[LON-CAPA-cvs] cvs: loncom /html/adm/help/tex Resource_Types.tex

lira lira at source.lon-capa.org
Mon Jul 8 14:15:17 EDT 2013


lira		Mon Jul  8 18:15:17 2013 EDT

  Modified files:              
    /loncom/html/adm/help/tex	Resource_Types.tex 
  Log:
  expanded list of content types
  
  
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Index: loncom/html/adm/help/tex/Resource_Types.tex
diff -u loncom/html/adm/help/tex/Resource_Types.tex:1.3 loncom/html/adm/help/tex/Resource_Types.tex:1.4
--- loncom/html/adm/help/tex/Resource_Types.tex:1.3	Wed Jun 26 08:14:55 2013
+++ loncom/html/adm/help/tex/Resource_Types.tex	Mon Jul  8 18:15:17 2013
@@ -1,25 +1,183 @@
 \label{Resource_Types}
 
-LON-CAPA provides three types of resources for organizing your course website.
-LON-CAPA refers to these resources as HTML files, Problems, and Maps.
-Maps may be either of two types: Sequences or Composite Pages. You can use LON-CAPA Maps
-resources to build the outline, or structure, for the presentation of your
-course to your students.
+LON-CAPA provides several types of resources for organizing your course website. 
+Resource roles are determined by file extension. Valid extensions are:
+.xml, .html, .xhtml, .htm, .xhtm, .problem, .page, .sequence, .rights,
+.sty, .task, .library, .js, .css, .txt.
 
