MoodleDocs - Användarbidrag [sv]

Cron with Windows OS

2018-11-05T21:55:43Z

Colinfraser:

{{Installing Moodle}}
There are two different ways for creating a Moodle [[Cron]] process trigger on Windows operating systems.

==Moodle cron package==
Use the '''Moodle Cron package'''. The simplest way is to use this little package [http://download.moodle.org/download.php/windows/MoodleCron-Setup.exe MoodleCron-Setup.exe], which makes this whole thing very easy by installing a small Windows service. Run it and forget about it! :-)

==wget or php scheduled task==

If you prefer to use the built-in Windows Scheduler or are having trouble with moodle-cron-for-windows package, you can use wget for windows or php from the command line and setup a scheduled task. Just follow these steps:
** Choose either the '''php.exe/php-win.exe (command line binary)''' or '''wget'''
::The php.exe or php-win.exe binary (for PHP version 5 or later) is installed in your php folder (e.g. c:\php) will give you better performance when running the cron script.
::If you want to use wget, download a compiled version of wget for windows from the native GNU Win32 ports (http://unxutils.sourceforge.net/), from Heiko Herold's wget for windows page (http://xoomer.virgilio.it/hherold/) or Bart Puype's wget for windows page (http://users.ugent.be/~bpuype/wget/). If you use Heiko Herold's package, copy all of the .DLL files to your C:\Windows\system32 directory. Copy the wget.exe file to c:\windows (this makes sure wget is always in the search path).
:* Setup a '''Scheduled Task'''.
:: - Go to Start >> Control Panel >> Scheduled Tasks >> Add Scheduled Task.
:: - Click "Next" to start the wizard:
:: - Click in the "Browse..." button and browse to c:\php\php.exe or c:\windows\wget.exe and click "Open"
:: - Type "Moodle Cron" as the name of the task and select "Daily" as the schedule. Click "Next".
:: - Select "12:00 AM" as the start time, perform the task "Every Day" and choose today's date as the starting date. Click "Next".
:: - Enter the username and password of the user the task will run under (it doesn't have to be a priviledged account at all). Make sure you type the password correctly. Click "Next".
:: - Mark the checkbox titled "Open advanced properties for this task when I click Finish" and click "Finish".
:: - In the new dialog box, type the following in the "Run:" text box: <pre>c:\windows\wget.exe -q -O NUL http://my.moodle.site/moodle/admin/cron.php</pre> or <pre>c:\php\php-win.exe -f c:\moodle\admin\cli\cron.php</pre> Replace "c:\moodle" with the path to your moodle directory or "my.moode.site" with the name of your site.<br><br>
:: - Click on the "Schedule" tab and there in the "Advanced..." button.
:: - Mark the "Repeat task" checkbox and set "Every:" to 5 minutes, and set "Until:" to "Duration" and type "23" hours and "59" minutes.
:: - Click "OK" and you are done.

'''NOTE:''' If you use the wget version, be sure to check [https://docs.moodle.org/400/sv/Cron Cron settings] to make sure that the 'web based' cron service is permitted.

* '''Test your scheduled task'''. You can test that your scheduled task can run successfully by clicking it with the right button and chosing "Run". If everything is correctly setup, you will briefly see a DOS command window while wget/php executes and fetches the cron page and then it disappears. If you refresh the scheduled tasks folder, you will see the ''Last Run Time column'' (in detailed folder view) reflects the current time, and that the Last Result column displays "0x0" (everything went OK). If either of these is different, then you should recheck your setup.
* '''Logging cron output'''. You may want to log the output of the cron script as it executes, in case you see the job is producing errors, backups are not being completed or users are experiencing delays in receiving forum emails. To do this, adjust the command so that it uses the php.exe and stores the output in a file called (for example c:\moodle\admin\cron.log). Here is an example of the php.exe command:
<pre>c:\php\php.exe -f c:\moodle\admin\cron.php > c:\moodle\admin\cron.log</pre>
If you experience problems logging the output of cron.php to a text file using the above command then read [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=139263#p609060 this] message by Iñaki Arenaza for an alternative way to log the output of Cron.

Another method is to create a small batch file on your server that does all the work and get the scheduled task to call that file. Here is an example of a batch file that saves the output of cron to a file and deletes log files older than 5 days.
<pre>@echo off
set phppath="C:\Program Files (x86)\PHP\v5.3\php.exe"
set cronpath="C:\moodle\moodle-test\wwwroot\admin\cli\cron.php"
set logpath="D:\moodle\moodle-test\cronlogs"

%phppath% -f %cronpath% >> %logpath%\%date:~10,4%%date:~4,2%%date:~7,2%.log

Forfiles /P %logpath% /S /M *.log /D -5 /C "cmd /c del /q @path"
</pre>

[[es:Cron con Windows]]

===Cron in Windows 10/Xampp environment==
Setting up a Cron task in the Xampp works using the Task Scheduler. Using wget or MoodleCron is difficult and uncertain. Use the line:
:<pre>c:\php\php.exe -f c:\moodle\admin\cron.php > c:\moodle\admin\cron.log</pre>
in the Action dialogue, and ensure you set the timing correctly.

error/moodle/notlocalisederrormessage

2018-07-10T14:13:30Z

Colinfraser:

==error/moodle/notlocalisederrormessage==

To be updated:

Decision FAQ

2018-03-07T21:41:01Z

Colinfraser: /* I want to try it, but I don't have time to learn how to do all that. */

{{About Moodle}}Frequently asked questions about '''Moodle''' asked by people who are deciding whether Moodle is right for them.

==What is Moodle?==

Please see [[About Moodle]].

==What do you need to run Moodle?==

If you want to try Moodle out, you can easily [[Windows installation | install it on a standard Windows computer]] on your desktop or [[Installation Package for OS X|on a Mac]].

If you want to run a stable Moodle service for a school, college, business etc., you should really invest in a dedicated server with enough capacity for your users. Moodle runs on a variety of platforms - the most common being Linux/Windows, Apache, MySQL and PHP. Please see [[Installing Moodle]] for more specifics.

==I want to try it, but I don't have time to learn how to do all that.==
You can also go to [https://moodlecloud.com/ MoodleCloud]. This is a free service given to you so you can see it in action and use it in your real world setting.

==I don't understand this technology... how can I use Moodle?==

Any organization with more than a few computers likely has a technology person who understands this.

If you don't, then you'll probably be looking at purchasing hosting, where Moodle is installed for you on a server belonging to a commercial provider and you mostly just use the web interface to run your courses etc. (See below for more info on these)

==Is Moodle complicated?==

It depends on your skills. Moodle is very powerful, and with power comes complexity. It is intended to be easy as possible for teachers, tutors and trainers to use, for technicians to install, and for administrators to manage, however, there are a lot of options and settings and there is still some learning curve. Getting started is easy if you're not afraid to explore on your own, or if you get some training from a Moodle Partner or someone who knows Moodle well.

==Is Moodle for teachers or administrators?==

Moodle is a Learning/Course Management Systems (LMS/CMS) which helps individual, groups, schools, institutions, business, and even boards of education and school districts manage courses for anyone involved in teaching. Courses can be from 5 minutes to 5 years, from 1 person to 500 (or more!), and for everyone from first-graders to senior-citizens. The tools built into Moodle are appropriate for everything from social groups to professional development to traditional students in class.

==Why would we trust our enterprise work to a free software package?==

Almost 70% of the world's websites run on Apache, which is a free webserver. Moodle is open-source, and while this FAQ is not the appropriate place to discuss open-source software, a quick Google search on the viability of open-source products should provide ample material. Other great examples of widely-used open-source software include Linux, OpenOffice, Firefox, Sendmail, and numerous other packages that you probably use daily without thinking about it.

==How can Moodle be free?==

In addition to community volunteers to put their time and effort into discussing, documenting, testing and developing on the [http://moodle.org/ Moodle.org sites], Moodle is led and supported by [http://moodle.com Moodle.com], who in turn are supported by royalties from [http://moodle.com/ Moodle Partners], through clients who are willing to pay for support services e.g .hosting, training, branding, custom development, and some [http://moodle.org/donations/ donations].

==What is a Moodle Partner?==

The Moodle Partners are a group of service companies that contribute a proportion of their earnings directly to Moodle development. They provide a range of optional commercial services for Moodle users, including fully-serviced Moodle hosting, training, certification, remote support contracts, custom code development and consulting. Please see [http://moodle.com/ moodle.com] for further details.

==How many people are using Moodle?==

As Moodle is free to download and use, there is no simple way to count its "customers" since anyone can use it any time with no record. However we do keep some stats based on registered sites, see [http://moodle.org/stats/ Moodle statistics]. There are a number of [[Large installations | large installations]] of Moodle which cater for hundreds of thousands of users each.

==How do we know Moodle will still be around in the future?==

Moodle has a strong installed user base (the number of organizations and people using Moodle), so there are many individuals and organisations who have a vested interest in Moodle enduring long into the future.

Moodle has a number of key strengths which when combined make a powerful case for its continuing presence and success:

* A corporate structure which co-ordinates development, finances etc.: This entity (Moodle Pty Ltd) employs the core team including the Founder and Lead Developer Martin Dougiamas. Although the loss of any of the core team members would be a blow to Moodle this corporate body would remain intact and functional.

* Moodle Partners: The growing global network of Moodle Partners provide commercial support services which help sustain Moodle users. Crucially, Moodle Partners contribute financially to support Moodle development and the organisational aspects provided by Moodle Pty Ltd.

* Moodle community: Last in this list, but by no means least. The Moodle community, combined with the well funded and organisationally stable elements above is a powerful force in itself in maintaining the momentum and longevity of Moodle.

==How long is a particular version of Moodle supported for?==

Moodle HQ is committed to supporting the two most recent stable versions. That is, at any point in time:

* We work on the next version but don't provide production support
* We support the most recent stable version with constant bug fixes
* We support the previous recent stable version, but mostly only serious bugs and security issues
* We don't support any older versions

See [[:dev:Releases]] for expected times that each major release of Moodle will continue to receive core updates.

==Are there any LTS (Long Term Support) releases of Moodle?==

The most recent long-term support release (LTS) version is Moodle 3.1.

==See also==

* [[:dev:Future]] for answers to the questions "What happens if Company X buys Moodle?" and "What happens if Martin gets eaten by a kangaroo?"

[[Category:FAQ]]

[[es:FAQ Decisión]]
[[fr:FAQ de décision]]
[[pt:FAQ Decissão]]
[[de:Entscheider FAQ]]

Decision FAQ

2018-03-07T20:54:46Z

Colinfraser: /* What do you need to run Moodle? */

{{About Moodle}}Frequently asked questions about '''Moodle''' asked by people who are deciding whether Moodle is right for them.

==What is Moodle?==

Please see [[About Moodle]].

==What do you need to run Moodle?==

If you want to try Moodle out, you can easily [[Windows installation | install it on a standard Windows computer]] on your desktop or [[Installation Package for OS X|on a Mac]].

If you want to run a stable Moodle service for a school, college, business etc., you should really invest in a dedicated server with enough capacity for your users. Moodle runs on a variety of platforms - the most common being Linux/Windows, Apache, MySQL and PHP. Please see [[Installing Moodle]] for more specifics.

==I want to try it, but I don't have time to learn how to do all that.==
You can also go to [https://moodlecloud.com/ MoodleCloud]. This is a free service given to you so you can see it in action in a real world setting.

==I don't understand this technology... how can I use Moodle?==

Any organization with more than a few computers likely has a technology person who understands this.

If you don't, then you'll probably be looking at purchasing hosting, where Moodle is installed for you on a server belonging to a commercial provider and you mostly just use the web interface to run your courses etc. (See below for more info on these)

==Is Moodle complicated?==

It depends on your skills. Moodle is very powerful, and with power comes complexity. It is intended to be easy as possible for teachers, tutors and trainers to use, for technicians to install, and for administrators to manage, however, there are a lot of options and settings and there is still some learning curve. Getting started is easy if you're not afraid to explore on your own, or if you get some training from a Moodle Partner or someone who knows Moodle well.

==Is Moodle for teachers or administrators?==

Moodle is a Learning/Course Management Systems (LMS/CMS) which helps individual, groups, schools, institutions, business, and even boards of education and school districts manage courses for anyone involved in teaching. Courses can be from 5 minutes to 5 years, from 1 person to 500 (or more!), and for everyone from first-graders to senior-citizens. The tools built into Moodle are appropriate for everything from social groups to professional development to traditional students in class.

==Why would we trust our enterprise work to a free software package?==

Almost 70% of the world's websites run on Apache, which is a free webserver. Moodle is open-source, and while this FAQ is not the appropriate place to discuss open-source software, a quick Google search on the viability of open-source products should provide ample material. Other great examples of widely-used open-source software include Linux, OpenOffice, Firefox, Sendmail, and numerous other packages that you probably use daily without thinking about it.

==How can Moodle be free?==

In addition to community volunteers to put their time and effort into discussing, documenting, testing and developing on the [http://moodle.org/ Moodle.org sites], Moodle is led and supported by [http://moodle.com Moodle.com], who in turn are supported by royalties from [http://moodle.com/ Moodle Partners], through clients who are willing to pay for support services e.g .hosting, training, branding, custom development, and some [http://moodle.org/donations/ donations].

==What is a Moodle Partner?==

The Moodle Partners are a group of service companies that contribute a proportion of their earnings directly to Moodle development. They provide a range of optional commercial services for Moodle users, including fully-serviced Moodle hosting, training, certification, remote support contracts, custom code development and consulting. Please see [http://moodle.com/ moodle.com] for further details.

==How many people are using Moodle?==

As Moodle is free to download and use, there is no simple way to count its "customers" since anyone can use it any time with no record. However we do keep some stats based on registered sites, see [http://moodle.org/stats/ Moodle statistics]. There are a number of [[Large installations | large installations]] of Moodle which cater for hundreds of thousands of users each.

==How do we know Moodle will still be around in the future?==

Moodle has a strong installed user base (the number of organizations and people using Moodle), so there are many individuals and organisations who have a vested interest in Moodle enduring long into the future.

Moodle has a number of key strengths which when combined make a powerful case for its continuing presence and success:

* A corporate structure which co-ordinates development, finances etc.: This entity (Moodle Pty Ltd) employs the core team including the Founder and Lead Developer Martin Dougiamas. Although the loss of any of the core team members would be a blow to Moodle this corporate body would remain intact and functional.

* Moodle Partners: The growing global network of Moodle Partners provide commercial support services which help sustain Moodle users. Crucially, Moodle Partners contribute financially to support Moodle development and the organisational aspects provided by Moodle Pty Ltd.

* Moodle community: Last in this list, but by no means least. The Moodle community, combined with the well funded and organisationally stable elements above is a powerful force in itself in maintaining the momentum and longevity of Moodle.

==How long is a particular version of Moodle supported for?==

Moodle HQ is committed to supporting the two most recent stable versions. That is, at any point in time:

* We work on the next version but don't provide production support
* We support the most recent stable version with constant bug fixes
* We support the previous recent stable version, but mostly only serious bugs and security issues
* We don't support any older versions

See [[:dev:Releases]] for expected times that each major release of Moodle will continue to receive core updates.

==Are there any LTS (Long Term Support) releases of Moodle?==

The most recent long-term support release (LTS) version is Moodle 3.1.

==See also==

* [[:dev:Future]] for answers to the questions "What happens if Company X buys Moodle?" and "What happens if Martin gets eaten by a kangaroo?"

[[Category:FAQ]]

[[es:FAQ Decisión]]
[[fr:FAQ de décision]]
[[pt:FAQ Decissão]]
[[de:Entscheider FAQ]]

Diskussion:Atto editor

2017-12-25T05:19:42Z

Colinfraser:

= Atto Editor discussion page =

==Atto colours==
The problem is that the colour schemes available are far too few. Page backgrounds, text colours and highlights should be the decisions of the authors, not the Developers. The text in the Doc:
"..."...user specified colours may conflict visually with the site colour... (T)he first is just a visually unappealing combination of colours, the second is a combination of colours that may produce text that is hard to read for some people."
is really tripe. I have no idea what colours someone else uses for their site, and I have no interest in it whatsoever, if I don't use the site, who cares? Only the people who do use it. So assertions that "visually unappealing combination of colours.." are just not warranted.
At the MoodlemootAU17, I actually spoke on this very issue, suggesting that people do need to be careful about the colours they use on their site. However, I did qualify that by stating at the outset there are three conditions for this to occur, 1, authors need '''be mindful of their audience''', 2, need be '''mindful of their environment''' and 3, don't impose what '''they think''' looks good on their site. In this Moodle Devs have ignored the first and last point concentrating on the second point.

I raise this issue as I have found there is a group of students in my classes, that are beset with Irlen Syndrome, a form of dyslexia. Their eyes are, as I understand it, overwhelmed by the luminosity of the documents they are reading. I found it difficult to replicate the background and foreground colours they really needed to use to be successful in Atto. I couldn't persist with it and switched to TinyMCE. Yes, I could add code to the page, but when on tight timelines, this becomes more problematic. Please do something about this. Or is this a Moodle Tracker issue? I understand there has already been a number of issues created in the tracker, but so far...

Mathematics tools FAQ

2015-11-22T22:42:00Z

Colinfraser: /* The rendered image for our TeX equations is a poor quality GIF file, can it be made better? */

{{Main page}}This FAQ is a recent creation and is still building. If you have a relevant question and answer, please add it to the bottom.

'''NOTE:''' Since this page was started, Moodle has introduced the MathJax editor for Atto. While the information here is valid, it is only useful for the tools they discuss.

==Does Moodle have any Math tools in it as native?==
It certainly does, and if you look at the [[Using TeX Notation]] pages, they will give you a good start on how you can, quickly and fairly easily, build a small body of knowledge that will allow you to move on to bigger and better things. With Atto the preferred editor, additional functionality included the MathJax editing dialog box. This allows users to edit Maths Functions easily and quickly without having to use TeX notation.

==What kind of Maths tools can Moodle use or adapt?==
There are two ways to use maths tools in Moodle, aside from the use of MathJax.
1. Plugins that integrate new functionality into Moodle. The list of Plugins for Moodle include among others [[Dragmath]] or [[WIRIS]].
2. Many external programs that can be used to generate content that is easily imported to Moodle. External programs include MathType which works with several Moodle Plugins.

==Does Moodle have an interactive whiteboard feature?==
Not as such, but it seems both the interactive and content is controlled by the whiteboard. You can use an interactive whiteboard to display Moodle, but unless you incorporate screen grabs from the Moodle into the whiteboard software, Moodle probably will not work as a genuine PHP App. Having said that, it is possible that at some stage in the future, a plugin for either, or even both, may be developed.

==I am using Windows Server 2003 and am trying to get the TeX filter to work.==
There are often three issues here, the first is the way in which Windows assigns permissions. You need to give write permissions to I_USER (or IIS_USER - all those people who use moodledata through internet) on moodledata folders and subfolders like D:\moodledata/filter/tex/ - and executable files need executable permissions.

It is also possible that what ever permissions you give to your files, Windows may permit running executable files on folders that are placed to system folders like c:\program files - I have seen this happen in Windows Vista and Windows 7 so it's probably true also in Windows Server 2003. If you install MikTex or TexLive for example to C:\Miktex (Texlive) or D:\Miktex (Texlive) and GhostScript and Imagemagick the same drive, such problems should not exist.

Sometimes you may need to delete old (Miktex) install folders from system (environment) variable PATH or add the correct folder to PATH if the install script has not done it automatically. Windows will not find the right files from the correct folder without the PATH being correct. (The TexLive installer scripts usually makes this automatic, but MikTeX needs be done manually.)

Finally, PHP settings may also prevent running of executable files - in the php.ini file look for the field "disable_functions", it should be empty and check the other programs security measures (in programs and scripts themselves) they should control running "non secure" commands like exec() or system(), not prevent them.

