Hello All,
I've created a module that allows a teacher to input data to create an on-screen, scrollable timeline object. It uses the DHTML timeline object from the Simile project. The Simile Timeline is open source, licensed under a BSD style license - someone do please tell me if this is not suitably compatible with Moodle's license.
Please note that this module is nowhere near finished yet, I'm just posting to let others know what I'm working on (always embarrassing to find out that someone else has already done it...) and see if there's any suggestions as to how I could do it better. In particular, if anyone could point out any JavaScript libraries that make snazzy on-screen forms/XML editors easier It'd be appreciated.
The module zip file is larger than 100kb, so I've uploaded it to my own web server. A more detailed explanation is available in the zip's readme.txt file.
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David Hicks
I was just implementing the the Timeline but doing so manually. I hope to hear that you get this working the way you want it to. I will try it out and see if I can make any suggestions.
One suggestion:
I see this modulename when in the modules administration. If I have remember correctly this is from the lack of a language file . I looked around and couldn't find one.
What do you mean by "Data Sources" is that the location of the xml file?
If you click "Data Sources" it also adds another "event."
I have this installed on 1.5.3, not sure what version you recomend.
One suggestion:
I see this modulename when in the modules administration. If I have remember correctly this is from the lack of a language file . I looked around and couldn't find one.
What do you mean by "Data Sources" is that the location of the xml file?
If you click "Data Sources" it also adds another "event."
I have this installed on 1.5.3, not sure what version you recomend.
> I will try it out and see if I can make any suggestions.
Thanks, much appreciated.
> I see this modulename when in the modules administration.
Woops - I forgot the language file. I've updated the zip file (see http://www.sansay.co.uk/SimileTimeline-0.1.1.zip). I've also attached the language file to this post. Note that the language file only contains the module name at the moment - adding proper Moodle language strings is on my to do list.
> What do you mean by "Data Sources" is that the location of the xml file?
The idea of this input form is that it allows end-users to enter all data to create a Timeline without having to enter any XML into a file. The input form is basically an XML document editor. I plan to have a feature to load existing XML files.
The Simile Timeline treats each XML file as a separate data source - a set of dates that goes to make up one band on the Timeline. Each Timeline can have several data sources (there's a good example distributed with the Timeline code that shows Christian history on one band and Jewish on another). Each Timeline can also have several bands - separately scrollable sections displaying data sources. A band can have one data source... But a data source can be used by several bands. Therefore, it is possible to have (say) three scrollable bands on your Timeline: one showing Jewish history in a timescale of years, one showing Christian history in a timescale of years, and a third showing Jewish history in a timescale of centuries.
> If you click "Data Sources" it also adds another "event."
Actually, it's adding an event list - the event you're seeing is simply the first, default event in the list. This needs to be made clearer - maybe a label at the head of each event list? Hmm - maybe I should swap over the Timeline and event list groups?
> I have this installed on 1.5.3, not sure what version you recomend.
You'll need the YUI AJAX library to be present for the form to be able to reload previous data. I think YUI is only present from 1.7.
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David Hicks
Thanks, much appreciated.
> I see this modulename when in the modules administration.
Woops - I forgot the language file. I've updated the zip file (see http://www.sansay.co.uk/SimileTimeline-0.1.1.zip). I've also attached the language file to this post. Note that the language file only contains the module name at the moment - adding proper Moodle language strings is on my to do list.
> What do you mean by "Data Sources" is that the location of the xml file?
The idea of this input form is that it allows end-users to enter all data to create a Timeline without having to enter any XML into a file. The input form is basically an XML document editor. I plan to have a feature to load existing XML files.
The Simile Timeline treats each XML file as a separate data source - a set of dates that goes to make up one band on the Timeline. Each Timeline can have several data sources (there's a good example distributed with the Timeline code that shows Christian history on one band and Jewish on another). Each Timeline can also have several bands - separately scrollable sections displaying data sources. A band can have one data source... But a data source can be used by several bands. Therefore, it is possible to have (say) three scrollable bands on your Timeline: one showing Jewish history in a timescale of years, one showing Christian history in a timescale of years, and a third showing Jewish history in a timescale of centuries.
