Hello All,
I am wondering why in 1.5 is it that the participants are not sorted by latest to log in. I liked how that worked in 1.4. But now I have to dig to see who has logged in the most recent.
Why don't you simply click on the last access time column header and sort the way you like it? 
Hey there it is 
Thanks,,, and is there a way to make that the default.
Jon, I still think this is a bug. The participants list should be initially shown in some standard default sort order (either by lastname or access time), rather than in the capricious order in which they currently appear (i.e. their index in some database tables). The fact that an experienced user like Floyd had trouble with it should indicate that there is a problem with the current implementation
Thanks Zbigniew, I was wondering why there was no obvious pattern in the default order of participants. 
I'm in agreement with you that the participants list should be shown sorted either by lastname or access time. Should this be a feature request?
I'm in agreement with you that the participants list should be shown sorted either by lastname or access time. Should this be a feature request?
Zig, It's not a bug, it's a new feature and thanks for explaining it to me too I thought it was listing names by some kind of seniority, but I never bothered to figure out why because I was too annoyed by the fact that it had changed from 1.4 It takes me two clicks to get them ordered by the most recent login...
So, Jon, yes, we like knowing the seniority of folks (even if we didn't know what we were looking at)... but I have a feeling most of us don't like the change that much and would probably like it to go back to the way it was before
So, Jon, yes, we like knowing the seniority of folks (even if we didn't know what we were looking at)... but I have a feeling most of us don't like the change that much and would probably like it to go back to the way it was before
Or even a master default preference, setting for it. Anyways, I am glad I am not the only one who was fumbling with this. My concern is my fellow teachers will not understand the new order since they are use to the old way in 1.4. If it is not going to change back then how would I go about including instructions for it.
I've filed a bug report on this: http://moodle.org/bugs/bug.php?op=show&bugid=3559
The default sort order should NOT be by last name, as this is a Euro-centric view. In some countries the first name is the one used for sorting. I think it should be by last access time.
Use the logs for sorting by access time. I would like the user list to be sorted by surname.
A global option somewhere to keep us all happy?
Have you ever looked at the logs? That simply is not practical, because it shows every action by every person, guest or not. I use the user list for the purpose of seeing how recently someone has been participating, whereas I use the logs for seeing what they looked at. Also, the logs do not include every sort of activity or module or block and therefore are not entirely accurate for seeing when someone last participated.
Have you ever looked at the logs?
Pretty much every day 
Seeing how recently somebody participated is fairly irrelevant in terms of learning. What they contributed is far more important 
because it shows every action by every person, guest or not
Have you not noticed the drop downs to filter the view
Also, you can see when somebody last logged in by looking at their profile which would be easier to find if the user list had some kind of global setting to allow something like sorting by surname.
> would be easier to find if the user list had some kind of global setting to allow something like sorting by surname
Hmm, have you tried to click the column headings to change the sorting? The user list can be resorted. This thread is about the default sort when the list is first displayed
Hmm, have you tried to click the column headings to change the sorting? The user list can be resorted. This thread is about the default sort when the list is first displayed
This thread is about the default sort when the list is first displayed
Yes, I know. I suggested a global option and added more detail in the bug tracker.
Yes, I know. I suggested a global option and added more detail in the bug tracker.
I think the other posters mean sorting by name as displayed by Moodle. There is a site-level setting which defines whether names are shown last-first or first-last.
In terms of default, I concur that the last access was better than the new default in 1.5.
However, I think that ultimately the default should be configurable for each course. Some instructors may prefer one, whereas others may prefer another order. Even the same instructor may prefer a different order in different classes. For example, I may want to see students alphabetically in a class of 12 but by last access in a class of 400.
In terms of default, I concur that the last access was better than the new default in 1.5.
However, I think that ultimately the default should be configurable for each course. Some instructors may prefer one, whereas others may prefer another order. Even the same instructor may prefer a different order in different classes. For example, I may want to see students alphabetically in a class of 12 but by last access in a class of 400.
Wow, I 'm not sure if this could still be called "popular request" or if it can be considered an uprising.
Copying from the discussion for bug 3559:
I 've added a way so that each table spawned with tablelib can specifically request that a default order is used for it. This would be done programmatically, so nothing stops someone for writing logic for it as well.
Presently, I 've hardwired defaults for the participants screen but haven't touched any other tables.
It is also possible and easy to make the table class read some "super default" $CFG setting and only apply it if it makes sense for a specific table. However, I still think it's overkill.
What do you think?
Copying from the discussion for bug 3559:
I 've added a way so that each table spawned with tablelib can specifically request that a default order is used for it. This would be done programmatically, so nothing stops someone for writing logic for it as well.
Presently, I 've hardwired defaults for the participants screen but haven't touched any other tables.
It is also possible and easy to make the table class read some "super default" $CFG setting and only apply it if it makes sense for a specific table. However, I still think it's overkill.
What do you think?
Jon, you are a prince Thanks for being so quick to fix it, and thanks for being so generous to the rebel alliance