Serious problems when upgrading to the latest version of the HotPot module

Re: Serious problems when upgrading to the latest version of the HotPot module

by Gordon Bateson -
Number of replies: 6
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Hi Josep,
your troubles are caused by caching. The browsers have cached the Javascript file "mod/hotpot/hotpot-full.js" and are using the old version instead of getting the new one from the server.

You could tell your students to clear their browser cache or have them "force-reload" the page (Ctrl + F5). If you have many students, or if it would be otherwise difficult to instruct them to reset their browsers, you can try the following:
  1. open "mod/hotpot/lib.php" with a text editor
  2. locate the following line, (around line 20)
    define("HOTPOT_JS", "$CFG->wwwroot/mod/hotpot/hotpot-full.js");
  3. change the above line to:
    define("HOTPOT_JS", "$CFG->wwwroot/mod/hotpot/hotpot-fontana.js");
  4. save the modified file
  5. lastly, rename the following file:
    mod/hotpot/hotpot-full.js
    to
    mod/hotpot/hotpot-fontana.js
Now the browsers will think they have to get a new js file and will request it from the server.

I am pretty confident that this will fix your "Give Up" button woes, and the navigation nightmare you were having.

The message which says, "There are no users yet" is misleading. It means, "There are no users who have attempted this HotPot yet". As soon as someone attempts the HotPot, or if you change the "All users, All participants, ..." drop down menu on the report page to "All participants" you will get a more meaningful message.

all the best
Gordon
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In reply to Gordon Bateson

Re: Serious problems when upgrading to the latest version of the HotPot module

by Josep M. Fontana -
Uffff!!!! What a scare!!
Thank you so much Gordon once again for your prompt and helpful response. Problems solved smilesmilesmilesmilesmile

For a while I thought I would have to ask the students to repeat the long list of exercises I had asked them to do right after the upgrade and had not been included in the daily backup.

Josep M.
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In reply to Josep M. Fontana

Re: Serious problems when upgrading to the latest version of the HotPot module

by Gordon Bateson -
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Hi Josep,
glad to hear all systems are once again go!

Piecing together snippets of various posts I have seen of yours of various forums, am I right in guessing that the reason for not upgrading from Moodle 1.5 is because you have many customizations of the code?

It is a tricky situation to be in. I'm sure you are more organized than me, but I have found in the past that I make customizations and then forget exactly which scripts I changed, so the idea of upgrading and losing or redoing changes becomes too awful to consider.

I haven't found a good solution yet, except that there is some software called "git" (I'm not being rude!), recommended by Martín Langhoff, which can merge your changes with the updated code from the Moodle CVS. It doesn't look simple to set up though.

There is also an open source utility called WinMerge, which is useful for comparing too files. I use it in conjunction with TortoiseCVS and it lets me handle sites with a small number of customizations quite efficiently.

Anyway, for the time being Moodle 1.5 is serving you well and that's great.

all the best
Gordon
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In reply to Gordon Bateson

Re: Serious problems when upgrading to the latest version of the HotPot module

by Joseph Rézeau -
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Hi Gordon,
Thanks for mentioning WinMerge. This is going to be very useful to me.
Joseph wink
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In reply to Gordon Bateson

Re: Serious problems when upgrading to the latest version of the HotPot module

by Josep M. Fontana -
Hi Gordon,

Yes, you are exactly right. We have a lot of non-standard stuff and it is a real pain to upgrade. But now there is an added reason and it is that we have a lot more professors using Moodle and hence a lot more courses and students smile. The risk of screwing things up and affecting many more people is something to consider. In a couple of weeks it will be Easter and we'll take advantage of the break to upgrade (we don't know whether to 1.6 or to 1.8, we are still debating over this one). Actually, our university is going to adopt Moodle as the official VLE so in the future I might not even have a choice as to whether or not I upgrade. But I guess "there will always be Parles!" smile

I'll have a look at git. If it makes things easier in the end, the set up hassle might be worth it.

Josep M.
_____h wink
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In reply to Josep M. Fontana

Re: Serious problems when upgrading to the latest version of the HotPot module

by Gordon Bateson -
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Hi Josep (and Joseph!)

perhaps the adoption of Moodle as the official VLE will make your life easier if you can emphasize early on that any VLE requires allocating human resources to maintaining the VLE, training people how to use it and sorting out technical problems as they occur.

I am in a similar situation at my university. It has just been declared we will have a new CALL classroom and a new server to run Moodle and some content-rich, commercial eLearning products. We also have a university-wide license for Hot Potatoes. (thanks Martin!)

I quickly pointed out that someone would have to be in charge of administering the server, keeping the software up to date, training the users and responding to technical emergencies. Of course they said, "You do it", and indeed I will be doing some of those jobs, but not all of them as we were able to agree to delegate some tasks to other people in our organization.

So "bon chance" and "buena suerte" (good luck?) with getting those VLE support jobs delegated!

regards
Gordon
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In reply to Gordon Bateson

Re: Serious problems when upgrading to the latest version of the HotPot module

by Josep M. Fontana -
Ah yes, less work but also less freedom smile. The theme in my courses will have to be the official university theme; no non-approved modules; having to go through the official university page to get into any course; not being able to fix things whenever they don't work, etc.

Don't get me wrong. I can put myself in their position and I understand some of the restrictions they impose. But, having lived in total freedom as I've lived up to now, I don't know whether I actually will be able to take it smile. We'll see.
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