MoodleDocs - User contributions [en]

QA testing

2022-04-19T11:50:54Z

Ichklaus: /* See also */ Moodle 4.0 QA

{{Template:Migrated|newDocId=/general/development/process/testing/qa}}
'''Quality Assurance''' tests look at the functionality of Moodle from a user's point of view.

Real users systematically try each feature in Moodle and test that it works in the current version of the Moodle code. These tests are repeated in series of cycles, around 4 - 6 weeks before a major release, once all major features have landed.
<p class="note">'''QA testing latest''': ''We're currently QA testing Moodle 4.0. More testers are always welcome (see below).''</p>
==Getting involved==
Would you like to help with QA testing? If so, please make sure you have created an account in the [[Tracker_introduction|Moodle tracker]] and you're subscribed to the [https://moodle.org/mod/forum/view.php?id=56 Testing and QA forum] in order to receive QA testing news updates.
==Running tests==
# Go to the [https://tracker.moodle.org/secure/Dashboard.jspa?selectPageId=11454 Moodle QA testing dashboard] and choose a test from the list of current QA cycle open issues. When viewing a test, if you wish, you can click the 'Assign to me' link on the right, so that nobody else chooses the same test to run. (If you then find you are unable to run the test, you can click the Assign button and set the assignee as 'Unassigned'.) Please note:
#* Only assign an issue to yourself which no one else is testing (Assignee = Unassigned).
#* Only assign one issue at a time unless you plan to test a number of related issues within the next 24 hours. In other words, don't assign several issues to yourself then do nothing for several days. ;-)
#* The label ''test_server_required'' indicates issues that can't be tested on the QA testing site. The label ''credentials_required'' indicates that credentials such as an OAuth 2 service client ID and secret are required.
# Using either the [https://qa.moodledemo.net/ Moodle QA Testing Site] or your own test site running the latest Moodle 4.0dev (available from Git on the integration/master branch ''<nowiki>git://git.moodle.org/integration.git</nowiki>'') with [[:en:Debugging|debugging]] set to developer, perform each of the steps listed in the test.
# ''Please attach screenshots of the steps where you verify or check something.''
# If it makes sense, please test using the currently supported themes, Boost and Classic.
# Choose an appropriate workflow action:
#* ''Pass'' - Test runs perfectly. Add comment such as feedback about a new feature, browsers used for testing (if applicable; example: "This test passes on Q&A site with Teacher role using Boost theme"), or simply "This test passes - yippee!"
#* ''Fail'' - Something doesn't work, or you obtain debugging messages. Add comment describing the step that doesn't work. If in doubt whether to pass a test, give it a fail and add a comment describing your doubts.
#* ''Obsolete'' - Test is no longer relevant in the current Moodle version. Add comment explaining why.
If you notice that the test description is out-of-date, add a comment mentioning that it needs updating. Alternatively, if you'd like to help with updating the test yourself, see below.
==Any questions?==
If there is anything you are unsure of, such as whether to mark a test as failed, or you have any other questions, please ask in one of the following places:
* [https://t.me/moodleqa Moodle QA Telegram chat room] - To join the room for the first time, please use the [https://t.me/+cXneE_ZeZ_A4ODRk Moodle QA Telegram invite link].
* [https://moodle.org/mod/forum/view.php?id=56 Testing and QA forum]
==Moodle QA Testing Site==
The [https://qa.moodledemo.net/ Moodle QA Testing Site] is updated daily at around 13:00 UTC with the latest bug fixes to enable you to re-run QA tests.

To prevent the site being used for sending spam, no emails are sent from it. Thus, tests involving email cannot be run using the Moodle QA Testing Site. (If such tests are attempted, an email debug message is displayed. This is not a bug but rather expected behaviour.)

Teacher and student accounts are provided. If you would like admin access to the Moodle QA Testing Site for running certain tests, please ask in the Moodle QA Telegram chat room or the Testing and QA forum for someone to send you the account credentials via private message.
==<div id="failedTests">Failed tests</div>==
So you ran a test and it failed? Congratulations on finding a bug! Please do the following.
# Click the Fail button at the top of the page.
# Add a comment to the QA test stating that there was a problem and that you will report it as a Moodle bug.
# Note the MDLQA number; it will be something like <nowiki>MDLQA-448</nowiki>.
# Try searching for whether the bug has been reported previously, and if not create a new issue for it (as described in [[Tracker introduction]]).
# In the new Moodle (MDL) issue select 'Link' from the 'More actions' dropdown menu. <br />[[Image:LinkIssue.png|150px|Linking to the QA issue in the tracker]]
# Link to the QA test by selecting 'blocks' as the link type, entering the MDLQA number that you noted earlier, and optionally adding a comment. <br />[[Image:LinkDetails.png|150px|Adding details for a link to the QA issue]]
# Give the issue the label 'mdlqa'.
# (Optional) Add yourself as a watcher to the MDL issue so that you receive email notification when the issue is fixed.
# When the MDL issue is fixed, hopefully within a day or two, the QA test can be reset and can then be run again.
==Resetting tests==
''Note for integrators:''

