I created an Examview Quiz plugin that some people may find useful and I'm looking for somebody else to test it out. Right now I'm looking for some feedback from people on it.
Our district has imported hundreds of examview questions into Moodle (with and without pictures) and we've been using this pretty extensively. I know many districts rely heavily on Examview because it comes with the textbooks. The nice thing about this plugin is that it uses the Examview blackboard exported ZIP files rather than having to do any of that "extract the res00001.dat file" workaround stuff.
Because the basic blackboard version doesn't quite work, and blackboard_6 is broken for all intents and purposes (and on top of that, Examview doesn't export a true blackboard 6 format), I decided it would be best not to overwrite the existing code.
This code also adds support for Examview essay questions, which is not included in any of the native import options. It also fixes a few bugs found in my previously posted (non-plugin) version. To avoid confusion, I just ended up calling it 'Examview (Blackboard 6.x)'.
Instructions to Install:
Create a new line in your lang/en/quiz.php at the bottom as follows (change 'en' to fit your language) -
$string['examview_blackboard'] = 'Examview (Blackboard 6.x)';
Copy contents of the zip file into your /question/format/ directory inside of moodle. You should see existing folders such as "aiken", "blackboard", etc.
Lastly, make sure your execute/ownership permissions are set correctly on the files you copy into your Moodle directory. You will know this plugin is working if you see a new option for Examview (Blackboard 6.x) appear in your list of import options. If it doesn't show up, you have a permissions problem.
From there, just try to import a test.. use the ZIP files exported by Examview for this. They can come from either individual tests or entire question banks.
- Michael Tanczos
This looks useful, thought not being an Examview user, I can't easily test this myself.
You might like to read Development:Guidelines_for_contributed_code to learn how to get this code into the modules and plugins database so it is easy for people to find in future.
You might like to read Development:Guidelines_for_contributed_code to learn how to get this code into the modules and plugins database so it is easy for people to find in future.
I used this plug-in to import BlackBoard question files and it works like charm. I then tried importing an entire BlackBoard course into Moodle and it worked too! Apparently, this plug-in works with courses as well as quizzes.
Thanks a bunch Michael Tanczos!
Agam Nag
Thanks a bunch Michael Tanczos!
Agam Nag
Yes, please get it into contrib! I've done some light testing on it and it seems to work just fine, will move it onto one of my production installs and ask some instructors to test it.
Thanks,
Matt
Thanks,
Matt
Does this import images as well?
I'm dying here myself, I've tried importing XML from v5 Mac, and it works fine until I hit an image, and CPS (XML) from v6 Mac (and it errors out), tried all the Black Board tricks but to no avail...
And import from Win is no good if I can't take my images/graphics with me... way too many....
I'm dying here myself, I've tried importing XML from v5 Mac, and it works fine until I hit an image, and CPS (XML) from v6 Mac (and it errors out), tried all the Black Board tricks but to no avail...
And import from Win is no good if I can't take my images/graphics with me... way too many....
Yes, you will get images. This has been a great addition to our Moodle.
Works great so far, but some imports give the error message, "Error while parsing the IMS manifest document" — a quick search of the forums didn't indicate what this error might refer to.
It sounds like an XML parsing error in the manifest file. You might like to try turning on Debugging as that may well show a more helpful error.
I'm importing, but the images aren't there in the quiz, e.g.,
...questions/262/bb_import/ppg/examview/images/mc027-1.jpg
The question has an image tag with the above link, but under files I don't have a folder called "images" nor a graphic called "mc027-1.jpg"
...questions/262/bb_import/ppg/examview/images/mc027-1.jpg
The question has an image tag with the above link, but under files I don't have a folder called "images" nor a graphic called "mc027-1.jpg"
Could you please send me the .zip file you are trying to import? Does it contain an imsmanifest.xml file? The offending line of code related to that is this:
$dom = new DomDocument();
if (!$dom->load("$temp_dir/imsmanifest.xml")) {
error ("Error while parsing the IMS manifest document\n");
exit;
}
- Michael Tanczos
Thanks for the work on this. I, too, have an "image" issue broken image links. Could this, by chance, be an issue with the server's disallowance of openning zip files on the fly?
Does anyone have any thoughts on this one? We've checked permissions and are fine on that end.
I'm still having an image issue, I've tried uploading the Examview BB zip file and then unzipping it to manually add the images — since, unlike the HTML they don't seem to upload on their own.
It creates a set of folders: res00000/ppg/examview/images_go_here/nar001-1.jpg
But res00000/ does not match the HTML generated by Examview BB export/import:
...262/bb_import/ppg/examview/images_go_here/nar001-1.jpg
And you don't see any images, just the ALT tag "nar001-1.jpg"
Renamed res00000 to bb_import — still no images.
Any thoughts on what I might be missing?
Moodle is v1.9
It creates a set of folders: res00000/ppg/examview/images_go_here/nar001-1.jpg
But res00000/ does not match the HTML generated by Examview BB export/import:
...262/bb_import/ppg/examview/images_go_here/nar001-1.jpg
And you don't see any images, just the ALT tag "nar001-1.jpg"
Renamed res00000 to bb_import — still no images.
Any thoughts on what I might be missing?
Moodle is v1.9
Okay I think I found the problem, but not the solution.
When I import the test banked questions from Examview via "Examview (Blackboard 6.x)" it generates an absolute URL:
http://.../moodle/file.php/1/questions/262/bb_import/ppg/examview/images_go_here/nar001-1.jpg
Which doesn't work, but deleting the segment "1/question/" so the URL is now:
http://..../moodle/file.php/262/bb_import/ppg/examview/images_go_here/nar001-1.jpg
...works.
It would seem that during the import the string "1/questions/" is added by Moodle (Examview (Blackboard 6.x)).
The original xml file that is exported by Examview produces the relative URL (although it also generates a folder called "res00000" in which ppg/examview/images_go_here/nar001-1.jpg are nested — you need to manually upload the .zip file open it, and rename the "res00000" folder to "bb_import")
So this is all way to complicated:
1. export form Examview
2. import zipped file via "Examview (Blackboard 6.x)" option
3. upload your zip file to "files", unzip, rename "res00000" folder to "bb_import" (delete xml file etc.)
4. now change all your image URLs by deleting the "1/questions" string Q by Q...
S'okay I must be missing something here, some little step, that is turning this import into a Rube Goldberg experience.
Ideas please.
Thanks.
When I import the test banked questions from Examview via "Examview (Blackboard 6.x)" it generates an absolute URL:
http://.../moodle/file.php/1/questions/262/bb_import/ppg/examview/images_go_here/nar001-1.jpg
Which doesn't work, but deleting the segment "1/question/" so the URL is now:
http://..../moodle/file.php/262/bb_import/ppg/examview/images_go_here/nar001-1.jpg
...works.
It would seem that during the import the string "1/questions/" is added by Moodle (Examview (Blackboard 6.x)).
The original xml file that is exported by Examview produces the relative URL (although it also generates a folder called "res00000" in which ppg/examview/images_go_here/nar001-1.jpg are nested — you need to manually upload the .zip file open it, and rename the "res00000" folder to "bb_import")
So this is all way to complicated:
1. export form Examview
2. import zipped file via "Examview (Blackboard 6.x)" option
3. upload your zip file to "files", unzip, rename "res00000" folder to "bb_import" (delete xml file etc.)
4. now change all your image URLs by deleting the "1/questions" string Q by Q...
S'okay I must be missing something here, some little step, that is turning this import into a Rube Goldberg experience.
Ideas please.
Thanks.
That looks like a useful bit of diagnosis, can you make sure it is recorded in the tracker, either in an existing bug report, or in a new one. Thanks.
http://.../moodle/file.php/1/questions/262/bb_import/ppg/examview/images_go_here/nar001-1.jpg
The importing process utilizes absolute url's in the imported questions (and assumes that you use the slash arguments style of file referencing) because I couldn't come up with another way to do it without rewriting components of the test renderer. As an explanation of the above url, file.php/1 SHOULD be the publically accessible account.. if files from there are not publically accessible then the images won't load.
/1/questions/262/ (the 262 represents the course id the questions were imported from).
The reason behind this setup, rather than putting them in individual course-specific directories, was to allow teachers to share questions across courses. If I had put them in the course-specific directories then teachers experienced permission problems trying to create tests using questions from another teacher.
I suppose my biggest question is what are you using as the directory name when you export from Examview? It should just be a word or two at most.. like "chapter3_test". I really could use a sample question file though to solve this..
- Michael Tanczos
".... what are you using as the directory name when you export from Examview?"
For http://.../moodle/file.php/1/questions/262/bb_import/ppg/examview/images_go_here/nar001-1.jpg
The export name was "images_go_here"
For http://.../moodle/file.php/1/questions/262/bb_import/ppg/examview/images_go_here/nar001-1.jpg
The export name was "images_go_here"
I am using the windows 1.9 all in one version and I am having the image problem. What I find is weird is that when I use the plugin the folders are created, but the picture file itself is not copied. If I add the picture to the folder all is well. Why would it create the folder but forget to add the file?
Shawn
Shawn
This plugin requires use of the "unzip_file" function. If that doesn't work then this plugin will fail, is that the issue? I think I'm going to have to formally follow Tim's advice and post this to contrib so all this stuff can be tracked.