Thanks [http://moodle.org/user/view.php?id=9523&course=5 Mauno]

==We need to install Latex. Will all our current equations with the $$ tokens still work?==
The original TeX program written by Don Knuth used the $$ tokens to denote TeX. TeX has grown and evolved into a number of different versions, which have had further developments. Most TeX And LaTeX still support the $$ token, but it is usually undocumented. This is where a test Moodle comes in handy - installing a LaTeX into a test environment then checking the result will answer the question of which LaTeX will accept the $$ token. Be careful here, some newer versions of LaTeX use delimiters, not tokens, to denote TeX sequences.

While LateX, or some version of it, is the preferred tool for many users, it is no longer really needed for creating the essential maths expressions or equations. As Atto is now the preferred editor, part of the development of Atto was devoted to incorporating the MathJax Editor as a core tool. This has made it easy to develop most expressions.

==OK, what is the difference between a token and a delimiter?==
In TeX tokens are symbols used to denote a TeX command or control sequence. These can be $$ used in the native Tex Notation filter and supported by many versions of TeX and LaTeX, but they can also be \[ \] or any variation of any number of other symbols. A delimiter is what the LaTeX rendered in these pages uses. Moodle Docs went over to LiveTeX a little while ago, and now use the <nowiki><math> </math></nowiki> delimiter, in much the same manner as html commands use.

With an increasing number of alternate tools, MathSlate, MathType, etc, to export TeX to Moodle, it is often necessary to ensure that the right tokens or delimiters are used when generating the TeX to be exported. Each tool will have its own set of step to be taken to generate the TeX, and at some point, you will likely to be asked, or there will be a setting, to select whether you want a $$ token or other delimiter. Since Moodle v2.7, the Atto editor and and the MathJax filter, the preferred delimiters are $ and $ to open and close the TeX code. It is suggested that any export setting use the delimiter as a preference to ensure it is acceptable in current and future versions of Moodle.

==We were using MathType but after a recent upgrade, the formatting of expressions is not working like it should==
Most likely, the transition from the TeX filter to the MathJax filter has meant that the older $$ tokens are being misread so equations and expressions are being placed on single lines rather than part of a sentence. There are a couple of possible remedies here. One is to disable the MathJax filter and exclusively use the TeX filter. If you are really comfortable with TeX, then that is a perfectly valid solution. Alternatively, if you go to Site Administration > Plugins > Filters > MathJax, scroll down to "Add additional delimiters" and enter $$, that should also eliminate the problem.

==The rendered image for our TeX equations is a poor quality GIF file, can it be made better?==
Yes it can. If you try to improve the quality of the image by changing the dpi ratio from 96dpi to 120dpi, the image gets larger, but there is no real improvement to the perception of the rendered image. However, there is a way out for all now. Using the MathJax filter, create an expression, run it, right click the rendered expression and in the menu, go to Math Settings > Maths Renderer and select the file type of SVG. SVG is a vector graphic file type and can scale up or down without losing its clarity.

==See also==

*Using Moodle [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/view.php?f=130 Mathematics Tools forum]
*Using Moodle [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=104483 Creating equations] forum discussion
*[[Using TeX Notation]]
*[http://www.dessci.com/en/support/mathtype/works_with.htm?target=moodle Mathtype works with Moodle]
*[[WIRIS]] Plugin
*[https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=315504 New Math questions in Moodle Quizzes using WeBWorK] forum post

[[Category:Teacher]]
[[Category:Administrator]]
[[Category:Mathematics]]
[[Category:FAQ]]

[[es:Herramientas matemáticas FAQ]]

Mathematics tools FAQ

2015-11-20T11:06:15Z

Colinfraser: /* OK, what is the difference between a token and a delimiter? */

{{Main page}}This FAQ is a recent creation and is still building. If you have a relevant question and answer, please add it to the bottom.

'''NOTE:''' Since this page was started, Moodle has introduced the MathJax editor for Atto. While the information here is valid, it is only useful for the tools they discuss.

==Does Moodle have any Math tools in it as native?==
It certainly does, and if you look at the [[Using TeX Notation]] pages, they will give you a good start on how you can, quickly and fairly easily, build a small body of knowledge that will allow you to move on to bigger and better things. With Atto the preferred editor, additional functionality included the MathJax editing dialog box. This allows users to edit Maths Functions easily and quickly without having to use TeX notation.

==What kind of Maths tools can Moodle use or adapt?==
There are two ways to use maths tools in Moodle, aside from the use of MathJax.
1. Plugins that integrate new functionality into Moodle. The list of Plugins for Moodle include among others [[Dragmath]] or [[WIRIS]].
2. Many external programs that can be used to generate content that is easily imported to Moodle. External programs include MathType which works with several Moodle Plugins.

==Does Moodle have an interactive whiteboard feature?==
Not as such, but it seems both the interactive and content is controlled by the whiteboard. You can use an interactive whiteboard to display Moodle, but unless you incorporate screen grabs from the Moodle into the whiteboard software, Moodle probably will not work as a genuine PHP App. Having said that, it is possible that at some stage in the future, a plugin for either, or even both, may be developed.

==I am using Windows Server 2003 and am trying to get the TeX filter to work.==
There are often three issues here, the first is the way in which Windows assigns permissions. You need to give write permissions to I_USER (or IIS_USER - all those people who use moodledata through internet) on moodledata folders and subfolders like D:\moodledata/filter/tex/ - and executable files need executable permissions.

It is also possible that what ever permissions you give to your files, Windows may permit running executable files on folders that are placed to system folders like c:\program files - I have seen this happen in Windows Vista and Windows 7 so it's probably true also in Windows Server 2003. If you install MikTex or TexLive for example to C:\Miktex (Texlive) or D:\Miktex (Texlive) and GhostScript and Imagemagick the same drive, such problems should not exist.

Sometimes you may need to delete old (Miktex) install folders from system (environment) variable PATH or add the correct folder to PATH if the install script has not done it automatically. Windows will not find the right files from the correct folder without the PATH being correct. (The TexLive installer scripts usually makes this automatic, but MikTeX needs be done manually.)

Finally, PHP settings may also prevent running of executable files - in the php.ini file look for the field "disable_functions", it should be empty and check the other programs security measures (in programs and scripts themselves) they should control running "non secure" commands like exec() or system(), not prevent them.

Thanks [http://moodle.org/user/view.php?id=9523&course=5 Mauno]

==We need to install Latex. Will all our current equations with the $$ tokens still work?==
The original TeX program written by Don Knuth used the $$ tokens to denote TeX. TeX has grown and evolved into a number of different versions, which have had further developments. Most TeX And LaTeX still support the $$ token, but it is usually undocumented. This is where a test Moodle comes in handy - installing a LaTeX into a test environment then checking the result will answer the question of which LaTeX will accept the $$ token. Be careful here, some newer versions of LaTeX use delimiters, not tokens, to denote TeX sequences.

While LateX, or some version of it, is the preferred tool for many users, it is no longer really needed for creating the essential maths expressions or equations. As Atto is now the preferred editor, part of the development of Atto was devoted to incorporating the MathJax Editor as a core tool. This has made it easy to develop most expressions.

==OK, what is the difference between a token and a delimiter?==
In TeX tokens are symbols used to denote a TeX command or control sequence. These can be $$ used in the native Tex Notation filter and supported by many versions of TeX and LaTeX, but they can also be \[ \] or any variation of any number of other symbols. A delimiter is what the LaTeX rendered in these pages uses. Moodle Docs went over to LiveTeX a little while ago, and now use the <nowiki><math> </math></nowiki> delimiter, in much the same manner as html commands use.

With an increasing number of alternate tools, MathSlate, MathType, etc, to export TeX to Moodle, it is often necessary to ensure that the right tokens or delimiters are used when generating the TeX to be exported. Each tool will have its own set of step to be taken to generate the TeX, and at some point, you will likely to be asked, or there will be a setting, to select whether you want a $$ token or other delimiter. Since Moodle v2.7, the Atto editor and and the MathJax filter, the preferred delimiters are $ and $ to open and close the TeX code. It is suggested that any export setting use the delimiter as a preference to ensure it is acceptable in current and future versions of Moodle.

==We were using MathType but after a recent upgrade, the formatting of expressions is not working like it should==
Most likely, the transition from the TeX filter to the MathJax filter has meant that the older $$ tokens are being misread so equations and expressions are being placed on single lines rather than part of a sentence. There are a couple of possible remedies here. One is to disable the MathJax filter and exclusively use the TeX filter. If you are really comfortable with TeX, then that is a perfectly valid solution. Alternatively, if you go to Site Administration > Plugins > Filters > MathJax, scroll down to "Add additional delimiters" and enter $$, that should also eliminate the problem.

==The rendered image for our TeX equations is a poor quality GIF file, can it be made better?==
Yes it can. If you increase the qualuity of the image from 96dpi to 120dpi, the image gets larger. However, there is a way out for all now. Using the MathJax filter, create an expression, run it, right click the rendered expression and in the menu, go to Math Settings > Maths Renderer and select the file type of SVG. SVG is a vector graphic file type and can scale up or down without losing its clarity.

==See also==

*Using Moodle [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/view.php?f=130 Mathematics Tools forum]
*Using Moodle [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=104483 Creating equations] forum discussion
*[[Using TeX Notation]]
*[http://www.dessci.com/en/support/mathtype/works_with.htm?target=moodle Mathtype works with Moodle]
*[[WIRIS]] Plugin
*[https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=315504 New Math questions in Moodle Quizzes using WeBWorK] forum post

[[Category:Teacher]]
[[Category:Administrator]]
[[Category:Mathematics]]
[[Category:FAQ]]

[[es:Herramientas matemáticas FAQ]]

Mathematics tools FAQ

2015-11-20T10:39:37Z

Colinfraser: /* OK, what is the difference between a token and a delimiter? */

{{Main page}}This FAQ is a recent creation and is still building. If you have a relevant question and answer, please add it to the bottom.

'''NOTE:''' Since this page was started, Moodle has introduced the MathJax editor for Atto. While the information here is valid, it is only useful for the tools they discuss.

==Does Moodle have any Math tools in it as native?==
It certainly does, and if you look at the [[Using TeX Notation]] pages, they will give you a good start on how you can, quickly and fairly easily, build a small body of knowledge that will allow you to move on to bigger and better things. With Atto the preferred editor, additional functionality included the MathJax editing dialog box. This allows users to edit Maths Functions easily and quickly without having to use TeX notation.

==What kind of Maths tools can Moodle use or adapt?==
There are two ways to use maths tools in Moodle, aside from the use of MathJax.
1. Plugins that integrate new functionality into Moodle. The list of Plugins for Moodle include among others [[Dragmath]] or [[WIRIS]].
2. Many external programs that can be used to generate content that is easily imported to Moodle. External programs include MathType which works with several Moodle Plugins.

==Does Moodle have an interactive whiteboard feature?==
Not as such, but it seems both the interactive and content is controlled by the whiteboard. You can use an interactive whiteboard to display Moodle, but unless you incorporate screen grabs from the Moodle into the whiteboard software, Moodle probably will not work as a genuine PHP App. Having said that, it is possible that at some stage in the future, a plugin for either, or even both, may be developed.

==I am using Windows Server 2003 and am trying to get the TeX filter to work.==
There are often three issues here, the first is the way in which Windows assigns permissions. You need to give write permissions to I_USER (or IIS_USER - all those people who use moodledata through internet) on moodledata folders and subfolders like D:\moodledata/filter/tex/ - and executable files need executable permissions.

It is also possible that what ever permissions you give to your files, Windows may permit running executable files on folders that are placed to system folders like c:\program files - I have seen this happen in Windows Vista and Windows 7 so it's probably true also in Windows Server 2003. If you install MikTex or TexLive for example to C:\Miktex (Texlive) or D:\Miktex (Texlive) and GhostScript and Imagemagick the same drive, such problems should not exist.

Sometimes you may need to delete old (Miktex) install folders from system (environment) variable PATH or add the correct folder to PATH if the install script has not done it automatically. Windows will not find the right files from the correct folder without the PATH being correct. (The TexLive installer scripts usually makes this automatic, but MikTeX needs be done manually.)

Finally, PHP settings may also prevent running of executable files - in the php.ini file look for the field "disable_functions", it should be empty and check the other programs security measures (in programs and scripts themselves) they should control running "non secure" commands like exec() or system(), not prevent them.

Thanks [http://moodle.org/user/view.php?id=9523&course=5 Mauno]

==We need to install Latex. Will all our current equations with the $$ tokens still work?==
The original TeX program written by Don Knuth used the $$ tokens to denote TeX. TeX has grown and evolved into a number of different versions, which have had further developments. Most TeX And LaTeX still support the $$ token, but it is usually undocumented. This is where a test Moodle comes in handy - installing a LaTeX into a test environment then checking the result will answer the question of which LaTeX will accept the $$ token. Be careful here, some newer versions of LaTeX use delimiters, not tokens, to denote TeX sequences.

While LateX, or some version of it, is the preferred tool for many users, it is no longer really needed for creating the essential maths expressions or equations. As Atto is now the preferred editor, part of the development of Atto was devoted to incorporating the MathJax Editor as a core tool. This has made it easy to develop most expressions.

==OK, what is the difference between a token and a delimiter?==
In TeX tokens are symbols used to denote a TeX command or control sequence. These can be $$ used in the native Tex Notation filter and supported by many versions of TeX and LaTeX, but they can also be \[ \] or any variation of any number of other symbols. A delimiter is what the LaTeX rendered in these pages uses. Moodle Docs went over to LiveTeX a little while ago, and now use the <nowiki><math> </math></nowiki> delimiter, in much the same manner as html commands use.

With an increasing number of alternate tools, MathSlate, MathType, etc, to export TeX to Moodle, it is often necessary to ensure that the right tokens or delimiters are used when generating the TeX to be exported. Each tool will have its own set of step to be taken to generate the TeX, and at some point, you will likely to be asked, or there will be a setting, to select whether you want a $$ token or other delimiter. Since Moodle v2.7, the Atto editor and and the MathJax filter, the preferred delimiters are $ and $ to open and close the TeX code. It is suggested that any export setting use the delimiter as a preference to ensure it is acceptable in current and future versions of Moodle.

==See also==

*Using Moodle [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/view.php?f=130 Mathematics Tools forum]
*Using Moodle [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=104483 Creating equations] forum discussion
*[[Using TeX Notation]]
*[http://www.dessci.com/en/support/mathtype/works_with.htm?target=moodle Mathtype works with Moodle]
*[[WIRIS]] Plugin
*[https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=315504 New Math questions in Moodle Quizzes using WeBWorK] forum post

[[Category:Teacher]]
[[Category:Administrator]]
[[Category:Mathematics]]
[[Category:FAQ]]

[[es:Herramientas matemáticas FAQ]]

Using TeX Notation

2015-11-19T10:39:16Z

Colinfraser: /* See Also */

{{Filters}}
{{Work in progress}}
TeX ('''/'tɛx/tekh''', often pronounced TeK in English) is a very widespread and popular way of representing Mathematics notation using only characters that you can type on a keyboard (see [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TeX Wikipedia]). This makes it a useful format to use in Moodle, since it can be entered anywhere you can type text, from forum posts to quiz questions.

TeX expressions can be entered in multiple ways:
* typing them directly into texts.
* using the Java-based Dragmath editor in Moodle's TinyMCE editor.
* using the HTML-based equation editor in Moodle's Atto editor (since Moodle 2.7).

Afterwards, TeX expressions are rendered into Mathematics notation:
* using the TeX filter in Moodle, which uses a TeX binary installed on the server to convert expressions into .gif images (or if that is not available, it falls back to a simple built-in mimetex binary).
* using the [[MathJax_filter]] which identifies TeX expressions and uses the Mathjax JS library to render them in browsers at display time (since Moodle 2.7).
* using other third-party solutions.

As you can imagine, the whole field is not as simple as we would like, especially because there are many flavours of TeX and slight variations between tools.

This page focusses only on using TeX in core Moodle. See the links at the bottom of this page for more information on setting up TeX editors and filters, including other tools from the Moodle community that may be suitable for advanced users.

'''WARNING:''' This Wiki environment uses a DIFFERENT TeX renderer to Moodle, especially when it comes to control sequences. For this reason images are sometimes used to represent what it should look like in Moodle. YMMV.

==Language Conventions==

To identify a TeX sequence in your text, surround it with $$ markers. To invoke a particular command or control sequence, use the backslash, \. A typical control sequence looks like:

$$ x\ =\ \frac{\sqrt{144}}{2}\ \times\ (y\ +\ 12) $$
{| class="nicetable"
|-
| [[Image: cfmimetex10.gif|frame|center]]
|-
|Fraction and square root.
|}

Additional spaces can be placed into the equation using the \ without a trailing character.

==Reserved Characters and Keywords==

Most characters and numbers on the keyboard can be used at their default value. As with any computing language, though, there are a set of reserved characters and keywords that are used by the program for its own purposes. TeX Notation is no different, but it does have a very small set of Reserved Characters. This will not be a complete list of reserved characters, but some of these are:

@ # $ % ^ & * ( ) .

To use these characters in an equation just place the \ in front of them like \$ or \%. If you want to use the backslash, just use \backslash. The only exception here seems to be the &, ampersand.

==Superscripts, Subscripts and Roots==

Superscripts are recorded using the caret, ^, symbol. An example for a Maths class might be:

$$ 4^2 \ \times \ 4^3 \ = 4^5 $$
This is a shorthand way of saying:
(4 x 4) x (4 x 4 x 4) = (4 x 4 x 4 x 4 x 4)
or
16 x 64 = 1024.

<math>4^2 \ \times \ 4^3 \ = 4^5</math>

Subscripts are similar, but use the underscore character.

$$ 3x_2 \ \times \ 2x_3 $$

<math>3x_2 \ \times \ 2x_3</math>

This is OK if you want superscripts or subscripts, but square roots are a little different. This uses a control sequence.

$$ \sqrt{64} \ = \ 8 $$

<math>\sqrt{64} \ = \ 8</math>

You can also take this a little further, but adding in a control character. You may ask a question like:

$$ If \ \sqrt[n]{1024} \ = \ 4, \ what \ is \ the \ value \ of \ n? $$

<math>If \ \sqrt[n]{1024} \ = \ 4, \ what \ is \ the \ value \ of \ n?</math>

Using these different commands allows you to develop equations like:

$$ The \sqrt{64} \ \times \ 2 \ \times \ 4^3 \ = \ 1024 $$

<math>The \sqrt{64} \ \times \ 2 \ \times \ 4^3 \ = \ 1024</math>

Superscripts, Subscripts and roots can also be noted in [[Using TeX Notation 4 | Matrices]].

==Fractions==

Fractions in TeX are actually simple, as long as you remember the rules.

$$ \frac{numerator}{denominator} $$ which produces <math>\frac{numerator}{denominator}</math> .

This can be given as:

<math>\frac{5}{10} \ is \ equal \ to \ \frac{1}{2}</math>.

This is entered as:

$$ \frac{5}{10} \ is \ equal \ to \ \frac{1}{2}.$$

With fractions (as with other commands) the curly brackets can be nested so that for example you can implement negative exponents in fractions. As you can see,

$$\frac {5^{-2}}{3}$$ will produce <math>\frac {5^{-2}}{3}</math>

$$\left(\frac{3}{4}\right)^{-3}$$ will produce <math>\left(\frac{3}{4}\right)^{-3}</math> and

$$\frac{3}{4^{-3}}$$ will produce <math> \frac{3}{4^{-3}} </math>

You likely do not want to use $$\frac{3}{4}^{-3}$$ as it produces <math>\frac{3}{4}^{-3}</math>

You can also use fractions and negative exponents in [[Using TeX Notation 4 | Matrices]].

