Subject: [LON-CAPA-dev] 2.1.99.0 Released

From: Guy Albertelli II <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2006 12:21:45 -0400 (EDT)

Hi All,

Announcement of 2.1.99.0 let me know if I forgot anything.

New Testing Version 2.1.99.0 Released

This release is live on the MSU servers.

Warning: A data formatting change in the grading queues, and slot
definitions has occurred. If you upgrade you will need to upgrade all
servers simultaneously. (No performance data will be lost, its just
if a user submits an answer to an essay problem on a 2.2 access server
but the instructor accesses the grading queue from a 2.1 server the
student won't appear in the queue, after then update is installed
though the student will appear in the queue.)

Notable Changes:
- jsMath 3.3
- mimeTex upgraded
- SSO integration possible
- using CSS for a large amount of the styling elements
- <Task> Xml updates 
    - <Setup> added for Picking <Instance> without any associated <Criteria>
    - Allows nesting of <Dimension>
    - Dimensions can have a <QuestionText>
    - <Criteria> can be associated with an <Instance> Or a <Dimension>
- can get overall grader statistics for <Task> grading
- <Task> works with
    - PGRD display of interaction data
    - STAT Student Submission Reports
- slots
    - work with .problems
    - can be applied to an entire .sequence
    - can be unproctored
- grading of portfolio submissions allows the instructor and easy route 
  to edit and send the edited file back to the student
- Student blogs
- Course announcements available through rss feed
- portfolio files can be set to be public, or passphrase protected
- WebCT4 Vista IMS import into CSTR space
- seamlessly move from Searching to Browsing of resources
- calendars can output ical data files
- logging of all parameter changes (and interface for viewing)
- revamped print and message user selector
- In-Line mode now default, Launch Remote button moved for students
  to preferences page
- Printing for multiple users screens revamped to be easier to use
- Printing for multiple users can be configured to specify the number of 
  pages a student's exam should take up, and the system should auto detect
  if a student's exam needs extra blank pages inserted
- Printing of <table> supports rowspan/colspan tables and handles 
  embedded images better

Hidden in this release but will be available in the next release.
- Courses can subdivide students into groups of users
    - groups can have their own internal communication mechanisms
      include discussion boards/portfolio space etc, 
    - groups can also have parameters set for them (like sections)
    - statistics/chart/SPRS can slice data by groups
    - (students can belong to multiple groups in a single course)

To install this update:

1) You will need to be running Fedora Core 3 or 4, RHEL ES 4, Suse 9.3, SLES 9
   (Fedora 5 support coming soon)

2) If running Fedora, use yum to update your machine and then install the
      LONCAPA-prerequisites (if not already installed).

yum update
yum install LONCAPA-prerequisites

    If running SuSe, use you to update your machine.
    if running RHEL, use up2date to update your machine.

3) Download the new LON-CAPA tarball from
wget http://install.lon-capa.org/versions/loncapa-2.1.99.0.tar.gz

and untar it

tar xzvf loncapa-2.1.99.0.tar.gz

4) Run the UPDATE script as root
cd loncapa-2.1.99.0
su
./UPDATE

5) restart the Lon-CAPA system services
/etc/rc.d/init.d/loncontrol stop
/etc/rc.d/init.d/loncontrol start

6) restart the webserver:

Fedora/Red Hat Enterprise:
/etc/rc.d/init.d/httpd stop
/etc/rc.d/init.d/httpd start

SuSe:
/etc/init.d/apache stop
/etc/init.d/apache start

----NOTES
1) Many questions are answered at http://help.lon-capa.org
2) Defects reports, and enhancements requests can be entered at
   http://bugs.lon-capa.org
3) Mailing lists can be joined and left at http://mail.lon-capa.org

-- 
[email-masked]   0-7-1-7-27,137