DEVELOPERS!!!! Please lend a hand. I work in a CS dept, but I'm not a computer science major, and am really a systems guy, not a programmer. Some of this code can probably be done more elegantly, more efficiently, correctly, etc.
First, to get it up and running, you need to untar the file into the /mod/assignment/type directory. Then you need to add the following lines to /lang/en/assignment.php:
$string['helpuploadmulti'] = '<p>This type of assignment allows each participant to upload multiple files of arbitrary type.</p>';
$string['numreqfiles'] = 'Number of required files';
$string['typeuploadmulti'] = 'Upload multiple files';
Lastly, but probably most importantly, you need to create a (very small) table in your database. Here's the SQL to do that in MySQL (this is from my database):
CREATE TABLE `assignment_reqfiles` (
`id` int(10) NOT NULL auto_increment,
`courseid` int(10) NOT NULL default '0',
`assignmentid` int(10) NOT NULL default '0',
`filename` varchar(64) NOT NULL default '',
`isoptional` tinyint(1) NOT NULL default '0',
`comment` varchar(255) default NULL,
PRIMARY KEY (`id`),
KEY `courseid` (`courseid`,`assignmentid`)
) TYPE=MyISAM AUTO_INCREMENT=90 ;
Here's how the basic workflow happens from a professor's point of view. If you're logged in as a prof, and you create a new assignment, a new assignment type shows up, labeled "upload multiple files". From there:
1. Prof specifies the number of "required" files (also kind of a misnomer), as well as whether or not to reject arbitrary file uploads, in addition to the normal stuff like "allow resubmitting" and "email alerts to teachers". Then hit next...
2. A new form comes up, where the prof fills in names and descriptions of the required files. A prof can also mark a given file as "optional".
3. Hitting next then presents the prof with a view of the assignment, showing the list of required files, in addition to a "delete" button next to each file which will immediately delete the required file, decrement the number of required files for that assignment, and refresh the display.
4. Profs also always get an upload form, so they can test. This can eventually go away or be made an option.
5. This module creates directories for the assignment using the assignment's *name* (and yes, multi-word names are ok). If a prof uses the "Files" interface to create a directory called "bin" under the assignment directory, he/she can then upload, to the bin directory, a script that will process a user's file submissions. If the directory exists, a "run script" button will also be enabled in the listing of required files. This button will result in an exec of the uploaded script, passing to it the directory where the logged in user's uploaded files live. This is great if students are required to upload spreadsheet data to be processed, or programs that users want to make sure compile on the server that the grading is being done on
6. Users will see the run script button enabled if all of the files not marked "optional" are turned in. They will also see a "XX" next to the files that are turned in, optional or not.
I hope this is just enough documentation to get you all started testing. I'm deploying this for further testing by my users today, but the more feedback the better.