==Brackets==

As students advance through Maths, they come into contact with brackets. Algebraic notation depends heavily on brackets. The usual keyboard values of ( and ) are useful, for example:

<math>d = 2 \ \times \ (4 \ - \ j)</math>

This is written as:

$$ d = 2 \ \times \ (4 \ - \ j) $$

Usually, these brackets are enough for most formulae but they will not be in some circumstances. Consider this:

<math>4x^3 \ + \ (x \ + \ \frac{42}{1 + x^4})</math>

Is OK, but try it this way:

<math>4x^3 \ + \ \left(x \ + \ \frac{42}{1 + x^4}\right)</math>

This can be achieved by:

$$ 4x^3 \ + \ \left(x \ + \ \frac{42}{1 + x^4}\right) $$

A simple change using the \left( and \right) symbols instead. Note the actual bracket is both named and presented. Brackets are almost essential in [[Using TeX Notation 4 | Matrices]].

==Ellipsis==

The Ellipsis is a simple code:

<math>x_1, \ x_2, \ \ldots, \ x_n</math>

Written like:

$$ x_1, \ x_2, \ \ldots, \ x_n $$

A more practical application could be:

Question:
"Add together all the numbers from 1 <math>\ldots</math> 38.
What is an elegant and simple solution to this problem?
Can you create an algebraic function to explain this solution?
Will your solution work for all numbers?"

Answer:
The question uses an even number to demonstrate a mathematical process and generate an algebraic formula.

{| class = "nicetable"
|-
| Part 1:
| Part 2.
| Part 3.
|-
|
<math>1. \ 1 \ + \ 38 \ = \ 39</math>

<math>2. \ 2 \ + \ 37 \ = \ 39</math>

<math>3. \ 3 \ + \ 36 \ = \ 39</math>

<math>\ldots</math>

<math>19. 19 \ + \ 20 \ = \ 39 </math>

<math>\therefore x \ = \ 39 \ \times \ 19 </math>

<math>\therefore x \ = \ 741 </math>

|An algebraic function might read something like:
<math>t = (1 + n) \times n/2 </math>

Where t = total and n = the last number.

|The solution is that, using the largest and the smallest numbers, the numbers are added and then multiplied by the number of different combinations to produce the same result adding the first and last numbers.
The answer must depend on the number, <math>\frac{n}{2}</math> being a whole number. Therefore, the solution will not work for an odd range of numbers, only an even range.

|}

==Symbols==

These are not all the symbols that may be available in TeX Notation for Moodle, just the ones that I have found to work in Moodle.

{| class="nicetable"
|-
| \amalg
| <math>\amalg</math>
| \cup
| <math>\cup</math>
| \oplus
| <math>\oplus</math>
| \times
| <math>\times</math>
|-
|\ast
|<math>\ast</math>
|\dagger
|<math>\dagger</math>
| \oslash
| <math>\oslash</math>
| \triangleleft
| <math>\triangleleft</math>
|-
| \bigcirc
| <math>\bigcirc</math>
| \ddagger
| <math>\ddagger</math>
| \otimes
| <math>\otimes</math>
| \triangleright
| <math>\triangleright</math>
|-
| \bigtriangledown
| <math>\bigtriangledown</math>
| \diamond
| <math>\diamond</math>
| \pm
| <math>\pm</math>
| \odot
| <math>\odot</math>
|-
| \bigtriangleup
| <math>\bigtriangleup</math>
| \div
| <math>\div</math>
| \ominus
| <math>\ominus</math>
| \wr
| <math>\wr</math>
|-
| \circ
| <math>\circ</math>
| \wedge
| <math>\wedge</math>
| \vee
| <math>\vee</math>
| \sqcup
| <math>\sqcup</math>
|-
| \leq
| <math>\leq</math>
| \geq
| <math>\geq</math>
| \equiv
| <math>\equiv</math>
| \prec
| <math>\prec</math>
|-
| \succ
| <math>\succ</math>
| \sim
| <math>\sim</math>
| \perp
| <math>\perp</math>
| \preceq
| <math>\preceq</math>
|-
| \succeq
| <math>\succeq</math>
| \simeq
| <math>\simeq</math>
| \mid
| <math>\mid</math>
| \ll
| <math>\ll</math>
|-
| \gg
| <math>\gg</math>
| \asymp
| <math>\asymp</math>
| \parallel
| <math>\parallel</math>
| \subset
| <math>\subset</math>
|-
| \supset
| <math>\supset</math>
| \subseteq
| <math>\subseteq</math>
| \supseteq
| <math>\supseteq</math>
| \approx
| <math>\approx</math>
|-
| \neq
| <math>\neq</math>
| \ni
| <math>\ni</math>
| \notin
| <math>\notin</math>
| \in
| <math>\ni</math>
|-
| \vdash
| <math>\vdash</math>
| \dashv
| <math>\dashv</math>
| \bullet
| <math>\bullet</math>
| \cdot
| <math>\cdot</math>
|}

==Arrows==

{| class="nicetable"
|-
| \leftarrow
| <math> \leftarrow</math>
| \longleftarrow
| <math> \longleftarrow</math>
| \Leftarrow
| <math> \Leftarrow</math>
| \Longleftarrow
| <math> \Longleftarrow</math>
|-
| \rightarrow
| <math> \rightarrow</math>
| \longrightarrow
| <math> \longrightarrow</math>
| \Rightarrow
| <math> \Rightarrow</math>
| \Longrightarrow
| <math> \Longrightarrow</math>
|-
| \uparrow
| <math> \uparrow</math>
| \Uparrow
| <math> \Uparrow</math>
| \downarrow
| <math> \downarrow</math>
| \Downarrow
| <math> \Downarrow</math>
|-
| \leftrightarrow
| <math> \leftrightarrow</math>
| \longleftrightarrow
| <math> \longleftrightarrow</math>
| \updownarrow
| <math> \updownarrow</math>
| \Updownarrow
| <math> \Updownarrow</math>
|-
| \Leftrightarrow
| <math> \Leftrightarrow</math>
| \Longleftrightarrow
| <math> \Longleftrightarrow</math>
| \leftrightharpoons
| <math> \rightleftharpoons</math>
| \Im
| <math> \Im</math>
|-
| \nearrow
| <math> \nearrow</math>
| \nwarrow
| <math> \nwarrow</math>
| \swarrow
| <math> \swarrow</math>
| \searrow
| <math> \searrow</math>

|}

==Delimiters and Maths Constructs==

NOTE: Most delimiters and constructs need additional parameters for them to appear appropriately.

{| class="nicetable"
|-
| \{x
| <math> \{x </math>
| x | \}
| <math>x | \} </math>
| \rangle
| <math> \rangle </math>
| \langle
| <math> \langle </math>
|-
| \angle
| <math> \angle </math>
| \=
| <math> \| </math>
| \sqrt{ab}
| <math> \sqrt{ab}</math>
| \sqrt[n]{ab}
| <math> \sqrt[n]{ab}</math>
|-
| \frac{ab}{cd}
| <math> \frac{ab}{cd}</math>
| \backslash
| <math> \backslash</math>
| \widehat{ab}
| <math> \widehat{ab}</math>
| \$
| <math> \$ </math>
|-
| \overline{ab}
| <math> \overline{ab}</math>
| \underline{ab}
| <math> \underline{ab}</math>
| \therefore
| <math> \therefore</math>
| \ddots
| <math> \ddots</math>
|-
| \%
| <math> \%</math>
| \#
| <math> \# </math>
| \vdots
| <math> \vdots</math>
| \emptyset
| <math> \emptyset</math>
|}
WARNINGS: The & character in LaTeX usually requires a backslash, \. In TeX Notation for Moodle, apparently, it does not. Other packages, AsciiMath, may use it differently again so be careful using it. The copyright character may use the MimeTeX charset, and produces a copyright notice for John Forkosh Associates who provided a lot of the essential packages for the TeX Notation for Moodle, so I understand. I have been, almost reliably, informed that a particular instruction will produce a different notice though .:)

There are also a number of characters that can be used in TeX Notation for Moodle but do not render in this page:

{| class="nicetable"
|-
| [[Image: cfmimetex08.png|frame|left]]
| Larger \left(x and \right) brackets
|-
|[[Image: cfmimetex06.gif|frame|left]]
| \widetilde{ab}
|-
|[[Image: cfmimetex09.gif|frame|left]]
| \textdegree or (50)^\circ
|}

==Greek Letters==

{| class="nicetable"
|-
| <math>\alpha</math>
| \alpha
| <math>\beta</math>
| \beta
| <math>\gamma</math>
| \gamma
|-
| <math>\delta</math>
| \delta
| <math>\epsilon</math>
| \epsilon
| <math>\zeta</math>
| \zeta
|-
| <math>\eta</math>
| \eta
| <math>\theta</math>
| \theta
| <math>\iota</math>
| \iota
|-
| <math>\kappa</math>
| \kappa
| <math>\lambda</math>
| \lambda
| <math>\mu</math>
| \mu
|-
| <math>\xi</math>
| \xi
| <math>\pi</math>
| \pi
| <math>\rho</math>
| \rho
|-
| <math>\sigma</math>
| \sigma
| <math>\tau</math>
| \tau
| <math>\upsilon</math>
| \upsilon
|-
| <math>\phi</math>
| \phi
| <math>\chi</math>
| \chi
| <math>\psi</math>
| \psi
|-
| <math>\omega</math>
| \omega
| <math>\Omega</math>
| \Omega
| <math>\Theta</math>
| \Theta
|-
| <math>\Delta</math>
| \Delta
| <math>\Pi</math>
| \Pi
| <math>\Phi</math>
| \Phi
|-
| <math>\Gamma </math>
| \Gamma
| <math>\Lambda </math>
| \Lambda
| <math>\Sigma </math>
| \Sigma
|-
| <math>\Psi </math>
| \Psi
| <math>\Xi </math>
| \Xi
| <math>\Upsilon</math>
| \Upsilon
|-
| <math>\vartheta </math>
| \vartheta
| <math>\varrho </math>
| \varrho
| <math>\varphi </math>
| \varphi
|-
| <math>\varsigma </math>
| \varsigma
|}

'''Notable Exceptions'''

Greek letter omicron (traditionally, mathemeticians don't make much use of omicron due to possible confusion with zero). Simply put, lowercase omicron is an "o" redered as <i>o</i>. But note \omicron may now work with recent TeX implementations including MathJax.

At the time of writing, these Greek capital letters cannot be rendered by TeX Notation in Moodle:

Alpha, Beta, Zeta, Eta, Tau, Chi, Mu, Iota, Kappa and Epsilon.

TeX methematics adopts the convention that lowercase Greek symbols are displayed as italics whereas uppercase Greek symbols are displayed as upright characters. Therefore, the missing Greek capital letters can simply be represented by the \mathrm{ } equivalent

<math>\mathrm{A, B, Z, H, T, X, M, I, K, E}</math>

==Boolean algebra==

There are a number of different conventions for representing Boolean (logic) algebra. Common conventions used in computer science and electronics are detailed below:

Negation, NOT, ¬, !, ~, <sup>−</sup>
\lnot, !, \sim, \overline{ }
Conjunction, AND, ∧, <math>\cdot</math>
\land, \wedge, \cdot
Dysjunction, OR, ∨, +,
\lor, \vee, +
Exclusive dysjunction, XOR ⊻, ⊕
\veebar, \oplus
Equivalence, If and only if, Iff, ≡, ↔, ⇔
\equiv, \leftrightarrow \iff

Example: two representations of De Morgan's laws:

<math>A \cdot B = \overline{\overline{A} + \overline{B}}</math>
$$ A \cdot B = \overline{\overline{A} + \overline{B}} SS

<math>(A \land B) \equiv \lnot(\lnot{A} \lor \lnot{B})</math>
$$ (A \land B) \equiv \lnot(\lnot{A} \lor \lnot{B}) $$

==Fonts==

To use a particular font you need to access the font using the same syntax as demonstrated above.

A math calligraphic font:

<math>\mathcal{ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVXYZ}</math>

or

$$ \mathcal{ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVXYZ}$$

Blackboard bold, a Castellar type font:

<math>\mathbb{ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVXYZ}</math>

or

$$ \mathbb{ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVXYZ}$$

Often used in number theory. For example: <math>\mathbb{N}</math> = set of natural numbers including 0 {0, 1, 2, 3, ...}, <math>\mathbb{Z}</math> = set of integers {-..., -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, ... }, <math>\mathbb{Q}</math> = set of rational numbers, including integers, <math>\mathbb{R}</math> = set of real numbers, which includes the natural numbers, rational numbers and irrational numbers.

Fraktur, an Old English type font:

<math>\mathfrak{ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVXYZ}</math>

or

$$ \mathfrak{ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVXYZ}$$

This is different in Tex Notation in Moodle than it is for other, full, TeX packages.

An italic font:

<math>\mathit{ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVXYZ}</math>

or

$$ \mathit{ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVXYZ} $$

A normal, upright non-italic, Roman font:

<math>\mathrm{ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVXYZ}</math>

or

$$ \mathrm{ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVXYZ} $$
A bold-face font:

<math>\mathbf{ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVXYZ}</math>

or

$$ \mathbf{ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVXYZ} $$

==Size of displays==

The default size is rendered slightly larger than normal font size. TeX Notation in Moodle uses eight different sizes ranging from "tiny" to "huge". However,these values seem to mean different things and are, I suspect, dependent upon the User's screen resolution. The sizes can be noted in four different ways:

{| class="nicetable"
|-
| \fontsize{0} to \fontsize{7}
| $$\fontsize{2} x \ = \ \frac{\sqrt{144}}{2} \ \times \ (y \ + \ 12)$$
| [[Image:cfmimetex10.gif|left]]
|-
| \fs{0} to \fs{7}
| $$\fs{4} x \ = \ \frac{\sqrt{144}}{2} \ \times \ (y \ + \ 12)$$
| [[Image:cfmimetex10.gif|left]]
|-
| \fs0 to \fs7
| $$\fs6 x \ = \ \frac{\sqrt{144}}{2} \ \times \ (y \ + \ 12)$$
| [[Image:cfmimetex11c.gif|left]]
|-
| As well, you can use \tiny \small
\normalsize \large \Large
\LARGE \huge \Huge
| $$\normalsize x \ = \ \frac{\sqrt{144}}{2} \ \times \ (y \ + \ 12)$$
| [[Image:cfmimetex11d.gif|left]]
|}

It appears that TeX Notation in Moodle now allows \fs6, \fs7, \huge and \Huge to be properly rendered.

==Colour==

Unlike many scripting languages, we only need to name the colour we want to use. You may have to experiment a little with colours, but it will make for a brighter page. Once named, the entire statement will appear in the colour, and if you mix colours, the last named colour will dominate. Some examples:

{| class="nicetable"
|-
| $$ \red x \ = \ \frac{\sqrt{144}}{2} \ \times \ (y \ + \ 12) $$
| [[Image: cfmimetex30a.gif|right]]
|-
| $$ \blue x \ = \ \frac{\sqrt{144}}{2} \ \times \ (y \ + \ 12) $$
| [[Image: cfmimetex30b.gif|right]]
|-
| $$ \green x \ = \ \frac{\sqrt{144}}{2} \ \times \ (y \ + \ 12) $$
| [[Image: cfmimetex30c.gif|right]]
|-
| $$ \red x \ = \ \frac{\sqrt{144}}{2}$$ $$ \times $$
$$\green (y \ + \ 12) $$ $$ \ = $$ $$ \ \blue 6^3 $$
| [[Image: cfmimetex30d.gif|right]]
|}

Moodle 2.2 note: You may find this doesn't work for you. You can try to add "\usepackage{color}" to your tex notation setting "LaTeX preamble" (under Site adminstration/Plugins/Filters/TeX notation)and then use this new syntax: $$ \color{red} x \ = \ \frac{\sqrt{144}}{2} \ \times \ (y \ + \ 12) $$

You may note this last one, it is considerably more complex than the previous for colours. TeX Notation in Windows does not allow multicoloured equations, if you name a number of colours in the equation, only the last named will be used.

==Geometric Shapes==

There are two ways to produce geometric shapes, one is with circles and the other is with lines. Each take a bit of practice to get right, but they can provide some simple geometry. It may be easier to produce the shapes in Illustrator or Paint Shop Pro or any one of a number of other drawing packages and use them to illustrate your lessons, but sometimes, some simple diagrams in Moodle will do a better job.

==Circles==

Circles are easy to make.

{| class="nicetable"
|-
| [[Image:cfmimetex20.gif|left]]
| Circles are easily created, and only needs a number to determine how large the circle is.
To create the circle use $$ \circle(150) $$. This makes a circle of 150 pixels in diameter.

|}

==Creating Arcs==

Arcs are also easy to produce, but require some additional parameters. The same code structure used in circles create the basic shape, but the inclusion of a start and end point creates only the arc. However, notice where the 0 point is, not at the true North, but rather the East and run in an anti-clockwise direction.

{| class="nicetable"
|-
| [[Image:cfmimetex21a.gif|left]]
| $$ \circle(120;90,180)$$
| [[Image:cfmimetex21b.gif|left]]
| $$ \circle(120;0,90)$$
|-
| [[Image:cfmimetex21c.gif|left]]
| $$ \circle(120;180,270)$$
| [[Image:cfmimetex21d.gif|left]]
| $$ \circle(120;270,360)$$
|}

This structure breaks down into the \circle command followed by the diameter, not the radius, of the circle, followed by a semi-colon, then the demarcation of the arc, the nomination of the start and end points in degrees from the 0, East, start point. Note that the canvas is the size of the diameter nominated by the circle's parameters.

==The \picture Command==

Using circles and arcs as shown above is somewhat limiting. The \picture command allows you to use a frame in which to build a picture of many layers. Each part of the picture though needs to be in its own space, and while this frame allows you to be creative, to a degree, there are some very hard and fast rules about using it.

All elements of a picture need to be located within the picture frame. Unexpected results occur when parts of an arc, for example, runs over the border of the frame. (This is particularly true of lines, which we will get to next, and the consequences of that overstepping of the border can cause serious problems.)

The \picture command is structured like:
\picture(100){(50,50){\circle(200)}}
\command(size of frame){(x co-ordinate, y co-ordinate){\shape to draw(size or x co-ordinate, y co-ordinate)})

'''NOTE:''' The brace is used to enclose each set of required starting point coordinates. Inside each set of braces, another set of braces is used to isolate each set of coordinates from the other, and those coordinates use their proper brackets and backslash. Count the opening and closing brackets, be careful of the position,

{| class="nicetable"
|-
| [[Image:cfmimetex24a.gif|left]]
| $$ \picture(100){(50,50){\circle(200)}}&&

The picture frame brings elements together that you may not otherwise see.

Because of the frame size of 100px and the centre point of the circle in the mid-point of the frame, the 200px circle will be squashed. Unexpected results occur when sizes are not correct.
| [[Image:cfmimetex24b.gif|left]]
|
Using the picture frame, you can layer circles
and lines over each other, or they can intersect.

$$ \picture(100){(50,50){\circle(99)} (50,50){\circle(80)}} $$
|-
| [[Image:cfmimetex24c.gif|left]]
| You may want to see an image of a circle with a dot in the middle.
You may have to try to place the centre dot correctly , but the
ordering of the elements in the image may have an impact.

$$ \picture(100){(48,46){\bullet}(50,50){\circle(99)}} $$
| [[Image:cfmimetex24d.gif|left]]
| Using the same ideas as above, you can make semi-circles.

$$\picture(150){(50,50){\circle(100;0,180)}(100,50){\circle(100;180,360)}}$$
|}

==Lines==

----

'''Warning:''' Drawing lines in TeX Notation in Moodle is an issue, go to the [[Using_TeX_Notation#Reserved_Characters_and_Keywords| Using Text Notation]] for more information. If the line is not noted properly then the parser will try to correctly draw the line but will not successfully complete it. This means that every image that needs be drawn will be drawn until it hits the error. When the error is being converted, it fails, so no subsequent image is drawn. Be careful and make sure your line works BEFORE you move to the next problem or next image.

----
{| class="nicetable"
|-
| [[Image: cfmimetex26.gif|frame|left| a couple of lines]]
| $$\red \picture(200){(20,0){ \line(180,0)}{(20,180){\line(180,0}$$

The structure of the picture box is that the \picture(200) provides a square image template.

