Walkthrough.xml

c) Create subdir 'images' at yoursitemoodledirectory/filter/vlabembed/ and put into it the following files:

     http://chemcollective.org/assets/modules/activities/vlab/images/icon.ico
     
     http://chemcollective.org/assets/modules/activities/vlab/images/icon32.ico
     

d) Create subdir 'fonts' at yoursitemoodledirectory/filter/vlabembed/ and put into it the following files:

     http://chemcollective.org/assets/modules/activities/vlab/fonts/ARIALUNI.TTF

e) Create subdir 'default' at yoursitemoodledirectory/filter/vlabembed/assignments/ and put into it the following files:

     http://chemcollective.org/assets/modules/activities/vlab/assignments/default/filesystem.xml
     http://chemcollective.org/assets/modules/activities/vlab/assignments/default/reactions.xml
     http://chemcollective.org/assets/modules/activities/vlab/assignments/default/species.xml
     http://chemcollective.org/assets/modules/activities/vlab/assignments/default/spectra.xml

f) Create subdir 'walkthrough' at yoursitemoodledirectory/filter/vlabembed/assignments/ and put into it the following files:

     http://chemcollective.org/assets/modules/activities/vlab/assignments/walkthrough/filesystem.xml
     http://chemcollective.org/assets/modules/activities/vlab/assignments/walkthrough/reactions.xml
     http://chemcollective.org/assets/modules/activities/vlab/assignments/walkthrough/species.xml
     http://chemcollective.org/assets/modules/activities/vlab/assignments/walkthrough/spectra.xml

Filter Settings

Usage

The syntax to embed a project:

[vlab]http-link to a Vlab problem file (.xml)[/vlab]

ERROR solving

Could not find the specified homework problem! Please contact your instructor if the problem persists

Either:

• You have not specified correctly the path to the problem.
• You had configured incorrectly the filter settings in Site administration ► Plugins ► Filters/ ► VlabEmbed .

• ...
• ... This section needs expanding by the plugin author or someone else who has successfully installed the plugin !

Links

• Moodle plugin entry: http://moodle.org/plugins/view.php?plugin=filter_vlabembed
• Code, Git: https://github.com/ssemerikov/moodle-filter_vlabembed
• Demo : http://ict-chem.ccjournals.eu
• "Why square brackets?", http://bitbucket.org/nfreear/timelinewidget/src/tip/filter.php#cl-36

Notes

• Tested in Moodle 2.9.
• No javascript, no database access - very simple!
• Filter syntax is case-sensitive.
• The plug-in is internationalized in Moodle 2 in Deutsch, Russian, and Ukrainian.

Notices

• VlabEmbed plugin, Copyright © 2015 Pavlo Nechipurenko, Sergey Semerikov.
• License: http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later.

THERE IS MORE DOCUMENTATION AT http://ict-chem.ccjournals.eu/mod/page/view.php?id=25&lang=en that still NEEDS TIDING UP...

You can choose the path (external link) where the downloaded files will be virtual lab in a special window. If none of these links does not prove effective, minimum set of downloadable virtual lab files required for its operation, from the developer's site manually.

Virtual Lab, located in the filter VlabEmbed, has built a repository of tasks in different languages, as well as access to the online repository in English. But his course on the page you can place any single work with a local repository that will be uploaded to the website when configuring the filter.

Below is an example of a filter placed VlabEmbed: virtual laboratory, which is a step by step demonstration of a study of the main features Virtual Lab. File Walkthrough.xml, it is necessary to start this work is in the local repository site, so links the treated filter: http://ict-chem.ccjournals.eu/filter/vlabembed/assignments/problems_uk/Walkthrough.xml . Setting filter width window applet = 800, height = 600 Windows applet, language localization - Ukrainian.

http://ict-chem.ccjournals.eu/pluginfile.php/61/mod_page/content/54/walkthrough_uk/Walkthrough.xml

http://ict-chem.ccjournals.eu/pluginfile.php/61/mod_page/content/54/cobalt/Cobalt.xml

Running virtual laboratory work is the presence .xml file and a set of files in the appropriate directory. Run a user-selected virtual laboratory work in several ways:

1) block

[Vlab] [/ vlab]

paste the link http: // address of your website / filter / vlabembed /

2) Upload a separate work contained in the catalog vlabembed, selecting the required file to open it from the list below in paragraph 4.

