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Activation of Services in Modules

1 Requirements

This guideline suggests to streamline the activation and deactivation of additional services in repository objects (modules).
 

1.1 Current Situation

A lot of repository object types offer overall services which are not considered as core functionality of an object type. Examples are:

• Learning Progress
• Metadata
• Calendar
• News

These features are either shown on the content screen (like calendar or news) or have own tabs (like Metadata or Learning Progress). And some of them can be enabled or disabled for the entire installation.
 
Unfortunately, there is no unique workflow for the activation / de-activation of these features and how the are presented. Examples:

• The Learning Progress can be deactivated for a specific object - but the tab is still there and even the LP of users is still shown (see also: Improving Deactivation of LP).
• Until 4.4 the News block of a course or category had to be disabled in the block itself - and the deactivated block was still shown to users with WRITE permission for the object. This has been changed with 4.4 and is now moved to the Settings of a course or category.
• t.b.c.

 

1.2 Suggested Guideline

1.3 Affected Services

1.3.1 Learning Progress

The Learning Progress is deactivated in the tab "Learning Progress" » "Settings". Even if the LP is deactivated, the tab for LP is shown and accessible - and information is even shown, see also: Improving Deactivation of LP. A solution would be to add a new setting for en-/disabling the Learning Progress feature in the object's Settings tab. Only when LP is activated in Settings, a tab "Learning Progress is shown and the LP data is presented.

1.3.2 LOM Metadata

The majority of users are only using a small part of the metadata supported in ILIAS. Most of the LOM data fields are never edited. It should be possible to deactivate the full LOM support and to keep only the data offered already on sub-tab "Quick Edit" (and if available "Extended Metadata"). If deactivated, the sub-tabs for LOM data fields should no longer appear.

1.3.3 Taxonomies

Some object types support taxonomies to describe the content of this object, e.g. Glossary, Test Question Pool. At the time being, this service is enabled in the Settings (good!). If enabled, a new sub-tab under "Settings" is presented where you create and edit the taxonomy (bad!). The taxonomy feature is content-related - not setting-related. And it is so important that it should get a proper tab (when enabled).

1.4 Additional Aspects

• This guideline could also be extended to services that are unique for a specific object type but not considered as a core functionality - as long as they are occupying an own tab or user interface element on the presentation screen.
• In an additional guideline for Basic Features of an ILIAS Repository Object we should try to list also which (overall) services are used /could be used by an object type.

2 Status

• Scheduled for: Release 5.0 (will be set by Jour Fixe)
• Funding: Required
  
• Maintainer: All developers of the related components.
  
• Implementation of the feature is done by (company, developer)
• Contract settled: (fill in "Yes" if a contract is already settled, otherwise "No" )
• Tested by / status: (name, e-mail), (status information set after implementation)

3 Additional Information

Contact the following persons if you want to know more about this feature, its implementation or funding:

• Information about concept: Kunkel
  
• Information about funding: (name, e-mail)
• Information about implementation: (name, e-mail)

4 Discussion

JF 17 Feb 2014: We appreciate this improvement, schedule it for 4.5 and keep the discussion open. For the general activation of services more options than just checkboxes may be necessary (e.g. the learning progress modes or for metadata a drop down "No Metadata", "Basic Metadata", "Full LOM Metadata").

5 Implementation

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