PDF Annotation Plugin - feedback wanted

PDF Annotation Plugin - feedback wanted

by Davo Smith -
Number of replies: 13
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Peer reviewers Picture of Plugin developers
Over the last few weeks I've made quite a number of changes the UploadPDF plugin I created earlier this year (the plugin allows the teacher to collect assignments from students as a PDF, to annotate them online in the browser and then return the work as a new PDF with the comments embedded into it).

Recent changes include:
  • Adding the ability to draw lines onto the work (Ctrl+click), as well as adding comments
  • The ability to save comments to a 'Quicklist' and then re-insert them at a later date (via right-click menus)
  • Improved page navigation - page images are preloaded and cached in the browser to allow for quickly flicking from one page to the next
  • Ability to quickly view comments on a previous assignment (useful when marking a resubmission)
  • General bug-fixes and other minor improvements
What I am looking for now are:
  • any bugs that I haven't found (either post them here or, if possible, to http://tracker.moodle.org )
  • any suggestions for other ways it could be improved (or any new features that could be added, without over-complicating the interface)
If anyone is able to help with either of these, I would be very grateful. The direct download link for this module is:
http://download.moodle.org/download.php/plugins/mod/assignment/type/uploadpdf.zip
and some more info and links (including the one above) can be found at:
http://moodle.org/mod/data/view.php?d=13&rid=2350
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Davo Smith

Re: PDF Annotation Plugin - feedback wanted

by Marc Grober -
Does this go in mod as a new activity or in mod/assignment as a new type of assignment
FOund answer in Readme but would help if you added installation instructions to plugin db or elsewhere.......
If $PATH correctly set why require full path.... this is arguably not good for most *nix installs....
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Marc Grober

Re: PDF Annotation Plugin - feedback wanted

by Davo Smith -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Peer reviewers Picture of Plugin developers
Do you mean put additional instructions on this page: http://moodle.org/mod/data/view.php?d=13&rid=2350

Or do you mean try to get additional instructions somewhere else?

The full path is required under Windows, as programs are not typically installed in such a way as they executable is in the path.

The full path is not required for a Unix build (hence why the default setting is simply 'gs', which works fine on a Linux install).
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Davo Smith

Re: PDF Annotation Plugin - feedback wanted

by Marc Grober -
Yes, put instructions on db page, alink to another location, or at least advisement as to where to find instructions. Link could even be to file in cvs I suppose....

That full path only necessary for broken OS ( sorry, couldn't resist) was not clear ( or I just missed it ) - I think it would be better to state rule ( no path needed ) them exception, rather than other way around which is how it seems to me. I have been caught many a time ignoring instructions I thought unnecessary (like path here) only to wish I hadn't, so nowadays I tend to be slavish first, inquisitive 2nd.... If path is reallly not universlly needed that should be stated first.

Also, unless one is using wget to fetch or some such I think it would be easier to tell user to edit path in file before upload.... Perhaps w caution about editors and charsets, as many may not have shell access or know how to use a green screen editor.....

Lastly, while I may be alone in this, I continue to think it easiest to include correct relative path info in zip so instructions would always be, place in moodle root and unzip... However, at present this is unmanageable via cvs, so I try to have a zip outside cvs to do this
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Marc Grober

Re: PDF Annotation Plugin - feedback wanted

by Davo Smith -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Peer reviewers Picture of Plugin developers
I'll update the instructions in the plugin DB in a few days time (as I want to see if anyone else has time to give me some feedback and updating the plugin DB has a very annoying habit of removing your plugin from the list for 2 days (rather than just not showing the update for 2 days)).

I'm just checking into CVS an updated version of the README.txt and uploadpdf_config.php files (which hopefully clarify what you need to do with the paths).

