Linking to CD Drive

Linking to CD Drive

by Brad Zehr -
Number of replies: 20

The course we are currently developing would like to use a large amount of video footage.  We are concerned about bandwidth limitations, and would like to supply a CD or DVD via snail mail to students so that they may access larger file sizes than we would like to make accissible over the Internet.  We've considered doing something like the following from within any HTML page:

Click <a href="D:\FOLDER\FILENAME.WAV">here</a>.

However, not everyone uses the D: drive for their CD drive.  Has anyone else thought of a way to utilize secondary resources such as this?

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In reply to Brad Zehr

Re: Linking to CD Drive

by Markus Knierim -

Brad,

Have a look at the attached code snippet, which has a Windows Media Player embedded in a web page, combined with a drop-down menu to choose one's local CD/DVD drive.

I wrote this quite some time ago, and I remember that there were some issues with cross-browser compatibility as well as compatibility across different versions of Windows Media Player. However, as far as I can recall, choosing the local drive was not affected by these issues. So maybe this is of some help to you after all wink

Cheers,
Markus

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In reply to Markus Knierim

Re: Linking to CD Drive

by Brad Zehr -

Markus,

I had not thought of that type of linking.  I'd like to make use of the student's default Media Player to avoid the cross-browser compatability problems.  I may implement something like the following, based on what you've told me:

<HTML>
<HEAD>
   <TITLE>Forms Navigation Menu Example</TITLE>
   <script language="JavaScript">
   <!-- Hide the script from old browsers --
   function surfto(form) {
      var NewWindow=window.open('','popup','menubar=1,toolbar=1,location=1,directories=1,scrollbars=1,resizable=1,status=1,width=640,height=480');
      NewWindow.focus();
      var myindex=form.dest.selectedIndex
      window.open(form.dest.options[myindex].value,target="popup");
  }
  // -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>

<FORM NAME="Links" ACTION="" METHOD=post>
<SELECT ID="Links_List" NAME="dest" onchange= "surfto(this.form)">
    <OPTION VALUE="D:\FOLDER\FILENAME.MPG" SELECTED>D:
    <OPTION VALUE="E:\FOLDER\FILENAME.MPG">E:
     <OPTION VALUE="F:\FOLDER\FILENAME.MPG">F:
     <OPTION VALUE="G:\FOLDER\FILENAME.MPG">G:
     <OPTION VALUE="H:\FOLDER\FILENAME.MPG">H:
</SELECT>
<INPUT TYPE=button NAME="Menu_Button" VALUE="Play Video"
ID="Menu_Button" onclick = "surfto(this.form)">
</FORM>

Thanks for the input!

Brad

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In reply to Brad Zehr

Re: Linking to CD Drive

by Bob Boufford -

Brad,

You are attempting to do what is known as the "CD-ROM Tool" in WebCT Campus Edition and the "Local Content Tool" in WebCT Vista. Both of which have never really worked very well and I found more often a headache to setup and manage (burning and mailing CDsgets to be a real hassle). When the tool was originally developed, dialup was still the norm and streaming media was just starting to go, so the tool was very useful despite the headaches that went with setup.

My recommendation is to look at utilizing the more popular compressed media formats such as MP3 and streaming technologies such as streaming Apple Quicktime and streaming MP3.  WAV and similar uncompressed file formats are about the worst means of delivery even over a broadband connections.

Cheers,

Bob

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In reply to Bob Boufford

Re: Linking to CD Drive

by Brad Zehr -

Bob,

Streaming really would be the way to go, but we'd end up running up against monthly bandwidth transfer limitations as our number of students goes up - 100 students accessing a few 10MB media files per course per month adds up after a while.  Right now we are keeping the use of video down to a minimum - small file sizes, short clips.  But it feels very constricting.  Of course, mailing out 100 CD's doesn't sound very inviting either.  Though thought was if there was any type of enrollment packet at all, to send a CD with it with the longer videos.  Thanks for your input!

Brad

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In reply to Brad Zehr

Re: Linking to CD Drive

by Ralf Hilgenstock -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Translators
Hi Brad,

there is a new feature in the resourcemodule since some days:
Here is the description from CVS:

"New feature for resources ... Local File Resources

A Resource Parameter controls this (it defaults to OFF).

When on, you see a third button when selecting a file, which lets
you select a LOCAL file on your own filesystem (but it isn't uploaded).

The local file is included in the web page when viewed. All users see a link that helps them set up a user_preference for the location of these files on their own system (usually a CD_ROM drive)."

Ralf
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In reply to Ralf Hilgenstock

Re: Linking to CD Drive

by Art Lader -

Ralf!

You have made my day! If I understand this, we can place our huge multimedia files on a CD Rom and access them from Moodle. We do not have to upload them to a server. If that's the case, my life just got a whole lot easier.

