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This page is to decide on a STANDARD list of CORE web service functions that we should support in Moodle (by XMLRPC, REST and SOAP with the option to plug in AMFPHP for Flash/Flex interfaces) as an API for those writing code to work against Moodle.
{{Template:Work in progress}}{{Moodle_2.0}}


Please add new functions if there's functionality you want that isn't covered (we can refactor/whittle at the end).
=Introduction=
This page described the Web Services module implemented for Moodle 2.0<br>
The tracker issue is here: MDL-12886<br>
This module is been implemented by the [http://blogs.dfwikilabs.org/moodle_ws/ DFWS Team].


The tracker bug for all this is here: MDL-12886
=Implementation=
Web Services module has been conceived in a purpose to be ported on different Moodle version, and also on different project. It has also for purpose to support multiple web service protocols (REST, SOAP, AMFPHP, ...). Adding a new protocol support should be relatively easy.


==add user==
== How does it work ==
I think we should require all data needed for a successful "first login" to Moodle without popping him out the profile page to fill in all missing required data. This may require extra inputs such as city, description ... (unsure of the full list depending of Moodle version ?).
The web service client call a Moodle web service. The web service is located in a folder specific to the used protocol. It's usually a inout.php file. This file runs the web service server and gets the sent parameters. Then it calls a wrapper. The wrapper.php file is implemented in order to call the Moodle API which contains all callable functions. The wrapper will check a "generated file" in order to know which functions are available, and what their parameters and what they returned.<br>
Also password should be "required" if authentication method is "internal" .  
For any protocol there should be at least one inout.php file and one wrapper file.


INPUT:
    firstname
    lastname
    email
    idnumber
    login
    authentication method (optional , default= manual ?)


== Technical specs ==
# The client calls the web service
# The web service server receives the call
# The web service server transforms the web service params into a common param format to all web service protocol => Format to be defined
# The web service server calls a function call_moodle_function($functionname, $params)
# call_moodle_function() checks through a WS API descriptor class that the params are legal for this function name
# call_moodle_function() call the correct API moodle function
# the call_moodle_function() return the result to the web service server
# the web service server convert the result into a response


Params should include:
* function parameter names, values and types
* returned object fields (e.g. we cannot return a password field through a get_users function)
* return value and type


OPERATION:
=Security=
    Adds a new user to the user database
How are the web services secured ?<br>
Security layer implemented by every protocol?


OUTPUT:
=List of functions=
    id or false
All callable functions are declared into Moodle API, please read [https://docs.moodle.org/en/index.php?title=Development:Moodle_API Moodle API documentation].
 
==delete user==
INPUT:
    idnumber  or
    email or
    id or
    login
 
OPERATION:
    User is marked as deleted
    All it's role assignments are destroyed
OUTPUT:
    true/false
 
==get user==
INPUT:
    idnumber  or
    email or
    id or
    login
 
OPERATION:
    user record with optional fields set (Moodle 1.8 and later) and maybe some fields filtered out (password,  
    email if user said not to disclose it ...) depending of the identity of the "caller" (admin or the user himself)
 
OUTPUT:
    false  or user record
 
==add course==
INPUT:
    name
    shortname
    format (default topics)
    idnumber
 
OPERATION:
    Adds a new course to the course table
 
OUTPUT:
    id or false
 
 
==delete course==
INPUT:
    name OR
    shortname  OR
    idnumber OR
    id
 
OPERATION:
    Deletes a course from the course table
    What about associated ressources, roles ...
 
OUTPUT:
    true or false
 
 
==get course==
INPUT:
    id or  idnumber or shortname
 
OPERATION:
    fetch course record with some fields filtered out depending of the "caller" identity (admin, teacher, student ...)
OUTPUT:
    false  or course record
 
==enrol student to course==
INPUT:
    course unique Id (Moodle's ID or idnumber or shortname)
    student unique id (Moodle's ID or idnumber or login or email)
 
OPERATION:
    Assign student role to course
 
OUTPUT:
    true or false
 
 
 
==unenrol student from course==
INPUT:
    course unique Id (Moodle's ID or idnumber or shortname)
    student unique id (Moodle's ID or idnumber or login or email)
 
OPERATION:
    remove student role from course
 
OUTPUT:
    true or false
 
 
==assign role to course==
INPUT:
  course unique Id (Moodle's ID or idnumber or shortname)
  user unique id (Moodle's ID or idnumber or login or email)
  role id (teacher, non editing teacher, student (?) ...)
 