As for the zip file, it sounds like a good idea, but I really don't fancy maintaining a separate download zip, in addition to CVS...
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Davo Smith

Re: PDF Annotation Plugin - feedback wanted

by Marc Grober -
DB entry gets pulled while awaiting
approval, but I think you can short circuit that by agreeing
ahead of time with Anthony on timing.

Zip thing will eventually be manageable but I agree that two locations is a pain, which is why I stopped maintaining cvs version-lol
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Davo Smith

Re: PDF Annotation Plugin - feedback wanted

by Anthony Borrow -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Plugin developers Picture of Testers
David - I have noticed your hard work on improving things. Thanks for your continued efforts with the plugin. One thing I might recommend is keeping instructions in Moodle Docs or an install.txt file such that you can refer to it in the M&P entry but any updates can be handled without modifying the entry and requiring re-approval. If you do change something or want me to change it we can certainly minimize the re-approval time. Let me know how I can be helpful. Peace - Anthony
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Anthony Borrow

Re: PDF Annotation Plugin - feedback wanted

by Davo Smith -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Peer reviewers Picture of Plugin developers
I've updated the description page to include the installation instructions (plus some updated text and screenshot to reflect some of the improvements I have made).

Once Anthony has approved it, could you let me know if it looks OK.

Thanks.
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Davo Smith

Re: PDF Annotation Plugin - feedback wanted

by Anthony Borrow -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Plugin developers Picture of Testers
Thanks for the update - the entry in the Modules and Plugins database has been re-approved. Peace - Anthony
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Davo Smith

Re: PDF Annotation Plugin - feedback wanted

by Marc Grober -
Did install which appeared to go OK and student can upload pdf, but when teacher goes to view pdf the pdf is downloaded and opened in acrobat....

Did include full path to gs and if I invoke /usr/local/gs gs works just fine

Mmmmmmm

Well, the length of the window got me.... the student has to click on submit button and confirm before teacher can access the markup features, but the pdf still shows as submitted if student uploads but does not submit....

I know this is going to be very confusing for students and for teachers.....

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Marc Grober

Re: PDF Annotation Plugin - feedback wanted

by Davo Smith -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Peer reviewers Picture of Plugin developers
The 'draft upload' functionality is straight out of the 'Advanced uploading of files' plugin I based this on.

The 'submitting' is a necessary step for two reasons:

1. It allows students to submit more than 1 file at a time (e.g. if a student has created a presentation and an accompanying report; if a student is printing out several pages from a website they have created; or just if the student has kept different sections in different files).

2. It allows the student to enter their name and any other comments to be added to the coversheet using the template feature.

Although there may be some initial confusion, I hope it won't last too long, as any assignments that have been uploaded, but not submitted, will show up with the original filenames and the word 'Draft' in front of them. Submitted work always shows up with the filename 'submission.pdf' and without the word 'Draft'.

Can you suggest anything else I could do to make the process less confusing?

(and thanks for the feedback - it is greatly appreciated smile )
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Davo Smith

Re: PDF Annotation Plugin - feedback wanted

by Marc Grober -
Lol, and advanced upload also costs me a good deal of time at start of course both with students, and teachers....

I'd recommend a one liner at top of screen that reminds students about function and location of submit for marking button. Teacher side I'd put a small note on creation screen reminding that markup won't work until assignment submitted for marking.
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Marc Grober

Re: PDF Annotation Plugin - feedback wanted

by Davo Smith -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Peer reviewers Picture of Plugin developers
I'll think about where I could add those (but not sure exactly where to put them...)
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Marc Grober

Re: PDF Annotation Plugin - feedback wanted

by Davo Smith -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Peer reviewers Picture of Plugin developers
To see if it helps, I've moved the 'Send for Marking' button above the list of submitted files (it does not appear until some work has been submitted).

New version has been uploaded to CVS (only this file is affected: http://cvs.moodle.org/contrib/plugins/mod/assignment/type/uploadpdf/assignment.class.php?view=log ), but the download zip will not be available until midnight (UTC).
Average of ratings: -