- Michael Tanczos
hi this is dinesh from india
i'm very happy to saw Examview (Blackboard 6.x) plugin.
But i d'ont know how to import a file in this format and which type of format is to be import.
Actually i wana import a file of questions which also have images
pls suggest me the right way how to import a file of questions which contains images
I attached a file which contains the questions i wana import into quiz
thanks and best regards
Dinesh chopra
i'm very happy to saw Examview (Blackboard 6.x) plugin.
But i d'ont know how to import a file in this format and which type of format is to be import.
Actually i wana import a file of questions which also have images
pls suggest me the right way how to import a file of questions which contains images
I attached a file which contains the questions i wana import into quiz
thanks and best regards
Dinesh chopra
Michael, I am having no problems with this plug in thus far. I posted a pleading post in another forum for a module such as this, and I think you came through with flying colors. I have not done a ton of testing, but the 68 questions I have brought in so far have all worked, and almost all have images.
A couple of notes for users. I personally do not use essay questions for my math class, and the examview export flags short answer as essay questions. This is a problem since the answer is lost on the import because essay questions to no have answer sections. I made a small change to the format.php file to make them upload as short answer.On line 532 I changed this line to read SHORTANSWER, where it used to say ESSAY.
$question->qtype = SHORTANSWER;
The only problem this creates is that no images can be saved as the answer, and some answers look really garbled. This is a Moodle problem, since the answer areas are not flexible text boxes. They do not have the WYSIWYG functionality.
I will use this plug in a lot and have notified several fellow Moodlers of this enhancement, they are very excited. More to come.
Willy Felton
A couple of notes for users. I personally do not use essay questions for my math class, and the examview export flags short answer as essay questions. This is a problem since the answer is lost on the import because essay questions to no have answer sections. I made a small change to the format.php file to make them upload as short answer.On line 532 I changed this line to read SHORTANSWER, where it used to say ESSAY.
$question->qtype = SHORTANSWER;
The only problem this creates is that no images can be saved as the answer, and some answers look really garbled. This is a Moodle problem, since the answer areas are not flexible text boxes. They do not have the WYSIWYG functionality.
I will use this plug in a lot and have notified several fellow Moodlers of this enhancement, they are very excited. More to come.
Willy Felton
Has anyone been able to import questions to a lesson using this plugin? I just get a blank page, and no questions get imported.
I used this with a lesson. I had to import the questions from the "questions" menu on the main class page, and then go into the lesson editor to access them. I never tried to import the questions from within the lesson editor, not because it didn't work, just because I have not tried.
Good Luck
Willy Felton
Good Luck
Willy Felton
I cannot figure out how to access the course item banks to import questions into a lesson. I would appreciate some help.
Rob
Rob
I finally got it to work but it took a lot of extra effort to fix code with each batch of questions, and then to link images... far too much effort to be practical...
The plugin is a great idea and will be a boon, but, alas, it is still in the early beta stage, and not yet "plug and play." :o(
The plugin is a great idea and will be a boon, but, alas, it is still in the early beta stage, and not yet "plug and play." :o(
This plugin works like a charm for us in quiz (no problems with images), but I do not even get question text in lesson. I would like to use quiz categories for lesson questions, but I can't figure out how to get access to them from within a lesson.
Rob, I am seeing a similar problem. I misspoke earlier, I must have made the questions by hand instead of importing them. This looks like an bug, but I will keep experimenting.
Good Luck.
Willy
Good Luck.
Willy
Michael,
This worked like a dream with zero fiddling required beyond your instructions. Well done, and thanks so much for this work.
Best,
-Maer Ben-Yisrael...
This worked like a dream with zero fiddling required beyond your instructions. Well done, and thanks so much for this work.
Best,
-Maer Ben-Yisrael...
Michael (and William)
First of all, I just want to thank you for the plugin and the easy instructions. This will really help out our teachers that use Examview.
Initially, I was able to import all the questions, but I was not able to get any answers. Instead, the word 'array' was in all the answer fields.
I followed William Fenton's post on altering the format.php file. I should clarify that he meant the format.php file located in the examview_blackboard folder that appears after loading and extracting your zip file into the format directory. The codechange he recommended fixed all the problems for me because I do not need images at the moment in the answer. Thanks William
Richard
Great. This is great. The directions could be a little more clear in defining what directory to copy which zip file into, but this is extraordinarily helpful.
1.9.3 moodle
1.9.3 moodle
Michael,
I am new to Moodle and editing code but I am willing to learn. I have read your directions and downloaded the plugin; however, I think my lack of knowledge is providing an obstacle to allowing me to use it. Do you happen to have a captured video (camtasia, captivate, smart recorder) that can take us embryonic users through the steps visually?
Thanks, Misty
Misty, I might be able to make a short video about this installation, and usage. I will try to get it together this weekend. Being able to import Examview question into moodle has made my classes better, and made my life so much easier.
More to come....
Willy
More to come....
Willy
William, Thanks so much for your assistance and time to help out; you are the hero in my group
Misty
OK, I finished a 10 minute video for this process. This video shows...
1) How to install the examview_blackboard plugin
2) How to export from Examview
3) How to import into Moodle.
If you see any mistakes, let me know.
One part of the video that I had to cut was a plea to anyone that has ideas about how to have students type in math equations into short answers and have Moodle accurately grade the responses. I know there are a lot of discussions on moodle.org regarding this, but I have not found any that fit all of my needs. If you have any ideas I am prowling for good insights.
Let me know if there are any questions or issues regarding this. My two favorite tools are Moodle and Examview.
Willy Felton
1) How to install the examview_blackboard plugin
2) How to export from Examview
3) How to import into Moodle.
If you see any mistakes, let me know.
One part of the video that I had to cut was a plea to anyone that has ideas about how to have students type in math equations into short answers and have Moodle accurately grade the responses. I know there are a lot of discussions on moodle.org regarding this, but I have not found any that fit all of my needs. If you have any ideas I am prowling for good insights.
Let me know if there are any questions or issues regarding this. My two favorite tools are Moodle and Examview.
Willy Felton
Willy, thank you again so much as ExamView is also one of my favorite applications as well. I have passed this video on to our Moodle Administrator as I didn't have rights to install the plug-in; no wonder why I was having a hard time. This plug in will save myself and my peers hours upon hours of work. Have a great Thanksgiving.
Misty
Willy,
Thanks again for all your help.
Your video is very clear and helpful.
There was only one issue that other people may have as we had.
We were running Examview(5.2) and moodle(1.8.2).
So,the plugin did not work until we upgraded to EXamview(6.2) and moodle(1.9.6).
Now I can upload all questions which include multiple-choice and short-answer type.
They all come with pictures.
Ming
Thanks again for all your help.
Your video is very clear and helpful.
There was only one issue that other people may have as we had.
We were running Examview(5.2) and moodle(1.8.2).
So,the plugin did not work until we upgraded to EXamview(6.2) and moodle(1.9.6).
Now I can upload all questions which include multiple-choice and short-answer type.
They all come with pictures.
Ming
I have had success using Examview 5.2 and Moodle 1.9.5.
Hi Rob,
You are right.
Examview 5.2 also works in moodle 1.9.6+,
Thanks,
Ming
You are right.
Examview 5.2 also works in moodle 1.9.6+,
Thanks,
Ming
I downloaded the .zip file provided with this plugin. According to the youtube video posted here, there are supposed to be three files in that zipped version, I only see one - format.php
Second, I see the option "ExamView(Blackboard 6.x) option alright in the drop down menu, but when try to import a test, I get an error, "temp directory cannot be created".
Any suggestions?
Second, I see the option "ExamView(Blackboard 6.x) option alright in the drop down menu, but when try to import a test, I get an error, "temp directory cannot be created".
Any suggestions?
I saw someone else mention that there was only one file. I downloaded the version again today (12/2/09) and compared the format.php files. They are identical, so I have included the zip file that I used in the youtube video. I defer to Michael Tanczos to explain the difference, but I believe that the "lang" folder included in my version is needed. Michael, if this version has an issue, tell me and I will remove it.
Try this, and hopefully this solves the problem. I have not seen the error you describe before. Just so I understand, I assume that you see the error on the import and not on the export. Is this correct? One step I may have left out on the video was to have the administrator "install" the new question format by clicking "Notifications" in the administration Block. This is necessary for all new plugins and I might have neglected this step on the video.
That is my first thought.
Good luck.
Willy Felton
Try this, and hopefully this solves the problem. I have not seen the error you describe before. Just so I understand, I assume that you see the error on the import and not on the export. Is this correct? One step I may have left out on the video was to have the administrator "install" the new question format by clicking "Notifications" in the administration Block. This is necessary for all new plugins and I might have neglected this step on the video.
That is my first thought.
Good luck.
Willy Felton
I've downloaded the version that William posted on the 2nd, and I am receiving the same error. We also tried uploading a zip to a teacher's locker - and that failed too. I'm thinking it's a file extension problem. Either moodle or apache or php isn't letting me upload zips.
ok, I was looking at the php and it seems that it's looking for
.rootdir. /temp/ dir which I did NOT have. and my webroot is only world readable - so moodle couldn't create the dir /temp/. Hopefully this fixes it.
