using alias/shortcuts

using alias/shortcuts

by Tiffany Morgan -
Number of replies: 2

Hi all

I have read through http://docs.moodle.org/26/en/Working_with_files but am really struggling to understand their application. I'm currently on 2.6

I see that "When an uploaded file - or a file from the Private files, Dropbox, File system or EQUELLA repositories - is re-used elsewhere on Moodle, the teacher has the option to make a copy (a new, unconnected version) or to create a shortcut or alias." But where in that process can you mark that as alias?

So for example: (all done while logged in a system admin) I create a template course. Text files linked within page resources are created in the template. I then create a identical derivative course via backup/restore. Then in the template course, update a file (text file in a page resource for example) and that file is not changed in the derivative  course. Based on my "old moodle" way of understanding files this seems to work exactly as I would anticipate--the copies are not connected so a change in one is not a change in the other. But--It seems like somewhere along the way I should have been able to mark the files as shortcuts or aliases so they remain connected. I never saw that option...

I think I am just missing a key piece to understanding how this feature is used and how to roll out changes to connected courses...

 

Thanks!

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In reply to Tiffany Morgan

Re: using alias/shortcuts

by Bob Puffer -

A long time ago in a galaxy that no longer exists there was a dream to create 'Repositories' so files didn't need to be stored in Moodle. We now know where that went. Once you make a copy of a course by backup and restore there isn't a connection between the originals and the copied files. We get around this by using a tight integration between Moodle and Google Apps for Educ where files are not stored in Moodle, they belong to the course or instructor. Making a copy of the course doesn't make new files, just links to the same ones.

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In reply to Bob Puffer

Re: using alias/shortcuts

by Tiffany Morgan -

Hi Bob--good to see you!

That is helpful information! I had spent many an hour on the forums trying to determine how everyone was addressing/solving this, now many versions into Moodle 2. I thought maybe the "magic" was the alias files and I just wasn't using it correctly.

It seems to me (and I'd love to hear from others if I am misinterpreting) that most institutions are either using file storage external to Moodle, like you are with Google Apps for Ed, or are still relying on legacy files/"1.9 way" of file handling. Seems as though the latter doesn't solve the problem of seamless updates to derivative courses, but is at least a familiar way of dealing with files.  

 

Thanks again!

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