3) Create a separate directory on the site and download the necessary files from an external resource.

4) Download the required files from an external resource and load them in specially created directory within the course or attach them to the document, and then insert a link to the desired file in .xml block [vlab] ... [/ vlab]

The downloaded archive vlab_ukr.zip (the links that are in the filter settings) or vlab.2.1.0.int.zip (from the developer's site ) have an identical set of works that are in the catalog archive also identical.

The table lists the files and virtual laboratory work which they needed.

Title Authors Brief description of Required files File Path

Standard virtual laboratory

Mike Karabinos Contains material and standard solutions preparates virtual laboratory and reactions between them. Default_uk.xml / Default_uk / assignments / Default_uk.xml assignments / default_uk /

Step by step demonstration

Emma Rem Detailed introductory briefing on some of the most frequently used functions of Virtual Lab. Walkthrough.xml / Walkthrough / assignments / problems_uk / Walkthrough.xml assignments / problems_uk / walkthrough /

Density and specific temployemnist

	Jordi Cuadros 	Just experiment with density and heat capacity. 	DandSH.xml

/ Dandsh / assignments / problems_uk / DandSH.xml assignments / problems_uk / dandSH /

===The problem of dilution of 1=== Dave Yaron Prepare a concentrated glucose solution dilution of the solution. Dilution.xml / Dilution / assignments / problems_uk / molarity / Dilution.xml assignments / problems_uk / molarity / dilution /

===The problem of dilution 2=== Mike Karabinos Preparation of the solution dilution of concentrated acid. Dilution2.xml / Dilution2 / assignments / problems_uk / molarity / Dilution2.xml assignments / problems_uk / molarity / dilution2 /

===The task of sucrose solution=== Jordi Cuadros and Tim Paluka To understand the concentration, molar, molyalnoyi, and molar mass fraction of particles.

Concentration1.xml

/ Concentration1 /

assignments / problems_uk / molarity / Concentration1.xml

assignments / problems_uk / molarity / concentration1 / l

Preparation of solutions of crystalline compounds

	Jordi Cuadros and Mike Karabinos 	Preparation of solutions with different salt concentrations. 	

Molarsoln.xml

/ Molarsoln /

assignments / problems_uk / molarity / Molarsoln.xml

assignments / problems_uk / molarity / molarsoln /

The problem of density metals

	Jordi Cuadros and Tim Paluka 	Identifying metals in their density. 	

Metals.xml

/ Metals /

assignments / problems_uk / molarity / Metals.xml

assignments / problems_uk / molarity / metals /

The problem of the density of the liquid

	Jordi Cuadros and Tim Paluka 	Identification of liquids by their density. 	

LiquidDensity.xml

/ Liquiddens /

assignments / problems_uk / molarity / LiquidDensity.xml

assignments / problems_uk / molarity / liquiddens /

The problem of the density of alcohol

	Jordi Cuadros and Tim Paluka 	Determination of density by the solution. 	

Alcohol.xml

/ Alcohol /

assignments / problems_uk / molarity / Alcohol.xml

assignments / problems_uk / molarity / alcohol /

Motley problem

	Donovan Lang 	In this task, students must mix the solution together, trying to control them change color. 	

Jello.xml

/ Jello /

assignments / problems_uk / stoichiometry / Jello.xml

assignments / problems_uk / stoichiometry / jello /

Riddle Oracle

	Donovan Lang 	The problem of limiting reagent to determine the stoichiometry of the reaction. 	

Oracle2.xml

/ Oracle2 /

assignments / problems_uk / stoichiometry / Oracle2.xml

assignments / problems_uk / stoichiometry / oracle2 /

Oracle Enigma 2

	Donovan Lang 	The problem of limiting reagent and the stoichiometry in the complex mixture. 	

Oracle.xml

/ Oracle /

assignments / problems_uk / stoichiometry / Oracle.xml

assignments / problems_uk / stoichiometry / oracle /

The problem of excess reagent 1

	Yaron David and Mike Karabinos 	Collection of practical exercises on limiting reagents using the virtual laboratory. 	

Hslimit1.xml

/ Hslimit1 /

assignments / problems_uk / stoichiometry / Hslimit1.xml

assignments / problems_uk / stoichiometry / hslimit1 /

Objectives of the relationship reagents

	David Yaron 	Conduct an experiment to get an answer to the problem of limiting reagent. 	