After integrating a fix,
# Reset the MDLQA test, adding a comment.
# Remove the 'mdlqa' label from the MDL issue.
# If the issue doesn't have testing instructions, pass it with message "Will be tested by MDLQA-XXXX".
The tester will then receive email notification that the bug is fixed and will hopefully decide to run the test again soon.
==Fixing existing bugs==
At the beginning of the QA cycle, all bugs identified (both new and existing) are investigated promptly and hopefully fixed.

When we are close to the scheduled release date (1-2 weeks prior), developers must focus on fixing new bugs (which affect the upcoming release version) only.

Thus, at this point in the QA cycle, any bugs which also affect existing versions of Moodle are labelled qa_identified (and the label mdlqa removed) for investigation after the release.
==Testing tips==
When entering text into a form, try things like:
* <syntaxhighlight lang="php">&</syntaxhighlight> (ampersand), <syntaxhighlight lang="php">></syntaxhighlight> (greater than) or <syntaxhighlight lang="php"><</syntaxhighlight> (less than) e.g. <syntaxhighlight lang="php">x < 1 && x > 0</syntaxhighlight>
* <syntaxhighlight lang="php">0</syntaxhighlight> (the single digit 0)
* <syntaxhighlight lang="php">'</syntaxhighlight> (single quote) e.g. <syntaxhighlight lang="php">Fergal.O'Brien@example.com</syntaxhighlight>
* special characters e.g. <syntaxhighlight lang="php">café</syntaxhighlight> or <syntaxhighlight lang="php">囲碁</syntaxhighlight>
* very long strings
* different languages, such as a RTL language
==New QA tests required==
''Note for developers:''

If an issue fix cannot be covered by automated tests,
# Add the label 'qa_test_required' to the issue.
# Add a comment explaining why it can't be covered by automated tests and suggesting which steps of the testing instructions should be included in a QA test e.g. steps 6-10 or all steps.
QA tests will then be written and included in the next QA cycle. For issues with long testing instructions, several QA tests will be written to cover the issue. If appropriate, activities etc. will be set up on the [https://qa.moodledemo.net/ Moodle QA Testing Site] to enable the issue to be easily tested in future.

Similarly, for new features and improvements which would benefit from exploratory testing,
# Add the label 'qa_test_required' to the issue.
# Add a comment mentioning that exploratory testing is required.
Exploratory QA tests will then be written and included in the next QA cycle and then removed.
==Updating tests==
QA tests often become out-of-date due to new developments. If you would like to help with updating tests, you'll need to be a member of the test writers group in the Tracker. Please contact Helen about being added.

To update a QA test original:
# Search for the test in MDLQA-1.
# Edit the test description.
If a test in the current QA cycle is marked as failed because it is out-of-date, the description should be updated (as well as the test original) before resetting the test. If the test in the current QA cycle is marked as passed, then only the test original needs to be updated.
==Writing new tests==
Would you like to help with writing new QA tests? If so, as for updating tests, you'll need to be a member of the test writers group in the Tracker. Please contact Helen about being added.

QA tests are needed for any features which can't be tested with automated testing, such as connecting to an external system, drag and drop functionality or a CLI script. Also if it requires a person to detect if something is 'correct' vs. present/absent on the page.

In addition, new features can benefit from exploratory testing by community volunteers.

To create a new QA test:
# If appropriate, do a quick search of MDLQA-1 to check if there is an existing test which can be updated.
# If not, in MDLQA-1 from the More menu select 'Create sub-task'.
# Enter a summary such as 'A teacher can ...'.
# Select 'Original' as affected version and select appropriate components.
# In the description field add the test steps (usually between 3 and 10), similar to the issue's [[Testing instructions guide|testing instructions]], starting with 'Log in as a teacher...' or similar. It's a good idea to try doing the steps yourself as you write the test.
# Start some steps with 'Verify that ...' or similar.
# Click the Create button.
# Go to the MDL issue and create a ‘has a QA test’ link to the new QA test, adding a comment “This feature is now covered by the QA test MDLQA....”.

