User:Andrew Nicols

I am the component maintainer for AJAX and Javascript.

My thoughts on the JavaScript Roadmap for 2.6 and beyond

Move all YUI modules into the Y.Moodle namespace (from M)

Priority: High

Target release: 2.6

Description

At present, our YUI modules have historically been on the global M variable. The intention here is to move them to be under Y.Moodle.

Rationale

One of the great features of YUI is it's ability to sandbox a module into a reliable and reusable piece of code. Without this, it's possible for one instantiation to modify the module such that a future instantiation of the same module is not reliable or repeatable.

One of the ways that it achieves this is to use a functionally scoped Y object set up by the YUI().use() statement. All of the modules specified in the use are loaded afresh (without re-fetching). The module definition is such that it will add itself to the Y object making it available.

In order to successfully sandbox Moodle YUI modules, these must also existing in that Y namespace.

Risks

Some modules may already rely upon the broken sandboxing to ensure that they can't be called multiple times. These will need to be identified and addresses on a per-case basis.

Backwards Compatibility

Achieved by pointing the old namespace at the new one.

Convert Y.use() to YUI().use()

Priority: High

Target release: 2.6

Description

We currently load YUI modules in a single structure, which then *adds* modules to it's existing namespaces thereby preventing complete sandboxing:

 YUI.use('node', function(Y) {
   Y.use('moodle-core-example', function() {
     M.core.example.init();
   });
 });

This should be changed to:

 YUI().use('moodle-core-example', function(Y) {
   M.core.example.init();
 });

Convert remaining modules to use Shifter - MDL-38284

Priority: High This is relatively high priority. It would be great to be able to have all YUI modules in a consistent shape to make it easier for new users to developer YUI modules for Moodle.

Track down all uses of YUI2 in Moodle

• plan rewrites of them

Look at rewrites for

• filepicker
• filemanager
• dock
• enrolments (MDL-37349, MDL-29121)
• questionbank chooser (MDL-32729)

YUIdoc Documentation

• Document common modules:
  • notification
  • tooltip
  • chooserdialogue
• Document all other modules

Wiki documentation

• Shifter
• Modules
• JQuery
• FAQ
• Getting Started
  • Environment
• Peer Review guidelines

Other

Key areas I'm currently working on

• Creation of a course tagging infrastructure (https://docs.moodle.org/dev/Course_Tags)

Some of my past project work

• Javascript Module Chooser showing user help (http://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDL-30617)
• Rewrite of course and block Javascript (http://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDL-31052)