-- Art

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In reply to Art Lader

Re: Linking to CD Drive

by Brad Zehr -

Art, Ralf,

I believe that Ralf is referring to a module that is intended for storing local content during development of Moodle, if I am not mistaken.  I do not believe that this may be used for presentation of course materials.  If I am wrong on this, please let me know how it can be utilized to display course materials to students from a CD on their local machine.

Thanks!

Brad

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In reply to Brad Zehr

Re: Linking to CD Drive

by Art Lader -
Say it ain't so, Brad, say it ain't so! sad

-- Art
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In reply to Art Lader

Re: Linking to CD Drive

by Jan Dierckx -
It ain't! It ain't! big grin
This is a screenshot from the sitewide settings for the resource module.
(Admin page -> Modules -> click on the settings for the resource module)


Attachment nl.GIF
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In reply to Jan Dierckx

Re: Linking to CD Drive

by Brad Zehr -
Cool Jan!  ANyone know when this feature will become available in the release version?
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In reply to Art Lader

Re: Linking to CD Drive

by Markus Knierim -

This would be really cool! cool I just gave it try -- this is how far I got:

  • I changed the setting in the configuration for the Resource module
  • I added a new local resource by clicking on "Choose a local file (CD-ROM)"
  • I tried to access the resource (from a student's perspective), got a blank screen, then clicked on "Help displaying local files", chose the correct local path, tried to access the local resource again but still nothing: on top I have the Moodle navigation frame (as it should be), but the bottom frame remains empty. I also tried different file types (txt, mpg, mp3, htm) in different locations, but to no avail mixed

Also, I didn't see the local path setting anywhere on the user profile page; I only had the "Help displaying local files" button -- but that should have done the trick anyway, shouldn't it?

I'm using:

  • Moodle 1.5 alpha, 2005051500
  • resource module version 2005041100
  • localfile.php,v 1.1 2005/04/02 12:11:27
  • localpath.php,v 1.1 2005/04/02 12:11:27

Is anyone having more success?

Thanks,
Markus

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In reply to Markus Knierim

Re: Linking to CD Drive

by Art Lader -

Hi, Markus,

I am having the same experience as you. I suspect that I just  have to fiddle with my browser setting to make this work.

-- Art

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In reply to Art Lader

Re: Linking to CD Drive

by Bob Allen -

I just cant get moodle to pick up the local file and I cant find where in the users profile you can edit the pointer.

Tearing my hair out!

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In reply to Bob Allen

Re: Linking to CD Drive

by Martin Dougiamas -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Moodle HQ Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers Picture of Testers
You don't set your path in the profile, you edit it from the help link when looking at the actual resource.

Even when you do that though, you will probably run into browser security restrictions, so this feature is not generally very useful ....
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In reply to Martin Dougiamas

Re: Linking to CD Drive

by Bob Allen -
Gave up with this but I am now trying again as I have now moved to most recent stable release but whatever I do I cant seem to get it to pick up a file from a local drive a: or C: etc
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In reply to Martin Dougiamas

Re: Linking to CD Drive

by Réjean Payette -
It's work with a Mac but try with Windows XP or Linux.  It's verry different with Moodle 1.5.2+ jully and the last version on CVS.  With the last version, I visit de WWW.

I have need this because in North Africa the Internet is slow.  It's possible to check?

Moodle It's a verry nice and powerfull produc.

Réjean


Attachment FL0770.jpg
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In reply to Martin Dougiamas

Re: Linking to CD Drive

by John Hennessy -
Hi

For us this would be absolutely fantastic: we distribute masses of stuff on CD but loath to put all up on site / moodle for many reasons. Most is copied by users to local hard drive under definite instructions e.g. to a specified folder on C:\ drive.

Moodle 1.5.2 settings seem to work OK to select the LOCALPATH for the resource but in IE6, the resource just comes up blank. In Firefox get the link but nothing happens when click.

The question is is this possible at all by fiddling with security in the browser and if so how exactly? If it is not possible then no need for the option??

Thanks and all the best

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In reply to John Hennessy

Re: Linking to CD Drive

by John Hennessy -
Sorry for not thinking clearly. Of course there are workarounds in terms of giving clear instructions on the site and so on but linking would be nice.
Thanks again.
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In reply to Markus Knierim

Re: Linking to CD Drive

by Gerald Collaud -
There are two steps to make a link to a local file (be it on the HD or on a CD) :

First, students have to modify the security of the browser. In Firefox, add the following lines to the user.js file :
user_pref("capability.policy.policynames", "localfilelinks");
user_pref("capability.policy.localfilelinks.sites", "http://yoursite.xx");
user_pref("capability.policy.localfilelinks.checkloaduri.enabled", "allAccess");

Second, in order to avoid the blank screen when accessing this kind of resource, the root of the local path where the files reside (i.e. C:\ or D:\ only) has to be specified (choosing a file on the local disk doesn't work!).

Hope this helps,
Gérald

2 more questions :
- The name of the link "Help displaying local files" should be something like "Choose your local files directory". Where in this site should I present this request ?
- Does anyone knows what the security param of IE and Opera should be in order to make local files linking working ?

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