My instant messaging specification has been developing here and I'd appreciate some feedback on it so far.
I hope this makes clearer what I was talking about a few months ago.
Audun's "interim hack" block version is showing some promise but I'd prefer to see this module developed using the Moodle API and so on. With luck this may move quickly!
In reply to Martin Dougiamas
Re: Messaging: Instant messaging 1.0 specification
by John Papaioannou -
<drooling>
Yum, yum!
</drooling>
Very very nice... and since we are assuming Javascript on, we can be very creative with the UI.
Yum, yum!
</drooling>
Very very nice... and since we are assuming Javascript on, we can be very creative with the UI.
In reply to John Papaioannou
Re: Messaging: Instant messaging 1.0 specification
by Martin Dougiamas -
As long as it still works without the Javascript ... 
In reply to Martin Dougiamas
Re: Messaging: Instant messaging 1.0 specification
by John Papaioannou -
Er? 
How can it work without the JS at all? There won't even be a popup!
How can it work without the JS at all? There won't even be a popup!
In reply to John Papaioannou
Re: Messaging: Instant messaging 1.0 specification
by Martin Dougiamas -
There won't be an automatic popup window in that case but the manual window will still work, as will the other forms of notification.
In reply to Martin Dougiamas
Re: Messaging: Instant messaging 1.0 specification
by John Papaioannou -
Ah... so we can go berserk on the automatic popup window then! 
Wow. This looks great. I especially like your thoughts about routing the email to this space. This would be especially useful at schools that won't allow emails.
My question is about current messages. If Bobby is "messaging" back and forth with Betty is he flipping back and forth between the Send Message tab and the Current Message tab? Or does the Current Message tab turn into a kind of one on one chat?
-Tom
My question is about current messages. If Bobby is "messaging" back and forth with Betty is he flipping back and forth between the Send Message tab and the Current Message tab? Or does the Current Message tab turn into a kind of one on one chat?
-Tom
That's something we need to work on ... it'd be nice to make that intuitive and chat-like. I'm not sure how best to do that .. new window maybe?
How about
Reply takes you to send message (to: filled in).
Send message now takes you back to Current opened on
the same thread as where you clicked Reply
Reply takes you to send message (to: filled in).
Send message now takes you back to Current opened on
the same thread as where you clicked Reply
Hello All!
It looks like folks are getting ready to go "whole hog" on a MoodleIM block.
Please consider adding the following:
Please let the IM boxes pop up. Or at least allow for that to be a user option determined on the Profile page. I do not think it is cool to have to change to another page to address messages. I do not think I am along in that thought.
WP1
It looks like folks are getting ready to go "whole hog" on a MoodleIM block.
Please consider adding the following:
- The option for the "Online Users" block to "float" and also "dock" again. That way it can be seen when a resource page is opened. This should be a feature the Admin can turn on and off.
- The ability to open the Chatroom via a link on the IMAgain this should be a feature the Admin can turn on and off. block/float for spontaneous chat along with a way to obtain or save a transcript of the chat.
Please let the IM boxes pop up. Or at least allow for that to be a user option determined on the Profile page. I do not think it is cool to have to change to another page to address messages. I do not think I am along in that thought.
WP1
What our faculty are requesting is a way to send a message to a set of students.
Not a group or a forum as it shouldn't require any set up. This seems like it might be a start, but the send message to window should allow the teacher to select a set of students to send the message to.
Also, they need a way to force subscribe to the message, eg I if want to send a message about a late assignment to the three students who are late, I need an easy way to select who to send the message to and to make sure that they get the email.
Not a group or a forum as it shouldn't require any set up. This seems like it might be a start, but the send message to window should allow the teacher to select a set of students to send the message to.
Also, they need a way to force subscribe to the message, eg I if want to send a message about a late assignment to the three students who are late, I need an easy way to select who to send the message to and to make sure that they get the email.
Slightly off topic, but if you need something like that for 1.4.x ASAP, take a look at my private messages block. It doesn't send email, but that shouldn't be too hard to fix. 
Thanks Jon, but Mark just grabbed some code from Forum and pretty much wrote it up this afternoon.
So basically we have a forum post that you can send out to a selected group of users from your class (using check boxes for speed).