The (20,0) provides the starting coordinates for any line that comes after. In this case the start point is at 20pixels in the x axis and 0 pixels in the y axis. The starting point for all coordinates, 0,0, is the bottom left corner and they run in a clockwise manner. '''Do not confuse this with arcs.'''

The \line(180,0) determines the length and inclination of the line. In this case, the inclination is 0 and the length is 180px.

These are enclosed in braces, all inside one set of braces owned by the \picture() control sequence.

The next set of commands are the same, that is, the (20,200) are the coordinates of the next line. The x co-ordinate is the 20, that is the distance to the right from the 0 point. The y co-ordinates is the distance from the bottom of the image. Whereas the first line started and ran on the bottom of the picture frame, the y co-ordinate starts at the 200 pixel mark from the bottom of the image. The line, at 180 pixels long and has no y slope. This creates a spread pair of parallel lines.
| [[Image: cfmimtex27.gif|thumb|right|150px|\picture explained]]
|}

While this explains the structure of a line, there is a couple of elements that you need to go through to do more with them.

==Squares and Rectangles==
Drawing squares and rectangles is similar, but only slightly different.

There should be a square box tool, and there is, but unless it has something inside it, it does not display. It is actually easier to make a square using the \line command.

{| class="nicetable"
|-
| [[Image: line03.gif|left]]
|This box is constructed using:
$$ \picture(250){(10,10){\line(0,230)}(10,10){\line(230,0)}(240,10){\line(0,230)}(10,240){\line(230,0)}}$$
It is a 250 pixel square box with a 230 pixel square inside it.
| [[Image: line04.gif|left]]
|This box is different in that is has the equal length indicators that are used in a square.
$$ \picture(250){(10,10){\line(0,230)}
(5,120){\line(10,0)}
(10,10){\line(230,0)}
(120,5){\line(0,10)}
(240,10){\line(0,230)}
(235,120){\line(10,0)}
(10,240){\line(230,0)}
(120,235){\line(0,10)}}$$
|-
| [[Image: line05.gif|left]]
| The rectangle then becomes the same thing, but with one side shorter. For a portrait canvas it would be:
$$ \picture(250){(10,10){\line(0,230)}(10,10){\line(150,0)}(160,10){\line(0,230)}(10,240){\line(150,0)}}$$
| [[Image: line06.gif|left]]
|The rectangle can also produce a landscape shape:
$$ \picture(250){(10,10){\line(0,160)}(10,10){\line(230,0)}(240,10){\line(0,160)}(10,170){\line(230,0)}}$$
|}

==Controlling Angles==

Controlling angles is a little different. They involve a different perception, but not one that is unfamiliar. Consider this:

We have a point from which we want to draw a line that is on an angle. The notation used at this point can be positive, positive or positive, negative or negative, positive or negative, negative. Think of it like a number plane or a graph, using directed numbers. The 0,0 point is in the centre, and we have four quadrants around it that give us one of the previously mentioned results.

{| class="nicetable"
|-
| rowspan="4"|[[Image:co-ordquadrants.png|left]]
| [[Image:line06a.gif|left]] $$\picture(100){(50,50){\line(40,45)}}$$,
a positive x and positive y
|-
| [[Image:line06b.gif|left]]$$\picture(100){(50,50){\line(-40,45)}}$$
a negative x and positive y
|-
| [[Image:line06c.gif|left]]$$\picture(100){(50,50){\line(-40,-45)}}$$
a negative x and negative y
|-
| [[Image:line06d.gif|left]]$$\picture(100){(50,50){\line(40,-45)}}$$
a positive x and a negative y
|}

Essentially, what these points boil down to is that anything above the insertion point is a positive on the y axis, anything below is a negative. Anything to the left of the insertion point is a negative while everything to the right is a positive.

{| class="nicetable"
|-
|[[Image:line06e.gif|left]]
| $$\picture(100){(50,50){\line(40,45)}(50,50){\line(-40,45)}(50,50){\line(-40,-45)}(50,50){\line(40,-45)}}$$

The co-ordinate alignment process in TeX is not that good that you can use one set of co-ords as a single starting point for all lines. The layering of each object varies because of the position of the previous object, so each object needs to be exactly placed.

This co-ord structure has a great deal of impact on intersecting lines, parallel lines and triangles.
|}

==Intersecting Lines==

You can set up an intersecting pair easily enough, using the \picture control sequence.

{| class="nicetable"
|-
| [[Image:cfmimetex31.gif|left]]
| $$ \picture(200){(10,0){\line(150,150)} (0,130){\line(180,-180)}} $$

The lines that are drawn can be labeled.

$$ \picture(200){(10,0){\line(150,150)}(0,130){\line(180,-180)}
(0,10){A}(0,135){B}(140,0){C}(140,150){D}(62,80){X}} $$

To produce another image.
| [[Image:cfmimetex32.gif|right]]
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align: center;"| To which you may want to ask the question:
$$The \ \angle \ of \ AXB \ is \ 72\textdegree. \ What \ is \ the \ value \ of \ \angle BXD? $$
[[Image: cfmimetex32a.gif|center]]

NOTE: Labeling this image, above-right, turned out to be fairly simple. Offsetting points by a few pixels at the start or end points of the lines proved a successful strategy. The X point proved a little more problematic, and took a number of adjustments before getting it right. Experience here will help.
|-
| colspan="2"| With labels the drawing can become a little more like your traditional geometric drawing, but the devil is in the details. The parallel markers need to be placed properly, and that is where experience really comes into it. On lines that are vertical or horizontal, you can get away with using the > or < directly from the keyboard, or the <math>\gg</math> or <math>\ll</math> symbols. In either case, you need to position them properly.

The code:
$$\picture(200){(15,45){\line(170,0)} (15,30){c}(170,28){d}(15,160){\line(170,0)}(15,145){e}(180,143){f}(50,20){\line(110,175)}(58,20){a}(140,185){b}(42,32){\kappa}(53,48){\beta}
(150,165){\kappa}
(90,38){\gg}(80,153){\gg}
}$$
| [[Image:line10.gif|right]]
|}

==Lines and Arcs==

Combining lines and arcs is a serious challenge actually, on a number of levels. For example lets take an arc from the first page on circles.
{| class="nicetable"
|-
| [[Image: cfmimetex21a.gif|left]]
| Fairly innocuous of itself, but when we start to add in elements, it changes dramatically.

$$ \circle(120;90,180) $$
|-
| [[Image: line12.gif|left]]
| $$\picture(150){(75,75){\circle(120;90,180)}(75,75){\line(-70,0)}(75,75){\line(0,75)}} $$
All elements in this drawing start in the same place. Each is layered, and properly placed on the canvas, and using the same co-ord to start makes it easy to control them. No matter the size of the arc, intersecting lines can all be drawn using the centre co-ords of the arc.
|}

==Triangles ==

Of all the drawing objects, it is actually triangles that present the most challenge. For example:

{|
|-
| [[Image:line13.gif|left]]
$$\picture(350){(10,10){\line(0,320)}(10,330){\line(330,0)}(10,10){\line(330,320)}}$$
|This is a simple triangle, one that allows us to establish a simple set of rules for the sides. The vertical always has an x=0 co-ord and the horizontal always has a y=0 co-ord.

In this case with an x value of 330 on the horizontal, and a y value of 320 on the vertical, the hypotenuse should then have a value of x=340, and the y=330, but not so, they actually have an x=330 and a y=320.

There is no need to add the starting point co-ords to the x and y values of the line.
| [[Image:line14.gif|right]]
$$picture(350){(10,10){\line(330,0)}(340,10){\line(0,320)}(340,330){\line(-330,-320)}}$$

|}

This triangle has been developed for a Trigonometry page - but the additional notation should provide insight into how you can use it.

{| class="nicetable"
|-
| [[Image:line16.gif|left]]
| This is a labeled image, but it has an \fbox in it with its little line. With some effort, it could be replaced with two intersecting short lines.
$$\picture(350,150){(25,25){\line(300,0)}(325,25){\line(0,110)}(25,25){\line(300,110)}(309,25){\fbox{\line(5,5)}}
(307,98){\theta}(135,75){\beta}(150,5){\alpha}(335,75){\epsilon}}$$
|}

{| class="nicetable"
|-
| The triangle shows like:
[[Image:trig01.gif|left]]
|We use the different elements of the triangle to identify those things we need to know about a right-angled triangle.

The hypotenuse is always the side that is opposite the right angle. The longest side is always the Hypotenuse.

To identify the other elements of the triangle we look for the sign <math>\theta</math>. <math>\Theta</math> is the starting point for naming the other sides.

The side that is opposite <math>\angle \theta</math> is known as the Opposite.

The side that lies alongside <math>\angle \theta</math> is known as the Adjacent side.

To determine which is which, draw a line that bisects <math>\angle \theta</math> and whatever line it crosses is the Opposite side.
|-
| colspan="2"| The code:
$$ \picture(350,250){(25,25){\line(300,0)}(25,25){\line(0,220)}(25,245){\line(300,-220)}(310,25){\circle(100;135,180)}(20,100){\line(310,-75)} (25,25){\fbox{\line(5,5)}}(25,25){\line(150,150)}(165,140){Hypotenuse}(120,2){Adjacent}(2,80){\rotatebox{90}{Opposite}}(270,40){\theta}}$$
|}

=Matrices=
A Matrix is a rectangular array of numbers arranged in rows and columns which can be used to organize numeric information. Matrices can be used to predict trends and outcomes in real situations - i.e. polling.

==A Matrix==
A matrix can be written and displayed like [[Image: matrices03.gif|A matrix]]

In this case the matrix is constructed using the brackets before creating the array:
$$ M = \left[\begin{array}{ccc} a&b&1 \ c&d&2 \ e&f&3\end{array}\right] $$
The internal structure of the array is generated by the &, ampersand, and the double backslash.

You can also create a grid for the matrix.

{| class="nicetable"
|-
|A dashed line
|A solid line
|A mixed line
|-
|[[Image: matrices04.gif]]
|[[Image: matrices05.gif]]
|[[Image: matrices06.gif]]
|-
|$$ M = \left[\begin{array}'''{c.c.c}''' a&b&1 \ '''\hdash''' c&d&2 \ '''\hdash''' e&f&3\end{array}\right] $$
|$$ M = \left[\begin{array}'''{c|c|c}''' a&b&1 \ '''\hline''' c&d&2 \ '''\hline''' e&f&3\end{array}\right] $$
|$$ M = \left[\begin{array}'''{c.c|c}''' a&b&1 \ '''\hline''' c&d&2 \ '''\hdash''' e&f&3\end{array}\right] $$
|}

The command sequences here are the {c|c.c} and \hdash and \hline. The pipe, |, and the full stop determine the line type for the vertical line.

Matrices also respond to other TeX Notation commands such as size and colour.

{| class="nicetable"
|-
|
Colour
| colspan="2"|Size
|-
|[[Image: matrices07.gif]]
|[[Image: matrices08.gif]]
|[[Image: matrices09.gif]]
|-
|$$ '''\blue''' M = \left[\begin{array}{c.c.c} a&b&1 \ \hdash c&d&2 \ \hdash e&f&3\end{array}\right] $$
|$$ '''\fs7''' M = \left[\begin{array}{c.c.c} a&b&1 \ \hdash c&d&2 \ \hdash e&f&3\end{array}\right] $$
|$$ '''\fs2''' M = \left[\begin{array}{c.c.c} a&b&1 \ \hdash c&d&2 \ \hdash e&f&3\end{array}\right] $$
|}

==Creating equal and unequal matrices==
Equal and unequal matrices are simply matrices that either share or not share the same number of rows and columns. To be more precise, equal matrices share the same order and each element in the corresponding positions are equal. Anything else is unequal matrices.

Actually equal and unequal matrices are constructed along similar lines, but have different shapes:

{| class="nicetable"
|-
|Equal Matrix
|An unequal matrix
|-
|[[Image: matrices10.gif]]
|[[Image: matrices11.gif]]
|-
| $$ \left[\begin{array} a&b&1 \ c&d&2 \ e&f&3\end{array}\right] \ = \ \left[\begin{array} 12&11&z \ 10&9&y \ 8&7&x\end{array}\right] $$
| $$ \left[\begin{array} a&b \ c&d \ e&f \end{array}\right] \ \neq \ \left[\begin{array} 12&11&z \ 10&9&y \ 8&7&x\end{array}\right] $$
|}

==Labeling a Matrix==

Addition and subtraction matrices are similar again, but the presentation is usually very different. The problem comes when trying to mix labels into arrays. The lack of sophistication in the TeX Notation plays against it here.

Moodle allows an easy adoption of tables to make it work though. For example:

Bill the baker supplies three shops, A, B and C with pies, pasties and sausage rolls.
He is expected to determine the stock levels of those three shops in his estimation of supplies.

It is better to use the Moodle Fullscreen editor for this, to have a better idea of how the end product will look and to take advantage of the additional tools available. Design decisions need occupy our attention for a while. We need a table of five rows and four columns. The first row is a header row, so the label is centred. The next row needs four columns, a blank cell to start and labels A, B and C. The next three rows are divided into two columns, with the labels, pies, pasties and sausage rolls in each row of the first column and the matrix resides in a merged set of columns there. So first the table:

{| class="nicetable"
|-
| Insert Table - initial properties
| Merge Cells Button
| Advanced Properties
|-
| rowspan="2"|[[Image: matricestable01.png|Table properties]]
| [[Image: matricestable02.png | Merge cells]]
| [[Image: matricestable03.png | Cell properties button]]
|-
| colspan="2"| You may need to look into the Advanced properties setting of the tables and cells to make this work.
|}

This is the immediate result:

[[Image: matricestable04.png | The resulting table]]

While not a very good look, it can be made better by tweaking the table using the advanced settings and properties buttons and then you can tweak the matrix itself.

==Tweaking the Matrix==

[[Image: matricestable05a.png | A tweaked matrix]]

Things are not always as they seem, be aware, the "c" does not stand for "column", it actually stands for "centre". The columns are aligned by the letters l, for left, c for centre and r for right.

Each column is spread across 50 pixels, so the value of 50 is entered into the alignment declaration. The plus sign before the value is used to "propogate" or to force the value across the whole matrix, but is not used when wanting to separate only one column.

To set the rows is a little more problematic. The capital letter C sets the vertical alignment to the centre, (B is for baseline, but that does not guarantee that the numbers will appear on the base line, and there does not appear to be any third value). The plus sign and following value sets the height of all rows to the number given. In this I have given it a value of 25 pixels for the entire matrix. If there were four or five rows, the same height requirement is made.

The order things appear is also important. If you change the order of these settings, they will either not work at all, or will not render as you expect them to. If something does not work properly, then check to make sure you have the right order first.

==An Addition Matrix==

The rule for performing operations on matrices is that they must be equal matrices. For example, addition matrices look like:

[[Image: matricestable06.png | An addition matrix]]

with the results obvious. The code is:

$$\left[\begin{array}{c+50C+25.c.c}
11&14&12 \ \hdash16&12&22 \ \hdash 14&17&15
\end{array}\right] + \left[\begin{array}{c+50C+25.c.c}
60&60&60 \ \hdash 40&40&30 \ \hdash 30&30&30
\end{array}\right] $$

==A Subtraction Matrix==

Similar to an addition matrix in its construction, the subtraction matrix is subject to the same rules of equality.

Using the same essential data, we can calculate the daily sales of each of the shops.

[[Image: matricestable07.png | A subtraction matrix]]

The code is:
$$ \left[\begin{array}{c+50C+25.c.c}
72&95&68 \ \hdash 54&61&65 \ \hdash 48&51&60
\end{array}\right] - \left[\begin{array}{c+50C+25.c.c}
11&14&12 \ \hdash 16&12&22 \ \hdash 14&17&15
\end{array}\right] = \left[\begin{array}{c+50C+25.c.c}
61&81&56 \ \hdash 38&49&43 \ \hdash 34&34&48
\end{array}\right] $$

This code looks more complex than it really is, it is cluttered by the lines and alignment sequences.

==Multiplication Matrices==

Different than the addition or subtraction matrices, the multiplication matrix comes in three parts, the row matrix, the column matrix and the answer matrix. This implies it has a different construction methodology.

[[Image: matrices16.gif | A multiplication matrix]]

And the code for this is:
$$ \begin{array} 10&14&16\end{array} \
\left[\begin{array} 45 \\ 61 \\ 19 \end{array}\right]
\ = \ \begin{array} 450&854&304\end{array} $$

While different, it is not necessarily more complex. For example a problem like:

Bill the baker is selling his product to Con the cafe owner, who
wants to make sure his overall prices are profitable for himself.
Con needs to make sure that his average price is providing sufficient
profit to be able to keep the cafes open. Con makes his calculations
on a weekly basis, comparing cost to sale prices.

With the pies, pasties and sausage rolls in that order he applies them to the cost and sale price columns :

[[Image: matrices17.gif | A multiplication matrix]]

The code for this is:
$$\left[\begin{array} 350&310&270 \end{array}\right] \
\left[\begin{array} \$2.10&\$3.60 \ \$2.05&\$3.60 \ \$1.90&\$3.10 \end{array}
\right] \ = \ \left[\begin{array} \$735.00&\$1260.00 \ \$635.50&\$1116.00 \
\$513.00&$\837.00 \end{array}\right] $$

==See Also==
* [[Mathematics_tools_FAQ]]
* [[MathJax_filter]] - available in Moodle 2.7 and later
* [[TeX notation filter]] To turn on the TeX Notation
* [[DragMath equation editor]]
* [[Chemistry notation using mhchem]]

[[Category:Mathematics]]

ASCIIMathML

2015-11-19T10:38:01Z

Colinfraser: /* See Also */

<p class="note">NOTE: With the use of Atto as an editor, MathJax has been included as a standard tool for writing Maths expressions. </p>

==Introduction==
Initially developed by Peter Jipsen ( [http://groups.google.com/group/asciimath/web/historical-remarks-about-asciimathml-from-2004?hl=en see his remarks on the history of ASCIIMathML here] ), ASCIIMathML has become one of the most widely and easily used tools for the expression and display of Mathematics on the web.
==Features==

==Display Usage==
===Generally===
AsciiMathML has been massaged into quite a few formats, and is presently available in a version 2.0.2 distribution [http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=106148 from Sourceforge] which can be quickly installed for Moodle as a javascripted based filter.

However, in exploring various features of AsciiMathML it was discovered that once installed (per the default instructions) the filter did not turn off (There is a Tracker item on this [need to add reference]. It is argued that this behavior may be due to artifacts in the usage of require_js ) and that there were issues with the filter not interacting appropriately with the Moodle quiz and message modules. It is possible that the filter may be made to behave more like a filter if the javascript files are moved and the php files edited to reflect their location.

For the interim it was determined that asciimathml.js works very well if simply referenced in meta.php, and for those interested in using ASCIIMathML, it is suggested that a reference to it be placed in the appropriate theme and that a "common" location for the distribution files be identified ([https://docs.moodle.org/en/ASCIIMathML#Invoking_Via_meta.php see below]}

Additionally, a php version of ASCIIMathML has been developed by Steve Chan. Depending on usage, using the php version may or may not require the concurrent usage of an additional javascript file (arguably, if the web application displays XHTML, which Moodle does, the additional javascript file is not necessary.)

Stemming from an initial joint project with Peter Jipsen, David Lippman has also maintained a version of ASCIIMathML.js that provides fallback to a TeX interpreter such as mimetex. This can be important because ASCIIMathML requires that a) the browser used supports MathML (A W3C standard that Safari, for example does not support) and b) that adequate Math fonts are available to the browser (see note below about obtaining and installing fonts).

As part of extending the fallback option to make ASCIIMathML usage more transparent for usage on Moodle, a Moodle version will be available.
===Display via MathJax===
Thanks to David Lippman you can now parse ASCIIMathML for display using MathJax. The configuration information can be found at http://www.mathjax.org/docs/2.0/options/asciimath2jax.html#configure-asciimath2jax . This implementation does not include ASCIISVG.

