How to document moodle site configuration?

How to document moodle site configuration?

by Philip Jones -
Number of replies: 15

Is there a simple way to document all of the configuration decisions for an already built hosted moodle site to which I have admin access?

Suppose I have a moodle 2.9 hosted site and want to recreate it from scratch in moodle 3.4. How to understand the answers to configuration choices, like which theme was used in 2.9 or which plugins are activated without having to step through each course and site admin page to see what was entered?

The only approach I found was to print the configuration page by page in .pdf as a look up guide of sorts. If you are rolling on the floor laughing, do tell the secret.

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Philip Jones

Re: How to document moodle site configuration?

by Rick Jerz -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Testers

I keep notes of everything that I do to my Moodle in a Microsoft Word document.  This includes my server configuration setting, too.  I use this method for documenting everything that I install on my Mac, and on all of my virtual PC's.

I have somethings thought that it would be nice if there was a tool that would "dump all configuration settings that have been changed" but I haven't found one.  Of course, once dumped, it would be nice to be able to edit this file manually, then upload it to a new site.

Average of ratings: Useful (1)
In reply to Rick Jerz

Re: How to document moodle site configuration?

by Ken Task -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers

Hmmm ... least common denominator .... System Admin Category/Course - hidden - none assigned ... using moodle page resource or plain old text files (makes it easy to copy and paste to CLI/other).   Backup course, restore course is one way.

But ... dumping config from Windows PC and importing into Linux server would be an adventure ... paths alone ... C:\something\Windows to /paths/to/ that are in files and tables of the DB itself.   Ditto for localhost Mac.

Changing the config.php file is required ... and won't change all the internal links/tables in the DB.

There is a CLI tool (php script) now in moodlecode/admin/cli/ called  cfg.php ,,, appeared in a

php cfg.php [ENTER] shows all settings.

php cfg.php |grep 'session' shows all settings related to 'session'

php cfg.php > allsettings.txt creates a text file ... which could be linked to in the System Category/Course mentioned above.

Importing into DB ... another issue ... how many tables does a basic Moodle have ... over 300+ and with plugins ... 400+.   User info for example: basic moodle profile: mdl_user but if site had created required user profile fields those are in another table (that's problem right now for LDAP/Oauth2 Custom/as well as SAML2 - know that from first hand experience).

2 cents.

'spirit of sharing', Ken



Average of ratings: Useful (2)
In reply to Philip Jones

Re: How to document moodle site configuration?

by AL Rachels -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers Picture of Testers

Like Rick, I try to document all changes to my various servers and Moodle installs, and do it similar to Ken, but use books instead of page resources and plain text files.

I have one private Moodle install with a "Installation" course. In it, I have a whole bunch of Moodle Book resources. The title of each is based on which server with chapters named for what it contains, such as, OS, web server, cron, unoconv, Moodle, PHP, Ansible, etc. When I first started this, I tried using wiki's, but got tired of making all the links to go from one page to another, so switched to books.

I also tend to put links to "interesting" forum entries in chapter pages anytime they seem to apply. I have a number of good Linux notes from all the great examples Ken has posted over the years, similar to those in his post here.

Average of ratings: Useful (1)
In reply to Philip Jones

Re: How to document moodle site configuration?

by Kahraman Bulut -
Picture of Testers

Hi guys,

I like your interesting ideas. I also note general updates, such as courses, roles and reports.

And whenever I apply the detailed settings of each activity, course, report, roles, groups and so on, I use Site Admin pages of both Moodle installations. I open them in adjacent tabs or windows and apply the same settings on the other Moodle instance.

I copy and paste the Custom CSS.



Average of ratings: -
In reply to Kahraman Bulut

Re: How to document moodle site configuration?

by Kahraman Bulut -
Picture of Testers

Another helpful log of the configuration changes is the Admin config change report available at /report/configlog/index.php.

It displays all config changes you've made to your Moodle instance. You can also use SORTING by Column headers to find your settings.


config changes

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Kahraman Bulut

Re: How to document moodle site configuration?

by Rick Jerz -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Testers

Yep Kahraman, viewing two moodles side-by-side is one way of seeing which settings are different. However, when I make notes about my settings using my word processor, I am able to add my own comments about "why" I made a change.  This is sometimes helpful to me when I reinstall moodle from scratch.

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Philip Jones

Re: How to document moodle site configuration?

by Philip Jones -

Suppose you inherit a moodle site for which there is no documentation of design decisions. You have admin login credentials and wish to use the old site as a model for creating a new site in the latest moodle version. (For various reasons you choose not to migrate the old site through  moodle versions.)

Here is an approach I used to build a configuration book. It is clunky but does produce pages that document the configuration. Perhaps there is a way to automate walking through configuration pages, saving them as pdf?

  • Navigate to a moodle configuration page, for example: Dashboard / ► Courses / ► Customer Care Online Learning / ► CCP / ► Users / ► Enrolment methods / ► Self enrolment (Participant)
  • Copy the navigation path and paste in a text editor
  • Replace " / ► " with "_", to create text to be used as a file name:  Dashboard_Courses_Customer Care Online Learning_CCP_Users_Enrolment methods_Self enrolment (Participant)
  • Print the moodle configuration page to .pdf, pasting the edited path as file name.
Example showing file names
  • Merge .pdf files in alpha order to make a moodle configuration book.



Average of ratings: -
In reply to Philip Jones

Re: How to document moodle site configuration?

by Rick Jerz -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Testers

Yes, Philip, I too have used this copy/paste/replace approach and it works.

So, if you inherit a Moodle site and you need to document it, or recreate it, I would use Kahraman Bulut's side-by-side windowing technique, your technique, but I would still question (and document) "why" a certain setting has been changed.

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Philip Jones

Re: How to document moodle site configuration?

by Emma Richardson -
Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers

Or you could just use this amazing block....https://moodle.org/plugins/block_admin_presets

 

Average of ratings: Useful (1)
In reply to Emma Richardson

Re: How to document moodle site configuration?

by Kahraman Bulut -
Picture of Testers

Thanks Emma, That seems a good plugin, let's try it 

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Emma Richardson

Re: How to document moodle site configuration?

by Philip Jones -

@Emma,

Ah yes. Thanks for the tip. I installed the plugin. I can find it in Dashboard / ► Site administration / ► Plugins / ► Blocks / ► Admin presets. 

But I was unable to understand how to add an addin presets block to the front page using the approach you described here https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=346253

At the Dashboard I enabled Customize this page. When I navigate to Dashboard / ► Site administration / ► Front page the Add a block picklist  does not include an entry that I recognize as addin presets. 

List of blocks to pick


Average of ratings: -
In reply to Philip Jones

Re: How to document moodle site configuration?

by Emma Richardson -
Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers

Try from the site home page, not Dashboard...working for me...

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Emma Richardson

Re: How to document moodle site configuration?

by Sofia Rehan Ramli -

Hi Emma,

Did you manage to import user profiles as well?

I have tried the plugin, but somehow it doesn't import custom user profile fields or users. And I am not sure what was imported in the presets. 

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Sofia Rehan Ramli

Re: How to document moodle site configuration?

by Emma Richardson -
Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers

It only deals with site admin settings.  I would think it should import custom profile fields but maybe not...

It does not import user data - that can be done with user upload.

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Emma Richardson

Re: How to document moodle site configuration?

by Rick Jerz -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Testers

Interesting add-in, Emma.  Seems to work.

I am going to have to experiment with this when I find some time.

Thanks.

Average of ratings: -