Dataform

Activities ::: mod_dataform
Maintained by Itamar Tzadok
Part of set Dataform.
The Dataform module allows the course manager to design and construct an entry form from various input elements (text and rich text fields, urls, files, pictures, etc.) in a flexible layout. Users can then add information records to a collection, which can be viewed in various ways and searched for particular items.
Latest release:
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Current versions available: 7

The dataform module is a major enhancement of the standard Database activity module and is meant to offer all the functionality offered by the Database module and much more in a more flexible way.

The module allows the course manager to design and construct an entry form from various input elements (text and rich text fields, urls, files, pictures, etc.) in a flexible layout. Users can then add information records to a collection, which can be viewed in various ways and searched for particular items.

The dataform features include (among other things):

  • A multiple views system - allows the instructor to design several different views of the entries in a datform activity. Each view can show a designated subset of the entries in a designated layout.
  • Enhanced template tags - A new template tags system allows for exposing many more bits of information and makes it easy to add designated patterns in new field and view types.
  • Enhanced entry actions - Bulk edit, duplicate, delete, approve etc. Inline editing. Form editing options such as required fields (via Moodle forms).
  • New packaging system - based on Moodle backup/restore and allows for packaing a dataform instance and restoring into an existing instance.
  • Enhanced filtering system - allows the instructor to define different filters each of which can determine sort (including nested sort) and search options (various search criteria). Filters can be fixed to particular views or applied on the file from the activity main page (if included in the view template).

New view/field types include (among others):

  • Tabular view - a view type which allows for displaying the entries in a table. The design of the entries table has been simplified to drawing the desired table with optional header row and an entry row in the moodle editor.
  • Nanogong field - a field type for adding audio content to an entry via the nanogong applet.
  • Calculated field - a field type which can display a result of a simple calculation on one or two number fields in the entry.

Screenshots

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Contributors

Itamar Tzadok (Lead maintainer)
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Comments

  • Ravi Vare
    Tue, 27 Sept 2011, 8:52 PM
    Hi Itamar,
    Thanks for contribution.
    I installed successfully.
    I am going to use for 'Admission form of Students'.
    Is it perfect use?

    Best Regards,
    Ravi
  • Ravi Vare
    Tue, 27 Sept 2011, 11:26 PM
    Hi Itamar,
    I have created Dataform--->' Admission Form'
    I have created Fields too.
    (Name of Student and address.........)
    Now I am confuse.
    Where to add ENTRIES
    To Dataform?

    TIA
    Ravi
  • Itamar Tzadok
    Wed, 28 Sept 2011, 4:21 AM
    Ravi, after adding fields you need to add views in the views tab (and make one of these view the default view). When you have at least one view set as default you can go to the Browse tab and there you should see a 'Add new entry' link for adding a new entry.

    The views play the role of what you know as templates in the database module. But there is no list/single/edit. Rather, each view can display as many entries per-page as you tell it to display. So if you add a view and set it to display 1 entry per-page you get the equivalent of the database single view. You can add another view without fixed per-page and this view will display all entries.

    By default each view adds to the display a 'Add a new entry' link which is what you need for adding new entries. The idea is that if you don't want the view to show this option you can simply remove it from the template (that's the ##entryaddnew## tag in the general section in the view form).

    hth smile
  • Itamar Tzadok
    Wed, 28 Sept 2011, 5:08 AM
    Just want to remind that this module is still beta and not recommended for production servers.

    On another note, I've just detected a bug which prevents students from adding entries on the default max entries setting. Fixed for the next release. smile
  • Ravi Vare
    Wed, 28 Sept 2011, 10:47 AM
    Hi Itamar,
    Thanks a lot
    It Works.
    Dataform is very Powerful
    I am using on my TEST server.
    Thanks again for this NICE Contribution
    Ravi
  • AL Rachels
    Tue, 4 Oct 2011, 8:41 AM
    Just got back from a family reunion and installed the 1.0.4 version and I am having fun with it. How do you get it to do a block like you have in the picture from your Sunday post?
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