OPERATION:
  assign given user a "standard" role to given course 
 
OUTPUT:
    true or false
 
 
==remove role from course==
INPUT:
  course unique Id (Moodle's ID or idnumber or shortname)
  user unique id (Moodle's ID or idnumber or login or email)
  role id (teacher, non editing teacher, student (?) ...)
 
OPERATION:
  remove given user's "standard" role from given course 
 
OUTPUT:
    true or false
 
 
==get my courses==
 
INPUT:
  user unique id (Moodle's ID or idnumber or login or email)
 
OPERATION:
  return a "list" of course's id in which given user move given user has some role assigned   
 
OUTPUT:
    "array" of (course id, course shortname, course fullname, role id, role name, course url)
    or false in case of error (bad user id)
 
==get last changes in my courses==
 
INPUT:
  user unique id (Moodle's ID or idnumber or login or email)
  course unique Id (Moodle's ID ,idnumber or shortname) - optional (default = all my courses)
  timestamp - optional (default = time of last connexion in every course)
 
OPERATION:
  return a "list" of changes (resource added/modified, new activities, etc.) for courses in which given user has some role assigned - since timestamp or last connexion in given course
 
OUTPUT:
    "array" of (course id, course shortname, course fullname, role id, role name, url of the resource/activity, time of change)
    or false in case of error (bad user/course id)
 
 
==get grades==
 
INPUT:
  user unique id (Moodle's ID or idnumber or login or email)
  course unique Id (Moodle's ID ,idnumber or shortname) - optional (default = all my courses)
 
OPERATION:
  return a "list" of grades and statistics for the given student in the given course
 
OUTPUT:
    "array" of grades records (name,maxgrade,grade,percent,weight,weighted,sortOrder)
    and "array" of stats (gradeItems,allgrades, points,totalpoints, percent, weight, weighted;) 
    or false in case of error (bad user/course id or user not in course)
 
 
==get groups==
 
OPERATION:
  return a "list" of group records in a given course (or site ?)
 
==get group members==
 
OPERATION:
  return a "list" of ids  for members of a group (within a course or global)
 
 
==enrol to group==
 
OPERATION:
  add a new member to a group
 
 
==unenrol from group==
 
OPERATION:
  remove membership from a group
 
 
==get calendar events ==
 
OPERATION:
  return a "list" of event's identifiers suitable from the "get event" operation
 
==get calendar event==
 
OPERATION:
  return in an "exportable" format (iCal, vCal ...)an event recorded in Moodle database (site, course, private ...)
 
==set calendar event==
 
OPERATION:
  add/modify an event in Moodle database (site, course, private ...)

Latest revision as of 04:58, 27 November 2008

Note: This article is a work in progress. Please use the page comments for any recommendations/suggestions for improvement.

Moodle 2.0


Introduction

This page described the Web Services module implemented for Moodle 2.0
The tracker issue is here: MDL-12886
This module is been implemented by the DFWS Team.

Implementation

Web Services module has been conceived in a purpose to be ported on different Moodle version, and also on different project. It has also for purpose to support multiple web service protocols (REST, SOAP, AMFPHP, ...). Adding a new protocol support should be relatively easy.

How does it work

The web service client call a Moodle web service. The web service is located in a folder specific to the used protocol. It's usually a inout.php file. This file runs the web service server and gets the sent parameters. Then it calls a wrapper. The wrapper.php file is implemented in order to call the Moodle API which contains all callable functions. The wrapper will check a "generated file" in order to know which functions are available, and what their parameters and what they returned.
For any protocol there should be at least one inout.php file and one wrapper file.


Technical specs

  1. The client calls the web service
  2. The web service server receives the call
  3. The web service server transforms the web service params into a common param format to all web service protocol => Format to be defined
  4. The web service server calls a function call_moodle_function($functionname, $params)
  5. call_moodle_function() checks through a WS API descriptor class that the params are legal for this function name
  6. call_moodle_function() call the correct API moodle function
  7. the call_moodle_function() return the result to the web service server
  8. the web service server convert the result into a response

Params should include:

  • function parameter names, values and types
  • returned object fields (e.g. we cannot return a password field through a get_users function)
  • return value and type

Security

How are the web services secured ?
Security layer implemented by every protocol?

List of functions

All callable functions are declared into Moodle API, please read Moodle API documentation.