> If you click "Data Sources" it also adds another "event."
Actually, it's adding an event list - the event you're seeing is simply the first, default event in the list. This needs to be made clearer - maybe a label at the head of each event list? Hmm - maybe I should swap over the Timeline and event list groups?
> I have this installed on 1.5.3, not sure what version you recomend.
You'll need the YUI AJAX library to be present for the form to be able to reload previous data. I think YUI is only present from 1.7.
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David Hicks
Did you also create the helpfile for behind the questionmark icon?
> Did you also create the helpfile for behind the questionmark icon?
No, sorry, no help files as yet - I figured I'd probably be changing bits around a fair bit. I think I'll defiantly look at abstracting the forms-handling code into some kind of library (or find an existing one - anyone any suggestions?) and get the form to submit a complete XML document rather than a bunch of POST variables, i.e. get the parsing done client-side via JavaScript instead of server-side via PHP.
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David Hicks
No, sorry, no help files as yet - I figured I'd probably be changing bits around a fair bit. I think I'll defiantly look at abstracting the forms-handling code into some kind of library (or find an existing one - anyone any suggestions?) and get the form to submit a complete XML document rather than a bunch of POST variables, i.e. get the parsing done client-side via JavaScript instead of server-side via PHP.
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David Hicks
Will the students - not only the teachers - be able to add dates in this module in a kind of data-form? (History teachers like this idea very much.)
Hmm - damn good idea, that, and something that I hadn't thought of. It's really asking for a separate activity of some kind, but that should be easy enough to do once the first one's done as I could recycle the code to make a simplified input form for pupil use.
The other option is to add drag-and-drop support to the Simile Timeline - tricky, as it's someone else's (complex, under-documented...) code and would take some rummaging around in. I could code a Flash-based drag-and-drop Timeline exercise, though - given an on-screen timeline of dates, drag the events into the right order. That could be added as a type-of-timeline option on the form. Nice idea, that - thanks for the suggestion!
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David Hicks
The other option is to add drag-and-drop support to the Simile Timeline - tricky, as it's someone else's (complex, under-documented...) code and would take some rummaging around in. I could code a Flash-based drag-and-drop Timeline exercise, though - given an on-screen timeline of dates, drag the events into the right order. That could be added as a type-of-timeline option on the form. Nice idea, that - thanks for the suggestion!
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David Hicks
David,
I have been experimenting with the timeline module and Simile's timeline. It is a very cool ajax app. I am looking at it to see if I can get it to work for a student created time line in a Media History class. The question for me is how to one could have multiple users add information to a timeline. Here's a link to a website and one programmer's efforts in that direction. Maybe you'll find it helpful? cheers,
http://www.ajaxlab.com/timeline/index.html
I have been experimenting with the timeline module and Simile's timeline. It is a very cool ajax app. I am looking at it to see if I can get it to work for a student created time line in a Media History class. The question for me is how to one could have multiple users add information to a timeline. Here's a link to a website and one programmer's efforts in that direction. Maybe you'll find it helpful? cheers,
http://www.ajaxlab.com/timeline/index.html
David-Thanks for working on this. However, without some sort of help files I'm lost as to what I am supposed to do with it so unfortunately can't offer much help with testing it until it the various fields are made clearer.
I'm commenting/documenting at the moment. Sorry progress on this has been rather slow, I've been sorting out moving jobs/house just recently. I'll probably lose broadband connectivity for a month or so until I can get sorted in my new place, too. I'll try and get a new version posted before Christmas.
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David Hicks
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David Hicks
Just wanted to give you some praise. A few of the faculty were shown how this would work and seemed thrilled to see something like this possibly coming into Moodle. We're excited to see the work you're doing. Keep up the good work. 
Did someone installed the simil timeline for history purpose in his server
irith?