.rootdir. /temp/ dir which I did NOT have. and my webroot is only world readable - so moodle couldn't create the dir /temp/. Hopefully this fixes it.
well I tried manually creating the /temp/ dir as well as /bbquiz_import/ as referenced in format.php here:
//Function to check and create the needed dir to unzip file to
function check_and_create_import_dir($unique_code) {
global $CFG;
$status = $this->check_dir_exists($CFG->dataroot."/temp",true);
if ($status) {
$status = $this->check_dir_exists($CFG->dataroot."/temp/bbquiz_import",true);
}
if ($status) {
$status = $this->check_dir_exists($CFG->dataroot."/temp/bbquiz_import/".$unique_code,true);
}
return $status;
}
what I can't seem to find is the reference for $unique_code. the thing I can't figure out is that bbquiz_import is set to 777 - so moodle should be able to create the directory. After digging around I found this code in /lib/uploadlib.php:
case 6: // UPLOAD_ERR_NO_TMP_DIR
$errmessage = get_string('uploadnotempdir');
break;
which seems to be the cause of my pain. However, i've been unable to track back to find where that string ($uplaodnotempdir) is declared. The only reference I've found to it is in /lib/file. Which my moodle setup doesn't have! I'm on 1.9.7+ and the file library seems to be a 2.0 component. Does anybody know where the 'uploadnotempdir' string is declared. As well as case 8 from uploadlib:
case 8: // UPLOAD_ERR_EXTENSION
$errmessage = get_string('uploadextension');
break;
I think that zips may not be allowed on my install.
Thanks guys!
//Function to check and create the needed dir to unzip file to
function check_and_create_import_dir($unique_code) {
global $CFG;
$status = $this->check_dir_exists($CFG->dataroot."/temp",true);
if ($status) {
$status = $this->check_dir_exists($CFG->dataroot."/temp/bbquiz_import",true);
}
if ($status) {
$status = $this->check_dir_exists($CFG->dataroot."/temp/bbquiz_import/".$unique_code,true);
}
return $status;
}
what I can't seem to find is the reference for $unique_code. the thing I can't figure out is that bbquiz_import is set to 777 - so moodle should be able to create the directory. After digging around I found this code in /lib/uploadlib.php:
case 6: // UPLOAD_ERR_NO_TMP_DIR
$errmessage = get_string('uploadnotempdir');
break;
which seems to be the cause of my pain. However, i've been unable to track back to find where that string ($uplaodnotempdir) is declared. The only reference I've found to it is in /lib/file. Which my moodle setup doesn't have! I'm on 1.9.7+ and the file library seems to be a 2.0 component. Does anybody know where the 'uploadnotempdir' string is declared. As well as case 8 from uploadlib:
case 8: // UPLOAD_ERR_EXTENSION
$errmessage = get_string('uploadextension');
break;
I think that zips may not be allowed on my install.
Thanks guys!
I'll have to make sure this is updated and checked into revision for 2.0 on. Our district is pretty dependent on it for importing all of our examview tests. Right now it can get the job done but perhaps with some work and collaboration we can get it functioning perfectly. Right now my biggest irk is that I have to hard code the image locations into the questions.
There was a question in the YouTube video about what the directory name was used for when exporting from Examview. Actually, that directory name is where the image files go. The images are located in the main site files directory.. it was my only workaround to allow images to be displayed when teachers were importing shared question banks.
- Michael Tanczos
There was a question in the YouTube video about what the directory name was used for when exporting from Examview. Actually, that directory name is where the image files go. The images are located in the main site files directory.. it was my only workaround to allow images to be displayed when teachers were importing shared question banks.
- Michael Tanczos
I also get the error "Could not create temporary directory" when I try to upload the .zip from Examview using examview_blackboard. Using version 1.9.3 and I've changed the lang file.
Any suggestions?
Any suggestions?
I am new at this. I followed directions for importing Examview tests into moodle using Blackboard. I get this error. Parsing questions from import file. Cannot read import file (or file is empty) I found this plugin and loaded it per instructions and do not see the new option. According to your directions, it is a permission problem. I have checked the permissions on the folder and file I copied. They are the same as all the others (ie Blackboard). Is there someplace else I need to check permissions? I am using Windows Server 2003 - Moodle 1.9.3+ (Build: 20081029) And Examview - Windows v.6.3 Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I tried this and it worked fine, inputting all my Math questions. I was wondering though about Examview fonts. I made my equation in examview using the equation editor, with everything an arial font. The font matches in Examview printed and online quizzes. However, when the equations are seen in Moodle, the equations do not match the quiz font, which I believe is also arial. Also, sometimes they are a bit above the text and sometimes they line up exactly.
Does anyone know what the font should be in Examview Equation editor in order to have the formula match the font of the text as seen in Moodle?
I posted an image so you can see what I mean. I want the entire question to look the same, with the equation matching the text.
Does anyone know what the font should be in Examview Equation editor in order to have the formula match the font of the text as seen in Moodle?
I posted an image so you can see what I mean. I want the entire question to look the same, with the equation matching the text.
The images themselves are actually generated by Examview, but the remainder of the text should be based on your site's css styles. If you want to match that font I'd wager your best bet is to tinker with your site theme until you get a test font that matches the image.
Ok, I'm back and I've made some progress, but I'm still getting some errors.
Can I ask a favor of someone who is successfully uploading a zip to a quiz? could you post a dummy zip for me to import as a test - one that I know will work?
The reason being is, since I'm the server admin I don't use ExamView so I asked a teacher for a zip. When I upload it via this module I'm given the following error in Moodle:
"Could not find question data file in zip"
If I open the zip it has the following files:
00001_categories.dat
00001_itemcategories.dat
00001_questions.dat
00001_settings.dat
imsmanifest.xml
in the 'resources' tag in imsmanifest it looks like this (tags stripped to be BB friendly):
resource bb:file="00001_questions.dat" bb:title="English 9 Semester 1 Final" identifier="00001_questions" type="assessment/x-bb-qti-test" xml:base="00001_questions"
I'm guessing that maybe the identifier should be "questions" not "00001_questions"
any suggestions?
edit:
here's an image of what's created on my server
Can I ask a favor of someone who is successfully uploading a zip to a quiz? could you post a dummy zip for me to import as a test - one that I know will work?
The reason being is, since I'm the server admin I don't use ExamView so I asked a teacher for a zip. When I upload it via this module I'm given the following error in Moodle:
"Could not find question data file in zip"
If I open the zip it has the following files:
00001_categories.dat
00001_itemcategories.dat
00001_questions.dat
00001_settings.dat
imsmanifest.xml
in the 'resources' tag in imsmanifest it looks like this (tags stripped to be BB friendly):
resource bb:file="00001_questions.dat" bb:title="English 9 Semester 1 Final" identifier="00001_questions" type="assessment/x-bb-qti-test" xml:base="00001_questions"
I'm guessing that maybe the identifier should be "questions" not "00001_questions"
any suggestions?
edit:
here's an image of what's created on my server
Here is a file that works on my Moodle.
Rob
Rob
Ok, yours worked, thank you very much.
That file was exported using Examview 6.2. We have also had success with Examview 5.x. I recently discovered one textbook that runs version 4. We have not been able to test it. When we install later versions, the version 4 item banks are used by the newer software. Has anyone tried Examview 4 with success?
RJ
RJ
I just found this thread and tried it out. Much success!!! I used EV 5.2 and it imported images and everything just fine!
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SHARING.
This should be included with the base Moodle install. It is a must have for K-12 educators whose curriculum is all tied to Examview question banks coming from the publishers.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SHARING.
This should be included with the base Moodle install. It is a must have for K-12 educators whose curriculum is all tied to Examview question banks coming from the publishers.
Michael, I'd like to thank you for your great work on this great plug-in and offer you some changes of my own (attached).
My boss wanted me to take a look at this plug-in and make a couple of changes. They were as follows:
1.) Fix the clean_temp_dir() function (Our temp was getting rather full)
2.) Change the store directory to the actual course (We found it to be more "default" behavior to store images and the like within the course directory, rather than /1/)
I've included the modified files, as well as a diff titled "changes" within the included tarball.
Let me know your thoughts!
My boss wanted me to take a look at this plug-in and make a couple of changes. They were as follows:
1.) Fix the clean_temp_dir() function (Our temp was getting rather full)
2.) Change the store directory to the actual course (We found it to be more "default" behavior to store images and the like within the course directory, rather than /1/)
I've included the modified files, as well as a diff titled "changes" within the included tarball.
Let me know your thoughts!
Thanks, Michael and Andrew!
The plug-in seems to work just fine with my multiple choice questions, but I'm still unable to import questions with images.
I'm using TestGen and have installed the blackboard_examview plug-in and followed your directions (and YouTube video, thank!) to the letter. The only problem is that the images are not appearing with the questions.
I uploaded the file Rob shared (thanks, Rob!!!) and his file came out just fine, images an all. I'm not using ExamView, but rather TestGen.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!
The plug-in seems to work just fine with my multiple choice questions, but I'm still unable to import questions with images.