Notes:
* Add the label ''new''
* For tests which can’t be run on the QA testing site, such as ones where you need to check an email, label ''test_server_required''.
* For OAuth 2 tests and any other tests which require a client ID or secret to be entered, label ''credentials_required''.
* For issues which specifically mention in the testing instructions to test in different browsers, use the phrase "Test in as many browsers as possible and mention in a comment which ones you’ve used."
* For an exploratory test, begin the test description with "This is an exploratory test of a new feature or improvement, so please feel free to try anything you like and not just the test steps!"
* For a test requiring admin access which can be run on the QA site, add:
This test requires admin access. If you would like to use the [QA testing site|https://qa.moodledemo.net/] for running it, please see the [QA testing guide|https://docs.moodle.org/dev/QA_testing] for details of how to request admin access. Begin just after the hourly reset to give yourself plenty of time to complete the test!
==Feedback==
Feedback on all aspects of our QA testing process is welcome. If you have any questions or comments, please post in the [https://moodle.org/mod/forum/view.php?id=56 Testing and QA forum].
==See also==
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/secure/Dashboard.jspa?selectPageId=11454 QA testing dashboard]
* [[Testing credits]]
* [[MDLQA-features]]
* [https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=351302 Useful tips for QA testing]
Comments on tests from previous QA cycles:
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-150 Moodle 2.0 QA Cycle 1]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-328 Moodle 2.0 QA Cycle 2]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-540 Moodle 2.0.2 QA]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-944 Moodle 2.1 QA Cycle 1]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-1190 Moodle 2.2 QA]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-1814 Moodle 2.3 QA]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-4602 Moodle 2.4 QA]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-5267 Moodle 2.5 QA]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-5740 Moodle 2.6 QA]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-6693 Moodle 2.7 QA]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-7170 Moodle 2.8 QA]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-7660 Moodle 2.9 QA]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-8205 Moodle 3.0 QA]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-9267 Moodle 3.1 QA]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-9827 Moodle 3.2 QA]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-10403 Moodle 3.3 QA]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-10999 Moodle 3.4 QA]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-11698 Moodle 3.5 QA]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-12282 Moodle 3.6 QA]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-12911 Moodle 3.7 QA]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-13517 Moodle 3.8 QA]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-14131 Moodle 3.9 QA]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-14813 Moodle 3.10 QA]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDLQA-15457 Moodle 3.11 QA]
* [https://tracker.moodle.org/secure/Dashboard.jspa?selectPageId=11454 Moodle 4.0 QA]
[[Category:Quality Assurance]]

User:Klaus Steitz

2022-02-03T08:53:04Z

Ichklaus: Initial commit (copy from https://docs.moodle.org/en/User:Klaus_Steitz)

Moodle Service Owner and administrator at Technische Universität Darmstadt (https://moodle.tu-darmstadt.de) and staff at the e-learning team since 2007 (http://www.e-learning.tu-darmstadt.de)

Board of directors https://moodle-an-hochschulen.de/

Talk:Roadmap

2021-11-26T07:57:55Z

Ichklaus: /* Moodle 4.0 */ new section

Hi , we are the Moodle Users Association (plural). Please note.
--[[User:Richard Samson|Richard Samson]] ([[User talk:Richard Samson|talk]]) 08:50, 3 April 2020 (UTC)

:Thanks Richard, I have amended it accordingly. --[[User:Helen Foster|Helen Foster]] ([[User talk:Helen Foster|talk]]) 10:10, 3 April 2020 (UTC)

== Moodle 4.0 ==

In terms of consistency relase date for Moodle 4.0 should also be updated under the tables "Roadmap timeline" and "Release support timeframes" – currently they still say Q4 respectively December 2021; moving to Q1 2022 and note down "Minor release(s)" into Q4/21 would be more accurat.

Moodle 2.3 release notes

2012-05-25T14:33:54Z

Ichklaus: MDL-31215: edit the name of any activity or resource directly on the course page

[[Releases]] > {{FULLPAGENAME}}

Release date: 18th June 2012 (expected)

Here is [http://tracker.moodle.org/secure/IssueNavigator!executeAdvanced.jspa?jqlQuery=project+%3D+mdl+AND+resolution+%3D+fixed+AND+fixVersion+in+%28%222.3%22%29+ORDER+BY+priority+DESC&runQuery=true&clear=true the full list of fixed issues in 2.3].

