Groups: Difference between revisions

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Moodle1.9

Improved groups/groupings design in Moodle 1.9

The groups related database structure in 1.9 was reverted to 1.7, groupings are now implemented in a different way than in 1.8. The current design is compatible with 1.7 style groups.

Alternative rejected proposals

Changed groups/groupings relationship

In 1.8 both groups and groupings are not linked strictly to one course, you could use one group in several courses and groupings at the same time. This loose relationship of groups and groupings adds too much complexity and could be/is a source of bugs in code.

Solution: Each group and grouping links the course id directly. Groupings are only limiting the number of usable groups in activities. This allows free sharing of groups in groupings inside course without potential problems. This idea was proposed by Enrique. See attached db schema.

course

groupingid - default grouping used in course (new activities, etc.)

course_modules

groupingid - grouping used in activity

groupings_groups

renamed table

groups

reverted to pre 1.8 state (with the password exception)

Benefits

fewer tables
normalized
simpler SQL
easier backup/restore implementation
fully compatible with old group implementation in 1.7

Global groups

Global groups are not implemented in 1.9. They are not going to be implemented at the database level. Instead some other solution should be present in 2.0. This will require patching of enrolment framework and group/lib.php.

Groups API

Main public API is in lib/grouplib.php, modules should use only these functions.

Moodle core may use other functions defined in group/lib.php

New feature ideas

Student self selection of group from grouping

To be implemented as normal module.

Linked groups

It would allow synchronizing of group membership from different courses; the idea is to have linkid in groups table and synchronize the groups membership in group functions for adding/removing of members for groups with the same linkid.

Group/grouping cloning

Cloning or duplicating is UI feature only, it helps to prefill new groups/groupings with existing data. In theory it could also copy existing grouping setups from other courses too.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Template:Migrated|newDocId=/docs/apis/subsystems/group/}}
+{{Template:WillNotMigrate}}
+{{Moodle 1.9}}
 ==Improved groups/groupings design in Moodle 1.9==
 The groups related database structure in 1.9 was reverted to 1.7, groupings are now implemented in a different way than in 1.8. The current design is compatible with 1.7 style groups.
-==Other proposals==
+==Alternative rejected proposals==
-* [[Groupings OU]]
+* [[Obsolete:Groupings OU]]
-* [[Groupings and Groups]]
+* [[Obsolete:Groupings and Groups]]
 ==Changed groups/groupings relationship==
@@ Line 19: / Line 23: @@
 ===course_modules===
 * groupingid - grouping used in activity
-* groupmembersonly - limit access to and visibility of activity based on group membership - if user is not member of at least one group in grouping, the activity is invisible for them; this needs a new shared option in course/moodleform_mod.php
 ===groupings_groups===
@@ Line 34: / Line 37: @@
 *fully compatible with old group implementation in 1.7
-==Linked groups==
+==Global groups==
-Maybe in future - it would allow synchronizing of group membership from different courses; the idea is to have linkid in groups table and synchronize the groups membership in group functions for adding/removing of members for groups with the same linkid.
+Global groups are not implemented in 1.9. They are not going to be implemented at the database level. Instead some other solution should be present in 2.0. This will require patching of enrolment framework and group/lib.php.
-==Group/grouping cloning==
-Cloning or duplicating is UI feature only, it helps to prefill new groups/groupings with existing data. In theory it could also copy existing grouping setups from other courses too.
 ==Groups API==
@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 Moodle core may use other functions defined in group/lib.php
-==Needed time==
+== See also ==
-month for implementation and testing.
+* [[Groupings and Groups|Enrique Castro group specification]].
+* [[Groupings OU|Open University group specification]].
+==New feature ideas==
-== See also ==
+===Student self selection of group from grouping===
-* [[Groupings and Groups|Enrique Castro group specification]].
+To be implemented as normal module.
-* [[Groupings OU|Open University group specification]].
+===Linked groups===
+It would allow synchronizing of group membership from different courses; the idea is to have ''linkid'' in groups table and synchronize the groups membership in group functions for adding/removing of members for groups with the same ''linkid''.
+===Group/grouping cloning===
+Cloning or duplicating is UI feature only, it helps to prefill new groups/groupings with existing data. In theory it could also copy existing grouping setups from other courses too.
 [[Category:Groups]]

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