===Display via SEE===
The Super Equation Editor (See Advanced Math Tools) provides a variety of tools to manage display of ASCIIMathML
===Installation and Display via meta.php===
'''WARNING!!! With the devellopment of separate docs for ech Moodle versin it is likely that much of this section WON'T work with Moodle 2, though the same concept can be implemented in Moodle 2.'''

Because of all the discussion regarding asciimathml and possible conflicts and fallback options please consider installing as follows pending the adoption of Moodle 2.0 and such integrations with tinyMCE as may be provided at that time.

From the sourceforge link above obtain the asciimath files. Place the asciimath folder in /lib so that you now have /lib/asciimath (the folder location has moved a bit over time, but I am recommending this change from placing the folder at /lib/editor/common/asciimath so as to be more consistent with other usage - [[User:Marc Grober|Marc Grober]] 18:54, 1 July 2009 (UTC)) DO NOT place it with other filters in /lib/filter as it appears to continue to work whether it is turned on or not. If you are interested in fallback, you may copy [http://moodle.org/file.php/5/moddata/forum/130/483519/ASCIIMathML2wMnGFallback.zip this file] to the asciimath folder and, backing up your original asciimathml.js file, replace it with this one, changing the references inside it to you local mimetex or mathtran server.

Now edit your meta.php to point to the new location. You will have a meta.php in your theme's directory and it will look something like the code below.... Note the inclusion of the two script stanzas. Just make sure the second points to the correct directory.
<code php>
<script type="text/javascript">
_editor_skin = "xp-blue"; // If you want use a skin, add the name (of the folder) here
_editor_lang = "en"; // And the language we need to use in the editor.
var mathcolor = "black"; // You may change the color the formulae are displayed (default: red)
var mathfontfamily = "Arial"; //and the font (default: serif, which is good I think)
</script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="<?php echo $CFG->httpswwwroot ?>/lib/asciimath/ASCIIMathML.js"></script>


</code>
Now don't forget to [http://www.mozilla.org/projects/mathml/fonts/ install the STIX fonts].

==ASCIISVG==

==Discussion==
Peter Jipsen created a google groups site [http://groups.google.com/group/asciimath?hl=en here] "for discussing issues and proposing additions to the JavaScript program ASCIIMathML.js that enables users to easily display mathematics and graphs (using MathML and SVG) on web pages or in blogs and wikis. Suggestions are welcome (see www.chapman.edu/~jipsen/asciimath.html for more). "

==Issues==
===Failure to display some tex===
ASCIIMathML was intended to provide a quick and easy alternative to use and display of the text syntax employed by (la)tex. WHile it does this well, when it comes to the incremental features of either parsing and displaying tex text expressions, or if using fallback, converting asciimathml text expression to tex, there are occasions upon which the results of problematic. Most often, this can be resolved through using an alternative text expression that parses to the same results, and there is discussion in the Math Tools forum on such usage. Additionally, there is continuing research and effort in trying to provide a quick, easy, and seamless way to write and display math online.
===Font usage generally===
While Firefox does do MathML, the results are problematic without appropriate fonts. Initially the MIT fonts were recommended while Mozilla now recommends the STIX beta fonts. There has been some continuing discussion on whether Firefox should bundle such fonts, but at present you will have to download and install fonts separately. This is very easy to do and there are "how to"s to assist you.
===Specific font issues===
Discussion in the Assciimathml google group continues to yield "fixes" for specific font issues as possible, though some issues may reside in the browser. We hope that by the time Moodle 2 is released with tinyMCE an asciimathml version with falabck that addresses most known font issues will be available here
===Fallback===
David Lippman developed a fallback script (a version is offered above) that invokes mimetex or mathtran if for some reason the script determines that the current browser can't display MathML. Versions have been passed about that provide session cookies so that warnings are provided once, that do away with any warnings, etc. At some point a full set of versins with explanations may be available, or perhaps a script with specific internal configuration instructions. In the meantime, if you have any questions post them to the Math Tools forum and we will try to answer them as quickly as possible

===See Also===
*[[Mathematics_tools_FAQ]]

[[Category:Mathematics]]

[[es:ASCIIMathML]]

ASCIIMathML

2015-11-19T10:34:55Z

Colinfraser: /* Fallback */

<p class="note">NOTE: With the use of Atto as an editor, MathJax has been included as a standard tool for writing Maths expressions. </p>

==Introduction==
Initially developed by Peter Jipsen ( [http://groups.google.com/group/asciimath/web/historical-remarks-about-asciimathml-from-2004?hl=en see his remarks on the history of ASCIIMathML here] ), ASCIIMathML has become one of the most widely and easily used tools for the expression and display of Mathematics on the web.
==Features==

==Display Usage==
===Generally===
AsciiMathML has been massaged into quite a few formats, and is presently available in a version 2.0.2 distribution [http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=106148 from Sourceforge] which can be quickly installed for Moodle as a javascripted based filter.

However, in exploring various features of AsciiMathML it was discovered that once installed (per the default instructions) the filter did not turn off (There is a Tracker item on this [need to add reference]. It is argued that this behavior may be due to artifacts in the usage of require_js ) and that there were issues with the filter not interacting appropriately with the Moodle quiz and message modules. It is possible that the filter may be made to behave more like a filter if the javascript files are moved and the php files edited to reflect their location.

For the interim it was determined that asciimathml.js works very well if simply referenced in meta.php, and for those interested in using ASCIIMathML, it is suggested that a reference to it be placed in the appropriate theme and that a "common" location for the distribution files be identified ([https://docs.moodle.org/en/ASCIIMathML#Invoking_Via_meta.php see below]}

Additionally, a php version of ASCIIMathML has been developed by Steve Chan. Depending on usage, using the php version may or may not require the concurrent usage of an additional javascript file (arguably, if the web application displays XHTML, which Moodle does, the additional javascript file is not necessary.)

Stemming from an initial joint project with Peter Jipsen, David Lippman has also maintained a version of ASCIIMathML.js that provides fallback to a TeX interpreter such as mimetex. This can be important because ASCIIMathML requires that a) the browser used supports MathML (A W3C standard that Safari, for example does not support) and b) that adequate Math fonts are available to the browser (see note below about obtaining and installing fonts).

As part of extending the fallback option to make ASCIIMathML usage more transparent for usage on Moodle, a Moodle version will be available.
===Display via MathJax===
Thanks to David Lippman you can now parse ASCIIMathML for display using MathJax. The configuration information can be found at http://www.mathjax.org/docs/2.0/options/asciimath2jax.html#configure-asciimath2jax . This implementation does not include ASCIISVG.

===Display via SEE===
The Super Equation Editor (See Advanced Math Tools) provides a variety of tools to manage display of ASCIIMathML
===Installation and Display via meta.php===
'''WARNING!!! With the devellopment of separate docs for ech Moodle versin it is likely that much of this section WON'T work with Moodle 2, though the same concept can be implemented in Moodle 2.'''

Because of all the discussion regarding asciimathml and possible conflicts and fallback options please consider installing as follows pending the adoption of Moodle 2.0 and such integrations with tinyMCE as may be provided at that time.

From the sourceforge link above obtain the asciimath files. Place the asciimath folder in /lib so that you now have /lib/asciimath (the folder location has moved a bit over time, but I am recommending this change from placing the folder at /lib/editor/common/asciimath so as to be more consistent with other usage - [[User:Marc Grober|Marc Grober]] 18:54, 1 July 2009 (UTC)) DO NOT place it with other filters in /lib/filter as it appears to continue to work whether it is turned on or not. If you are interested in fallback, you may copy [http://moodle.org/file.php/5/moddata/forum/130/483519/ASCIIMathML2wMnGFallback.zip this file] to the asciimath folder and, backing up your original asciimathml.js file, replace it with this one, changing the references inside it to you local mimetex or mathtran server.

Now edit your meta.php to point to the new location. You will have a meta.php in your theme's directory and it will look something like the code below.... Note the inclusion of the two script stanzas. Just make sure the second points to the correct directory.
<code php>
<script type="text/javascript">
_editor_skin = "xp-blue"; // If you want use a skin, add the name (of the folder) here
_editor_lang = "en"; // And the language we need to use in the editor.
var mathcolor = "black"; // You may change the color the formulae are displayed (default: red)
var mathfontfamily = "Arial"; //and the font (default: serif, which is good I think)
</script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="<?php echo $CFG->httpswwwroot ?>/lib/asciimath/ASCIIMathML.js"></script>


</code>
Now don't forget to [http://www.mozilla.org/projects/mathml/fonts/ install the STIX fonts].

==ASCIISVG==

==Discussion==
Peter Jipsen created a google groups site [http://groups.google.com/group/asciimath?hl=en here] "for discussing issues and proposing additions to the JavaScript program ASCIIMathML.js that enables users to easily display mathematics and graphs (using MathML and SVG) on web pages or in blogs and wikis. Suggestions are welcome (see www.chapman.edu/~jipsen/asciimath.html for more). "

==Issues==
===Failure to display some tex===
ASCIIMathML was intended to provide a quick and easy alternative to use and display of the text syntax employed by (la)tex. WHile it does this well, when it comes to the incremental features of either parsing and displaying tex text expressions, or if using fallback, converting asciimathml text expression to tex, there are occasions upon which the results of problematic. Most often, this can be resolved through using an alternative text expression that parses to the same results, and there is discussion in the Math Tools forum on such usage. Additionally, there is continuing research and effort in trying to provide a quick, easy, and seamless way to write and display math online.
===Font usage generally===
While Firefox does do MathML, the results are problematic without appropriate fonts. Initially the MIT fonts were recommended while Mozilla now recommends the STIX beta fonts. There has been some continuing discussion on whether Firefox should bundle such fonts, but at present you will have to download and install fonts separately. This is very easy to do and there are "how to"s to assist you.
===Specific font issues===
Discussion in the Assciimathml google group continues to yield "fixes" for specific font issues as possible, though some issues may reside in the browser. We hope that by the time Moodle 2 is released with tinyMCE an asciimathml version with falabck that addresses most known font issues will be available here
===Fallback===
David Lippman developed a fallback script (a version is offered above) that invokes mimetex or mathtran if for some reason the script determines that the current browser can't display MathML. Versions have been passed about that provide session cookies so that warnings are provided once, that do away with any warnings, etc. At some point a full set of versins with explanations may be available, or perhaps a script with specific internal configuration instructions. In the meantime, if you have any questions post them to the Math Tools forum and we will try to answer them as quickly as possible

===See Also===
*[[Advanced_Maths_Tools]]
[[Category:Mathematics]]

[[es:ASCIIMathML]]

ASCIIMathML

2015-11-19T10:33:11Z

Colinfraser:

Mathematics tools FAQ

2015-11-19T10:20:14Z

Colinfraser: /* We need to install Latex. Will all our current equations with the $$ tokens still work? */

{{Main page}}This FAQ is a recent creation and is still building. If you have a relevant question and answer, please add it to the bottom.

'''NOTE:''' Since this page was started, Moodle has introduced the MathJax editor for Atto. While the information here is valid, it is only useful for the tools they discuss.

==Does Moodle have any Math tools in it as native?==
It certainly does, and if you look at the [[Using TeX Notation]] pages, they will give you a good start on how you can, quickly and fairly easily, build a small body of knowledge that will allow you to move on to bigger and better things. With Atto the preferred editor, additional functionality included the MathJax editing dialog box. This allows users to edit Maths Functions easily and quickly without having to use TeX notation.

==What kind of Maths tools can Moodle use or adapt?==
There are two ways to use maths tools in Moodle, aside from the use of MathJax.
1. Plugins that integrate new functionality into Moodle. The list of Plugins for Moodle include among others [[Dragmath]] or [[WIRIS]].
2. Many external programs that can be used to generate content that is easily imported to Moodle. External programs include MathType which works with several Moodle Plugins.

==Does Moodle have an interactive whiteboard feature?==
Not as such, but it seems both the interactive and content is controlled by the whiteboard. You can use an interactive whiteboard to display Moodle, but unless you incorporate screen grabs from the Moodle into the whiteboard software, Moodle probably will not work as a genuine PHP App. Having said that, it is possible that at some stage in the future, a plugin for either, or even both, may be developed.

==I am using Windows Server 2003 and am trying to get the TeX filter to work.==
There are often three issues here, the first is the way in which Windows assigns permissions. You need to give write permissions to I_USER (or IIS_USER - all those people who use moodledata through internet) on moodledata folders and subfolders like D:\moodledata/filter/tex/ - and executable files need executable permissions.

It is also possible that what ever permissions you give to your files, Windows may permit running executable files on folders that are placed to system folders like c:\program files - I have seen this happen in Windows Vista and Windows 7 so it's probably true also in Windows Server 2003. If you install MikTex or TexLive for example to C:\Miktex (Texlive) or D:\Miktex (Texlive) and GhostScript and Imagemagick the same drive, such problems should not exist.

Sometimes you may need to delete old (Miktex) install folders from system (environment) variable PATH or add the correct folder to PATH if the install script has not done it automatically. Windows will not find the right files from the correct folder without the PATH being correct. (The TexLive installer scripts usually makes this automatic, but MikTeX needs be done manually.)

Finally, PHP settings may also prevent running of executable files - in the php.ini file look for the field "disable_functions", it should be empty and check the other programs security measures (in programs and scripts themselves) they should control running "non secure" commands like exec() or system(), not prevent them.

Thanks [http://moodle.org/user/view.php?id=9523&course=5 Mauno]

==We need to install Latex. Will all our current equations with the $$ tokens still work?==
The original TeX program written by Don Knuth used the $$ tokens to denote TeX. TeX has grown and evolved into a number of different versions, which have had further developments. Most TeX And LaTeX still support the $$ token, but it is usually undocumented. This is where a test Moodle comes in handy - installing a LaTeX into a test environment then checking the result will answer the question of which LaTeX will accept the $$ token. Be careful here, some newer versions of LaTeX use delimiters, not tokens, to denote TeX sequences.

While LateX, or some version of it, is the preferred tool for many users, it is no longer really needed for creating the essential maths expressions or equations. As Atto is now the preferred editor, part of the development of Atto was devoted to incorporating the MathJax Editor as a core tool. This has made it easy to develop most expressions.

==OK, what is the difference between a token and a delimiter?==
In TeX tokens are symbols used to denote a TeX command or control sequence. These can be $$ used in the native Tex Notation filter and supported by many versions of TeX and LaTeX, but they can also be \[ \] or any variation of any number of other symbols. A delimiter is what the LaTeX rendered in these pages uses. Moodle Docs went over to LiveTeX a little while ago, and now use the <nowiki><math> </math></nowiki> delimiter, much the same as html commands use, instead it has only one command, that of <nowiki><math> </math></nowiki>.

==See also==

*Using Moodle [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/view.php?f=130 Mathematics Tools forum]
*Using Moodle [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=104483 Creating equations] forum discussion
*[[Using TeX Notation]]
*[http://www.dessci.com/en/support/mathtype/works_with.htm?target=moodle Mathtype works with Moodle]
*[[WIRIS]] Plugin
*[https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=315504 New Math questions in Moodle Quizzes using WeBWorK] forum post

[[Category:Teacher]]
[[Category:Administrator]]
[[Category:Mathematics]]
[[Category:FAQ]]

[[es:Herramientas matemáticas FAQ]]

Mathematics tools FAQ

2015-11-19T10:06:04Z

Colinfraser:

Advanced Maths Tools

2015-11-19T09:59:41Z

Colinfraser:

<p class="note">'''UPDATE:''' Support for the tools discussed below has been dropped with the advent of MathJax as a core tool that can be used in Atto.</p>

<p class="note">'''NOTE:''' The tools discussed in these pages are, at this time (August 2011), considered to be "third-party plugins". They are not core, as yet, and still need to be thoroughly tested under more stringent conditions i.e. by users of all sorts. If interested, please follow the links below and download the package that suits your situation and use it in good faith. Any issues or problems can be discussed in the [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/view.php?id=752 Mathematics Tools Forum]. Be aware that these tools may also undergo major changes as they develop and may be required to do so before they are included as core. Check back here as often as you feel is necessary - updates will be included here when possible </p>

===Introduction===
In August of 2011, Mauno Korpelainen released his long-awaited Maths integration package, (tongue in cheekily but aptly) named SEE, Super Equation Editor. Mauno successfully integrated a number of Maths tools onto Moodle 2.1. These tools include Geogebra, JSXGraph, Math, MathML, MathTran, tex, DragMath, Geonext, JSQuery, MathJax. Mauno had also included a version of TinyMCE that has, as native, a Maths editing toolbar. The pages that follow are a guide to downloading, installing and using the plugins.

{|
|-
|[[Image:lightbulb.png]]
|<p class="note">'''Tip:''' It is highly recommended that trialling these tools is best '''done on a test Moodle, not a production site'''. Once familiar and happy that there is not going to be too many issues in using them on a production site, they can then be tested more thoroughly by your Site Users.</p>
|}

:'''ASSUMPTIONS:''' Your Moodle is using a script-to-image converter to render TeX. You have activated and configured the [[TeX notation filter]] and have ensured the Algebra Filter has been activated. (As a test, you may want to edit some TeX and check that it renders properly.)

===Download===
At this time, the files are not available from Moodle's Downloads area, but no doubt they will be soon enough. In the meantime, you can download the files you require from Mauno's site.

There are two packages, which are both zip files, available from [http://korpelainen.net/mpluga.zip MplugA] and [http://korpelainen.net/mplugb.zip MplugB].

====MplugA====

At 70MB, MpluA is the larger of the two files, but it contains a lot of files not available in MplugB.

====MplugB====

MplugB is 52.4MB in size and contains all the same features are MplugA except it does not include Mathjax.

:How these files are installed to each Moodle is entirely up to the Administrators, but what is suggested here is written mainly for the inexperienced Administrator, for people new to Moodle.

===Installation===

The installation of these plugins does not require any core files to be overwritten, but some can be replaced, if considered a desirable outcome. The simplest and easiest way, and maybe the safest or at least most controlled method, is to just copy and paste, via FTP, the various sub-folders to the appropriate folders on your Moodle.

Both zip files contain three folders, '''filter''', '''lib''' and '''theme'''.

====filter====

In the filter folder, there are six sub-folders, each of which can be copied to the moodle/filter folder of your installation. These sub-folders are geogebra, jsxgraph, math, mathml, mathtran and tex.

====lib====

In the lib folder there are also six sub-folders for MplugB, and seven sub-folders for MplugA. Both have sub-folders called common, dragmath, editor, geonext, jsquery, jsxgraph. The MplugA also contains the additional sub-folder of MathJax.

The editor sub-folder contains the tinymath sub-subfolder.

All these sub-folders can be copied to the moodle/lib folder, and if the default HTMLArea and TinyMCE editors are required to be retained, then the TinyMath editor sub-folder can be added to the moodle/lib/editor folder. You may decide to remove the original editors and replace them with the TinyMaths editor. If so, the moodle/lib/editor folder can be deleted and replaced with the plugin's editor folder. However, this is '''not''' a recommended practice. What is used in case of a back stop being required? The Admins can deactivate the defaults and activate the TinyMath editor, retaining the original default editor as an emergency back stop.

====theme====

Two Moodle 2 themes are included with both packages. One is Mathstandard and the other is called Stylist. These can be unzipped and pasted to the moodle/theme folder and can be used if needed. Like all themes, they may not be to prevailing or local cultural tastes, but they can be modified to suit each Moodle site's requirements.

===Configuration===

Log into the Moodle and it should open into the Site Administration > Notifications page. Usually when there has been an addition, Moodle will automagically include everything as part of its installed files listing and open the Site Administration > Notifications page. If it does not, then go to the Notifications page and it should automatically bring up what it is changing and updating.

[[Image:maconfig05.png|thumb|400px|center|The Notification screen]]

Click the Upgrade button and it should run through it smoothly, taking you back to the Notifications page, which should now contain a minimal amount of information.

From there individual components need to be configured.

====filter====
The installer will continue with the configuration of the Geogebra package.