I am no kind of lawyer but I am a license/copyrigth bore. Shipping under a BSD license would seem to be compatible, so long as you didn't distribute it already combined with Moodle. However I am curious as to why you chose that license as the only effect I can think of is that it might cause a moments confusion/concern amongst some users.
I didn't choose the license - this is the Simile project's timeline component, and I have nothing whatsoever to do with them, I just found the component and figured it would be nice to have it available in Moodle. As this is an add-on, I think it should avoid the problem you mention about not being released already combined with Moodle. Thanks for your help here - I've not had much experience sorting out/differentiating different open source licenses.
I'm also working on a a Flash-based equivalent of the Simile timeline, which I plan to release under an Apache-style license. I understand that this allows pretty much free use of the software for whatever people like, including commercial gain (I want to make stacks of money flogging people ready-made timeline-based resources for their lessons).
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David Hicks
I'm also working on a a Flash-based equivalent of the Simile timeline, which I plan to release under an Apache-style license. I understand that this allows pretty much free use of the software for whatever people like, including commercial gain (I want to make stacks of money flogging people ready-made timeline-based resources for their lessons
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David Hicks
Do you know Timeline Creator (http://timeline.cer.jhu.edu/product.htm)? It's a Flash-based free software to build timelines and it works fine.
Best regards.
Juan Ezeiza
> Do you know Timeline Creator
No, but I do now - thanks! Looks damn good - nice scrolling timeline, multiple bands, etc. I can't find any details of what license it might be released under, though - I wonder if they would be willing to have their component integrated into Moodle? Their Flash component reads in XML files, I'm sure I can can generate those from the same form as the others. Many thanks for pointing me to this.
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David Hicks
No, but I do now - thanks! Looks damn good - nice scrolling timeline, multiple bands, etc. I can't find any details of what license it might be released under, though - I wonder if they would be willing to have their component integrated into Moodle? Their Flash component reads in XML files, I'm sure I can can generate those from the same form as the others. Many thanks for pointing me to this.
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David Hicks
Hi David,
this module looks really fantastic. i'm an educational designer at the national film school in australia.... my students could use this tool to work out the complex planning and scheduling of pre-production, shoot and post. (i've just started with a moodle and elgg installation and am introducing the online learning platform slowly... finding those who will champion it.)
is it ready to use yet? if not when do you think it might be available?
sorry i can't contribute much other than user feedback... my coding skills are non-existent.
thanks and keep up the good work!
adrian
this module looks really fantastic. i'm an educational designer at the national film school in australia.... my students could use this tool to work out the complex planning and scheduling of pre-production, shoot and post. (i've just started with a moodle and elgg installation and am introducing the online learning platform slowly... finding those who will champion it.)
is it ready to use yet? if not when do you think it might be available?
sorry i can't contribute much other than user feedback... my coding skills are non-existent.
thanks and keep up the good work!
adrian
> this module looks really fantastic. i'm an educational designer at the national
> film school in australia.... my students could use this tool to work out the
> complex planning and scheduling of pre-production, shoot and post. (i've just
> started with a moodle and elgg installation and am introducing
> the online learning platform slowly... finding those who will champion it.)
All my module is doing is providing an input form so that users can easily (hopefully...) enter data that is then readable by someone else's snazzy Timeline widget. From Moodle's point of view, this is a simple teacher-creating-resources-for-pupils type of plugin. Pupils being able to create their own timelines is a good idea but not something I was planning to implement yet. Thing is, I can forsee massive feature-creep here - now I'm going to start thinking "hmm, could modify it to be a Gantt chart tool"...
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David Hicks
> film school in australia.... my students could use this tool to work out the
> complex planning and scheduling of pre-production, shoot and post. (i've just
> started with a moodle and elgg installation and am introducing
> the online learning platform slowly... finding those who will champion it.)
