Development:Patching forms tutorial - Revision history

Dougiamas: Patching forms tutorial moved to Development:Patching forms tutorial: It really belongs in the developer namespace

2008-11-10T09:18:55Z

Patching forms tutorial moved to Development:Patching forms tutorial: It really belongs in the developer namespace

← Older revision	Revision as of 09:18, 10 November 2008
(No difference)

Ganderson: /* Changing the default course start date and duration */

2008-06-18T18:51:10Z

Changing the default course start date and duration

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:51, 18 June 2008
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	Here are some other example of making simple changes to forms		Here are some other example of making simple changes to forms
	===Change the maximum allowed grade===		===Change the maximum allowed grade===
	The maximum grade for a module is set in the standard form to 100. To change this to a different value (such as 200) in version 1.9, make this change in the file /lib/form/modgrade.php		The maximum grade for a module is set in the standard form to 100. To change this to a different value (such as 200) in version 1.9, make this change in the file '''/lib/form/modgrade.php'''

	Find:		Find:
Line 96:		Line 96:

	for ($i=200; $i>=1; $i--) { // GVA 20080616 for ($i=100; $i>=1; $i--) {		for ($i=200; $i>=1; $i--) { // GVA 20080616 for ($i=100; $i>=1; $i--) {

			===Set a standard start date and number of weeks for courses===

			By default, Moodle starts courses on the day following course creation and gives them a duration of 10 weeks. As many institutions have standard terms, setting the default start date and duration will allow for more uniformity, fewer mistakes, and will ease course creation.

			In version 1.9, edit the file '''/course/edit_form.php'''. Insert the following lines after the affected fields are defined (perhaps on lines just before $this->add_action_buttons();)

			//GVA 20080618 Number of weeks for default course. Should go through final exam
			$mform->setDefault('numsections', 13);
			//GVA 20080618 Set default course start date. Always start on a Monday to have weeks work right
			$mform->setDefault('startdate', strtotime("1 Sep 2008"));

Ganderson: /* Change the maximum allowed grade to, for example, 200*/

2008-06-16T21:34:38Z

Change the maximum allowed grade to, for example, 200

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:34, 16 June 2008
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	Here are some other example of making simple changes to forms		Here are some other example of making simple changes to forms
	===Change the maximum allowed grade===		===Change the maximum allowed grade===
	The maximum grade for a module is set in the standard form to 100. To change this to a different value, change it in the file /lib/form/modgrade.php		The maximum grade for a module is set in the standard form to 100. To change this to a different value (such as 200) in version 1.9, make this change in the file /lib/form/modgrade.php

	Find:		Find:
Line 95:		Line 95:
	Change to:		Change to:

	for ($i=~~100~~; $i>=1; $i--) { // GVA 20080616 for ($i=100; $i>=1; $i--) {		for ($i=200; $i>=1; $i--) { // GVA 20080616 for ($i=100; $i>=1; $i--) {

Ganderson: Change maximum grade

2008-06-16T21:31:03Z

Change maximum grade

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:31, 16 June 2008
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	This tutorial will demonstrate how to do such modifications.		This tutorial will demonstrate how to do such modifications.

	~~===~~Warning~~===~~		'''Warning'''
	Making custom changes to the PHP scripting code in Moodle should be done carefully. You should always test your code before using it on your production site and should backup the original scripts. You should always comment your code so you know what has been changed. Care should also be taken during upgrades in the code to make sure things are not broken (like conflicts during a CVS update).		Making custom changes to the PHP scripting code in Moodle should be done carefully.
			You should always test your code before using it on your production site and should backup the original scripts.
			You should always comment your code so you know what has been changed.
			Care should also be taken during upgrades in the code to make sure things are not broken (like conflicts during a CVS update).

	Having said that, these patches are among the simplest and the recovery from an error is easy: simply replace the file with original from the core distribution.		Having said that, these patches are among the simplest and the recovery from an error is easy: simply replace the file with original from the core distribution.