The message is just sent and dumped, so its just real simple, but it uses a similar send/composition interface to forum, so it's easy to learn.
We'll probably call it "quickmail" and dump it in CVS in few.
So basically we have a forum post that you can send out to a selected group of users from your class (using check boxes for speed).
The message is just sent and dumped, so its just real simple, but it uses a similar send/composition interface to forum, so it's easy to learn.
We'll probably call it "quickmail" and dump it in CVS in few.
And now it is there-).
Dirt simple, only problem is images don't work, waaah!
But it will hold us until MooldeIM is ready.
Dirt simple, only problem is images don't work, waaah!
But it will hold us until MooldeIM is ready.
I think I am going mad!!!!
I looked for this in cvs and on the hsu site but couldn't find it!
I have also been thinking about your post in the developers forum re: emailing students who have not submitted assignments. how easy would it be to include this at the bottom of every assignment view (to save going in and out of the view assignments page to see how has not done what - IYSWIM). I don't think that makes sense. I know what I mean at least
Oooo. If you wanted to be ambitious you could have a tick box next every students name when viewing submissions (unsubmitted automatically selected) and a message box at the bottom containg a bank of standard 'where is the work' phrases.
I looked for this in cvs and on the hsu site but couldn't find it!
I have also been thinking about your post in the developers forum re: emailing students who have not submitted assignments. how easy would it be to include this at the bottom of every assignment view (to save going in and out of the view assignments page to see how has not done what - IYSWIM). I don't think that makes sense. I know what I mean at least
Oooo. If you wanted to be ambitious you could have a tick box next every students name when viewing submissions (unsubmitted automatically selected) and a message box at the bottom containg a bank of standard 'where is the work' phrases.
Hi Darren, sorry, I thought I commited, but it's there now.
I have also been thinking about your post in the developers forum re: emailing students who have not submitted assignments.
Maybe a link to the effect of 'send email to all who have not completed this assignment', that sends you to quickmail, with the name's checked and the assingment name in the subject line?
I have also been thinking about your post in the developers forum re: emailing students who have not submitted assignments.
Maybe a link to the effect of 'send email to all who have not completed this assignment', that sends you to quickmail, with the name's checked and the assingment name in the subject line?
Hi Darren, sorry, I thought I commited, but it's there now.
Thanks - i will look at this in our morning - The more I think about it the more I'm sure it will be useful
Maybe a link to the effect of 'send email to all who have not completed this assignment', that sends you to quickmail, with the name's checked and the assingment name in the subject line?
A 'spam not submitted' feature would be fantastic. Perhaps even the URL in the email they get so when they click on the link they are taken directly to the 'upload your assignment here' bit so they have no excuses 
? .... if that's not too much to ask?
Darren
Thanks - i will look at this in our morning - The more I think about it the more I'm sure it will be useful
Maybe a link to the effect of 'send email to all who have not completed this assignment', that sends you to quickmail, with the name's checked and the assingment name in the subject line?
A 'spam not submitted' feature would be fantastic
. Perhaps even the URL in the email they get so when they click on the link they are taken directly to the 'upload your assignment here' bit so they have no excuses ? .... if that's not too much to ask?Darren
In reply to Martin Dougiamas
Re: Messaging: Instant messaging 1.0 specification
by Joey Kendall-Morwick -
It looks like things are headed this way, but it would be nice to have some administrative tools for monitoring messages sent back and forth. Also, it would be nice if the administrator could block users from deleting old messages, and restrict who can send messages to whom. Basically, I'm mostly interested in "internal email" functionality with as much administrative control as possible. Do you have many plans yet for the administrative side of this feature? Other than that, this looks extremely useful.
I agree with Joey here. I am a firm believer in keeping course discussion aboveboard and making it easy for students to send instant messages to one another could cause lots of nasty behavior or use of Moodle for non-course related things. I think having the option to restrict messaging between students and instructors is desirable.
In reply to Martin Dougiamas
Re: Messaging: Instant messaging 1.0 specification
by Martin Dougiamas -
Well, this Messaging system that Shane and I have been working on is in HEAD and working pretty well. Further testing on the basic functionality would be appreciated while I work on finishing a few loose ends and smoothing out the interface.
You can try it out on http://test.moodle.com if you like!