Hslimit2.xml

/ Hslimit2 /

assignments / problems_uk / stoichiometry / Hslimit2.xml

assignments / problems_uk / stoichiometry / hslimit2 /

Prediction concentration of DNA

	David Yaron 	Sprohnozuyte limiting reagent in tasks related to the DNA strands. 	

Dnabind.xml

/ Dnabind /

assignments / problems_uk / stoichiometry / Dnabind.xml

assignments / problems_uk / stoichiometry / dnabind /

Coloring DNA 2

	David Yaron 	In this exercise at limiting reagent, students master the experiment definition unlabeled molecules. 	

DnaDye2.xml

/ Dnadye2 /

assignments / problems_uk / quant / DnaDye2.xml

assignments / problems_uk / quant / dnadye2 /

The task of establishing concentration

	Mike Karabinos 	Determination of Arhentumu ions in a solution of silver nitrate. 	

Silver.xml

/ Silver /

assignments / problems_uk / quant / Silver.xml

assignments / problems_uk / quant / silver /

Gravimetric determination Arsene

	Jordi Cuadros 	Determination of Arsene compounds in soil samples. 	

ArsGrav.xml

/ Arsgrav /

assignments / problems_uk / quant / ArsGrav.xml

assignments / problems_uk / quant / arsgrav /

Experiments with compounds Cobalt

	Bob Belford 	In the example experiment, complex compounds Cobalt (II) considered the principle of & Le Chatelier. 	

Cobalt.xml

/ Cobalt /

assignments / problems_uk / equilibrium / Cobalt.xml

assignments / problems_uk / equilibrium / cobalt /

The problem of the formation of DNA

	Dave Yaron 	The study of equilibrium constants in biochemical systems. 	

Dnabind.xml

/ Dnabind /

assignments / problems_uk / equilibrium / Dnabind.xml

assignments / problems_uk / equilibrium / dnabind /

Temperature and solubility salts

	Rob and David Belford Yaron 	Explore the dependence of the solubility of salts in water temperature. 	

Sol.xml

/ Sol /

assignments / problems_uk / solubility / Sol.xml

assignments / problems_uk / solubility / sol /

Determination of the solubility of products

	Rob and David Belford Yaron 	Defining constants (product) solubility Ks (DR) for different salts. 	

Sol2.xml

/ Sol2 /

assignments / problems_uk / solubility / Sol2.xml

assignments / problems_uk / solubility / sol2 /

The task to determine solubility

	Dave Yaron 	Determination of the solubility of CuCl at different temperatures. 	

CuClSolu.xml

/ Cuclsolu /

assignments / problems_uk / solubility / CuClSolu.xml

assignments / problems_uk / solubility / cuclsolu /

Thermochemical task 1

	Dave Yaron 	Investigate and determine the heat of reactions in aqueous solutions. 	

Thermo.xml

/ Thermo /

assignments / problems_uk / thermochemistry / Thermo.xml

assignments / problems_uk / thermochemistry / thermo /

Objectives of coffee

	Tim and David Yaron Paluka 	Prepare coffee with a given temperature. 	

Coffee.xml

/ Soffee /

assignments / problems_uk / thermochemistry / Coffee.xml

assignments / problems_uk / thermochemistry / coffee /

The heat of reaction - Hess's law

	Barry Charington 	Demonstration Act Hess using three reactions: dissolving NaOH in water and hydrochloric acid, and the reaction solution of HCl and NaOH together. 	

Heatrxn.xml

/ Heatrxn /

assignments / problems_uk / thermochemistry / Heatrxn.xml

assignments / problems_uk / thermochemistry / heatrxn / l

I Cooler

	Tim Paluka and Jordi Cuadros 	Identify and compare the heat of an unknown liquid. 	

Freeze.xml

/ Freeze /

assignments / problems_uk / thermochemistry / Freeze.xml

assignments / problems_uk / thermochemistry / freeze /

Cooler II

	Tim and David Yaron Paluka 	It is necessary to determine the specific heat of an unknown liquid of unknown density. 	

Freeze2.xml

/ Freeze2 /

assignments / problems_uk / thermochemistry / Freeze2.xml

assignments / problems_uk / thermochemistry / freeze2 /

Thermochemistry hiking in 1

	Tim and Dave Yaron Paluka 	Determine the enthalpy of chemical reactions that will help you solve the problem hikes. 	

