Assignment grading - empty pdf

Assignment grading - empty pdf

by Uwe Klemm -
Number of replies: 4

Hi,


we do have a problem with our Moodle and I'm just stuck.
For some reason, Moodle produces empty pdf in the grading routine for assignments. Students hand in their assignments (they can do this either as online text or upload a file) successfully. Then, if we want to grade them, we get empty pdf. No error message. I can download the assignemnts ok, so there is content - it is just not visible in the pdf....

We currently run Moodle 3.6.7+, systemwide default is feedback as comment / annotation in pdf, postscript is installed, path to postscript is ok.

Any hint is greatly appreciated....
Uwe

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In reply to Uwe Klemm

Re: Assignment grading - empty pdf

by Joost Elshoff -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Testers
Hi Uwe,

What you're experiencing may have to do with the following:

If you don't have any additional plugins installed for Document conversion (Site admin > Plugins > Document converters), the default converter will be 'unoconv'. Although the processes for document conversion through Unoconv are constantly being improved (3.7 and 3.8 have performance improvements in place for this), it is still a bit of a tricky bit of software that's in charge of converting your assignment submissions to annotable PDF files.

The process may break, get stuck and abort for any number of reasons.

For larger instances, I think most experts would recommend using either the OneDrive or Google Drive document converter (but keep in mind that the Google one may raise GDPR concerns at your organisation). These converters are run through 3rd party plugins, that provide better and more stable performance.

A last recommendation: make sure cron.php is set up to run automatically in the background for your Moodle instance.

Good luck!
Average of ratings: Useful (3)
In reply to Joost Elshoff

Re: Assignment grading - empty pdf

by Uwe Klemm -
Hi Joost,

thanks a lot. Your reply brought me on the right track - something was wrong with the unoconv path. I've got no clue how this happened - but now it works smile
Thanks, Uwe
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In reply to Joost Elshoff

Re: Assignment grading - empty pdf

by Acqua Alta -
Hi Joost,
You wrote "Unoconv are constantly being improved (3.7 and 3.8 have performance improvements in place for this)". Do you have more information about these improvements?

Thanks
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In reply to Joost Elshoff

Re: Assignment grading - empty pdf

by Maxime Taisne -
Hi Joost,

You say "the Google one may raise GDPR concerns at your organisation". Isn't it the same with OneDrive?

Cheers,
Maxime
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