You can try it out on http://test.moodle.com if you like!
does it work in 1.4.3 ?
or, is it indended for 1.5 ?
or, is it indended for 1.5 ?
This is for 1.5 only, Jaime.
In reply to Martin Dougiamas
Re: Messaging: Instant messaging 1.0 specification
by Athena Winchester -
Any chance you will be making this as an add-on for 4?
In reply to Athena Winchester
Re: Messaging: Instant messaging 1.0 specification
by Martin Dougiamas -
I won't, sorry, but someone may want to try.
Martin-Just tried it over at your test site, and was able to send a message as a guest. This seems very dangerous as people could use it to abuse (or spam) others somewhat anonymously.
Secondly, any possibility of using the html editor with this?
Secondly, any possibility of using the html editor with this?
In reply to Martin Dougiamas
Re: Messaging: Instant messaging 1.0 specification
by Jens Gammelgaard -
Hi Martin!
I think one very nice feature to add on would be a click box, so that you can send an instant message to several users that are online in one step.
Fx. "Hey Joe and Jane, lets go to the workshop right now!"
The Messages window is accessible via the Online Users block, by clicking on icons beside each name:
Online Users
Joe User
[v]
BR
Jens Gammelgaard
In reply to Jens Gammelgaard
Re: Messaging: Instant messaging 1.0 specification
by Andrew Morrison -
id need/would love a working mail module also - is there anything that sort of fits the need around? i found mmail.sourceforge - but it doesnt seem to install.
is there away to install moodle modules?
is there away to install moodle modules?
In reply to Martin Dougiamas
Re: Messaging: Instant messaging 1.0 specification
by Athena Winchester -
Where do we go to download this? Or is this part of 1.5?
Download 1.5 develpment version.
Hi,
Not sure if I am too late for commenting the specifications, but here goes (perhaps to be included in a later version).
One of the things I most frequently use with my current IMs (ICQ, MSN Messenger) is the status flag: something to signal the other users whether or not I am available to chat. Example flags could be "Do not disturb", "Away from keyboard", "Available", "Let's talk"...
Several systems also implement a rather drastic "cloaking" mode, where you can sit there and watch others while they see you as offline" - not sure if this is an absolute need though I had at least once to turn it on - I was hoping a student I had to chat to showed up and had several others trying to get small explanations because they were seeing me online even though I had the "busy" sign on...
All the best,
João
Not sure if I am too late for commenting the specifications, but here goes (perhaps to be included in a later version).
One of the things I most frequently use with my current IMs (ICQ, MSN Messenger) is the status flag: something to signal the other users whether or not I am available to chat. Example flags could be "Do not disturb", "Away from keyboard", "Available", "Let's talk"...
Several systems also implement a rather drastic "cloaking" mode, where you can sit there and watch others while they see you as offline" - not sure if this is an absolute need though I had at least once to turn it on - I was hoping a student I had to chat to showed up and had several others trying to get small explanations because they were seeing me online even though I had the "busy" sign on...
All the best,
João
Hi,
Not sure if I am too late for commenting the specifications, but here goes (perhaps to be included in a later version).
One of the things I most frequently use with my current IMs (ICQ, MSN Messenger) is the status flag: something to signal the other users whether or not I am available to chat. Example flags could be "Do not disturb", "Away from keyboard", "Available", "Let's talk"...
Several systems also implement a rather drastic "cloaking" mode, where you can sit there and watch others while they see you as offline" - not sure if this is an absolute need though I had at least once to turn it on - I was hoping a student I had to chat to showed up and had several others trying to get small explanations because they were seeing me online even though I had the "busy" sign on...
All the best,
João
Not sure if I am too late for commenting the specifications, but here goes (perhaps to be included in a later version).
One of the things I most frequently use with my current IMs (ICQ, MSN Messenger) is the status flag: something to signal the other users whether or not I am available to chat. Example flags could be "Do not disturb", "Away from keyboard", "Available", "Let's talk"...
Several systems also implement a rather drastic "cloaking" mode, where you can sit there and watch others while they see you as offline" - not sure if this is an absolute need though I had at least once to turn it on - I was hoping a student I had to chat to showed up and had several others trying to get small explanations because they were seeing me online even though I had the "busy" sign on...
All the best,
João