ThermoQ1.xml

/ ThermoQ1 /

assignments / problems_uk / thermochemistry / ThermoQ1.xml

assignments / problems_uk / thermochemistry / thermoQ1 /

Thermochemistry hikes in 2

	Tim and David Yaron Paluka 	Determine the dependence of heat released during the reaction between volume of solution of different concentrations. 	

ThermoQ2.xml

/ ThermoQ2 /

assignments / problems_uk / thermochemistry / ThermoQ2.xml

assignments / problems_uk / thermochemistry / thermoQ2 /

===Thermochemistry in hiking 3=== Yaron David and Jordi Cuadros Mix solutions so as to obtain a mixture with a given temperature.

ThermoQ3.xml

/ ThermoQ3 /

assignments / problems_uk / thermochemistry / ThermoQ3.xml

assignments / problems_uk / thermochemistry / thermoQ3 /

The reaction of ATP (Thermochemistry and chemical bonds)

	Yaron David and Jordi Cuadros 	Determination of ATP hydrolysis reaction enthalpy and strength of chemical bonds in the molecule ATP. 	

Atp.xml

/ Atp /

assignments / problems_uk / thermochemistry / Atp.xml

assignments / problems_uk / thermochemistry / atp /

The problem of a strong acid

	Ria Freeland 	Selected problems of strong acids and bases that can be solved using the virtual laboratory. 	

StrongAcid.xml

/ Strongacid /

assignments / problems_uk / acidbase / StrongAcid.xml

assignments / problems_uk / acidbase / strongacid /

The problem of weak acid

	Ria Freeland 	Selected problems of weak acids and bases that can be solved using the virtual laboratory. 	

WeakAcid.xml

/ Weakacid /

assignments / problems_uk / acidbase / WeakAcid.xml

assignments / problems_uk / acidbase / weakacid /

The method of successive dilutions

	Bob Belford 	Investigate the pH scale method of successive dilutions. 	

Dilut.xml

/ Dilut /

assignments / problems_uk / acidbase / Dilut.xml

assignments / problems_uk / acidbase / dilut /

Acid-base titration

	Sofia Nussbaum 	A set of tasks and exercises to prepare for the acid-base titration. 	

PrelabAcid.xml

/ PrelabAcid /

assignments / problems_uk / acidbase / PrelabAcid.xml

assignments / problems_uk / acidbase / prelabAcid /

Ctandartyzatsiya NaOH solution

	Dave Yaron 	Work for preliminary preparation for Standardization of NaOH solution for potassium hidrohenftalatu. 	

Titration.xml

/ Titration /

assignments / problems_uk / acidbase / Titration.xml

assignments / problems_uk / acidbase / titration /

The problem of unknown acids and bases

	Dave Yaron 	In this exercise, students should the curve acid-base titration to determine the pKa unknown acid and its concentration. 	

Unknownacid.xml

/ Unknownacid /

assignments / problems_uk / acidbase / Unknownacid.xml

assignments / problems_uk / acidbase / unknownacid /

The problem of weak acids pKa

	Dave Yaron 	Determining the relationship between pKa and protein concentration in the solution. 	

Buffer.xml

/ Buffer /

assignments / problems_uk / acidbase / Buffer.xml

assignments / problems_uk / acidbase / buffer /

The task to create a buffer solution

	Sofia Nussbaum 	Exercises for the creation of buffer solutions with specific properties. 	

MkBuffer.xml

/ Mkbuffer /

assignments / problems_uk / acidbase / MkBuffer.xml

assignments / problems_uk / acidbase / mkbuffer /

The problem of color DNA

	Dave Yaron 	Students learn balance in buffer solutions and their application in biological research. 	

Dnadye.xml

/ Dnadye /

assignments / problems_uk / acidbase / Dnadye.xml

assignments / problems_uk / acidbase / dnadye /

A number of redox reactions

	Barry Charinhton 	Students preparing to study redox reactions on experimental data obtained in a virtual laboratory. 	

Redox.xml

/ Redox /

assignments / problems_uk / redox / Redox.xml

assignments / problems_uk / redox / redox /

Please leave your comments in the appropriate forum or in the tracker..