Most common request about data collection

Most common request about data collection

by Daniele Cordella -
Number of replies: 4
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Hello moodlers
I would talk about a problem that moodle users are, always more frequently, reporting to me.
In my professional duty the more common request I get from people is about a database interface to collect data.
What they usually ask for is:
-> (1) custom form
-> (2) possibility to browse submitted answers without edit feature
-> (3) possibility to browse and edit submitted answers
-> (4) possibility to browse (with or without edit feature) only <<personal>> submitted answers
-> (5) mandatory fields


I know I can make use of three modules I really love: database, feedback and questionnaire.
In spite of this, I usually am quite embarassed because I never am able to provide a complete positive answer to my customers.


I made the folowing schema to understand which feature I can ask to each module.

..............| (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) |
---------------------------------------------
database......|..X..|.no..|..X..|..*..|.no..|
---------------------------------------------
feedback......|..X..|.no..|.no..|.no..|..X..|
---------------------------------------------
questionnaire |..X..|.no..|.no..|.no..|..X..|
---------------------------------------------
* only telling to teachers to never confirm submissions!!!

My question is... why do we have to have three modules instead of one providing solutions that are not even enough for basic requests?
Please tell me I am wrong.
Hoping this my 2 cents of contribution may lead to a better solution.

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Daniele Cordella

Re: Most common request about data collection

by Helen Foster -
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Hi Daniele,

I think the database activity module is best suited to data collection. I don't know why you have 'no' in the table for possibility to browse submitted answers without edit feature, as surely the database activity list view provides this?

The database activity module fulfils the rest of your criteria apart from having the option of specifying mandatory fields. This feature request has been reported in the Moodle Tracker as MDL-5583. Everyone, please vote if you'd like it to be fixed.
In reply to Helen Foster

Re: Most common request about data collection

by Daniele Cordella -
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Ciao Helen
and thanks for your answer.
Thanks for spotting the tracker issue too. I had never seen it, before. I voted it just now.

May I ask you how can you deny users to edit their submissions? Is it a capability?

If it is not a capability, if do not add the ##edit## button to the forms (single and list) not even the admin will be able to edit entries from users!!!!! This is the reason moving me to write "no". Am I wrong?

Thanks in advance.
In reply to Daniele Cordella

Re: Most common request about data collection

by Robert Brenstein -
The issue could be solved to large degree by atomizing rather than clustering capabilities. See MDL-17216. Looks that this may be acted upon in Moodle 2. I surely hope. More votes won't hurt.
In reply to Robert Brenstein

Re: Most common request about data collection

by Daniele Cordella -
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Ciao Robert.
Thanks for your comment.

I am happy to see the issue MDL-17216 is marked as "Fixed Branches: MOODLE_20_STABLE".
I already voted for it some months ago.
wink