I posted this in Backup & Restore, but thought I'd try here, as well.
I know this sounds simple, but I seem not to be able to find any documentation about the option in 1.9.4 "backup role assignments for these roles." I've used Google and I've used Moodle's search option. All I find are instructions for backup to either turn this off or on, not an explanation of what it actually does.
Does this mean when you have renamed "teacher" as "facilitator," for example, the backup will retain that renaming?
Or does it mean users who have been assigned this role, if the users are backed up, will retain the role they have been assigned?
Or something else altogether?
In reply to ben reynolds
Re: What does "backup role assignments for these roles" mean?
by Mary Cooch -
OK nobody else has answered so I will have a guess 
I think it is the first one, where the backup will retain the renaming, as I presume it will automatically retain the role of the users if you backup and restore the users.I suppose the easiest way to find out is to test both theories, but I am meant to be doing something else now instead of speculating on this forum!
In reply to Mary Cooch
Re: What does "backup role assignments for these roles" mean?
by ben reynolds -
Well, how embarrassing not to have thought of testing it myself. I'll do that, just as soon as someone in my office returns my role. It suddenly disappeared 30 mins ago, and I am reduced to (shudder) student.
Too darn many admins stirring my Moodle soup!
Too darn many admins stirring my Moodle soup!
In reply to ben reynolds
Re: What does "backup role assignments for these roles" mean?
by Helen Foster -
Hi Ben and Mary,
Actually the "backup role assignments for these roles" setting provides a way of copying a custom role from one Moodle site to another.
Please see 'How do I copy a custom role from one Moodle site to another' in Roles FAQ for details and feel free to test things out using the Moodle Features Demo course.
I've just edited Course backup and added a short explanation of the setting. If you would like to help improve the documentation, that would be great.
I find it's a good way of checking my understanding!
If you think the setting should have a help pop-up, please create a Moodle Tracker issue for it.
Actually the "backup role assignments for these roles" setting provides a way of copying a custom role from one Moodle site to another.
Please see 'How do I copy a custom role from one Moodle site to another' in Roles FAQ for details and feel free to test things out using the Moodle Features Demo course.
I've just edited Course backup and added a short explanation of the setting. If you would like to help improve the documentation, that would be great.
I find it's a good way of checking my understanding!If you think the setting should have a help pop-up, please create a Moodle Tracker issue for it.
In reply to Helen Foster
Re: What does "backup role assignments for these roles" mean?
by ben reynolds -
Ah. So, if I make a custom role such as Course Creator with (kids, don't try this at home) permission to Do Anything that I call Course Creator On Steroids, "backup role assignments for these roles" will backup Course Creator On Steroids, and I can then import that custom role via the restore function into another Moodle site.
This is different from a simple renaming of a role within a course (1.9+) or even site wide. So, Mary and I guessed wrong.
And, for the custom role to be backed up, according to the Roles FAQ, a person has to be assigned to that role.
Have I got it?
I don't think a help pop-up is needed, now that you've edited the Course backup documentation, & quite nicely.
One last question. These custom roles are site wide roles, not something one can create in a course, correct?
This is different from a simple renaming of a role within a course (1.9+) or even site wide. So, Mary and I guessed wrong.
And, for the custom role to be backed up, according to the Roles FAQ, a person has to be assigned to that role.
Have I got it?
I don't think a help pop-up is needed, now that you've edited the Course backup documentation, & quite nicely.
One last question. These custom roles are site wide roles, not something one can create in a course, correct?
In reply to ben reynolds
Re: What does "backup role assignments for these roles" mean?
by Randy Orwin -
Hi Ben,
I will take a stab at your last question. All roles are created at the site level by a site admin meaning that a role cannot be created in a course. If a teacher thought they wanted a new role for a specific purpose they would have to contact a site admin person to have that role created.
The thing to remember though is that roles are context specific, so once a role is created it can be assigned at any context within the system depending on what permissions a user currently has. If you go to "Site Administration->Users->Permissions->Define roles" and then click on the "Allow role assignments" tab, you can decide which users can assign which roles to other users as in the pic below:
The other option for a teacher in a course is to use a role override to tweak an existing role to give the permissions to accomplish a specific task. This is assuming that role overrides are allowed on your server.
Once again context is important here as you can assign a role within the course context by going to "Administration->Assign roles" and assign a person to any of the roles available, and then you can tweak the permissions for that role by clicking on the "Override permissions" tab; or you could assign a role to a specific activity (the activity context) and then while editing/updating the activity use the "Override permissions" tab to tweak the permissions for the assigned role.
This may be far more information than you want to hear, but I have found that understanding the concept of roles and context is very important as you try and expand your use of Moodle. Somebody please correct me if I am wrong in my understanding of roles in a given context so I don't send Ben off on a wild goose chase
I will take a stab at your last question. All roles are created at the site level by a site admin meaning that a role cannot be created in a course. If a teacher thought they wanted a new role for a specific purpose they would have to contact a site admin person to have that role created.
The thing to remember though is that roles are context specific, so once a role is created it can be assigned at any context within the system depending on what permissions a user currently has. If you go to "Site Administration->Users->Permissions->Define roles" and then click on the "Allow role assignments" tab, you can decide which users can assign which roles to other users as in the pic below:
The other option for a teacher in a course is to use a role override to tweak an existing role to give the permissions to accomplish a specific task. This is assuming that role overrides are allowed on your server.
Once again context is important here as you can assign a role within the course context by going to "Administration->Assign roles" and assign a person to any of the roles available, and then you can tweak the permissions for that role by clicking on the "Override permissions" tab; or you could assign a role to a specific activity (the activity context) and then while editing/updating the activity use the "Override permissions" tab to tweak the permissions for the assigned role.
This may be far more information than you want to hear, but I have found that understanding the concept of roles and context is very important as you try and expand your use of Moodle. Somebody please correct me if I am wrong in my understanding of roles in a given context so I don't send Ben off on a wild goose chase
In reply to Randy Orwin
Re: What does "backup role assignments for these roles" mean?
by ben reynolds -
Thanks, Randy. Helpful!
I also have John Isner's marvelous PPT about roles & capabilities. I'll go back and review it.
I also have John Isner's marvelous PPT about roles & capabilities. I'll go back and review it.
In reply to ben reynolds
Re: What does "backup role assignments for these roles" mean?
by Mark Pearson -
Ben,
>I also have John Isner's marvelous PPT about roles & capabilities.
Do you have a URL for that presentation so that we can all benefit?
Cheers
Mark
>I also have John Isner's marvelous PPT about roles & capabilities.
Do you have a URL for that presentation so that we can all benefit?
Cheers
Mark
In reply to Mark Pearson
Re: What does "backup role assignments for these roles" mean?
by ben reynolds -
This was John Isner's presentation at the 2008 Delhi (N.Y.) Moodlemoot.
http://www.scholarandkatz.com/training/file.php/1/Moodle_Moot_2008/Moodle_Moot_Presentation.swf
To download the swf file, right click on the link and "Save link as."
http://www.scholarandkatz.com/training/file.php/1/Moodle_Moot_2008/Moodle_Moot_Presentation.swf
To download the swf file, right click on the link and "Save link as."