[[Image:maconfig05a.png|thumb|400px|center|The Geogebra filter installer screen]]

followed by the configuration screen

[[Image:maconfig05b.png|thumb|400px|center|The Geogebra filter configuration screen]]

Initially, it is recommended that the default settings be adopted. Having said that, perhaps the workspace is a bit small for a particular environment though, it can be changed either at this point or later, when it suits the Users. If Geogebra is already being used and there is a familiarity with the tool, check the defaults against the full installation, otherwise it is better to leave it until a better understanding of the tools is gained.

There is more configuration required, but we need to leave the Filters and return to the Administration menu. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the Save button.

====Additional HTML====
Go to Site Administration > Appearance and you will see a new line:

{|
|-

| [[Image:maconfig05c.png|thumb|center|A new item on the menu]]
|-
| Click this and enter the Additional HTML configuration page.
|-
| [[Image:maconfig05d.png|thumb|400px|center|The Additional HTML editing page]]
|-
| [[Image:maconfig05e.png|thumb|400px|center|The Additional HTML editing page with edit]]
|-
| The Additional HTML editing page is a simple and straightforward editing page. it allows you to add some additional HTML into your pages that you may feel is necessary to be consistently present right across your site. Things like logos and such are adequately catered for in [[Themes|themes]], but there are other things that you may feel are not. Make careful consideration before you add much beyond what is required here to get the Maths tools working.

This is not an opportunity to include additional styling commands, that is taken care of in the CSS files of your [[Themes|theme]].

|}

The recommended script, originally written by Mauno (change the IP address to suit your server):
<blockquote>
{|
|-
|<nowiki><link rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' href='http://111.121.101.131/lib/jsxgraph/distrib/jsxgraph.css' media='screen' /></nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki><script type='text/javascript' src='http://111.121.101.131/lib/jsxgraph/distrib/jsxgraphcore.js'></script></nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki><script type='text/javascript' src='http://111.121.101.131/lib/jsxgraph/distrib/GeonextReader.js'></script></nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki><script type="text/javascript" src="http://111.121.101.131/lib/MathJax/MathJax.js"></nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki>MathJax.Hub.Config({</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki>config: ["MMLorHTML.js"],</nowiki>
|-
|<blockquote>
{|<nowiki>jax: ["input/TeX","input/MathML","output/HTML-CSS","output/NativeMML"],</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki> extensions: ["tex2jax.js","mml2jax.js","MathMenu.js","MathZoom.js"],</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki> tex2jax: {displayMath: [['@d','@d']], inlineMath: [['@i','@i']] },</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki> TeX: {</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki> extensions: ["AMSmath.js","AMSsymbols.js","noErrors.js","noUndefined.js"]</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki> }</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki> });</nowiki>
|}</blockquote>
|-
|<nowiki></script></nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki><script language="javascript" type="text/javascript"></nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki>var AScgiloc = "http://111.121.101.131/lib/common/php/svgimg.php";</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki>var dsvglocation = "http://111.121.101.131/lib/common/";</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki>var AMTcgiloc = "http://111.121.101.131/filter/tex/texviewer.php?action=Mimetex&tex=";//Primary fallback</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki>var Gemcgiloc = "http://111.121.101.131/filter/tex/texviewer.php?action=Tex&tex=";//"Forced fallback"</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki></script></nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki><script src="http://111.121.101.131/lib/common/AM.php" type="text/javascript"></script></nowiki>
|}
</blockquote>

This is a sample of additional HTML that can be added to the head of a document.

Closer examination of the script above reveals that it establishes the links required to the various packages that are used by the TinyMaths editor, which is configured soon. It adds no CSS, but does create the command sequences required to correct for errors in the rendering of the TeX statements derived from the various packages. The characters and TeX macros avaiable are loaded automatically. Some TeX macros are included in one package by default, but not another, e.g. the \therefore, ( <math> \therefore</math> ), macro does not appear to be included in the DragMath package, but is in the MathJax.

===Setting the Accessibility Options===

You can then go to the Plugins > Filters > Manage Filters menu and click to go to the Manage Filters page.

[[Image:maconfig07b.png|thumb|400px|center|Setting the accessibility options ]]

In this image, the options have been partly set, the User requires Geogebra, JSXGraph and MathJax. There will be more configuring later, but for now, the TinyMath Editor needs to be activated.

====lib====

The first thing that needs be done here is to set the TinyMaths Editor as the default.

====theme====

The themes included with this plugin are configured and used in exactly the same way as any theme. Go to the [[Themes]] page for further information.

===Adding the Tinymath Editor===

Installing the Tinymath Editor is not enough, on it own, you have to activate it. Go to the Plugins > Editors > Manage Editors screen.

[[Image:maconfig08a.png|frame|center|Selecting the Manage Editors options ]]

When there you should see something like this:

[[Image:maconfig08b.png|thumb|400px|center|Setting the default editor ]]

To activate the Tinymath editor, simple click on the closed eye.

[[Image:maconfig08c.png|thumb|400px|center|Activating the Tinymath editor ]]

To then make it the default editor, use the promotion arrows to place it first in the list.

[[Image:maconfig08d.png|thumb|400px|center|Setting the default editor ]]

Tinymath should now be the default editor. To check this, go into a course and open it for editing and add a Resource. When you click on "Page" for example, you should get the Tinymath editor displaying. It looks something like:

[[Image:maconfig08e.png|thumb|400px|center|Tinymath - the editing toolbar ]]

This essentially finishes the major installation tasks, there may now be some additional configuring that you may want to do, and some of that will be explained in related Docs.

===See Also===
* [[Configuring and Using the Timymath Editor]]
* [[DragMath equation editor]]
* [[Using TeX Notation]]
* [[TeX Symbols in SEE]]
* [[TeX notation filter]] To turn on the TeX Notation

[[Category: Mathematics]]

[[es:Herramientas matemáticas avanzadas]]

Advanced Maths Tools

2015-11-19T09:59:02Z

Colinfraser:

<p class="note">UPDATE: Support for the functionality for the tools discussed below has been dropped with the advent of MathJax as a core tool that can be used in Atto.</p>

<p class="note">'''NOTE:''' The tools discussed in these pages are, at this time (August 2011), considered to be "third-party plugins". They are not core, as yet, and still need to be thoroughly tested under more stringent conditions i.e. by users of all sorts. If interested, please follow the links below and download the package that suits your situation and use it in good faith. Any issues or problems can be discussed in the [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/view.php?id=752 Mathematics Tools Forum]. Be aware that these tools may also undergo major changes as they develop and may be required to do so before they are included as core. Check back here as often as you feel is necessary - updates will be included here when possible </p>

===Introduction===
In August of 2011, Mauno Korpelainen released his long-awaited Maths integration package, (tongue in cheekily but aptly) named SEE, Super Equation Editor. Mauno successfully integrated a number of Maths tools onto Moodle 2.1. These tools include Geogebra, JSXGraph, Math, MathML, MathTran, tex, DragMath, Geonext, JSQuery, MathJax. Mauno had also included a version of TinyMCE that has, as native, a Maths editing toolbar. The pages that follow are a guide to downloading, installing and using the plugins.

{|
|-
|[[Image:lightbulb.png]]
|<p class="note">'''Tip:''' It is highly recommended that trialling these tools is best '''done on a test Moodle, not a production site'''. Once familiar and happy that there is not going to be too many issues in using them on a production site, they can then be tested more thoroughly by your Site Users.</p>
|}

:'''ASSUMPTIONS:''' Your Moodle is using a script-to-image converter to render TeX. You have activated and configured the [[TeX notation filter]] and have ensured the Algebra Filter has been activated. (As a test, you may want to edit some TeX and check that it renders properly.)

===Download===
At this time, the files are not available from Moodle's Downloads area, but no doubt they will be soon enough. In the meantime, you can download the files you require from Mauno's site.

There are two packages, which are both zip files, available from [http://korpelainen.net/mpluga.zip MplugA] and [http://korpelainen.net/mplugb.zip MplugB].

====MplugA====

At 70MB, MpluA is the larger of the two files, but it contains a lot of files not available in MplugB.

====MplugB====

MplugB is 52.4MB in size and contains all the same features are MplugA except it does not include Mathjax.

:How these files are installed to each Moodle is entirely up to the Administrators, but what is suggested here is written mainly for the inexperienced Administrator, for people new to Moodle.

===Installation===

The installation of these plugins does not require any core files to be overwritten, but some can be replaced, if considered a desirable outcome. The simplest and easiest way, and maybe the safest or at least most controlled method, is to just copy and paste, via FTP, the various sub-folders to the appropriate folders on your Moodle.

Both zip files contain three folders, '''filter''', '''lib''' and '''theme'''.

====filter====

In the filter folder, there are six sub-folders, each of which can be copied to the moodle/filter folder of your installation. These sub-folders are geogebra, jsxgraph, math, mathml, mathtran and tex.

====lib====

In the lib folder there are also six sub-folders for MplugB, and seven sub-folders for MplugA. Both have sub-folders called common, dragmath, editor, geonext, jsquery, jsxgraph. The MplugA also contains the additional sub-folder of MathJax.

The editor sub-folder contains the tinymath sub-subfolder.

All these sub-folders can be copied to the moodle/lib folder, and if the default HTMLArea and TinyMCE editors are required to be retained, then the TinyMath editor sub-folder can be added to the moodle/lib/editor folder. You may decide to remove the original editors and replace them with the TinyMaths editor. If so, the moodle/lib/editor folder can be deleted and replaced with the plugin's editor folder. However, this is '''not''' a recommended practice. What is used in case of a back stop being required? The Admins can deactivate the defaults and activate the TinyMath editor, retaining the original default editor as an emergency back stop.

====theme====

Two Moodle 2 themes are included with both packages. One is Mathstandard and the other is called Stylist. These can be unzipped and pasted to the moodle/theme folder and can be used if needed. Like all themes, they may not be to prevailing or local cultural tastes, but they can be modified to suit each Moodle site's requirements.

===Configuration===

Log into the Moodle and it should open into the Site Administration > Notifications page. Usually when there has been an addition, Moodle will automagically include everything as part of its installed files listing and open the Site Administration > Notifications page. If it does not, then go to the Notifications page and it should automatically bring up what it is changing and updating.

[[Image:maconfig05.png|thumb|400px|center|The Notification screen]]

Click the Upgrade button and it should run through it smoothly, taking you back to the Notifications page, which should now contain a minimal amount of information.

From there individual components need to be configured.

====filter====
The installer will continue with the configuration of the Geogebra package.

[[Image:maconfig05a.png|thumb|400px|center|The Geogebra filter installer screen]]

followed by the configuration screen

[[Image:maconfig05b.png|thumb|400px|center|The Geogebra filter configuration screen]]

Initially, it is recommended that the default settings be adopted. Having said that, perhaps the workspace is a bit small for a particular environment though, it can be changed either at this point or later, when it suits the Users. If Geogebra is already being used and there is a familiarity with the tool, check the defaults against the full installation, otherwise it is better to leave it until a better understanding of the tools is gained.

There is more configuration required, but we need to leave the Filters and return to the Administration menu. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the Save button.

====Additional HTML====
Go to Site Administration > Appearance and you will see a new line:

{|
|-

| [[Image:maconfig05c.png|thumb|center|A new item on the menu]]
|-
| Click this and enter the Additional HTML configuration page.
|-
| [[Image:maconfig05d.png|thumb|400px|center|The Additional HTML editing page]]
|-
| [[Image:maconfig05e.png|thumb|400px|center|The Additional HTML editing page with edit]]
|-
| The Additional HTML editing page is a simple and straightforward editing page. it allows you to add some additional HTML into your pages that you may feel is necessary to be consistently present right across your site. Things like logos and such are adequately catered for in [[Themes|themes]], but there are other things that you may feel are not. Make careful consideration before you add much beyond what is required here to get the Maths tools working.

This is not an opportunity to include additional styling commands, that is taken care of in the CSS files of your [[Themes|theme]].

|}

The recommended script, originally written by Mauno (change the IP address to suit your server):
<blockquote>
{|
|-
|<nowiki><link rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' href='http://111.121.101.131/lib/jsxgraph/distrib/jsxgraph.css' media='screen' /></nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki><script type='text/javascript' src='http://111.121.101.131/lib/jsxgraph/distrib/jsxgraphcore.js'></script></nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki><script type='text/javascript' src='http://111.121.101.131/lib/jsxgraph/distrib/GeonextReader.js'></script></nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki><script type="text/javascript" src="http://111.121.101.131/lib/MathJax/MathJax.js"></nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki>MathJax.Hub.Config({</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki>config: ["MMLorHTML.js"],</nowiki>
|-
|<blockquote>
{|<nowiki>jax: ["input/TeX","input/MathML","output/HTML-CSS","output/NativeMML"],</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki> extensions: ["tex2jax.js","mml2jax.js","MathMenu.js","MathZoom.js"],</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki> tex2jax: {displayMath: [['@d','@d']], inlineMath: [['@i','@i']] },</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki> TeX: {</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki> extensions: ["AMSmath.js","AMSsymbols.js","noErrors.js","noUndefined.js"]</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki> }</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki> });</nowiki>
|}</blockquote>
|-
|<nowiki></script></nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki><script language="javascript" type="text/javascript"></nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki>var AScgiloc = "http://111.121.101.131/lib/common/php/svgimg.php";</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki>var dsvglocation = "http://111.121.101.131/lib/common/";</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki>var AMTcgiloc = "http://111.121.101.131/filter/tex/texviewer.php?action=Mimetex&tex=";//Primary fallback</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki>var Gemcgiloc = "http://111.121.101.131/filter/tex/texviewer.php?action=Tex&tex=";//"Forced fallback"</nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki></script></nowiki>
|-
|<nowiki><script src="http://111.121.101.131/lib/common/AM.php" type="text/javascript"></script></nowiki>
|}
</blockquote>

This is a sample of additional HTML that can be added to the head of a document.

Closer examination of the script above reveals that it establishes the links required to the various packages that are used by the TinyMaths editor, which is configured soon. It adds no CSS, but does create the command sequences required to correct for errors in the rendering of the TeX statements derived from the various packages. The characters and TeX macros avaiable are loaded automatically. Some TeX macros are included in one package by default, but not another, e.g. the \therefore, ( <math> \therefore</math> ), macro does not appear to be included in the DragMath package, but is in the MathJax.

===Setting the Accessibility Options===

You can then go to the Plugins > Filters > Manage Filters menu and click to go to the Manage Filters page.

[[Image:maconfig07b.png|thumb|400px|center|Setting the accessibility options ]]

In this image, the options have been partly set, the User requires Geogebra, JSXGraph and MathJax. There will be more configuring later, but for now, the TinyMath Editor needs to be activated.

====lib====

The first thing that needs be done here is to set the TinyMaths Editor as the default.

====theme====

The themes included with this plugin are configured and used in exactly the same way as any theme. Go to the [[Themes]] page for further information.

===Adding the Tinymath Editor===

Installing the Tinymath Editor is not enough, on it own, you have to activate it. Go to the Plugins > Editors > Manage Editors screen.

[[Image:maconfig08a.png|frame|center|Selecting the Manage Editors options ]]

When there you should see something like this:

[[Image:maconfig08b.png|thumb|400px|center|Setting the default editor ]]

To activate the Tinymath editor, simple click on the closed eye.

[[Image:maconfig08c.png|thumb|400px|center|Activating the Tinymath editor ]]

To then make it the default editor, use the promotion arrows to place it first in the list.

[[Image:maconfig08d.png|thumb|400px|center|Setting the default editor ]]

Tinymath should now be the default editor. To check this, go into a course and open it for editing and add a Resource. When you click on "Page" for example, you should get the Tinymath editor displaying. It looks something like:

[[Image:maconfig08e.png|thumb|400px|center|Tinymath - the editing toolbar ]]

This essentially finishes the major installation tasks, there may now be some additional configuring that you may want to do, and some of that will be explained in related Docs.

===See Also===
* [[Configuring and Using the Timymath Editor]]
* [[DragMath equation editor]]
* [[Using TeX Notation]]
* [[TeX Symbols in SEE]]
* [[TeX notation filter]] To turn on the TeX Notation

[[Category: Mathematics]]

[[es:Herramientas matemáticas avanzadas]]

Mathematics tools FAQ

2015-11-17T20:49:27Z

Colinfraser:

{{Main page}}This FAQ is a recent creation and is still building. If you have a relevant question and answer, please add it to the bottom.

'''NOTE:''' Since this page was started, Moodle has introduced the MathJax editor for Atto. While the information here is valid, it is only useful for the tools they discuss.

==Does Moodle have any Math tools in it as native?==
It certainly does, and if you look at the [[Using TeX Notation]] pages, they will give you a good start on how you can, quickly and fairly easily, build a small body of knowledge that will allow you to move on to bigger and better things.

==What kind of Maths tools can Moodle use or adapt?==
There are two ways to use maths tools in Moodle.
1. Plugins that integrate new functionality into Moodle. The list of Plugins for Moodle include among others [[Dragmath]], MathJAX or [[WIRIS]].
2. Many external programs that can be used to generate content that is easily imported to Moodle. External programs include MathType which works with several Moodle Plugins.

==Will these tools be accessible in Moodle 2.0?==
Yes, there has already been a number of successful tests using DragMath, MathJax and Geogebra tools in Moodle 2.0. As well, the TeX Notation filter works the same in v1.9.x and v2.0. It appears that anything written in Moodle v1.9.x will adapt easily for Moodle 2.0.

==Does Moodle have an interactive whiteboard feature?==
Not as such, but it seems both the interactive and content is controlled by the whiteboard. You can use an interactive whiteboard to display Moodle, but unless you incorporate screen grabs from the Moodle into the whiteboard software, Moodle probably will not work as a genuine PHP App. Having said that, it is possible that at some stage in the future, a plugin for either, or even both, may be developed.

==I am using Windows Server 2003 and am trying to get the TeX filter to work.==
There are often three issues here, the first is the way in which Windows assigns permissions. You need to give write permissions to I_USER (or IIS_USER - all those people who use moodledata through internet) on moodledata folders and subfolders like D:\moodledata/filter/tex/ - and executable files need executable permissions.

It is also possible that what ever permissions you give to your files, Windows may permit running executable files on folders that are placed to system folders like c:\program files - I have seen this happen in Windows Vista and Windows 7 so it's probably true also in Windows Server 2003. If you install MikTex or TexLive for example to C:\Miktex (Texlive) or D:\Miktex (Texlive) and GhostScript and Imagemagick the same drive, such problems should not exist.

Sometimes you may need to delete old (Miktex) install folders from system (environment) variable PATH or add the correct folder to PATH if the install script has not done it automatically. Windows will not find the right files from the correct folder without the PATH being correct. (The TexLive installer scripts usually makes this automatic, but MikTeX needs be done manually.)

Finally, PHP settings may also prevent running of executable files - in the php.ini file look for the field "disable_functions", it should be empty and check the other programs security measures (in programs and scripts themselves) they should control running "non secure" commands like exec() or system(), not prevent them.

Thanks [http://moodle.org/user/view.php?id=9523&course=5 Mauno]

==We need to install Latex. Will all our current equations with the $$ tokens still work?==
The original TeX program written by Don Knuth used the $$ tokens to denote TeX. TeX has grown and evolved into a number of different versions, which have had further developments. Most TeX And LaTeX still support the $$ token, but it is usually undocumented. This is where a test Moodle comes in handy - installing a LaTeX into a test environment then checking the result will answer the question of which LaTeX will accept the $$ token. Be careful here, some newer versions of LaTeX use delimiters, not tokens, to denote TeX sequences.

==OK, what is the difference between a token and a delimiter?==
In TeX tokens are symbols used to denote a TeX command or control sequence. These can be $$ used in the native Tex Notation filter and supported by many versions of TeX and LaTeX, but they can also be \[ \] or any variation of any number of other symbols. A delimiter is what the LaTeX rendered in these pages uses. Moodle Docs went over to LiveTeX a little while ago, and now use the <nowiki><math> </math></nowiki> delimiter, much the same as html commands use, instead it has only one command, that of <nowiki><math> </math></nowiki>.