	~~===~~Moodle Forms Overview~~===~~		'''Moodle Forms Overview'''

	Rather than placing HTML form elements directly on the page, most well-written Moodle code will use the Forms Library. This allows a standard way to create user input elements and also centralizes code making it easier to override certain behaviors creating a greater consistency.		Rather than placing HTML form elements directly on the page, most well-written Moodle code will use the Forms Library. This allows a standard way to create user input elements and also centralizes code making it easier to override certain behaviors creating a greater consistency.
Line 80:		Line 83:
	$mform->addElement('select', 'timezone', get_string('timezone'), $choices);		$mform->addElement('select', 'timezone', get_string('timezone'), $choices);
	$mform->setAdvanced('timezone');		$mform->setAdvanced('timezone');

			==Other Examples==
			Here are some other example of making simple changes to forms
			===Change the maximum allowed grade===
			The maximum grade for a module is set in the standard form to 100. To change this to a different value, change it in the file /lib/form/modgrade.php

			Find:

			for ($i=100; $i>=1; $i--) {

			Change to:

			for ($i=100; $i>=1; $i--) { // GVA 20080616 for ($i=100; $i>=1; $i--) {

Ganderson: /* Setting fields to "Advanced" */

2008-06-10T09:06:20Z

Setting fields to "Advanced"

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:06, 10 June 2008
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	==Setting fields to "Advanced"==		==Setting fields to "Advanced"==

			For elements that are infrequently used in your institution, you can still simplify the interface while making options still available to your 'Power Users' by marking elements as "advanced".

			These elements only appear to the user when the click the "Set Advanced" button.

			To identify the element as advanced, call the '''setAdvanced''' method after the element has been created.

			Example:

			Your typical user is local and hence it will be rare that they will use a different time zone. To clean up the interface, set the option to change the user time zone so that it is shown only when the user clicks "Set Advanced".

			Solution:

			In the file /user/editlib.php, find:

			$mform->addElement('select', 'timezone', get_string('timezone'), $choices);

			Set the field to advanced using the setAdvanced method

			$mform->addElement('select', 'timezone', get_string('timezone'), $choices);
			$mform->setAdvanced('timezone');

Ganderson: /* Hiding fields */

2008-06-10T08:32:36Z

Hiding fields

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:32, 10 June 2008
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	==Hiding fields==		==Hiding fields==

	==Setting fields to "Advanced""		Form elements are created for a page using the '''addElement''' method. Various types of element are text, select, date_time_selector, htmleditor, etc.

			There is also the type "hidden" that defines the element on a page and allows you to set a default value, stores previous values from a submission etc. To simplify your forms for you users, simply change the type of the field during when addElement is called to hidden.

			Example: Your site does not want to use meta courses and you want to remove it from the course creation/edit page. In the file /course/edit_form.php

			Change:

			$mform->addElement('select', 'metacourse', get_string('managemeta'), $meta);

			to

			$mform->addElement('hidden', 'metacourse', get_string('managemeta'), $meta); //GVA 20080610 $mform->addElement('select', 'metacourse', get_string('managemeta'), $meta);

			==Setting fields to "Advanced"==

Ganderson: /* Changing defaults */

2008-06-10T08:03:43Z

Changing defaults

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:03, 10 June 2008
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	==Changing defaults==		==Changing defaults==

	~~WRITE THIS NEXT~~		The '''setDefault''' method is used to establish the initial value used in the form and allows you to to define the most common setting for use in your institution.

			Example: Change the default number of points for a default assignment from 100 points to 10 points.

			Solution:

			In the file /mod/assignment/mod_form.php, find

			$mform->setDefault('grade', 100);

			Change the default to 10, and comment out the previous code with your initial and dates:

			$mform->setDefault('grade', 10); //GVA 20080608 $mform->setDefault('grade', 100);

	==Hiding fields==		==Hiding fields==

	==Setting fields to "Advanced""		==Setting fields to "Advanced""

Ganderson: /* Moodle Forms Overview */

2008-06-10T07:46:29Z

Moodle Forms Overview

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:46, 10 June 2008
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	This creates a new input element on a page.		This creates a new input element on a page.

