Abandon ECS Interface

1 Reasons to Abandon Feature

The implementation of ECS in ILIAS extends across many different places in the code, with references to ECS currently appearing in around 23 components.

• AccessControl
• Administration
• AdvancedMetaData
• Authentication
• Category
• Course
• File
• Glossary
• Group
• ILIASObject
• InfoScreen
• LearningModule
• RemoteCategory
• RemoteCourse
• RemoteFile
• RemoteGlossary
• RemoteGroup
• RemoteLearningModule
• RemoteTest
• RemoteWiki
• Repository
• Test
• Wiki

The implementation is currently not at the desired level with regard to PHP8 and general standards for the code. this already leads to various errors in ILIAS 8 under PHP8. the problem is that ECS is not tested within the framework of community testing and therefore errors are not found at an early stage. 

The lack of PHP8 compatibility sometimes means that other components no longer work when the ECS interface is activated.

From our point of view, ECS must fulfil two things in order to continue to be offered in the core:

• the implementation must be tested as part of community testing so that errors can be found and rectified at an early stage
• the implementation should be refactored so that ECS code is not required in the components.

As of ILIAS 8, it is not possible to use ECS. there are currently too many critical bugs that prevent the use of ECS. 

2 Technical Information

{The maintainer has to provide necessary technical information, e.g. dependencies on other ILIAS components, necessary modifications in general services/architecture, potential security or performance issues.}

3 Contact

• Author of the Request: Schmid, Fabian [fschmid]
• Maintainer: {Please add your name before applying for an initial workshop or a Jour Fixe meeting.}
• Implementation of the feature is done by: {The maintainer must add the name of the implementing developer.}

4 Funding

Removing the feature from the ILIAS code base might need funding. If you are interest in funding this request, please add your name and institution to this list.

• ...

5 Discussion

Use the following discussion section to express your objections against this request or your consent to get rid of this feature.

Lowe, Simon [simon.lowe] 02 MAY 2024: From the point of view of the FH Dortmund and other Universities of the ILIAS-NRW Community the ECS Interface is an essential part of ILIAS and can not be abandoned.

Hoyer, Philip [philiphoyer] (10.05.2024): The ECS functionality of ILIAS is a core feature of our European alliance EPICUR and the EPICUR Inter-University Campus platform (learn.epicur.education), which connects ILIAS and Moodle LMS from 9 universities from across Europe. Therefore we strongly suggest to keep the ECS feature in ILIAS and instead raise the code quality to ILIAS standards, fix the open bugs and include the ECS feature in testing procedures.

Glaubitz, Marko [mglaubitz] 09 May 2024: The ECS interface is the centerpiece for connecting the campus managent system HISinOne with ILIAS for many German universities. The University of Freiburg uses the ECS in two European University cooperations and to connect our HISinOne to 3 ILIAS installations. Besides pushing the ECS / CampusConnect in these contexts, we have found a new development partner for the Moodle CampusConnect plugins, which have received a complete overhaul and we have closed the gap between the state of implementation on a feature level between ILIAS and Moodle. The plugins will soon be published - testing is in full motion right now. CampusConnect offers a unique way of interconnecting LMS in self-service scenarios. LTI cannot cater for this purpose. Thus, we strongly advocate not abandoning the ECS interface from the ILIAS core.

Sesterhenn, Fabian [sesterhenn], 2024-05-28: As I understand it ECS is critical to integrate ILIAS with HisInOne. Because of this it is very likely that we will need ECS in the future and therefore would like to keep the feature alive and well.

Heinze, Frauke [fheinze], 2024-05-28: Just for the sake of completenes too: MLU Halle also wants to stick with the ECS interface.
CampusConnect/ECS has been used in the Saxony-Anhalt/Leipzig university network since 2016. There are contractual collaborations in research and teaching, for example in degree programmes or bilateral continuing education courses. MLU is currently in the process of switching to HISinOne - I can't estimate what the abolition of ECS would mean here, but here I agree again: it is likely that we will also need ECS here in the future.
I can now better understand the motives of sr.solution/Fabian, I am glad that the FR is not in the JF, and hope we can find a good solution.

Schmid, Fabian [fschmid], 2024-07-11: The proposal seems to have had the effect that the institutions using it are more concerned with how to proceed with ECS in ILIAS. I very much hope that the problems that have arisen can be solved soon. nevertheless, the issue of refactoring, that ECS code is not required in various components, should be taken up again. 
However, we can probably avoid an "Abandon ECS".

6 Implementation

{The maintainer has to give a description of the final implementation and possible consequences for existing installations.}

Removed Testcases

The following testcases have been removed from Testrail or modified because the feature is no longer part of the ILIAS core.

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

Approval

Approved at {date} by {user}.