more expressive certificate names

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1 Initial Problem

In our current setup, all certificates generated at the course level share the generic file name "Zertifikat.pdf". This uniform naming convention poses a challenge as it lacks specificity and fails to distinguish between certificates obtained from different courses. As a result, tracking and managing certificates becomes cumbersome, leading to potential confusion and inefficiencies in certificate management workflows.

To address this challenge, our goal is to implement a more expressive naming convention for certificates, one that reflects the unique attributes of each certificate, such as the course name, participant's name, and date of issuance. Specifically, we aim to adopt a naming convention structured as <Prefix><Name><FirstName><Course name><Date>.pdf. This naming format will provide clear differentiation between certificates and facilitate easier identification and retrieval.

However, while this enhanced naming convention aligns with our certificate management objectives, we currently lack the capability to implement it within the ILIAS standard. Consequently, we face the dilemma of finding a solution that enables us to achieve our desired naming convention while leveraging existing ILIAS functionality. It is imperative to explore potential avenues for customization or extension within ILIAS or to identify alternative methods to achieve this functionality. Given the widespread use of ILIAS across various institutions, we anticipate that other users may have encountered similar challenges, making it valuable to explore existing solutions or best practices in addressing this need.

2 Conceptual Summary

 Previous challenges in implementing a more expressive certificate naming system stemmed from ILIAS' rigid file naming convention and difficulty in differentiating course-level certificates. To address this, we propose transitioning to a resource-centric model, divorcing naming logic from procedural endpoints. Phase 1 focuses on laying the foundation by prioritizing middleware development and creating endpoints for basic ILIAS components like courses, users, and organizational units. This phased approach ensures incremental progress towards integrating the new naming system within ILIAS.

3 User Interface Modifications

3.1 List of Affected Views

• … { Certificate Generation Interface: Enhance the certificate generation interface to include fields for specifying participant's name, course name, and issuance date. }

3.2 4 Technical Information

 The implementation of a more expressive certificate naming system in ILIAS necessitates consideration of several technical aspects. This includes evaluating dependencies on existing ILIAS components related to certificate generation and management and ensuring compatibility to prevent conflicts. Additionally, adjustments may be required in the certificate generation and management modules, entailing updates to relevant code and database structures. It is crucial to assess the impact on general ILIAS services and architecture to ensure alignment with overall system standards. Moreover, attention must be given to potential security implications to safeguard data integrity and user privacy, alongside addressing any performance concerns through optimization of code and database queries. Thorough testing and collaboration with ILIAS development teams are imperative to ensure the successful integration of the new naming system while upholding system reliability and performance. 

4 Privacy

 To implement the more expressive certificate naming system in ILIAS, the following personal data will need to be stored or processed: participant names, course names, and issuance dates. Participant names are necessary to personalize the certificates, ensuring they accurately reflect the individuals who completed the courses. Course names are essential for identifying the specific courses associated with each certificate, enabling users to differentiate between certificates obtained from different courses. Issuance dates are required to timestamp when the certificates were generated, providing users with information about when they completed their courses. Collectively, this data allows for the creation of unique and informative certificate names, enhancing clarity and usability for both administrators and users.

5 Security

 the implementation of a more expressive certificate naming system is unlikely to introduce significant security vulnerabilities. This feature primarily involves modifications to the certificate generation and management processes, focusing on improving naming conventions and user experience.  

6 Contact

• Author of the Request:  Elsir, Wadah [WadahElsir]
• Maintainer: Elsir, Wadah [WadahElsir]
• Implementation of the feature is done by: {The maintainer must add the name of the implementing developer.}

7 Funding

If you are interest in funding this feature, please add your name and institution to this list.

• …

8 Discussion

9 Implementation

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Test Cases

Test cases completed at {date} by {user}

• {Test case number linked to Testrail} : {test case title}

Privacy

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Approval

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