I'm using TestGen and have installed the blackboard_examview plug-in and followed your directions (and YouTube video, thank!) to the letter. The only problem is that the images are not appearing with the questions.
I uploaded the file Rob shared (thanks, Rob!!!) and his file came out just fine, images an all. I'm not using ExamView, but rather TestGen.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Здравствуйте. Помогите мне. Надо написать пример про обновления кода модуля. Заранее, спасибо.
We've been having ongoing problems with exports from both Testgen and Examview. We also have a Blackboard server, and the pool format recently changed in Blackboard such that Testgen and Examview exports aren't working with it. I've started telling instructors to install Respondus (our institution has a license) and download the same test bank in Respondus format. Most of the test banks available in Testgen and Examview format are also available in Respondus format (see http://www.respondus.com/testbank/). And Respondus seems to work perfectly fine with both Moodle and Blackboard. It supports all question types too. We also use Respondus when we need to move a quiz from Blackboard to Moodle, or vice versa.
Rhegan
Rhegan
TestGen is working on a plugin/module for Moodle, which will likely be ready within the next month or so.
is this plugin available?
Just used this to import a test whose res.dat file was stopping after 15 questions.
Installed great - all I had to do was make the folder in format area for the uploaded file
As a Computer Science teacher - I love this plug in - my questions involving short pieces of code - maintained all indents and formatting - something that XML does not do.
Have yet to try it with pictures - but from what I have seen so far...this rocks.
Thanks for a great addition to the import selections.
Louis
Installed great - all I had to do was make the folder in format area for the uploaded file
As a Computer Science teacher - I love this plug in - my questions involving short pieces of code - maintained all indents and formatting - something that XML does not do.
Have yet to try it with pictures - but from what I have seen so far...this rocks.
Thanks for a great addition to the import selections.
Louis
Thanks for this great plugin!
I am having one issue though. I turned on Debug and the following message comes up when I try to import an ExamView Export zip file.
Fatal error: Class 'DomDocument' not found in /var/www/html/moodle/question/format/examview_blackboard/format.php on line 175
Any helps is appreciated as our head tech guy is unavailable.
I am having one issue though. I turned on Debug and the following message comes up when I try to import an ExamView Export zip file.
Fatal error: Class 'DomDocument' not found in /var/www/html/moodle/question/format/examview_blackboard/format.php on line 175
Any helps is appreciated as our head tech guy is unavailable.
line 175:
$dom = new DomDocument();
Am I supposed to replace 'new DomDocument' with a file name or put something into the '()'. Maybe I need to create a class somewhere?
$dom = new DomDocument();
Am I supposed to replace 'new DomDocument' with a file name or put something into the '()'. Maybe I need to create a class somewhere?
Got it figured out on personal server. Professionally managed server needs more work...go figure.
Will this utility work with ExamView's "problem" question type? If so, will it also import user-defined variables?
If you attach a file with some "problem" questions, I will try it and let you know.
Rob
Rob
Thanks. My Moodle host does not have this plugin enabled yet. Attached is a back of problems, and some have user-defined variables.
Hi Jeff,
The 51 questions in your file imported successfully. The multi-response had multiple answers in Moodle. The short answer and problem questions imported as essay items in Moodle. These will need to be graded manually.
Rob
The 51 questions in your file imported successfully. The multi-response had multiple answers in Moodle. The short answer and problem questions imported as essay items in Moodle. These will need to be graded manually.
Rob
Bummer 
That's a nice-to-have if any programmers had a spare week (I really have no idea how long it would take).
Thanks for trying. I got essay's just using the export to BB 6 - 7 and then importing, but at least the plug-in brings over the images automatically, right?
Thanks again
- Jeff
Thanks for trying. I got essay's just using the export to BB 6 - 7 and then importing, but at least the plug-in brings over the images automatically, right?
Thanks again
- Jeff
Jeff, you can easily modify the code to import the short answer as -short answer- and not essay. Here is a video I made some time ago, and I believe that it shows the small code change as part of the instructions. Let me know if you have issues. I think all you need is to have the import include the answer so it can be corrected automatically. Is this right?
Also, since I do this all the time. When Moodle imports short answer from ExamView if the answer in EV was made using the equation editor, than the answer in moodle is not the answer but a PICTURE of the answer, which it can not grade. I have either made sure that the answers in EV are written in the normal text editor OR I go in and modify the answers in Moodle to be normal text. The grading and comparison of these answers is a big ball of wax, that I have worked on for years. It is always a challenge to make the answers in Moodle in a way that they are corrected properly.
Anyway, here is the short video.
Good Luck
Willy
Also, since I do this all the time. When Moodle imports short answer from ExamView if the answer in EV was made using the equation editor, than the answer in moodle is not the answer but a PICTURE of the answer, which it can not grade. I have either made sure that the answers in EV are written in the normal text editor OR I go in and modify the answers in Moodle to be normal text. The grading and comparison of these answers is a big ball of wax, that I have worked on for years. It is always a challenge to make the answers in Moodle in a way that they are corrected properly.
Anyway, here is the short video.
Good Luck
Willy
Yes - I would like to have it corrected automatically, but I would really like to change it to a "calculated" question type so that I can use random variables as well. In ExamView, I use the range() function in a lot of my defined variables, and I would like to figure out a way to have Moodle import this with some default number of values.
For example find the distance traveled in t seconds going an average of v m/s.
The defined variables might be t: range(20, 200,1)
v: range(10, 40, 1)
d: v*t
Ans: d m
Moodle would need to know that range is min - max, and maybe an import util could simply create 30 or 40 values
In Moodle this would become:
Find the distance traveled in {t}seconds going an average of {v} m/s.
Ans: {t}*{v}
Unit: m
Hello, I have recently developed a coordinates question type (http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=155989) and I have just found that there is already similar existing in the Examview.
Can you give me more information on that?
With a different notations in my question type, your example may be written as
Find the distance traveled in {t} seconds going an average of {v} m/s.
Can you give me more information on that?
With a different notations in my question type, your example may be written as
Find the distance traveled in {t} seconds going an average of {v} m/s.
{t} = {20 ~ 200 : 1};
{v} = {10 ~ 40 : 1};
{d} = {v}*{t};
Ans: {d}
Unit: m
I just tested with examview 6 and it works fantastically (it didn't appear at first due to permission errors, thanks for that tip). The only issue is that when I upload the apostrophe's get replaced by a strange character
Any ideas on how to avoid this?
You just saved my teachers a huge headache!
Any ideas on how to avoid this?
You just saved my teachers a huge headache!
That character is usually the replacement character for a non-utf-8 character from a non-compliant editor. Whatever you edited the question in is not fully compliant - obviously. My bet would be the ’ or the ‘ char, rather than the '.
Yes I believe it is the curly apostrophe. The problem is, since the plugin imports questions based on a zip file created by examview I am unsure on how to do a find and replace before import.
Would you mind attaching an Examview file (or BB export) with the problematic character so I can try it?
Attached is a .zip made from examview export Blackboard 6-7.
When I upload it to our site I get the weird symbol.
When I upload it to our site I get the weird symbol.
The odd character is in the .dat file. In a text editor, it reads "Mendel's." I replaced the ' with an ', and it imported just fine. I have attached the modified file.
I have seen this with more than just apostrophes. Math symbols like greater than/less than or equal to sometimes show the symbol for the British pound. Fortunately, most files will import without a problem.
Off topic, I remember seeing your Moodle presentation at CUE last spring. It was great.
I have seen this with more than just apostrophes. Math symbols like greater than/less than or equal to sometimes show the symbol for the British pound. Fortunately, most files will import without a problem.
Off topic, I remember seeing your Moodle presentation at CUE last spring. It was great.
What do I do with the files you supplied? Where do I place them?
Same apostrophe error.
examview 6.2.0
moodle 1.9.9
While I did see the error with apostrophe in the upload report, when I went into the course to add a quiz, the examview questions looked just fine. Anyone else have this happen?
What you see after import are the question names, not the question text or answer possibilities. Perhaps our import is only showing the odd character in the qestion name only.
Below is a screen shot of some math symbols that do not import correctly from Examview. The first is supposed to be a triange, and the other two should be the angle character. The screen shot is using Firefox, but they display fine in IE8. I would think if it were a Unicode issue, like Colin suggests, they would be strange in both browsers.
I'm having the same problem with the apostrophes!!! Hope someone has an answer for us!
I only use IE8 in my classroom per school district policy and I see that little box in place of apostrophes.
Good thought but that's not the culprit.
Hi,
When I use this plugin in my localhost it is working fantastic
But while trying to use it in my web server it gives
'"temp directory cannot be created".
Can somebody please help me out ont his.
I checked all earlier replies looks like its a known issue. Have we got any solution to this
Thanks again for this fantastic plugin.
Thank!
When I use this plugin in my localhost it is working fantastic
But while trying to use it in my web server it gives
'"temp directory cannot be created".
Can somebody please help me out ont his.
I checked all earlier replies looks like its a known issue. Have we got any solution to this
Thanks again for this fantastic plugin.
Thank!
How does the web server differ from your local machine? What OS are you using?
I am using windows vista
and my web server is in yahoo small business.
Thansk for your help!
I wonder if it is file permissions related. Have you contacted Yahoo support?