All my module is doing is providing an input form so that users can easily (hopefully...) enter data that is then readable by someone else's snazzy Timeline widget. From Moodle's point of view, this is a simple teacher-creating-resources-for-pupils type of plugin. Pupils being able to create their own timelines is a good idea but not something I was planning to implement yet. Thing is, I can forsee massive feature-creep here - now I'm going to start thinking "hmm, could modify it to be a Gantt chart tool"...
--
David Hicks
Hello David,
Since you installed Elgg, may be you can provide me with a few helpful hints.
I am installing Elgg (0672) on windows XP. I followed all the instructions provided in the quick install guide in the package and renamed the .htaccess and config-dist to htaccess and config only, made the changes to the configurations files (attached).
When I go to http://localhost/elgg, I get this warning:
htaccess is not installed. Install it. The install it is not clickable of course. I searched all over the web and on elgg support, no hints.
Do you know how to fix this problem?
Have not touched the content of htaccess besides renaming it.
Since you installed Elgg, may be you can provide me with a few helpful hints.
I am installing Elgg (0672) on windows XP. I followed all the instructions provided in the quick install guide in the package and renamed the .htaccess and config-dist to htaccess and config only, made the changes to the configurations files (attached).
When I go to http://localhost/elgg, I get this warning:
htaccess is not installed. Install it. The install it is not clickable of course. I searched all over the web and on elgg support, no hints.
Do you know how to fix this problem?
Have not touched the content of htaccess besides renaming it.
hi there juvenal, not sure if you are actually addressing me, but in any case i can't be of much help. i did not do the installation myself. i would suggest getting in touch with Penny Leach or someone else from Catalyst IT... who were behind the moodle-elgg integration. you'll find the contact details over at elgg.org.
good luck!
adrian
good luck!
adrian
i think i'll be giving my students teaching rights in this instance, i work for a higher ed body and the students are small in number, very accountable. so, i'll be watching how your tool develops keenly. also when it will join the suite of other community generated mods
keep up the good work!
adrian
keep up the good work!
adrian
Hi
Is a new version available for Moodle ?
Is a new version available for Moodle ?
Hello
Any news on a module for moodle ?
Any news on a module for moodle ?
Sorry, not much progress at the moment - doing other stuff at the moment.
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David Hicks
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David Hicks
Hello,
I am really in need of a module like this - especially if students can be given editing rights.
Any news about this module...?
I am really in need of a module like this - especially if students can be given editing rights.
Any news about this module...?
David,
during my vacation without internet , I toyed with the code from timeline: I am very, very impressed and as a concept It is very very strong: it is usable on several levels:
- as a teacher you could offer rich datasets which students can explore, like the JFK example
- as students you can create for many subjects timelines (like Monet)
- as student you can
- even more is possible if you can use the timeline as another kind of ordered collection (for example pagenumbers instead of years)
as a moodle tool it would be perfect if:
- students (and teacher) could add events in a fill-in form for several events ad once
- the time marking should follow the local time notation
- students could merge several home-made timelines
- students (and teachers) could tune in a form the layout for things like:
- switch the filter and color-marking bar on/off
- select the central focus zone
- label zones with names
- create a global bar with important time-marks (like in the Christian example)
I hope you can find time to work on this great module of yours!!
Hi,
Like the post above, I would like to know if this module it's already in some beta version. I'm working for a company that wants me to make some courses and when i saw that you can make a timeline i thought of making a timeline of the company. I would be great on the course.
Like the post above, I would like to know if this module it's already in some beta version. I'm working for a company that wants me to make some courses and when i saw that you can make a timeline i thought of making a timeline of the company. I would be great on the course.
Hi David and everyone,
I've just discovered this thread, and I wondered, was any code released for the timeline plugin?
I've started developing a Moodle filter to embed a SIMILE Timeline - I've assumed that the timeline XML file will be created outside Moodle, or by a separate module. Start simple.
I didn't want to duplicate effort!
Also, any views on a name, now that we have a Timeline course format ? I was thinking of 'timelinewidget' or similar.
A sneak preview:
Thanks for any replies! Yours,
Nick