Many thanks to [http://moodle.org/dev/contributions.php?version=2.3.x everyone that worked on the new features in this release], particularly:

* Everyone at [http://moodle.com/hq/team Moodle HQ]
* Tim Hunt and Sam Marshall from [http://www.open.ac.uk/ The Open University]
* Damyon and Raymond from [http://www.netspot.com.au/ NetSpot]
* Andrew and Ruslan from [http://www.luns.net.uk/ Lancaster University Network Services]
* Davo Smith from [http://www.synergy-learning.com/ Synergy Learning]
* Main web services contributors: Fabio Souto, Juan Leyva, Paul Charsley, Yang Yang
* ...

===Requirements===

* Minimum browser: Firefox 4, Internet Explorer 8, Safari 5 (New!)
* Moodle upgrade: Moodle 2.2 or later (if upgrading from earlier versions, you must upgrade to 2.2 as a first step)
* Minimum PHP / DB versions: the same as for Moodle 2.2

===Major new features===

====Files usability====

(insert screenshots with realistic example files)

* Nicer-looking File Picker with fewer clicks
* Images now display as true thumbnails in the file picker and file manager
* Other files have pretty icons for most file types
* Files view can be easily toggled between icons view, or a table view with sizes and dates, or a hierarchical list view.
* You can now drag and drop files directly from your desktop straight into file areas!
* File info (eg license information, sizes, dates) can be easily edited and viewed in a popup dialog
* Files can be created as "aliases/shortcuts" of other files. This allows you to, for example, use a single file in your private files area multiple times in all your courses. If you update the original file then all the aliases will automatically update!
* Aliases are easily identifiable in the file manager interface.
(MDL-31907)

Credits to Moodle HQ: Marina Glancy, Barbara Ramiro, Martin Dougiamas, David Mudrak, Dongsheng Cai and others.

====Repository improvements====

* MDL-28666 - If a repository supports it then it's possible to make an alias/shortcut to a file in an external repository. If the file is updated in the repository, then this change is reflected in Moodle. The fie remains under Moodle access control however, and the original URL is not usually revealed. In the 2.3 core release, this is supported by Equella, Filesystem, user private, coursefiles and box.net repositories.
* The repository plugin is now able to take over the whole right-hand pane of the file picker and provide it's own searching/browsing interface.
* MDL-31675 - Server files repository now available for database, forum and glossary activities.

Credits to Moodle HQ: Dongsheng Cai, Marina Glancy, Martin Dougiamas, Petr Skoda

====Improvements to editing course pages ====

* MDL-31263 - Blocks drag and drop returns
* MDL-31052 - All AJAX editing on the course pages has been modernised and cleaned up. It's on by default now too.
* MDL-30617 - An optional new popup [https://docs.moodle.org/23/en/Course_homepage "Activity chooser"] has been added with full introduction, examples and links about each activity or resource module.
* MDL-22504 - You can now drag files straight into the course page and they will be added as resources.
* MDL-31215 - You can edit the name of any activity or resource directly on the course page without entering the settings (works particularly well with drag and drop).
* MDL-32771 - You can now add/remove sections directly from the [https://docs.moodle.org/23/en/Course_homepage course page].

====Assignment module====

* MDL-26997 - Complete rewrite of the assignment module from scratch, by [http://www.netspot.com.au/ NetSpot] (Moodle Partner in Australia)
* Assignment subtypes no longer needed
* MDL-31731 - New 'marking guide' advanced grading method, where a teacher enters a comment per criterion and a mark up to a maximum

====Book module====

* MDL-32709 - The most popular third-party resource module ever, [https://docs.moodle.org/23/en/Book_module Book], by our very own Petr Skoda, finally joins core. Welcome!

====Quiz module====

* MDL-3030 - More robust handling of quiz attempts that are not submitted by the deadline.
* MDL-3054 & MDL-11047 - There is now an option for teacher to force students to answer the quiz questions strictly in order. As part of this, the quiz remembers which page the student was last on, and will take them back there when they resume an attempt.

====SCORM module====
* MDL-29745 - new graph report plugin

====Workshop module====

* MDL-26099 - [https://docs.moodle.org/23/en/Workshop_settings Option to make the workshop switch to the assessment phase] automatically after the submissions deadline (including automatic allocation of submissions for assessment)
* MDL-25660 - Workshop submission deadlines are shown in the calendar
* MDL-27508 - Improved support for pagination and filtering workshop submissions by group
* MDL-32638 - Workshop supports file browsing via Server files repository (including improved access control when serving submission files)

====Available update notifications====

*MDL-20438 - Admins are sent [https://docs.moodle.org/23/en/Notifications notification of any updates available] for core code and for any contributed plugins installed on the site (from the [http://moodle.org/plugins plugins directory]). Admins can also check for available updates using buttons on the notifications and plugins overview pages.