	While forms can be produced in any scripting page which outputs code, you will often find code for printing out forms in a file like mod_form.php or in index.php of the affected component.		While forms can be produced in any scripting page which outputs code, you will often find code for printing out forms in a file like mod_form.php or in index.php of the affected component. The examine the URL of the page being viewed as a starting point for finding the file to be changed.

			Always comment your code so you can change or remove it later.. For single line modifications, considering putting in your new code, and then and it with //<yourusername> <date> <the old code>. This allows for retention of eisting line numbers.

	==Changing defaults==		==Changing defaults==

Ganderson: Continued update of draft

2008-06-09T14:57:47Z

Continued update of draft

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:57, 9 June 2008
Line 1:		Line 1:
	by Gary Anderson		by Gary Anderson

	One of the easiest local modifications that an institution can make to customize their Moodle site is to make simple ~~modifications~~ to the form elements that appear on pages. This ~~tutorial will demonstrate how~~ to ~~do such modifications including changing~~ default values, ~~hiding~~ elements ~~so they are not available~~ to ~~users~~, and ~~setting~~ elements to "advanced" so that the ~~user sees it only if they click on the "show advanced" button~~.		One of the easiest local modifications that an institution can make to customize their Moodle site is to make simple changes to the form elements that appear on pages. This permits one to set different default values when creating new items, allows one to hide unused input elements to simplify the interface, and lets one identify certain more complicated elements as "advanced" so that features are still availale while simplifying the interface for most uses.

	==Warning==		This tutorial will demonstrate how to do such modifications.
	Making custom changes to the PHP scripting code in Moodle should be done carefully. You should always test your code before using it on your production site and should backup the original scripts. You should always comment your code so you know what has been changed.
			===Warning===
			Making custom changes to the PHP scripting code in Moodle should be done carefully. You should always test your code before using it on your production site and should backup the original scripts. You should always comment your code so you know what has been changed. Care should also be taken during upgrades in the code to make sure things are not broken (like conflicts during a CVS update).

	Having said that, these patches are among the simplest and the recovery from an error is easy: simply replace the file with original from the core distribution.		Having said that, these patches are among the simplest and the recovery from an error is easy: simply replace the file with original from the core distribution.

	==Moodle Forms Overview==		===Moodle Forms Overview===

			Rather than placing HTML form elements directly on the page, most well-written Moodle code will use the Forms Library. This allows a standard way to create user input elements and also centralizes code making it easier to override certain behaviors creating a greater consistency.

			An entire form is an "object" with methods and attributes. In many places in the Moodle code, the instance of the object is identified my the variable $mform, but you can use any variable.

			Common methods of the form object look like:

			* $mform->addelement(<elementtype>,<elementidentifier>,<displayname>,<options>);

			This creates a new input element on a page.

			While forms can be produced in any scripting page which outputs code, you will often find code for printing out forms in a file like mod_form.php or in index.php of the affected component.

	==Changing defaults==		==Changing defaults==

			WRITE THIS NEXT



	==Hiding fields==		==Hiding fields==

	==Setting fields to "Advanced""		==Setting fields to "Advanced""

Ganderson: Start of page for patching forms

2008-06-08T14:31:18Z

Start of page for patching forms

New page

by Gary Anderson

One of the easiest local modifications that an institution can make to customize their Moodle site is to make simple modifications to the form elements that appear on pages. This tutorial will demonstrate how to do such modifications including changing default values, hiding elements so they are not available to users, and setting elements to "advanced" so that the user sees it only if they click on the "show advanced" button.

==Warning==
Making custom changes to the PHP scripting code in Moodle should be done carefully. You should always test your code before using it on your production site and should backup the original scripts. You should always comment your code so you know what has been changed.

Having said that, these patches are among the simplest and the recovery from an error is easy: simply replace the file with original from the core distribution.

==Moodle Forms Overview==

==Changing defaults==

==Hiding fields==

==Setting fields to "Advanced""