Hi Guys,
Has anyone tested this original module attached with version 1.9.9? We had it in our 1.9.4 version and have upgraded.
Thanks.
I am having a bit of difficulty with the Examview (Blackboard) Quiz Plugin. The plugin installed beautifully. When attempting to import a .ZIP, the file uploads, the (http://moodle.lcti.org/question/import.php) page refreshes and the template begins loading.
The page (http://moodle.lcti.org/question/import.php) displays the message:
"Parsing questions from import file."
No additonal data is displayed on thepage and the page stops loading in the browser. No questions are loaded into the question bank.
Importing has been attempted with multiple .ZIP files including the algebra test file that is included in this forum.
Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.
~Joe
What version of Moodle are you running, and what is the server environment?
Rob
We are currently having the same problem in version 2.0 with Examview
1.93 and 1.99 worked well including pictures. We can't upgrade our school system to 2.0 until we can figure this out. We have tried it on our hostmonster accounts as well as our practice site.
Hi!
This plugin worked fine on moodle 1.9+. But, it's not working on moodle 2.
Any upgrade for moodle 2?
Thanks.
There is a duscussion about Examview and Moodle 2 here. There is a link to a tracker item. Please add your vote so it will be placed in a higher priority.
RJ
Hi!
Could anyone update examview plugin (by Michael Tanczos) for moodle 2!
I'd imported thousands of questions (with images) in moodle 1.9+ using this plugin. It worked really well.
Thanks.
Please vote for the issue in the tracker. Voting will help to bring it to the attention of the core developers.
Yep! voting will help. But, I think persuading Michael Tanczos for an update would give better results. Please, update this plugin for moodle 2 Michael Tanczos jee!
I am not sure if Michael is still supporting the plugin. When his name is clicked, a message appears saying he is no longer enrolled in this course.
I'm still alive. I haven't upgrade our district to 2.0 yet since it wasn't out at the beginning of the school year. I'll be upgrading next week and then will focus on getting the Examview plugin up and running again. So if it's not handled by then I'll be tossing my hat back into the ring again for this one.
Great news. I am sure there are many of us that will be glad to help test the plugin for 2.0.
It would be really great if you could take a look at the examview import and fix it.
It would be even better if I could persuade you to write unit tests for the import as you work on it. That would make it much easier to keep the format working in future. During the upgrade to Moodle 2.0 I made unit tests for the GIFT format here: https://github.com/moodle/moodle/blob/master/question/format/gift/simpletest/testgiftformat.php, and in my work towards Moodle 2.1, I have done unit tests for the XML format: https://github.com/timhunt/Moodle-Question-Engine-2/blob/qe2_wip/question/format/xml/simpletest/testxmlformat.php.
Really, having automated tests for the importer is so much nicer than testing the import my manually uploading a file through the interface. There is an introduction to unit testing in Moodle here Development:Unit_tests.
It was a great time saver.
I have modified the format.php file to allow import of examview export with pictures in moodle 2.0+
There is still work to do, only multiple choice, fill in blank and T/F are error free currently.
format.php file should be moved into a new directory within:
/moodle/question/format/
I named my folder here examview_bb6Plus
the file is attached.
just move it to the new directory you created.
it will add a new choice in the questions import menu. You will need to export from examview with Blackboard6.0-7.0 format. (a zip file)
Email me at gjenkins@lbcc.edu with comments.
Thank for working on it. If you need help testing I am willing and able. I have been very frustrated with lack of ability in the new and shiny moodle 2.0 to import (with images) questions exported from examview.
Bravo... can't wait to test it.
This is great news. I will test it first thing tomorrow.
I have tried this on two installations and get the following error message with debugging turned on. With debugging off, I get a blank page. One Moodle is a straight 2.02+ install, and the other is an upgrade from 1.9.
Fatal error: Class 'qformat_examview_bb6Plus' not found in /srv/www/htdocs/moodle/lib/questionlib.php on line 2601
Does something need to be added to questionlib.php?
Thank you again for getting this started.
The problem was with my directions, I had the wrong name on the folder on my previous posts. Also from email feedback, there were some database errors when examview had any feedback filled in.
I spent several more hours on it. And It passes all my tests, including having feedback.
Create a folder named examview_blackboard_6 in the moodle/question/format directory, and move the attached format.php file into it.
I have tested it with:
multiple choice (single answer and multiple answers)
fill in the blank
true false
and matching.
If something does not work, please isolate just one question that does not work from examview and then send me the blackboard6-7 export zip file with any screen shots or errors you see. I will respond by tracking down issues.
Note: this plugin will not work with pre 2.0 moodle.
good luck.
-- Gerry Jenkins (email to gjenkins@lbcc.edu)
Thanks Gerry for the quick reply. Changing the directory name cleared up the issue. I just imported a set of text only multiple choice items successfully. I will try with each question type and with images and feedback. I will post back with any issues.
Great work!
Rob
Hi again Gerry,
I just imported a mix of matching and M/C questions from a high school geometry disk. Images in the questions appear just fine, but images in answer choices do not. See the image below. I am unable to attached to bb export file I used. It is a little too big. I will send it via email.
The 1.9 version of the plugin would pull image files in answers through. This made placing images into M/C answers and matching questions much easier than the Moodle question interface.
I run the Moodle in the Torrance schools (in your neck of the woods). Importing from examview was the last barrier to upgrading to Moodle 2. I am sure we are not the only institution that will benifit from this work.
Rob
Sorry, I will be traveling until late June and will probably not be able to get back to these issues until I am back home and have better internet access.
But I anticipate no problem adding image to answers at that time.
-- Gerry Jenkins
Thanks Gerry! Looking forward to your return. It will be great to get this working over the summer so our K12 teachers can hit the ground running in the Fall.
Hi, I am back and spent some time to get images from examview answers into the moodle 2.0 answers. I have discovered that there is a bug in the new moodle that prevents me from completing this task.
The good news is that the moodle team have solved the problem and are in the last review stage before puting it into the next minor relase of moodle 2.
The bad news is that I will need to wait to then modify my code to work with this new release. I anticipate that it will be out by July. It should be only a week or two till I get my code working.
Refrence the follwing two things about this bug:
Moodle Tracker: http://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDL-24594
Original Discussion: http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=159574
Those that sent me export files from examview is much appreciated, I will use them when I test my new code.
I will post the new code as soon as I can after the fixed release.
-- Gerry Jenkins (Long Beach City College)
Hi Gerry. Would love to know when the new WORKING release will come out. DO you know??
I have spent well over 6 months of frustration with examview exporting and importing. Hope this actally works. Will it be in the 2.1 or still in 2.0.x release??
Once there is working code, it will be added to 2.0.x and 2.1.x
when I change it, it will require moving to 2.1 release. This is a minor update and should be easy to transition to.
Hello Tim,
I know this is now in 2.1 but will it be added to 2.0.x also ? Thanks
Sorry, but I think the change in MDL-24594 is too big to add to 2.0.x.
Well, I was thinking you will answer that stable must be stable !!
Anyway thta will give people another reason to upgrade to 2.1
Hello Gerry,
Your expertise and work on this is MUCH Appreciated.
I would also congratulate Tim Hunt for all his work in moving the Moodle Quiz forward in such a major leap!
So far in my initail 'playing' with Moodle 2.0 I am very impressed with everything from the way it handles documents to conditional activities.
Getting this examview image importing working is HUGE. I would think half my users would be terribly upset if this was to go away.
Any chance of this being part of the standard Moodle install?? It is much needed.
I am looking at the procedure to make this a part of the normal moodle release. My patch will be avaliable here probably far in advance of it becoming an official release part. I know that examview is a very popular program for test banks.
The simplest version of the procedure (for you) is to just attach a patch to MDL-24594 in the tracker, with a comment.
The simplest procedure (for me, if you know git) is for you to push your commit to a public git repository, and then comment in the tracker issue with a link to that.
Thank you very much for working on this. If you need any help getting your fixes to me, please ask (in this forum) and I will help.
Yes.... many thanks Gerry for your work. Hopefully it does work. Exam view is SUPER IMPORTANT for me as a MATH teacher - especially the images within the questions. So, I hope it will work this time around.
Cheers
Please do post! I just got my 2.1 server going and ready to try testing imports.
Did this examview plugin make it into the 2.1 release? Also, I cannot find any of the previous forum post atttachments on these threads. The previous attachments worked great for Moodle 1.9 and I am wondering why they were removed.
Hello,
Nobody removed the attachments. Bad news is it's a bug see MDL-28172, good news is it's already fixed and at the next update of moodle.org all attachments will be back
I just installed 2.1 on a test server, and there is an Examview Blackboard 6 option on the import screen (it displays as though the language string is missing - examview_blackboard_6). However, I cannot get it to work. When I try to import a Bloackboard export from Examview, I see the message below. It seems to want a text file instead of the zip. Any ideas?
Hello Rob, I also got those types of errors when trying to import different formats. However, we only use GIFT, Moodle XML, and Examview for the majority of our imports. I am hoping to see a plugin update posted here that will allow us to import Examview with images just as it did in 1.9. The last plugin posted seemed to work with images in questions, but not answers. So it was very close.