==See also==

*Using Moodle [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/view.php?f=130 Mathematics Tools forum]
*Using Moodle [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=104483 Creating equations] forum discussion
*[[Using TeX Notation]]
*[http://www.dessci.com/en/support/mathtype/works_with.htm?target=moodle Mathtype works with Moodle]
*[[WIRIS]] Plugin
*[https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=315504 New Math questions in Moodle Quizzes using WeBWorK] forum post

[[Category:Teacher]]
[[Category:Administrator]]
[[Category:Mathematics]]
[[Category:FAQ]]

[[es:Herramientas matemáticas FAQ]]

Användare:Colin Fraser

2015-02-09T23:43:41Z

Colinfraser:

==The plastic guy==
[[Image:Colinmoodle1.gif|left| me- on a good day.]] Yep - me...

I started using Moodle and was enthralled by the essential ease with which I was able to pick up on things. I was creating courses and soon downloaded a copy of Moodle for home. I bungled the installation, then retried it, and it worked. I built it, wrecked it, rebuilt it, wrecked it again, and each time, I learned more about what I did not know.

The major problem for me is that I am just not technically literate, that is - a spade and a shovel are the same. Trying to interpret the hidden meanings of a lot of the highly jargonistic approaches taken by far too many techies was just too much hard work.

I started to seriously administer Moodle as an intranet for a school. I moved schools, then created a new Moodle. Hopefully, I have left behind people to want to make those Moodles work and be useful learning tools.

In the meantime, I have discovered I know less than I thought, so I have scoured the documentation available and found I understood less and less. For this reason, I sent an email to [[User:Mary Cooch|Mary Cooch]] about trying to set up an administration FAQ, (which quickly became Beginning Administration 1 FAQ then grew into [[Beginning Moodle 2.0 Administration]] in plain (well, OK, plainer) language. She recommended I actually talk to [[User:Helen Foster|Helen Foster]] about it. Helen must have thought "Give him what he wants, that will keep him quiet!" - and that idea failed miserably. Now I find I have gotten so involved in writing Moodle DOCS, my name crops up in the strangest places as adding an edit here and there.

My problem now is that I am starting to learn a little about Moodle, but I know nothing about networks, less about [[PHP]], and what I thought I knew about databases and SQL is so rusty as to be nearly useless. This could all be a bit of a handicap in future.

Video

2015-01-27T09:21:32Z

Colinfraser: /* Embedding a video in its own player */

{{Working with media}}
*Video is a very powerful tool to use in a Moodle course, allowing students, for example to catch up on lectures they missed, learn from a "how to" screencast, or improve their language skills by watching native speakers interact.
*For a discussion on the best type of video file for Moodle, see [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=143478| here]
''
*For a discussion of the best programs for creating screencasts, see [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=147891| here]

==Where to host the videos==

*Whenever possible, it is preferable to upload your videos to Moodle, storing them on your own server as you retain ultimate control. However, when server space or upload limits are restricted, it is convenient to upload videos to an online site like youtube [http://www.youtube.com] or Vimeo[http://vimeo.com]. They can easily be embedded inside Moodle from such sites and privacy can still be maintained if you choose their private video sharing option.

===Cross domain video hosting===

Flash video players require permission to play videos hosted on a different URL, e.g. yourmoodle.org needs permission to play video files hosted at yourvideo.org. The permission files are stored on the root domain of where the video files are hosted, e.g. yourvideos.org/crossdomain.xml. If yourvideos.org does not have a cross domain policy file that permits yourmoodle.org to play videos, Flash Player will not permit it. Further details are available here [http://code.google.com/p/moodle-mplayer/wiki/CrossDomainSecurity].

Many public video hosting services, such as YouTube.com, already have catch-all cross domain policy files in place and so videos can be played from them via your Moodle without any cross domain security issues arising.

==Ways of displaying video==

===Linking to a video online elsewhere===
*If your video is hosted elsewhere online (such as youtube) you can simply link to the relevant page by choosing ''Add a resource>[[URL|URL]]'' and pasting in the relevant link.
*For more information, see [[URL|URL]]
*Note that, in an establishment where certain video sharing sites might be banned, your students might not be able to access your video through Moodle.

===Uploading a video for students to download===
*Choose this option if you wish to upload your video to Moodle and give users the option to download it to their own computers.
*Choose ''Add an activity or resource>[[File|File]]''
*For more information, see [[File|File]]
*Note that the way the video will display depends on the software the user has on their own computer. This could mean that some students might be unable to view your video. (See this discussion [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=143478| here])

===Embedding a video in its own player===
*Moodle has an inbuilt video player called Flowplayer. If the [[Multimedia plugins filter|multimedia plugins filter]] is enabled by the administrator, videos embedded into the text editor will play inline in Flowplayer.
*Anywhere that Moodle's TinyMCE text editor is available, it is possible to embed a video, for example in a [[Label|label]] or a [[Page|page]], a course topic summary, a [[Description_question_type| quiz description]] or a [[Lesson|lesson]].
*One exception seems to be MP4 files. They don't seem to play in Flowplayer unless hacked. See discussion here: http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=208849

====Using the Moodle media icon====
*With your editing turned on, click into the HTML editor where you wish to embed your video.
*Click the Moodle media icon as in the following screenshot:
[[File:Addmedia.png]]
*Click ''Browse repositories''

[[File:attomediaupload.png]]

*The file picker will appear:
[[File:Filepickermedia.png]]
*Either click ''Upload a file'' to upload from your computer or choose the appropriate repository from which you wish to bring in your video. (What you see will depend on what the Moodle admin has enabled)
*Note: '''To search for and embed a video from youtube, [[Youtube_videos|see here]]'''
*Change the ''save as/author/license'' settings if desired and click ''upload this file'' or ''select this file''
*Your video will appear in a preview player. Click ''Insert'' at the bottom
*'''''Don't panic''!''' You will now only get a blue text link of your video:
[[File:Moodletvgirlpreview.png]]
*When you click ''save changes'' to return to the main course page, your video will display:
[[File:Moodletvgirl2.png]]

====Using a hyperlink====
(Note - this method has no advantage over using the media icon, but was popular in older versions of Moodle)
*With your editing turned on, click into the HTML editor where you wish to embed your video.
*Type some blank spaces (or some text) and select them.
*Click the hyperlink icon as in the following screenshot.(The icon will only be clickable if you have selected text or spaces)
[[File:Hyperlinkicon.png]]
*Click 'Browse repositories'
*This takes you to the file picker. Follow the instructions for uploading/selecting your video as for using the Moodle media icon.
*When your video is chosen, it will appear in the link URL box as below. Click ''Insert:''
*'''''Don't panic!''''' You will now only get a blue line (if you selected blank spaces) or the actual text underlined in the HTML editor:
[[File:linklinkatto.png]]
*When you click ''save changes'' to return to the main course page, your video will display.

====Using embed code to display external videos====
*Go to your chosen video sharing site and find the embed code of the video you wish to display. Copy this code.
*With your editing turned on, click into the HTML editor where you wish to embed your video.
*Click the HTML code icon as in the following screenshot:
[[File:Htmlcodeicon.png]]
*Paste your embed code into the box:
[[File:Embedcode.png]]
*Scroll down and click "update".
*Your video will be previewed in the HTML editor. Click ''save changes'' for it to display on the page
[[File:Youtubevideo.png]]

==See also==
*[[Video_FAQ|Video FAQ]]
*[[Multimedia plugins filter]]
*[http://www.mguhlin.org/2012/01/embedding-videos-in-moodle-22.html Embedding Videos in #Moodle 2.2] blog post from Miguel Guhlin
*[[Videofile]] plugin with multilanguage captions capability

[[de:Video]]
[[es:Video]]

Complete install packages for Windows

2015-01-01T11:56:17Z

Colinfraser: /* Unpack the package */

{{Installing Moodle}}
Complete install packages are available from Moodle.org's [http://download.moodle.org/windows/ Windows download page] and from bitnami (for newer Windows versions). The packages are designed for new installations on a standalone computer. The complete install package can be used on a server, but '''it is not recommended that it be used as a production site'''. Please note Moodle.org's [http://download.moodle.org Standard install packages] only contain the Moodle code.

This document provides instructions for using the Windows packages. Separate instructions are available for [[Complete Install Packages for Mac OS X|Mac OS X packages]].

The complete install packages allow Moodle to be installed, along with the prerequisites that includes a web server, Apache, database, MySQL, scripting language, PHP, an administration tool, phpMyAdmin and Moodle all wrapped in the Xampp-lite shell. Several versions of the complete install package are available. The instructions on the download page provide guidance on which version is likely to be most suitable.

In short, complete install packages are designed to create a matched webserver and Moodle site on a standalone computer with minimal effort.

==System requirements==
:*256 MB RAM (minimum), 512 MB RAM (recommended)
:*160 MB free Fixed Disk (more space will be needed depending on user uploads)
:*Windows 98/ME (minimum)
:*Windows NT/2000/XP (recommended) - for later versions of Windows, see below.

===Port 80 Conflict if Skype is already installed===
As the Moodle Windows package uses the same port (80) as [http://www.skype.com/en/ Skype] does, it will not work if the computer has Skype already installed.

The fix is very simple: Exit Skype (don't just close the window), then start the Moodle Windows package. Once Moodle for Windows is running, it should be safe to start Skype again. If the local Moodle is using the port 80, Skype will automatically select a different port when it is run.

===Vista and Windows 7/8===

Many people have trouble installing the packages for Windows on Vista and Windows 7 or Windows 8.

One simple solution is to use http://bitnami.org/stack/moodle (from amazon.com).

==Install complete package process==
The complete install package is a zip file that contains a webserver called [[Apache]], plus Moodle and Moodle's required [[MySQL]] database and [[PHP]] program.

There are three basic parts to the this install process.
#Download and unpack the complete install package.
#Start the webserver.
#Install Moodle using a web browser.

===First create file structure===
====Download the package====
[http://download.moodle.org/windows Download Windows] packed-zip file from Moodle.
[[Image:Moodle Setup zipfile.jpg|frame|center|A downloaded complete install package Windows 1.9 zip file in Windows Explorer]]

====Unpack the package====
Unpack (extract files by clicking on) the zip file you downloaded to a drive or partition of your choice. The extract process will create three files ("Start Moodle", "Stop Moodle", and "README") and a subfolder called "server".
*Do NOT rename the "server" subfolder
:''Note:'' There will also be a folder under this server subfolder, called \moodle that holds the Moodle program.

:''TIP:'' Create a folder and extract the files there. For example, you might have one folder called Moodle254 and another one called Moodle281 for different versions or purposes.

:''TIP:'' Make path to "server" subfolder simple. Best way if it will be in drive root. Like "D:\moodle281\server". A long path, especially with any strange symbols, can prevent XAMPP from working properly.

===Second - start the webserver===
Now you are ready to start the webserver. Use the "Start Moodle.exe" file which you should find in the top directory. Once the "Start Moodle.exe" program is open, don't close it; use "Stop Moodle.exe" for that purpose.

:''Note:'' These programs control both Apache and MySQL programs that operate the webserver. Some sites will individually start and stop Apache and MySQL with the Xampp bat files found in the "server" subfolder.

:''Tip:'' Alternatively, on a standalone computer with several potential webservers that might be running, you can use the "xampp_restart.exe" file in the "server" subfolder.

:''Tip:'' You can also add shortcuts to the commands that start and stop the site in your Windows "start" menu.

Now you are ready to start the Moodle installation.

:''Warning:'' Windows XP requires the msvcr71.dll library file in order to run Xampp. Installing the [http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=262D25E3-F589-4842-8157-034D1E7CF3A3&displaylang=en .Net 1.1 framework] (not .Net 2.0 and upper) could resolve it. You can also search for the file on Google, download it and copy it into the server/apache/bin folder.

===Third - start Moodle installation===
Start your web browser and type <nowiki> localhost, or http://127.0.0.1 or http://localhost </nowiki>in the address bar. You will either start your first time Moodle installation or if it is already installed you will enter the Moodle site's [[Front Page]] or Login screen.

[[Image:Moodle_Setup_localhost_browser.jpg|frame|center|A browser's addressbar showing "localhost". Click on the green Goto arrow will go to the installed Moodle site.]]

:''Tip:'' After Moodle installs, put the site in your "favorites" or as a "bookmark" in you browser.

====Set language====
The initial install page will be displayed after you type "localhost".

[[Image:C Install Windows 1.png|thumb|center|600px|Set initial language]]

*Choose your preferred language (English is used in this example) and click the “Next” button.

====Diagnostic results====
A diagnostic report is displayed – hopefully it will look like this, if not you may need to address some issues.
[[Image:Complete Windows Install 2.png|thumb|center|546px|Moodle liked and gave a Pass ]]

*Click the “Next” button to continue.

====Moodle paths====
The paths for your Moodle installation are shown – if you are only using this as a local testing server, accept the ones that are shown on your screen.

What you enter in the "Web Address" field depends on what you intend to use the new Moodle installation for.
If you are just going to use it for local testing, then use 'http://localhost'.
If you are going to test the new installation on a LAN, and will be accessing it from other machines on that LAN, then put the private IP address or network name of the serving machine, followed by a forward slash and moodle: Web Address - http://192.168.1.1/moodle
If you are going to test the installation on the internet, then you will need to put the public ip address followed by a forward slash and moodle: http://your_ip_address/moodle or you can put your domain name here instead.

[[image:Complete install Windows 3.png|thumb|center|600px|Installation paths]]

*Click the “Next” button to continue.

====Database configuration====
*In the next fields, we enter the database settings. The fields are populated with some suggested values.

*We strongly recommend you place a user name and password in this screen. (Don't forget them).

*DO NOT USE THE “ROOT” USER WITHOUT A PASSWORD FOR PRODUCTION INSTALLATIONS AS THIS CREATES A SECURITY VULNERABILITY
[[image:Complete install Windows 4.png|thumb|center|535px|Installation's database settings]]

*When the fields have been populated, click the “Next” button to continue.

====Check server====
The install process checks the server it installed.
[[image:Complete install Windows 5.png|thumb|center|535px|Check server environment screen]]
*Click the “Next” button to continue.

====Confirm initial language pack====
Moodle will now check to see if the language pack is available for the language you selected at the first step. If it is not, Moodle will continue with the install in English.
[[image:Complete install Windows 6.png|thumb|center|535px|Language pack check]]

====Confirm config.php====
Provided the Moodle folder is writable, a message confirming the configuration has been completed will be displayed.
[[image:Complete install Windows 7.png|thumb|center|549px|Confirmation that config.php has been created]]

*Click the “ Continue” button to proceed.

====Moodle copyright & agreement====
The Moodle copyright / license notices are displayed.

[[image:Complete install Windows 8.png|thumb|center|400px|Copyright notice and agreement]]

*Click the “Yes” button to continue.

====Current release and unattended option====
The current release information is shown.
'''Check off the unattended operations box'''. This will automatically advance through many screens. If you would like to watch the install screen by screen, do not check this box and be prepared to press the "continute button" many times.

*Click the "Continue" button and wait.
[[Image:Complete install Windows 9.png|thumb|center|600px|Current release and "unattended" check box]]

====Installation modules and blocks screens====
In most cases this will be followed by a series of screens that have a continue button on the bottom. This process stops with Admin user profile settings which needs to be filled out.

====Administrator user profile====
[[Image:Complete install Windows 10.png|thumb|center|The administrator's users profile screen]]

Fill out the required fields.
*Click on "Save" to continue

====Front page settings====
The next screen is the Front Page settings page. There are two parts to it.
The first part will ask for your Full site name and a short name for the navigation bar. There is also a place for a description. You can change these later.

[[Image:Complete install Windows 11a.png|thumb|center|The Moodle sites [[Front Page]] information]]

The second part on the bottom instructs Moodle if you will disable the new user self [[authentication]] through email process. The default is to disable. This can be changed later in the [[Site administration block|site administration block]].

[[Image:Complete install Windows 11ba.png|thumb|center|500px|Determine if users can create their own profiles when they log onto the side via email self authentication]]

*Click on "Save changes" button to go to Moodle sites home page.

====Moodle on====
'''Now you are ready to Moodle !'''

[[Image:Complete install Windows 12.png|thumb|center|Blank Front page of your new site]]

The Site Administration block is on the left, the "Turn edit on" button in the upper right corner, withe the site description block just below it.

===Congratulations - Moodle has been installed===
This finishes the installation of a complete package. Type <nowiki>http://localhost</nowiki> (or what ever you set for web address earlier in the setup!) in your browser and Moodle will open.

Your next task will be to configure Moodle to meet your needs. Don't worry, it is easy to change any of the settings now that Moodle is up and running.
*Check ''Settings > Site administration'' for further links.

==More tips and cautions==
*For installation on a Windows 2000 or Windows 2003 production server it is good practice to perform a manual install (see the manual installation section in [[Windows_installation|Windows Installation]]).

*After installing the Windows package, you may wish to add additional contributed modules and plugins. Theset may involve more customization of configuration files.

*The latest complete install package version components, may not be backwardly compatible. Always check version compatibility of each component if you intend to develop materials on a later version of Moodle than the version installed on your "main" Moodle site. In short, complete install packages are designed for first time install on a "clean" machine.

== Security matters (A MUST READ!)==

As mentioned before, XAMPP is not meant for production use but only for developers
in a development environment. The way XAMPP is configured is to be open as possible
and allowing the developer anything he/she wants. For development environments this
is great but in a production environment it could be fatal. Here a list of missing security
in XAMPP:

The MySQL administrator (root) has no password.
The MySQL daemon is accessible via network.
phpMyAdmin is accessible via network.
Examples are accessible via network.

To fix most of the security weaknesses simply call the following URL:

<nowiki>http://localhost/security/</nowiki>

The root password for MySQL + phpMyAdmin and also a XAMPP directory protection can be established here.

Note that on the Windows installer package, some (all?) of these issues have been fixed already by default and the above link does not work.

If in doubt, more info is [http://www.apachefriends.org/en/faq-xampp-windows.html here]

== Apache and MySQL tweaks ==
Most of the time it is not necessary to tweak Apache or MySQL after completing the complete install package. Nor is it necessary to individually start and stop them because that is what the Xampp_start, Xampp_restart and Xammp_stop files are for.

=== Installing Apache and MySQL as services===
(This is only for NT4 | Windows 2000 | Windows XP operating systems)

\xampplite\apache\apache_installservice.bat =
==> Install Apache 2 as service

\xampplite\apache\apache_uninstallservice.bat =
==> Uninstall Apache 2 as service

\xampplite\mysql\mysql_installservice.bat =
==> Install MySQL as service

\xampplite\mysql\mysql_uninstallservice.bat =
==> Uninstall MySQL as service

==> After all Service (un)installations, please restart your system!

===Apache Notes===

You can use the apache_start and apache_stop bat files to start and stop apache from running. However the Xampp_start or Xampp_restart and Xampp_stop is recommended to turn on/off both Apache and MySQL.

====Troubleshooting====

If you find that Apache is very flaky, with the page often not loading properly or even at all (especially on localhost), try adding these lines to the end of C:\your_moodle_installer_directory\apache\conf\httpd.conf

EnableSendfile Off
EnableMMAP Off
Win32DisableAcceptEx

If You edit some .php files but browser still show old state of them, try to disable eAccelerator extension in \server\php\php.ini

[eAccelerator]
;extension=eaccelerator.dll

===MySQL notes===
Again, the recommendation to start and stop the entire webserver is to use the xampp_start or Xampp_restart and the Xampp_stop. The following maybe useful if you wish to tweak the system further. Please be careful.

(1) The MySQL server can be started by double-clicking (executing) mysql_start.bat. This file can be found in the same folder you installed xampp in, most likely this will be C:\xampplite\. The exact path to this file is X:\xampplite\mysql_start.bat, where "X" indicates the letter of the drive you unpacked xampp into.This batch file starts the MySQL server in console mode. The first intialization might take a few minutes.

