Resource module file API migration

Moodle 2.0

Current problems

• text and html resource types separate
• embedded images and files in general are stored in course files without appropriate access control
• local files and Internet links mixed
• is IMS plug-in maintained?
• repository plug-in obsoleted
• embedded images are lost during backup & restore which moves the course to a new site. -- Matt Gibson 08:53, 18 May 2009 (UTC)

Types of resources

• Directory of files
• Resource page - using new editor element
• External resource link - some file stored elsewhere
• Single uploaded images and files
• Packages and uploaded html files
• Other 3rd party plugins

Upgrade planning

Each type requires different upgrade code.

Directory type

1. Recursively copy directory to resource area, skip backup and moddata contents

Text and web page

1. Convert to one plug-in using new editor forms element
2. Copy directly linked files that may not contain other relative links to resource area
3. PROBLEM: deal somehow with html, flash, and java; maybe just warn and manual migration button

Links to files

1. Links to external sites do not need any upgrade
2. If link points to simple file (image, sound, pdf.) copy to resource area
3. PROBLEM: links to different courses - already problem now, maybe just warn teachers
4. PROBLEM: links to files that may contain other relative links (html, flash, java)

IMS type

1. copy files to resource area

hive

1. PROBLEM: remove from core completely?

3rd party

1. needs docs

Solution of caching problems

Teachers often do not understand that files may be cached in browsers, se the same mechanism already implemented in SCORM module.

1. Internally store all files as itemid=0
2. Add new revision db field into resource table
3. When serving files always construct links with itemid==revision
4. Ignore itemid for resource files in pluginfile.php

Internal refactoring and UI changes

...

See also

• Using the file API
• Repository API
• Portfolio API
• File API
• MDL-14589 - File API Meta issue
• MDL-16089 - Resource module conversion