Hello Rob,
Funny thing is - - mine is doing this as well. I am going to take a guess and say it is because the plugin is incomplete. I was going to wait until Gerry releases a working fix and then try it again.
I got a similar issue with a blackboard .dat file import where it said a similar message.
Hello to all,
This is not a serious problem, the import format is missing a few lines function so that zip is reconized as a valid type. I will report the problem to Tim and it will be fixed.
I has some free time yesterday and the motive to do something usefull.
So I looked at your problem of importing images in answers.
Here is a small try starting from the latest import format found in the thread.
I tested it on the alg2_sequences_and_series_benchmark.zip file also found above and it seems to work well
So please can you test and report.
Short instructions : unzip and put the lang folder and the format.php file in a subfolder of question/format named exactly examview_bb6plus (all lowercase !)
Known problem : for the moment the question id is not retreived correctly so it can produce strange names or just the word question as name. I will look at this problem later but I wanted to solve the image problem first.
Please don't forget this is from a man that has never used Examview. I just look at the file you posted. So if it don't correctly import some of your questions just post your zip file and I will look at it.
Hum I fogot an essential thing : answer images import will only work with Moodle version 2.1 at least until tracker issue MDL-24594 is fixed or more exactly until the fix included in Moodle 2.1 will be backported to Moodle 2.0.
Hello Jean-Michel,
THANK YOU THANK YOU for picking this up and taking it to the next step. I will not be back to test this completely until late next week, but I did upload your fix to our server and it did indeed work with 2.1 and the posted ALG file here. This is awesome! Examview is such a widely used program in our schools that this plugin is very critical. Hopefully others can look at this and then move it forward to possibly be included in the core of moodle.
AWESOME WORK!!!
Thank you Jean-Michel. I agree with Chris that many will find this useful. I have tested with the algebra 2 file attached in this thread, and it imported just fine. I tried a second file, and get an error writing to database message on the last question. See image below.
Debugging did not provide any additional information. This file, see attached, imports fine with the 1.9 plugin. In Moodle 2.1, the category lists 6 questions. The first five work, but the 6th produces a "Can not find data record in database table question_multichoice" error. Any help you can provide in getting the issue resolved is appreciated.
Rob
Hello Rob,
Thanks a lot for the feedback and the zip file. Looking at it I know what the problem is : question 6 is an examview QUESTION_MULTIPLEANSWER (several right answers) and the 5 others are QUESTION_MULTIPLECHOICE (only one right answer). Unfortunately my code for QUESTION_MULTIPLEANSWER was untested because I hadn't any example . But now it's evident to see my mistake (I forgot to do the same change for multiple answers questions that I did for multiple choice ones)
I will do a corrected version soon and post it.
This is why in my previous post I was asking for sample files to test my code : as I don't have Examview banks I can't make a lot of tests myself to ensure the code works in all cases.
Another problem I want to solve is how should I convert Examview QUESTION_ESSAY ? If I understand well, this is a kind on essay question but an answer is provided. As said in others messages we have 2 options :
- convert QUESTION_ESSAY to Moodle essay questions and the answer will be lost
- convert QUESTION_ESSAY to Moodle shortanswer questions but I doubt the automatic grading will work because of the very low probability the student enter exactly the same answer as the one provided in the question
Tell me what you think. Programmation should not be difficult, It's just a matter of knowing what you users of Examview and Moodle want
Hello,
for this sunday i was planing to go for a walk in the country but it's raining !
So I corrected the problem with QUESTION_MULTIPLEANSWER that sould now import without problem.
I also added import of QUESTION_ESSAY converting them in Moodle essay question and putting the answer in "Instructions for graders" Moodle's field. Hum I don't remember seeing this field before ! Is it new in Moodle 2.1 ? Anyway this is just what was needed to put the Examview answer
I also changed the way the question name is generated from the question text. This version should provide more sensible names and never empty or too long names.
I have tested this on all files I have found. But fill in the blanks and matching import would need more testing to be sure everything is working as expected.
What would also be needed would be to bring the code up to the Moodle standards cleaning it, and making it conformant to the Moodle guidelines. Without this, no chance it ever goes into the core, but I must admit that when a piece of code is working I am lacking motivation to just make it looking good .
Well for the moment, please just test this version as much as you can, and post zip files that show any problem.
I am sorry to hear about the rain. Thank you again for the update. I have installed it, and it had cleared up the error on the file I attached in my previous post. However, I have encountered another writing to database error. Please see attached file. This file has both text and images in feedback fields. I appreciate the time and effort you have spent on this.
Rob
Hello Rob,
Well it's still raining today so nothing better to do than working on this plugin
.
Thanks for reporting this. My code for importing feedbacks was somewhat wrong.
I hope this is corrected now. So here is a new version !
I hope also people are not lost in me posting so many differents versions in the same thread.
New in this version :
- all the temp files should now be correctly deleted at the end of the import (this was broken and I think all people having used this format often should verify they don't have piles of files in the moodledata/temp/bbquiz_import folder
- more robust error handling. in a lot of case (but not all) a proper error message indicating the problem should be displayed
- default values for a lot of fields if they are not presents in the questions file
Unfortunately this means rewritting quite a lot of lines and I hope I have not introduced bugs and regressions. I have made a lot of tests but please report if some files that were previously imported without problem are now displaying an error message.
But I think this rewrite was neccessary to bring the examview format to the same level of robustness as the moodle xml or gift import formats (In fact I have borrowed a lot of ideas and code from the Moodle xml format).
Please test, I would for instance be interested to hear if files made on a macintosh are correctly imported as I don't have a Mac to test (but I am of course open to donations ) .
One thing I noticed is that some math characters are not imported correctly but this seems to be because the examview file is incorrect for instance I have a file with entities £ (pound) and they should be ≤ (less than or equal). Of course the import can't be correct if the imported file is not and converting all £ to les than or equal would not please british teachers !
I hope the rain clears soon. Thank you again for the updated code. I just tried with a file that contains feedback (Examview Rationale) and noticed it is getting doubled. Feedback is being placed into the general feedback field and the feedback field for choice one. When a student reviews, he/she will see it twice. I have attached the file I used. Edit - The file exeeded the upload limit. Click here to download the file (click the file menu on the Google Docs page and then "Download original").
From what I know about the current Mac version (6.2 in my school district) of Examview, exporting as BB 6 is not an option. The only option from the Mac is Examview xml, and that will not import with images.
I will keep an eye on my temp folder and let you know if files are not being deleted.
Again, your work on this is greatly appreciated.
Rob
Hi Jean Michel,
I am still seeing duplicated feedback with your version of the 2.1 plugin. I had originally reported this in July. There is a link there to a file you can test if you have time. As stated, the feedback is placed into both the general and first answer fields in multi-choice questions. The Gerry Jenkins version of the plugin does not duplicate feedback.
Thanks for any help you can provide.
Rob
Hello Rob,
Yes you are right, I was thinking I had corrected the problem but looking at the code there is still a problem.
As you see it, do you think the duplicated feedback should in fact be in the general feedback or in the feedback for the first question ?
If your answer is that it should be in the feedback for the first question, I wonder if there is in fact a general feedback for mc questions in the Examview file ?
The thread has so many messages that I have some trouble to locate your test file. Can you post the link again ? Thanks.
The question editor in Examview provides a "Rational" field. It is a single field for feedback. It is best mapped to Moodle's general feedback. That is how the 1.9 and Gerry's version work.
The file I posted is here. I had to use Google Docs because of the file size.
Thank you again for all of the help you provide Moodlers.
Hello all,
I am glad that I am not the only one that is having problems with Examview importing into Moodle.
1) On the previous post from March 4 2009 the first task was to change the line in quiz.php to include a string $string['exxamview_blackboard']='Examview [Blackboard 6.x]"; On my install I do not have a quiz.php Has this step been eliminated or did I miss something.
2) When importing a quiz: right from the first screen I get this:
Invalid get_string() identifier: 'examview_bb6plus' or component 'quiz'
- line 5863 of /lib/moodlelib.php: call to debugging()
- line 6418 of /lib/moodlelib.php: call to core_string_manager->get_string()
- line 2609 of /lib/questionlib.php: call to get_string()
- line 20 of /question/import_form.php: call to get_import_export_formats()
- line 152 of /lib/formslib.php: call to question_import_form->definition()
- line 50 of /question/import.php: call to moodleform->moodleform()
Then after importing:
After the question 22 it comes up with
Notice: Undefined property: stdClass::$feedback in /home1/mikeberm/public_html/science/question/type/essay/questiontype.php on line 50
Notice: Undefined property: stdClass::$feedback in /home1/mikeberm/public_html/science/question/type/essay/questiontype.php on line 51
Notice: Undefined property: stdClass::$feedback in /home1/mikeberm/public_html/science/question/type/essay/questiontype.php on line 53
Notice: Undefined property: stdClass::$fraction in /home1/mikeberm/public_html/science/question/type/essay/questiontype.php on line 54
Notice: Undefined property: stdClass::$feedback in /home1/mikeberm/public_html/science/question/type/essay/questiontype.php on line 56
At bottom it has
Debug info: Column 'feedbackformat' cannot be null
UPDATE mdl_question_answers SET question = ?,answer = ?,feedback = ?,feedbackformat = ?,answerformat = ?,fraction = ? WHERE id=?
