Linking to a file in a file system repository

Linking to a file in a file system repository

by Sam Stegers -
Number of replies: 10

Greetings all,

 

I am looking for a way to have my cake and eat it too. I have made a file system repository and uploaded files to the correct folder on my server.

I see the files through the file picker, no problem there.

My hopes were that I could link to these files (instead of copying them) so I could use the file in different places in my Moodle and I could update the masterfile so that all uses of this file would automatically use the updated file.This is where the plan falls apart.

I hope I am missing something here and I even further hope some fellow Moodler has a solution.

If not, should this be a feature which is available in Moodle?

 

Regards,

Sam

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In reply to Sam Stegers

Re: Linking to a file in a file system repository

by allen bailey -

Agreed, that's exactly the functionality our staff are craving.

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In reply to Sam Stegers

Re: Linking to a file in a file system repository

by Richard Jones -
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Wouldn't that be nice.  Unfortunately this is not yet addressed in Moodle 2 (my understanding).

Because the file repository you created is outside the web server area you cannot create a URL link to it.

If you upload it using the files or folder resource, then you can locate it's URL and link to it in the course you uploaded it to.

As far as I can tell, using a custom external repository should work, although connectors are currently mostly under development.

Maybe someone from Moodle HQ can tell us if the planned Moodle internal repository workflow (as you described it) is still on the road map and by when we might expect it.

I haven't been able to find that information yet.

Cheers
Richard

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In reply to Richard Jones

Re: Linking to a file in a file system repository

by Elena Ivanova -

Hi Richard,

What 2.0 Moodle version do you have? This functionality  (linking to external repositories) already exists, so I would recommend to upgrade smile
Admin just needs to allow External linking to Repositories.

Also, if you will put your files into "File" or "Folder" Resources - you will not be able to link to them. You can only link to the File Resource or Folder Resource, but not to the file itself which is sitting inside (it will be in the "draft" state there).

There is a Legacy  Course Files area - and that one can serve as an internal course-level repository. Therefore people can link to the files located there => exact 1.9 behavior.
Of course, you need to enable Legacy Course Files and allow External Linking for the installation.

One can review possible options here: http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=168495&parent=739240 big grin

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In reply to Elena Ivanova

Re: Linking to a file in a file system repository

by Richard Jones -
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Hi Elena

I'm referring to institutional repositories (hence "custom") such as Dspace, Alfresco and so on rather than cloud-based ones like YouTube, Flikr or Wikimedia - which seem to be working well.

I currently have 2.02 and am about to try Alfresco Community Edition.  Do you know of other open source repositories for which linking works?

From the forum posts I've read here "Admin just needs to allow External linking to Repositories" would be an exaggeration but I'm more than happy to be informed otherwise smile

Thanks

Richard

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In reply to Richard Jones

Re: Linking to a file in a file system repository

by Elena Ivanova -

oh, got it, sorry. Yes, it is not that trivial then smile)

We do not have Alfresco. Though, as far as I can tell from this forum, some people were successful connecting to it, after patch MDL-26451 had been developed and applied to 2.0.2 +.
Or is it different from what you are looking for?

Locally we were able to connect to GoogleDocs (we are outsourcing our emails to Google). And  we had struggles connecting to  WebDav (using Xycos), which needs more development. The last one is off the radar for now, due to other issues that we need to resolve.

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In reply to Elena Ivanova

Re: Linking to a file in a file system repository

by Richard Jones -
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Hi Elena

Thanks, yes, that's what I'm going to try.

Richard

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Re: Linking to a file in a file system repository

by Mark Williams -

We too were looking for this:

Internally we use 2 mapped drives, I wanted to link these to moodle (change on the mapped drive, change in moodle automatically as it is only a link).  File picker is no good as that "uploads" the file into moodle out of our mapped area.  Webdav doesnt work in moodle (I am yet to see any consistent evidence of anyone short of a developer who can use it).  Webdav internal to moodle would NOT use passed through authentication either, so split authentication resources would be useless too - i.e. 1 mapped drive for students and 1 mapped drive for staff.

This leaves me with installing alfresco purely to have access to a "URL picker from alfresco". 

What I am doing at the moment as a workaround is copying the raw webdav HTTP link but that does not give me a user friendly "picker" screen, it involves getting staff to open a tab, navigate webdav in http, copy the link and paste it as a URL resource in moodle - not friendly - but it DOES work at least (separate webdav authentication screen not withstanding)

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In reply to Elena Ivanova

Re: Linking to a file in a file system repository

by seaghan moriarty -

thanks Elena for your clear information.

 

I was wondering if things have changed any way in the past 2 years? I am using WebDav and can link/use this repository well. However, in some cases, I wish to link (from an external source) to a URL (eg a player.html or index.html which starts an Articulate or web page/site) and because I cannot find the absolute URL for the file in the repository, I have a problem. I have external linking enabled, but as you say, for file/folders - this does not help...

 

So I'm wondering if I have any alternative now in 2013 - except to use the old style Course-level files?

If there are any alternatives now, I would be delighted to hear smile  thanks!

 

[Moodle 2.2.9 on Debian]

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In reply to Sam Stegers

Re: Linking to a file in a file system repository

by Paul Raper -

Dear all,

The way I have got around it is to save the file on a file server, either Moodle or else where. Then you use the link to website or file. If you update the file, it is indeed updated everywhere the file is used. I agree this is messy since you have to know the URL to where the file is stored, but once done, it works extremely well.

All that said, it would be great if Moodle could link dynamically to files stored on external repositories in such a way that files updated there are automatically updated in Moodle itself, and then the latest versions made available to students. 

Best,

Paul

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In reply to Paul Raper

Re: Linking to a file in a file system repository

by Rosario Carcò -

As Elena explains in her thread treating the new file system, things are very complicated. On one hand, using the same file in different courses and resources means you have to copy it into Moodle at least ONCE, so that you can keep consistency in case the file is deleted or edited/changed in its original place. On the other hand this was a handy feature in Moodle < 2.x where you could replace the same file with new content without having to renew the links. And mess begins as soon as a whole team of teachers starts to work together in one or more courses. In such a case every file and version should have another name and should be linked anew where you want a reference to this version rather than to the old one. See the whole discussion here in Elena's thread:

http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=174702

Rosario

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