What updates the timemodified field in the mdl_course table?

What updates the timemodified field in the mdl_course table?

by Lea Cohen -
Number of replies: 3

I want to use this report in our Configurable Reports in order to find least active or probably empty courses, but I'm trying to understand what indication the course->timemodified field gives me.

I tested a course and saw that the course->timemodified does not change when

  • A teacher adds a new activity to the course
  • A student submits a quiz
  • A students preforms some activity in the course (such as writes a forum post)
  • A user logs into the course
So I'm wondering, when does the  course->timemodified field change?
(I read this discussion, but it too only adds that enrolling a student does not change the course->timemodified )


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In reply to Lea Cohen

Re: What updates the timemodified field in the mdl_course table?

by Davo Smith -
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Off the top of my head (and without checking), clicking 'Edit settings', then saving the course settings form updates the timemodified value in the course table.

I could see an argument that creating/editing an activity within the course should also update the time modified, but I think it would be quite a stretch to include student interactions with the course activities as updating the timemodified.

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In reply to Lea Cohen

Re: What updates the timemodified field in the mdl_course table?

by AL Rachels -
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It has been my experience, that most everything in Moodle has it's own timemodified for it's "settings." In this case, course->timemodified, refers to the time the "course settings" were last modified. Creating/editing an assignment modifies it's database entry for timemodified. Same with other activities, resources, etc. that I have worked with or checked.
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In reply to Lea Cohen

Re: What updates the timemodified field in the mdl_course table?

by Lea Cohen -
Thank you both, @Davo Smith and @AL Rachels !
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