[array (
0 => 84,
1 => '',
2 => '',
3 => NULL,
4 => NULL,
5 => NULL,
6 => 315,
)]
Stack trace:
- line 394 of /lib/dml/moodle_database.php: dml_write_exception thrown
- line 980 of /lib/dml/mysqli_native_moodle_database.php: call to moodle_database->query_end()
- line 1012 of /lib/dml/mysqli_native_moodle_database.php: call to mysqli_native_moodle_database->update_record_raw()
- line 59 of /question/type/essay/questiontype.php: call to mysqli_native_moodle_database->update_record()
- line 368 of /question/format.php: call to question_essay_qtype->save_question_options()
- line 111 of /question/import.php: call to qformat_default->importprocess()
I have attached the file that I tried to import.(too large to attach) Any suggestions guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Hello Mike,
If you tell us :
- what version of Moodle you are using
- what version of the Examview plugin you are trying to use (many version have been posted in that thread !!)
it would help to give you an advice to solve your problems.
Also as you file is too large to be attached here, if you can upload it somewhere so I can have a look I am quite sure I can correct the problem.
I am using Moodle version 2.0.2
The version of the plug in that I am using I bleieve is the latest which would be from July 19th.
The Examview version that I am using is version 6.1.2
I have uploaded the file to
http://mikeberman.net/TestwithPictures.zip
I checked the folder to make sure that I deleted the previous version of the plugin and I did.
I also did not make any changes to any php file becuase I did not have quiz.php and one of the videos that was posted on the site referenced that it was for moodle version 1.9 and below.
Thanks
Hello Mike,
The problem is that you are using Moodle 2.0.x and are trying to use a version of the plugin that is for Moodle 2.1
Maybe that's not evident for users but there are differences in question's structure (feedback for instance) between these 2 versions. So a plugin for 2.1 will not necessary work in 2.0.x
I have tested your file (TestPictures.zip) in Moodle 2.1
with my own version posted July 19th 2011 (examview_bb6plus.zip) no problem : all 28 questions are imported correctly with images and no error message is displayed even with debugging set to DEVELOPER level
with the version posted by Gerry Jenkins on July 22th 2011 (examview_blackboard_6.zip) no problem : all 28 questions are imported correctly with images and no error message is displayed even with debugging set to DEVELOPER level
So with Moodle 2.1, I have detected absolutely no problem. Everything seems to be working as expected.
But as you are running Moodle 2.0.2 the latest version you can use is the one posted by Gerry Jenkins on May 28th 2011 . This is just a format.php file so you will have to create the question/format/examview_blackboard_6 folder yourself and put it inside. Also it would be better to create a question/format/examview_blackboard_6/lang/en/qformat_examview_blackboard_6.php language file but the import will work even without this file !
But unfortunately the version doesn't import questions type ESSAY so you will get only 21 questions !!
Either Gerry or I could easily create a version for Moodle 2.0.x that also import essay questions.
Please note that Moodle 2.0.x doesn't support images in answers. So you will not be able to import images in answers. Only images in question text will work. And Tim Hunt has answered that images support in answers will probably not be added to Moodle 2.0.x (it is already working in Moodle 2.1) so maybe if such a feature is important to you, you should consider upgrading (or asking your administrator about upgrading) to Moodle 2.1
Hope this could somewhat help you.
Thanks. I checked with my web hosting service and they are going to be upgrading their servers and then be able to offer 2.1.
I will wait for them to do this and hopefully they can get it done before school year starts. Images are important to me.
Thanks for the help!!
I have completed a import for Examview that preserves images in both the answers and the feedback. I also expanded the accepted question types to essay types and Yes/No.
Note, this works with Moodle 2.1+
I have attached a zip file that unzips a folder named: examview_blackboard_6 that should be moved into the moodle 2.1 folder question/format/
There is also a GIT repository located at:
git@github.com:gjenkins/moodle.git (branch: moodle-question-examview-6-import)
https://github.com/gjenkins/moodle/tree/moodle-question-examview-6-import
I hope that this new import can be made a part of the next moodle release. Since Examview seems to be one of the most popular import formats in moodle, and it is not well supported in the core import list.
post any Examview test banks that you have any problems with here or email me: gjenkins@lbcc.edu
-- Gerry Jenkins
Hello Gerry,
Did you have a look at the version I posted just a few days ago in that thread ?
I think you could borrow some ideas from my code (that I borrowed myself from the xml import format for the most part )
using a function like getpath (see the code, I use exactly the same code as the xml import format !) rather than doing a lot of trim( $thisquestion["#"]... make the code clearer and permit you to set a default and optionnaly throw an error if the xml element is missing and you can't continue without. I think it's an improvment and make the import format more robust.
Also as Moodle is PHP5 only now, using a DirectoryIterator for temp files suppression function make sure the suppression is effective even on windows servers (permissions problem).
You should add a function like "my" add_blank_combined_feedback (borowed from the gift import format I think) because if you don't give a format for these fields they will revert to "Moodle Auto Format" instead of HTML and people will miss the tinyMCE editor for these fields (they will need to switch to HTML and I think, save the question and re-open).
I hope you will like some of these suggesions and that I can help you along the way to the inclusion in core code. But you should know it's a long way (a small piece of my code, the response quiz report plugin, lived for years as a third party plugin before it was put in core thanks to Tim Hunt).
By the way, your support of yes/no questions is very nice. Isn't there also a NUMERICAL question type in examview ? Do you know anyhting about it's structure ?
Thank a lot for all your work on this format.
I think people using Examview should have a big thank you to both Micheal and you for creating and supporting these import formats.
Thank you for your suggestions (getpath, DirectoryIterator from PHP5, and with feedback format type). I will look at integrating them into the next round.
I looked at including NUMERICAL but examview exports it as a fill in the blank within the blackboard export format. The only clue it is numerical is the answer is a decimal number or a fraction. My guess is that the underlying blackboard 6 format did not have a numeric type.
I thought about detecting the numeric patterns within the answer to detect this, but did no know how to handle the precision setting or if this might break some other kind of fill in the blank false positive on the match. I thought at least the numeric types will be implemented as simple fill in th blank, that would behave correctly for exact matches, was a good compromise.
-- Gerry Jenkins
Thank you Gerry and Jean-Michel both for your hard work on this plugin.
Much thanks and praise for continued support and development because this is one plugin that is widely used but I think not so well known in the K-12 arena. Whenever I tell other district tech people about this plugin their eyes pop!
It is extremely useful and important to my teachers. I don't think half of my users would use Moodle without this plugin.
Thanks Again,
Chris
Thank you for posting this Gerry. I have tested your code with several files and it works well.
I did encounter an issue with the import of matching questions made using Examview 5. Questions with more than five items do not import correctly. This is true of the 1.9 plugin and Jean Michel's 2.1 version as well. Matching items made with Examview 6 are not affected. I have attached a file for testing. It has eight matching items, but only five will be shown in the question. Notice all eight answer choices show in the pull-down.
This is not a big deal as we have been dealing with it for the past two years using the 1.9 plugin, but if it can be corrected, that would be great.
Rob
Hi, I have been super busy with teaching, curriculum dev, commitees,budget problems. I finally got back to some replys here.
I have looked at the structure in your zip file for a matching question that only imports 5 out of 8. I need you to create this 8 part matching question using the moodle create question editor, and then export it as moodle xml. I need this, becuase I could not get moodle to duplicate your matching design. The problem is somehow related to the fact that you have 8 matches and 8 choices but only 5 of the 8 choices are correct choices. I first need to see that moodle can do your example. Then I can look at the structure within the moodle XML export of the sample, and use it for the template for what the output from the code should be from your already provided examview export.
I will try to recreate the question, but I am very busy too. I do appreciate you looking at this, but I have thought of this as a bug with Examview 5. I do not think there is a problem with your code, or Jean Michel's. My teachers are well aware of the limitation. Most new textbook adoptions use Examview 6, so this does not even come up much.
That said, do you think you can get the plugin to work with an export that seems flawed from the beginning?
On behalf of the Torrance Unified School District, we are grateful for the code you and Jean Michel have contributed. We are in the second week of school using our upgraded Moodle 2.1.1 site. It would not have been possible without an Examview import.
Rob
Using ExamView 5.1 and Moodle 2.1 I get this from Gerry's and Jean-michel's plugins: Error importing question error with xml structure of examview zip file manifest
The files I am trying to import, imported fine when using the orginal plugin for Moodle 1.9.
I've attached one of the files I tried to import.
hello,
The zip file you posted is exactly 0 octets quite hard to import
maybe it's just the posted file and the file you tried to import was not empty but we can't do any test with the one attached to your previous post.
Please, post the one you tested successfully with Moodle 1.9 plugin.
You are absolutely right. I used a different file and it worked fine except that the multiplication symbol comes out as a ´.
Thank you for looking at my file and I appreciate all the hard work and time that you have put into this.
I would like to learn some programming-- could you recommend a book and/or site.
It has been noted in this thread that some math symbols convert to odd characters during import for both the 1.9 and 2.1 versions of the plugin. It is something to watch for when importing mathmatics files.
