We're using the MenuTopic course format, that displays a menu of all topics at the top of the page.
However, when using other components - such as forum, page, or user-edit screen - the course format isn't used, and therefore the menu doesn't appear. This really disorients the users.
Is it possible to force these components to use the course format? If so - how? And if not - does anyone have a suggested solution for this situation?
Dear Lea,
Interesting question. No, it is not currently possible to force the components to use the course format because they are not a course.
It could be a solution that you have a theme with a top menu block that does the same thing, but that would not be course specific. So, you need a way of displaying the resource / activity and still retain the menu, humm, perhaps instead of the link to it taking to a separate page created by the component, then the link takes you to a course page that then puts the component inline.
Need to think about this. No easy current no-code solution.
Cheers,
Gareth
Hi Gareth,
Thank you very much for your reply. Your bottom line is important - that there is no easy current no-code solution.
Having said that, I do want to elaborate on your second idea - that the link takes us to a course page that then puts the component inline. This idea sounds sounds very interesting. The problem is, however, that I don't really know how to go about implementing it. I'm a programmer, but have mainly worked with WordPress, and I'm just getting to know Moodle on this project. Do you think you could give mt some clues as to how to go in this direction? Or do you think it's too complicated?
As an aside, I think that a theme with a top menu block would be the best solution - because we don't mind if it's not course specific - but we're now past the stage of looking for themes. We're close to the end of this course development...
Thanks a lot!
Lea
Dear Lea,
I think it would be a matter of overriding the method 'course_section_cm_list' in '/course/renderer.php' and doing something clever. Beyond that would take time to investigate.
The other alternative is Marina's suggestion, but I did not know about that functionality until she mentioned it, so know as much about it as you do.
Cheers,
Gareth
Gareth, I'm sure you know about it, it's in the docs as well: http://docs.moodle.org/dev/Course_formats#Additional_footer_or_header_on_any_page_inside_the_course
It even says "typical usage: ..., course custom menu".
The plugin developer MUST use renderable objects though so it might be a little difficult for the first time
Thanks Marina - ironically that's one bit of Course Format's that I don't know about as have had no real need to use that functionality. But looks interesting and opens up new possibilities
Course format in 2.4 can use the course header/footer functionality to add header/footer to EACH page in the course. Theme also must support it (all standard themes do). But it is a responsibility of course format, you should talk to their developers about it. As far as I can see in 2.4 version they did not even upgrade the course format to the new API and use legacy mode.
Hi Marina
Thank you so much for your input.
It seems like it could be so easy, if the course format acted the way you say it should. But it doesn't, and that means that I'm currently left to the mercy of that format developer, doesn't it?
pretty much. Or you can always create your own course format