3.9.0 (stable)

Very important notes for MySQL 4.1.x users:

If you update from ILIAS 3.4.0 or 3.4.1 and already used MySQL 4.1.x: Due to a problem in the UTF-8 handling some extra update steps are necessary. Please click here and follow the instructions.

If you just plan to update from MySQL 4.0.x to MySQL 4.1.x please read our Migrating from MySQL 4.0.x to MySQL 4.1.x instructions.

New Features

ILIAS core

• Revision of course objects with preconditions - see Mantis 2648: Preconditions will no longer stored with object ID but for every reference. Objects outside courses won't have preconditions any more.
  A new option has been defined for preconditions on chapters: thus it is possible to create different preconditions for references of a LM. (Stefan Meyer, completed)

• Extension of LDAP authentication: Assignment of new ILIAS users to ILIAS roles based on LDAP group membership or LDAP user attributes. (Stefan Meyer, funded by Basler Versicherung, completed)

User Interface, Usability and Accessibility

• Manual sorting of category entries: New option in properties "manual order" allows manual sorting of objects of same type as alternative to alphanummerical sorting now. (Stefan Meyer, completed)

Personal Desktop and General Services

• Link Assistant to Multiple Objects (Databay, funded by Globus Warenhäuser)

Learning and Content Management

• SCORM 2004 compliance (by Alfred Kohnert, Hendrik Holtmann, Alexander Killing, funded by ISN)

• Videos in mediacasts (Roland Küstermann)

• Upload of multiple files by using ZIP file; optional creation of folder structure (Roland Küstermann)

• Show references of object incl. path information at Info page when EDIT PERMISSIONS or WRITE permission is given and object is referenced multiple times in repository. (Alexander Killing)

• Copyright management for learning resources, incl. Creative Commons support for code snipets (Databay for Numérique64, completed)

Test, Survey and Exercises

• Extension of cloze questions: Add a switch "Don't score identical solutions" to cloze questions. If the learner selects the same solution twice in different gaps, only the first choice will be scored. This allows the usage of select gaps with identical answers and points. An example is the following cloze question:

  A stop sign contains the colors <gap type="select">red,white,blue,green</gap> and <gap type="select">red,white,blue,green</gap>

  with red=1 point, white=1 point, blue=-1 point, green=-1 point. With the standard cloze questions a user could select red in both combo boxes and receives 2 points. With the Don't score identical solutions option enabled, he/she would only receive 1 point. (Helmut Schottmüller, already implemented)

• Revision of the sequence handling in tests
  To provide a more stable and central handling of question sequences in tests and to support the recording of sequences for every test pass in non-random tests, the sequence handling will be revised (Helmut Schottmüller, mostly implemented)

• Upload of ZIP file with multiple files in exercise object

Communication and Syndication

• Revision of forum permissions: Besides the basic permissions the following new permissions will be implemented: MODERATE (incl. deletion, moving, sticky, censorship), CREATE THREAD, CREATE POSTING (Michael Jansen, completed)

• Move threads from one forum to another (Michael Jansen, completed)

• Close thread for posting: Moderators may close a thread, non-moderators cannot post within the thread anymore (read only) (Michael Jansen, completed).

• Sort topics by last posting, not by creation date of topics. (Werner Randelshofer, Michael Jansen, completed)

• List number of postings per forum, not overall for all forums, if profile of user is clicked. (Werner Randelshofer, Michael Jansen, completed)

• Mark new/unread postings with extra icons. Unread posts are marked with a blue star, new posts are marked with a red star. (Werner Randelshofer, Michael Jansen, completed)

• Allow users to add postings, but not to add new threads. (Michael Jansen, completed)

Groupware and Course Management

• Extended Metadata for Course Management, e.g. for adding more information about a lecture (Stefan Meyer for University Stuttgart / ECS project)

Administration

• Managing outdated users allowing to delete users that did not log into the system for a given time period. (Databay, funded by BAköV)
  Already implemented (Helmut Schottmüller)

• Extended language maintenance to simplify translation or customization by providing an online interface (by Fred Neumann)

File Object

• Unzip uploaded zip file with option to create the zip's folder structure as well. This applies to categories when uploading a file in a category or folders if uploaded in groups, folders or courses. (Jan Hippchen, Roland Küstermann)

Exercise Object

• Unzip uploaded zip file, for exercise owner as well as for submitters. (Jan Hippchen, Roland Küstermann)

• Make submitted files downloadable for submitter after exercise working time has been exceeded.