Hello everyone,
On several of my moodle sites running v.1.9.x, I added a block called Side Bar. This block worked like the Main Menu block on the front page which allowed you to add links to activities and resources. I am moving all of my servers to Moodle 2.5, and I would like to know if there is a block or something that would allow me to do the same thing on the course pages. Any help or suggestions on this would be really appreciated. Thank you and have a great day.
Chris Howard
Hi Chris,
Speaking from experience, if course pages have sidebar, you are in for a headache when you upgrade.
the way sidebar works is that it creates course "sections" starting at section 1000. When you do an upgrade, the activities and resources are put into sections in the course. I had some courses where the activities ended up in section 50 and then I had to drag it all the way up.
Here is my advice: go through your site and move any activities from all your sidebars into the first available empty section in each course. Afterwards, do the upgrade.
Once the upgrade is done, install the "Section" block. What this block does is it essentially duplicates the content of a section that you specify in a block. So, for example, if you move a sidebars activity into section 15, you can add a Section Block and set it to display Section 15. To edit the block, you actually edit the actual section instead.
I've been using it and it works pretty well.
Thank you for your response. I'm not doing an upgrade this time, but I understand what you are saying in regards to future upgrades. I'm going to try your suggestion about adding the activities to a section and then just adding the section block. I appreciate your help.
Chris Howard
This option wouldn't work for me. My students are young. When students click on the content within the Side Bar, they expect it to do something. I don't need a static duplicate. I need the function of the Side Bar because I put graded activities in the Side Bars. Scrolling down is not an option because it confuses them. Most activities have to fit on the screen that come up with minimal if any scrolling. That's why Side Bars are so perfect. I can put them on either side of the center column at eye level and the students can find them.