 \begin{itemize}
-\item A \textbf{HTML file}\index{HTML file}\index{Content Page}, (formerly known as a Content Page), displays course content. It
-is a conventional HTML page. These resources use the extension
-{}``.html''.
-\item A \textbf{Problem}\index{Problem} resource represents problems for the students
+\item A \textbf{.css} cascading style sheet file \index{.css}\index{css}\index{cascading style sheet} 
+can be published to use in multiple courses.
+Use of a specific CSS style within a resource can be set using an html tag within a text
+block that refers to a class by name, where the class is included in the
+published css file.  You would specify use
+of the css file with a \textless link\textgreater tag, and indicate a file dependency with
+an allow tag (if the \textless allow\textgreater tag is not specified LON-CAPA should add it
+at the first publication step).
+
+\begin{verbatim}
+<startouttext />
+<link rel="stylesheet" index="11"
+href="/res/yourname/yourpath/testcss.css" type="text/css" />
+<span class="Yellow">After the Earth and Mars, which other body in our
+solar system is thought to be the next most likely site for finding
+life?</span><endouttext />
+<allow src="/res/yourname/yourpath/testcss.css" />
+
+where testcss.css contains:
+
+.Yellow {
+  color: yellow;
+}
+\end{verbatim}
+
+It also possible to indicate use of a css file within a course,
+course-wide, for a specific folder, or specific resource etc, by setting
+the parameter: CSS file to link [Part: 0] (cssfile).
+
+\item A \textbf{.html} HTML file\index{HTML file}\index{content page}\index{.htm, .html, xhtm, xhtml}, 
+(formerly known as a Content Page), displays course content. It is a conventional HTML page. 
+These resources use the extension
+{}``.html''. By using the "New File..." dropdown, you can enter a file name with one
+of the other extensions, htm, xhtml, xhtm, xml. For more information see the section \ref{Content_Page_Overview}.
+
+Although the extensions: xhtml and xhtm imply that the file should be
+xhtml compliant (i.e., be a valid document, according to w3c validation
+meaning (amongst other things): all elements closed; attributes
+case-sensitive; attributes required by certain elements, certain
+specials characters need to be included as entities in some attributes
+etc.), LON-CAPA does not test whether a document with an xhtml extension
+is actually valid xhtml.
+
+Files of type .xml are supported for legacy files, but it is suggested that new files
+are one of the html varieties. See also the .libary file description for xml.
+
+\item A \textbf{.problem} Problem\index{problem}\index{.problem} resource represents problems for the students
 to solve, with answers stored in the system. These resources are stored in
-files that must use the extension {}``.problem''.
-\item A \textbf{Sequence}\index{Sequence} is a type of \textbf{Map}\index{Map}
+files that must use the extension {}``.problem''. Problems are coded in a combination
+of Perl and xml markup tags. Most of this manual concerns authoring problems. For an overview
+see the section \ref{Problem_Types}
+
+\item A \textbf{.page} Page\index{page}\index{.page} is a type of \textbf{Map}\index{map} which
+is used to join other resources together into one HTML page. For example,
+a page of problems will appears as a problem set. These resources are stored
+in files that must use the extension {}``.page''. 
+
+For performance purposes it is best not to include too may resources in a
+.page (8 would be a good limit; and likely fewer if maxima or R are
+required for computation).  The course editor offers similar tool called 
+a "Composite page" which resides within a course rather than in the published
+repository.
+
+The underying XML structure, and 
+behavior of a .page file are the same as used for a "Composite page",
+which can be added to a course using the Course Editor.  One difference
+between the two is that for a .page in Authoring Space,  one of the
+Authoring Space editors (Simple Edit or Advanced Edit) will be used to
+modify the contents of the file, whereas for a Composite Page, the
+course editor is used.  
+
+Options for reuse of a course Composite page are: (a) use cloning to copy
+everything from the old course to the new; (b) as course coordinator, 
+copy the Composite map into the Course Editor's clipboard, change role to 
+course coordintator in a different course, and past the item
+into the other course from the Course editor's clipboard.
+
+The course manual describes ways to combine resources in folders, 
+which is an alternative to creating composite pages. The advantage of a .page
+is that they can be printed all at once. The disadvantage is that once a .page
+is published, the contents are more difficult to change. Publishing a .page
+in the repository is suggested if the content does not need to change.
+
+For more information on .pages, see the section \ref{Sequence_Page_Maps}
+
+\item A \textbf{.js} javascript file contains javascript code which might be referenced
+with HTML in a textblock in a LON-CAPA problem in a manner similar to a .css file.
+
+\item A \textbf{.library} library file contains LON-CAPA XML which can be imported into
+other .problem files.  Typically a .library file will hold commonly used subroutines, or 
+data structures (to be called in
+LON-CAPA perl script blocks).  It is included in a problem in the
+colorful editor by using the "Import a File" selection in a dropdown
+list in the colorful editor.
+
+\item A \textbf{.sequence} sequence\index{sequence}\index{.sequence} is a type of \textbf{Map}\index{map}
 which is used to link other resources together. The users of this resource
-can use directional buttons on the web page or remote to follow the
+can use links to follow the
 sequence. Sequences are stored in files that must use the extension {}``.sequence''.
 Sequences can contain other sequences and pages.
-\item A \textbf{Composite Page}\index{Page} is a type of \textbf{Map\index{Map}} which
-is used to join other resources together into one HTML page. For example,
-a page of problems will appears as a problem set. These resources are stored
-in files that must use the extension {}``.page''. The course manual describes ways to combine resources in folders, which is an alternative to creating composite pages.
+
+A published sequence contains XML which describes which LON-CAPA resources are to be
+grouped together in a folder. If a .sequence file is imported in its entirety 
+then there is limited
+control over which specific resources are shown, and in which order. The
+"Randomorder" and "Randompick" checkboxes in the Course Editor can be
+used to cause the resources to be displayed in a randomorder (randomized
+for each user), and to display M of the total N resources in the
+sequence (again the choice of which M are shown is randomized for each
+user).  By contrast, if the "Import from Assembled Map", 
+a "Select Map" link will allow all resources in the
+published sequence to be imported into the current folder, as distinct
+resources, allowing them to be reordered, and cut/removed, as preferred
+using the standard Course Editor tools.
+
+Conditional sequences are published sequence files for which conditions
+have been specified for one or more links between resources in the map.
+ These have to be created using the "Advanced Edit" button when creating
+a new sequence file in Authoring Space.  These are the types of sequence
+for  which a student's progress through a series of resources can be
+specified. Grading of conditional sequences can be complicated.
+
+\item A .rights file is used to specify custom access rights for a published
+resource. The access rights to apply to a specific resource are
+specified on publication (or republication) of the resource.  A .rights
+file also must be published to be selectable during resource publication
+as a "Custom Distribution File" when "Customized right of use ..." is selected from the
+"Copyright/Distribution" dropdown list. See the section \ref{Publishing_Copyright}.
+
+\item A .sty is a LON-CAPA style file used to apply custom styling to specific
+tags in a LON-CAPA problem. The styles defined in the file can be applied to display of all
+resources in a course using:
+
+Main Menu -\textgreater Modify course configuration -\textgreater  Display of resources
+(checked) + click "Display" button -\textgreater Click "Select Style File" link (
+Default XML style file item) to launch window to select published .sty
+file, then click "Save Changes" in main window.
+
+Style files can contain different instructions for different
+targets (e.g., web or tex). For example, the following style file would replace 
+the \textless h1\textgreater-tag in all
+incorporated pages by the annoying \textless blink\textgreater-tag:
+
+\begin{verbatim}
+<definetag name = "h1">
+   <meta></meta>
+   <render>
+      <web><blink></web>
+      <tex>\section{</tex>
+      <latexsource>\section{</latexsource>  
+  </render>
+</definetag>
+
+
+<definetag name = "/h1">
+   <meta></meta>
+   <render>
+      <web></blink></web>
+      <tex>}</tex>
+      <latexsource>}</latexsource>  
+  </render>
+</definetag>
+\end{verbatim}
+
+To use the .sty in a course, within the course, In PARM - "Set Course Environment" 
+you can specify a style file for your course under "Default XML Style File".
+
+When printing, LON-CAPA will use the tex \textbackslash section as 
+\textless h1\textgreater-rendering.
+
+Note that .css is perhaps a more modern way to acheive formatting.
+ 
+\item A \textbf{.task} task file is a bridge task file. Bridge tasks permit
+assessment using rubrics. See the section \ref{BridgeTask_About}.
 \end{itemize}


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