===Other highlights===

* MDL-32508 - Sections can now be displayed to all users as "one section per page" (via a new [https://docs.moodle.org/23/en/Course_settings course setting 'Course layout']) with full navigation. Currently only supported by Weeks and Topics formats. (AKA death to scroll-of-death)
* MDL-31121 - Option in [https://docs.moodle.org/23/en/File_module_settings file resource settings] to display file size and/or type on course page
* MDL-32009 - Admin option for uninstalling messaging outputs and report of messaging output statuses on plugins overview page
* MDL-29941 - Admin option to enable a CSS optimiser that analyses and refactors CSS before caching it
* MDL-24419 - [https://docs.moodle.org/23/en/Conditional_activities_settings Conditional activities setting] enabling teachers to restrict access to a course section using similar logic to Conditional Activities (with thanks to the [http://www.unsw.edu.au/ University of New South Wales] for funding and [http://www.netspot.com.au/ NetSpot] for developing this feature)
* MDL-26901 - Option to add extra fonts to the [https://docs.moodle.org/23/en/Text_editor TinyMCE HTML editor]

===Security issues===

All security issues that were fixed in 2.2.x and 2.1.x were also fixed in 2.3.

===For developers: API changes===

====Core API changes====
* MDL-31902 All xxx_get_participants() functions are removed from core
* As a part of MDL-32471, the signature of send_stored_file() has been [http://git.moodle.org/gw?p=moodle.git;a=commitdiff;h=796495fed29f12e4a81bd406558d8eeffd0e64ac modified]. The last two parameters $filename and $dontdie were replaced with a single array containing additional options for the file serving. The pluginfile callbacks in plugins are supposed to transfer these options from the caller to send_stored_file() - see the note below.
* MDL-28666 Files API changes, added ability to create file reference using file_storage::create_file_from_reference() method, update file record attributes using stored_file class
* MDL-28666 Repository API changes, added new APIs repository::get_file_reference(), repository::get_file_by_reference(), repository::get_reference_details(), repository::send_file(), the new APIs make serving files from external repository possible

====Plugin API changes====

* As a part of MDL-32471, the API of the plugin function xyz_pluginfile() has been extended. There is a new array parameter passed to these callbacks containing additional options for the file serving. The array should be re-passed to send_stored_file(). The change is pretty trivial - see [http://git.moodle.org/gw?p=moodle.git;a=commitdiff;h=261cbbacc15ef1732a357d689908c91c15e0617a examples].

====Webservice changes====
Few changes could break existing web service clients in 2.3 - untill this version we tried not to break anything. However these changes will make the client's developer life easier, so we prefered to do them now than later. Please take in consideration these improvements and retest your clients:
* [https://docs.moodle.org/dev/Errors_handling_in_web_services Error codes and Warnings]
* All text fields have an additional format field as parameter and return value (MDL-32581)
* Thanks to the increasing number of contributions, we improved our [https://docs.moodle.org/dev/How_to_contribute_a_web_service_function_to_core contributor web service guide]
* From 2.3, all web service functions integrated in master will land (when possible) in supported minor versions (e.g. 2.3.1, 2.3.2...).
* Many [http://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDL-31253 fixes] and new [http://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDL-29934 API functions].

====Unit tests====

We have switched completely to using [[PHPUnit]] for all our unit tests now. All existing simpletests have been rewritten, and new tests have been added.

We intend to move towards a completely unit-test-driven development methodology (where the tests are written first!) for significant new code, and we also encourage all developers to implement unit tests covering at least the core features of their code.

Moodle HQ run these tests on an automated basis for all new code submitted for integration, as well as on each weekly release.

==== Community hub changes ====
Some bug fixes and improvements in [http://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDL-30247 core] and in the [http://tracker.moodle.org/browse/CONTRIB-3348 plugin]. Hub administrators must update their hub to the most recent version regarding CONTRIB-3646.

<noinclude>==See also==

* [https://docs.moodle.org/23/en/Category:New_features User documentation of new features in Moodle 2.3]
* [https://docs.moodle.org/23/en/Upgrading_to_Moodle_2.3 Upgrading to Moodle 2.3] - information for admins who are upgrading from earlier versions
*[[Moodle 2.2 release notes]]

[[Category:Release notes]]
[[Category:Moodle 2.3]]

[[fr:Notes de mise à jour de Moodle 2.3]]
</noinclude>