Rob
Hello Mel and Rob,
If you know how to tell exactly the code that was in the examview file containing the text of the questions (this is a file with extension .xml inside the zip file that you can open with an editor, the only condition is that this editor must understand utf8) we could add it to the list of "examview stranges characters to recode" and convert it during import. If you look at olders messages in this thread you will see that similar issues with other characters have already been reported and corrected.
Hi Jean Michel,
Where is this list located. I would not want to report something that has already been fixed.
Rob
Here it is :
| ’ | translated as ' |
| [ | translated as [ |
| “ | translated as " |
| ” | translated as " |
| ] | translated as ] |
| ' | translated as ' |
| – | translated as - |
| &# 8212; | translated as - |
Feel fre to say wich sequences you have found in your files and how you think they should be translated.
Please note I have been forced to put a space after the # sign in some sequences (these sequences are called html entities) because without that space the forum would have translated them but there is no such space in the real entity.
Hello Jean-Michel,
Where would I add the translated as code? format.php???
Thanks,
Chris
Hello,
Yes in question/format/examview_bb6plus/format.php you should see lines like :
// clean up common text input problems
public function cleaninput($str) {
$html_code_list = array(
"’" => "'",
"[" => "[",
"“" => "\"",
"”" => "\"",
"]" => "]",
"'" => "'",
"–" => "-",
"—" => "-" );
return strtr($str,$html_code_list);
}
You can add your conversions here (don't forget they are commas separated)
following the pattern
"charsequence" => "replaced",
where charsequence is the characters sequence you want to replace and replaced what you want it replaced by.
All html entities begin with &# and end with ;
Also note that if you want to replace something by a double quote "replaced" must be written "\""
But it would be better if you report on this forum what you have found because I can add this to a future update and it will benefit all math teachers using this format.
Is this plugin still necessary for moodle 2.2? I used moodle xml builder and was able to import the questions into my moodle 2.2 but I noticed this plugin and wondered if this was something that I needed.
I have used this plugin for several years and recently set up a new server as I changed hosting and we have Moodle 2.3.1+ (Build: 20120712) running.
Will this plugin work with this version of moodle?
Hello Louis,
I think this plugin still work with Moodle 2.3.1+.
If you notice any problem report it here and I will upload a corrected version.
Hello Gerry,
I tried your file as well and it works great for importing questions with images but for some reason the answer images do not display. I have the same issue as Rob. For testing I was just using the alg2_sequences_and_series_benchmark.zip file that someone posted up above in this thread. It has math formulas in both the question and answer.
I also sent you an email and hope to hear from you soon. Thank you so much for working on this functionality. It is much needed.
Below is a photo of a question imported using the Alg2 examview export located above in this thread:
All the images in the answers don't show up.
Any suggestions?
Hi Chris,
Where did you encounter the "URL not found" message? What it part of an imported question?
The URL not found was when I tried to open the image with a right click "view image". It was not in the quiz page.
This is not necessarily the whole problem, but your problem is certainly related to the bug MDL-24594, and there won't be a solution until this bug is fixed. Until then, images won't really work in multichoice answers. (If you look at the question editing forms in 2.0, if there's not an HTML editing form for a particular field, then there's also no way to store images for that field in the database. Multichoice answers are still interpreted as plain text, which leads to the weird output you have above.)
I think Pierre was pretty close to a solution in March, but I don't know what's happened since then.
This is not necessarily the whole problem, but your problem is certainly related to the bug MDL-24594, and there won't be a solution until this bug is fixed.
I think Pierre was pretty close to a solution in March, but I don't know what's happened since then.
I read that issue and it definetly appears to be what is causing the problem. I would bet that the Moodle 2.0 Examview/Blackboard importer fix would work if it was not for stripping out html from the answers. Questions work fine so I would guess it works for answers too if it wasn't being stripped down to txt.
When I was reading the bug report it seemed like they were more focused on Moodle 2.1's big quiz/question changes and not really wanting to allow html in the answers for multiple choice.
I can paste html into an answer field and display an image, but only if the file is on an external website or a legacy repository. The HTML is not stripped to text. In one instance, I uploaded a file to legacy course files and pasted <img src="http://mymoodle2/file.php/2/moodle-logo.gif" alt="" width="100" height="23" /> into an answer field. Take a look at the image below to see it rendered. The challenge here is to get the answer images into Moodle in a way that generates a valid path.
Thanks for publishing your results - I never was able to fully get my own 2.0 code working beyond T/F, MC, and FIB so it has gone unpublished.. essays seemed to crap out.
This DEFINITELY needs to find it's way into the main moodle distribution. Examview is far too commonplace as a textbook test generator.
Williy is back following this thread and I will do anything to make sure we can keep the Evamview -> Moodle import working.
More to come...
W-
I am sorry, my priorities have shifted since I got back into town and I don't think that I will finish this until early August, or perhaps late July.
But following will work until then:
1 Start a 1.9 version of moodle somewhere (you can even do it on your desktop machine)
2 import using the older Examview format.php by Michael Tancz code.
3 Then export to moodle XML
4 Then import the moodle XML file to the new 2.1 version of moodle.
I tested this path and it preserves pictures in answers.
I will post my new code as soon as I free up time to work on it. But it may not be till late July or Early August unless my project priority shifts again.
When I have the time again, I will have set up a GIT area and will work with the moodle developer process so it becomes either an 'official' plug-in, or an additional import option in a future core release.
-- Gerry
Just so it's clear Micheal T.'s import works with Moodle 1.9 not Moodle 2.0.
I have a test bank that I can convert to Blackboard or Web CT file formats. I am trying to import it to Examview so I can eventually get it into eInstruction's CPS (a student response system). Will this plugin help me with that or do you have any other ideas?
This plugin does the opposite of what it sounds like you are trying to accomplish. There is an import tool for Examview, but it only accepts specially formatted rtf files.
I will also try to test this when ready.
Bill
I know that I might be posting this to the wrong forum but I know that I can probably get some help.
My students are going to be using the Barnes and Noble Nook that runds Android operating system. I tested out my course on it and almost everything works on it. The text box for essay questions does work though. Not able to type in the box.
I am currently using Moodle 2.02 but hopefully be upgrading to 2.1 soon. Does anyone know of a fix for this?
Hi Mike,
There is a forum for the HTML editor here. You might consider posting there. That said, if your students turn off the editor in their profiles, the Android browser will work. Students will see a simple text box with no toolbar.
Rob
I have installed the new plugin for importing Blackboard questions but when I try to import questions I just get a blank screen (version 2.1). I think I have a permissions problem but not sure where to set it. Any help is appreciated.
Gary
I had a similar issue and after applying permissions, the plug-in appeared correctly.
I set permissions on the examview_bb6plus folder similar to this
chown -R www-data:www-data /path/to/examview_bb6plus
It worked for me - hopefully it works for you as well.
Are you sure you installed a correct version for 2.1?
This may be a stupid question, but where am I doing this"Create a new line in your lang/en/quiz.php at the bottom as follows (change 'en' to fit your language) -
$string['examview_blackboard'] = 'Examview (Blackboard 6.x)';"
In the examview file?
You should not need to do that in Moodle 2.1.
Where do I do it in 1.9?
This is one of the Moodle files. It is in the lang folder. The plugin will still work if you do not add the string, but you will see something like [examview_blackboard] as the choice on the import screen.
Is this examview/blackboard Format plugin (that works with images) standard in Moodle 2.1+? Or do you still need to install it separately? I'm using Moodle 2.1.1.
I've installed it and now my question types are seen in the attached screenshot. The examview imported as blackboard... is the one that was added. Is this a duplicate of one of the standard formats?
I do not believe it is standard yet. Also there are two versions for 2.1+. I think Jean-Michel and Tim have a tracker item where it is being worked on being added to the Moodle core (TestGen too). In your screenshot, the "Examview exported as Blackboard 6.0-7.0" is the Gerry Jenkins version of the plugin. Jean-Michel's version can also be found in this thread. I have reported an issue where that version duplicates feedback. Please see aware of that if you use "Examview Rationale" with your questions.
Hi,
I was wondering if anyone could take a look at an examview/Blackboard file in and help me figure out why it will not work. I've successfully installed the plug-in for 1.9 on our server, and 2.1 on a test server. Both have been successful uploading the algebra course sample file posted in the thread. My file comes from a text book website. The site says that the Blackboard format is for versions 6.3-7.x. I cannot upload the file here as it is 468 kb.
Thanks,
Clif
The "file is in Blackboard format," but was it exported from Examview?
I had assumed that they were because the teacher said they were. However, there is no documentation on the page that says they were created with ExamView. I've seen elsewhere on this thread that the BlackBoard V6+ option doesn't work well. Is there a patch out there to fix this?
They are not Exam View, however someone here may be able to help me past this error message or direct me to the appropriate forum.
Parsing questions from import file.
Matching question types are not handled because the quiz question type 'Rendered Matching' does not exist in this installation of Moodle
Omitted Question: Match each program (numbered 1-5) with its fundamental idea (labeled a-e).
Hi All. Please how can I get Blackboard V6+ for Moodle 2.8? Is it really necessary? I will appreciate your help pleas