Do not close the DOS window or you'll crash the server! To stop the server, please use mysql_shutdown.bat, which is located in the same directory.

(2) To use the MySQL Daemon with "innodb" for better performance,
please edit the "my" (or "my.cnf") file in the /xampplite/mysql/bin directory or for services the c:\my.cnf for windows NT/2000/XP. In that director, activate the
"innodb_data_file_path=ibdata1:30M"
statement. Attention, "innodb" is not recommended for 95/98/ME.

:To use MySQL as Service for NT/2000/XP, simply copy the "my" / "my.cnf" file to C:\my, or C:\my.cnf. Please note that this file has to be placed in C:\ (root), other locations are not permitted. Then execute the "mysql_installservice.bat" in the mysql folder.

(3) MySQL starts with standard values for the user id and the password. The preset user id is "root", the password is "" (= no password). To access MySQL via PHP with the preset values, you'll have to use the following syntax:
mysql_connect("localhost","root","");
If you want to set a password for MySQL access, please use of mysqladmin.
To set the password "secret" for the user "root", type the following:

\xampplite\mysql\bin\mysqladmin -u root password secret

After changing the password you'll have to reconfigure phpMyAdmin to use the new password, otherwise it won't be able to access the databases. To do that, open the file config.inc.php in \xampplite\phpmyadmin\ and edit the following lines:

$cfg['Servers'][$i]['user'] = 'root'; // MySQL user
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['auth_type'] = 'http'; // HTTP authentificate

So first the 'root' password is queried by the MySQL server, before phpMyAdmin may access.

Have a lot of fun! Viel Spaß! Bonne Chance!

==See also==

*[https://docs.moodle.org/19/en/Installation_guide_-_Moodle_for_Windows_on_a_USB_Memory_Stick Installation guide - Moodle 1.9 for Windows on a USB Memory Stick]
*Return to [[Windows installation]]
*[[Windows 1 computer many servers |Multiple web servers, on 1 computer]] similar to windows installation page, with some tips
*[https://docs.moodle.org/en/Windows_installation_using_XAMPP#Troubleshooting Troubleshooting]if you are running Skype.
*[[Installing_AMP]] lots of XAMPP stuff. XAMPP stands for X (cross platform), Apache, MySQL,PHP and Perl. XAMPP used in Moodle does not include Perl. MAMP stands for Mac, Apache, MySQL and PHP.
*[[Installation Package for OS X]]

[[es:Paquetes_para_Instalaci%C3%B3n_Completa]]
[[pl:Kompletne pakiety instalacyjne]]
[[de:Vollständiges Installationspaket für Windows]]

[[Category:Installation]]
[[Category:Windows]]

Beginning Moodle 2.0 Administration

2015-01-01T11:42:10Z

Colinfraser:

The questions asked here are mostly questions that I was confronted with when I first started with administering a Moodle, but I had some experience as a user which helped me a lot. The other source of questions is the Moodle Forums.

===What kind of technical skills do I need to take on Moodle Administration?===
Reading and writing are handy skills, and probably the most useful. This is something of a loaded question, and the answer is actually, depends on what you want to do, and what skills you already have.

Do you have any HTML, CSS and PHP skills? Do you have any SQL database skills. If you do, then you have a good start, if you do not, then do not worry about it. If you need them, you will pick these skills up as you go, and if you already have any programming skills, it is going to be fairly easy to do so. If you have never done any programming before, it is a little more difficult, but once you have the idea, it becomes a lot easier. Unless you intend on developing your Moodle, e.g. build your own home made theme, alter code to reflect your own organization, then you can get away without any of these skills. What you do need is a way of developing a quick understanding of how Moodle works.

Installing and setting up a new Moodle is not difficult. Some servers and service providers do have problems, from time to time, but if you work with your ISP, and the Moodle Community, you will get your Moodle up and running. Once it is going, start looking at it. You won't break anything, unless you start deleting things. Your best bet would be to read the documents. Look at the page you are working on. Somewhere on that page is a link that points to "Moodle Docs for this page". That is your best, most readily available, clues on how to do things. Once familiar with the environment, and how to get around it, how to get information on it, then the major steps have been taken, the rest is a continual refinement of that.

[[Image:lightbulb.png|frame|left|Tip]]As a newbie Administrator, it is easy to get overwhelmed with all the different things available, useful plugins and extra blocks and so on, but the majority of those things are third-party made, not Moodle.org in origin. Be aware that, as a general rule of thumb, the further you move away from the standard Moodle, the greater your risks of things going wrong. This does not mean the plugins are badly written, and some are really handy, just sometimes things go wrong. If you are going to use them, be deliberate in your choice, do not use them just because it might be a good idea.

Perhaps the best thing is that you create a Moodle on your desktop, or laptop, and you use that as a testbed. It should be the same version as your production site, to make things easy. Try things there first, if there is no problems, then you can replicate it on your production site.

===I am being told that I need a php plugin to continue to install Moodle 2.x===
Check the version of the PHP installation you have installed. This message generally means that your install is not a recent release, and Moodle will have some difficulty in running on it. Download and install the latest version of PHP to update. You will then have to uncomment all the required dynamic extensions you need, including the missing extension. The problem is then solved. If the install is on a host server, then you will need to contact your host and ask them to do this.

===What Dynamic Extensions do I really need uncommented in my php.ini file? What else do I need to change?===
This assumes you have complete control over the installation and running of your server, if your Moodle is hosted, you need to do something different, which is also discussed below. In the php.ini you need to delete the semi-colon, the ;, from the start of any line to uncomment it. For Moodle, you really should only need to change some values, and make sure the extensions you require are available. These are:

Resource Limits
memory_limit = 128M //This is the maximum it requires and on a shared server you may get much less.

Data Handling
post_max_size = 512M //This allows postings of up to 512MB, but set it to suit yourself and your circumstances

Paths and Directories
doc_root ="driveletter:\path\to\server\active\web\directory" (e.g. d:\Apache\htdocs or e:\iis\wwwroot )
and
extension_dir = "driveletter:\path\to\php\ext" (e.g. d:\php\ext or e:\iis\php\ext)

File Uploads
upload_max_filesize = 512M (This is different from the post_max_size this is for file uploads.)

Dynamic Extensions
{| class="nicetable"
|-
! PHP 5.3.x
|-
|
extension=php_curl.dll
extension=php_gd2.dll
extension=php_gettext.dll
extension=php_intl.dll
extension=php_imap.dll
extension=php_ldap.dll
extension=php_mbstring.dll
extension=php_exif.dll ; Must be after mbstring as it depends on it
extension=php_mysql.dll
extension=php_mysqli.dll
extension=php_openssl.dll
extension=php_pdo_mssql.dll
extension=php_pdo_mysql.dll
extension=php_soap.dll
extension=php_sockets.dll
extension=php_sqlite.dll
extension=php_xmlrpc.dll
extension=php_zip.dll
|}

These edits and Dynamic extensions cover a range of options here, there are a number of other possibilities, but these listed are the most common ones. Unless you have a specific need, there may not be any reason to deviate from these settings, but if you do, make sure you know what is going to happen. These extensions will also allow you to successfully install and run many other PHP applications.

One example is the Oracle extensions are not shown here, but Oracle can be used for the Moodle database. Another area people often get themselves into trouble is using "Magic quotes". Magic quotes really should be set to off, they were only introduced early in the use of PHP to allow for some inexperienced scripting practices, (read poor, shoddy or dodgy here). If someone is still writing poor scripts, then they deserve to draw attention to themselves and their scripts deleted.

===My Host took my Moodle 2 down from the server due to an overload of the database.===
This happens far too often on shared servers. The additional memory requirements of Moodle 2+ for installation and the additional database storage required is going to make it worse. The best bet is to find a dedicated server, that is the optimum, but reality is that costs do play a large part in making decisions about where a Moodle will be stored. A dedicated server will give you the entire disc space and all the memory on that server to use as you need. A virtual dedicated server means you are sharing with a few other users on a server, possibly as many as 10, but more likely 5 or 6. A shared server mean you are sharing one box with as many of the Host's clientele that can be put onto one server. This means sharing all resources and Moodle's demands get higher as the number of Users increases which affects all other Clients of the Host. There are any number of Moodle Partners who may be willing to host your Moodle, and the Internet also means you are not restricted by national or natural boundaries or currency transactions - politics, oceans and banks have no impact on where you host your Moodle.

===Why am I having trouble restoring my existing Moodle 1.9.x courses into Moodle 2.0?===
Simply put, the changes in coding between Moodle 1.9.x and Moodle 2.0 are large. Additional security has forced changes to the backup processes. In just looking at the databases there are an additional 60 or more tables, so that creates a number of restoring issues alone. To bring Moodle 1.9.x courses into Moodle 2.0 is a monumental challenge, and full credit to those who are trying it. There is, currently, one commercial Windows based solution but it is not fully successful in its restoration of courses.

: '''NOTE:''' Moodle 2.0 can backup and restore courses from within itself perfectly, the issue appears to be centred on v1.x.x courses.

: '''UPDATE:''' Moodle 2.1 was released on July 1, 2011 and can now restore course files from backups made in v1.9.x. No users or user data can be restored.

===How do I look up the error logs in Moodle 2.0?===
First, turn the error logs on, go to

Site administration ► Development ► Debugging

and set error messages to DEVELOPER: .... Then go to

Site administration ► Reports ► Logs

set your report options to Home 2.0(Site), All Participants, All Activities or Site Errors, View, Display on Page and then click, "Get these logs". The report should give you something, and you may be able to develop an appropriate response from there.

===Do I try to upgrade to Moodle 2.0 or just create a new install?===
There is always debate around these issues, but simply put, Moodle 2.0 is a complete re-write of a tried and tested tool. This presents its own challenges, obviously, and those challenges need be met in the best way we can. It is a temptation to go all in and jump to the new tool, but this can be a dangerous practice when dealing with a lot of people who are resistant to change, and the change from Moodle 1.9.x to 2.0 is massive.
Upgrading to Moodle 2.0 has always been an option, but make sure your environment will meet the newer specifications.
Consider your own circumstances. Are you starting out on the Moodle journey or have you just been dropped into it? Perhaps you are starting out, and you have no resources or courses and you are building for the next few months when you want it to become a part of your learning centre and a showpiece for your institute. A complete new Moodle 2.x.x install and starting from scratch is most appropriate in this circumstance. All major features work in it and some of the tools are a lot more interesting than for Moodle 1.9.x.
Don't worry about Moodle 1.9.x, just use the new Moodle 2.x.x and learn it if you are starting from scratch.
If you have been dropped into it, and have a lot of courses, and you need to administer your Moodle 1.9.x as well as look at updating, then the next best option is to install a new Moodle and open it just for your Administrators and Staff. Let them get used to the new interface, develop training courses around the new Moodle, not just for staff but for Users as well. Aim at your staff first, let them learn it then they can be more confident in using the new Moodle when they come to teaching their Users/Students.
In short, best advice is NOT to install a Moodle 2.0 as a production site without thoroughly testing and training first.
To install and run more than one Moodle successfully is actually simple. Install your Moodle 2.0 and then go to '''''Site administration > Server > Session handling'''''. Look for the Cookie prefix dialogue and add a value to it. Repeat the exercise in every other Moodle you have on your server, it should all work as it is supposed to - as long as the cookie prefixes are different for every Moodle, of course.

[[Image:cookieprefix.png|frame|center|Cookie prefix for Moodle 2.0]]

Essentially, take your time and not be in too much of a rush if you have to convert your Staff and Learners to a new tool. Let the Staff get used to it first, then you can make the swap any time.

If you do update your v1.9.x to v 2.0, and experience some problems, you may want to consider putting the issues and any error messages into a [http://tracker.moodle.org/secure/Dashboard.jspa Moodle Tracker item]. If you do, you may be providing information to resolve a number of updating issues for a lot of people.

===Well, we want to try and upgrade to test our systems.===
Try, by all means. However, there are a couple of issues you may need be aware of.

A rough guide and checklist:
#Plugins that work in Moodle 1.9.x may not be updated to Moodle 2.0. Check your plugins. Are you using any non-core plugins?
#Can you remove any non-core plugins?
#Have you backed up your database?
#Have you backed up your moodledata folder?
#Have you allocated additional time make the update, as a contingency?

You may not necessarily have to remove the non-core plugins from the Moodle, or, they may still be present in the database even if you have deleted them from your Moodle Mod folder. The issue arising is that some plugins appear to be causing update errors as there is no matching core plugin from Moodle 2.0, or the plugin APIs are different and cannot accommodate the older plugins, or the older plugins that have not been properly maintained, cannot handle the newer environment.

: '''NOTE:'''This is not meant to be an exhaustive checklist or to scare people off trying to upgrade their v1.9.x to v2.0.x, just be aware that Moodle 2.0 is still a work in progress, as is this checklist.

===We have extensively used the Book for parts of our previous Moodle, can we do so for Moodle 2.0?===
The really good news is that Petr Skoda (Skodak) has the Maintainer role for the [http://moodle.org/mod/data/view.php?d=13&rid=319&filter=1 Book plugin/module]. Petr announced some time back that when his major coding tasks for Moodle 2.0 had been done, he was taking a short break then he would begin work on updating the Book for Moodle 2.0.

:'''UPDATE''': Petr's updating of the Book module is now complete, and is available at the above link. Initial testing shows it installs easily and seems to run faster than the original. Seems the code has been better optimized by Petr, who deserves a hearty congratulations!!!

'''Please note:''' the book module is available as standard in Moodle 2.3

===That is OK for the Book, but what about other plugins and blocks?===
As a general rule-of-thumb, if a plugin or block has not been maintained through Moodle 1.9.x then it is extremely unlikely it will make it to Moodle 2.0.x. This means the developer has not kept it current and may feel it is too much of a distraction from their current projects to keep active. This does not mean that you, or someone else, may not take it on, as long as you ensure that what you are working with is creative commons, open source or other non-proprietal software and you are not infringing either copyright or intellectual property rights. If you are not sure, try to contact the developer or last maintainer, they may be different - if required, get permission from them to continue development. Of course, you may also seek to develop an entirely new plugin, or block, but it is clear that it is actually duplicating something that already exists or was used in earlier versions of Moodle, but is no longer current. As long as you can prove the provenance of such a plugin or block, and do not use any code from anywhere else that is not original or acknowledged where the code came from, then you should be OK. For ideas and guidelines around developing or updating a plugin, look at this page from [https://docs.moodle.org/dev/Developer_documentation Developer Documentation]. You can also join a [http://dev.moodle.org/ class of developers] and learn how it can be done.

===I am getting error messages about plugins and the installation stops when upgrading. What do I do?===
Quite frequently, not a lot at all, you can just continue on. Many of these messages are just that, messages, they are not supposed to stop or break the installation, they are just warnings that not all is working as you may be used to in an install. Usually they relate to plugins that are not part of Moodle 2.0 yet. Moodle is designed to display a message, but continue on. Or, you can consider that, given the above, upgrading is not really viable and just do a fresh install. If those messages continue, then you have another problem. If there were database errors, or code errors, then it is different, you really do need to stop and investigate.

===We are installing Moodle and getting error messages about not using the unicode or UTF-8 charset===
In recent times, this has become an issue with CPanel and Fantastico installers on some Linux servers. Apparently the default charset for these tools is a latin_swedish_ci charset. Moodle requires the UTF-8 charset. This is a relatively simple fix, if you have the right tools. Install phpMyAdmin and check it is working, if you do not already have it. You can then go to the SQL page and enter the following code:
ALTER DATABASE `moodle` DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE utf8_unicode_ci;
There have been, in the past, reports of tables that do not change using this SQL code, so try:
ALTER TABLE `mdl_tablename` DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE utf8_unicode_ci;
There have been no reasons as to why some tables are missed, but you can alter individual tables by using the code above. The code should look something like:

[[Image:altertablesqlm202.png|frame|center|Changing the charset in Moodle 2.0]]

''This also works in Moodle 1.9.x IF you use the utf8_general_ci charset.''

'''NOTE:''' This SQL is supposed to work across the database, but recent reports suggest that the ALTER DATABASE seems to have a number of issues stemming from problems with the GRANT command. GRANT <nowiki>[permissiontype]</nowiki> is supposed to allow a user to access the entire database, but it no longer appears to be the case. The ALTER TABLE SQL has not been affected by this issue.

'''FURTHER NOTE:''' When using the ALTER DATABASE SQL, it appears to be diverted to altering the ''db.opt'' file, but is not continued into the tables of the database. So whether this is a deliberate security feature of more recent editions of MySQL or not is, at this stage, unknown. How this affects Postgres, or Oracle databases is also unknown.

===OK, but how can we tell what tables are not converted?===
Using phpMyAdmin, you can find out almost anything you like about your database, as long as you know where to look. There is some real documentation about using phpMyAdmin that is linked both in the left and right panels. Go to the Database tab and then select the database you want to look at.

[[Image:selectdatabasetab.png|thumb|150px|frame|center|Selecting the database tab in Moodle 2.0]]

Once selected, you will see what the charset is of each table. Any table that does not comply you can change using the table SQL code above.

[[Image:phpmyadmintablelisting.png|frame|center|Checking the table listings in phpMyAdmin]]

===How do I get and install phpMyAdmin?===
phpMyAdmin is another very useful plugin. In Moodle 2.0 the plugin has been updated and is now located in a different place than it was in earlier versions. Go to the [http://moodle.org/mod/data/view.php?d=13&rid=448&filter=1 phpMyAdmin page in Modules and Plugins] and download the Moodle 2.0 version. Unzip it to the '''moodle/local''' folder and then go to '''Notifications'''. Moodle will then tell you it has been successfully installed. If you look in Administration > Server you will now find a line "phpMyAdmin". To access your database, click the link.

===When I update over a 1.9 install, I get an error message about an incompatible plugin and it all stops. What can I do?===

One piece of advice is that you just do not do that!

Sometimes, a file/folder will be removed from the code between one version of Moodle and the next. If you upgrade Moodle by copying the new Moodle code over the top of the old code, then the older files not duplicated or no longer existent, or just disused and dropped, will remain, and can break things.

The correct way to upgrade is (assuming your Moodle code is in a folder called <tt>moodle</tt> on the server:
# Upload the new code onto the server into a folder with a temporary name, like <tt>moodle_new</tt>.
# Copy the <tt>config.php</tt> file from the moodle folder to the <tt>moodle_new</tt> folder.
# For any third-party plugins you have installed, copy them into <tt>moodle_new</tt>. (Make sure the plugin is compatible with the version of Moodle you are upgrading to.)
# Then rename the <tt>moodle</tt> folder to <tt>moodle_old</tt>, and then rename <tt>moodle_new</tt> to <tt>moodle</tt>.

If you insist though, then you can expect to be getting all sorts of error messages. Given the fundamental changes to the database and the manner in which plugins are structured, and employed, in Moodle 2.0.x this is a very time consuming and, ultimately, futile (I would suggest) approach. You can, of course, remove all non-core plugins, and their corresponding tables from the database, and then you give yourself a chance at getting through it somewhat less scathed, but I doubt it.

===What is happening to my uploaded files? I cannot see them in the moodledata folder!===
To improve security, Moodle has change how files are stored in the moodledata folder. There are there, but no longer obvious. When a file is uploaded it is given a storage name, an encrypted name, and it is placed into a specific folder within the moodledata folder. That folder's name is directly related to the file storage name. So we have a file with an encrypted name, inside a folder with a related name, inside the moodledata folder. Now comes the nifty part, these encrypted names are used as connections to the database. The database stores those encrypted names as aliases for the files and uses them to link the files to the courses. You see them, but you do not see them, well they are not obvious. Unfortunately, you cannot edit them in place, like you could files in Moodle 1.9.x you have to edit them, delete the older file and upload the new ones.

==See Also==

*[[Beginning Moodle 2.x Administration 2 FAQ | Beginning Moodle 2.x Administration 2 FAQ ]]
*[[:Category:Administrator | Index of all Administrator-related pages]]

[[Category:FAQ]]