Approval issue created: CONTRIB-6693

Nice plugin

Hi,
When I was trying the Group Management plugin I got a 'Google Maps error'. The error message instructed me to find the technical details about the problem in the JavaScript console. How do I open the JavaScript console ? ... Googled it:

"The JavaScript console is opened in Firefox with Ctrl Shift K"

JavaScript console output:

moodle-core-dock-loader: Dock loader watching block with instance id: 17 yui_combo.php:5828:21
moodle-core-event: Global event published: FORM_ERROR yui_combo.php:5828:21
moodle-core-event: Global event published: BLOCK_CONTENT_UPDATED yui_combo.php:5828:21
Warning: A single_select element was renderered, but the output is not displayed on the page. yui_combo.php:5828:21
moodle-core-actionmenu: Initialising the action menu manager yui_combo.php:5828:21
"Google Maps API error: MissingKeyMapError https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/error-messages#missing-key-map-error" js:38:315
Bootstrap initialised first.js:27:143
"Google Maps API warning: NoApiKeys https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/error-messages#no-api-keys" util.js:211:33

Please help...

Thanks for your feedback, first I need some extra information. On what Moodle System are you trying to use this plugin ? Is this a local version (like : localhost/moodle) This plugin won't work in a localhost version because of some Google restriction for the map but it will work on online server.

I updated moodle to version 3.2.5+ and essential theme to the latest version. An error is displayed when trying to enter Group Management:

Call to undefined method theme_essential\output\core_renderer::image_url()

Debug info:
Error code: generalexceptionmessage
Stack trace:

line 277 of /mod/moodecgrpmanagement/renderer.php: Error thrown
line 298 of /mod/moodecgrpmanagement/view.php: call to mod_moodecgrpmanagement_renderer->display_options()

Can you help me solve this problem?

Hi Karol,

I'm currently working on the Moodle 3.4 version that will fix this issue and will correct it for Moodle 3.2 aswell.

Thanks for bringing that up.

I have been trying to install the Google API key for the embedded maps feature of the 3.4 version. I have tried several different keys or client ids, and enabled different APIs in the Google API console. I haven't hit on the right combination of this multitude of parameters yet. Could you please tell me: 1) What exact Google API key needs to be enabled- is it the Google Maps JavaScript API, or is it one of the related APIs such as Google Maps Embed API, or is it a combination of different ones? 2) Are there any other steps to get the settings right for the plugin other than to enter the key that is created above? 3) Is there a time lag for the key to be recognized and for the application to work? 4) Most importantly, could you release a version that doesn't have this map feature. I believe its usefulness is outweighed by the installation issues and the appearance isn't that good, taking up a lot of space whether or not it works. I can easily look up any location myself in a separate tab and I will have more features for this.
Thanks!

Hi Stephen,

Thanks for your feedback. For the API Key, I went to this page : https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/get-api-key#key

Then I generate a standard key and first I have to create a project in Google Console. By the way you must be on a real server to make it work. It won't work on localhost.

Finally we haven't planned to deploy this plugin without the maps, but we'll look into it. In the minetime, I can guide you to disable this function inside the code.

Thanks again for your feedback

Thanks, Martin for your response.
After trying all variables, I am quite confident that I created the project in Google Console, got the API Key that is needed, verified the site (property), and followed all instructions from the page you mention as well as the console developers page. I inserted the key in the space for it in the Group Management settings, removing any spaces before or after the key. It is still not working.

Is there anything else that needs to be setup for this plugin to work? For example, in Location Settings, there is a space for a Google Maps API V3 key. For now, I am leaving this blank. Does this need to be filled with the same key as the one used for the Settings in Group Management? Or a different key. The link below the Google Maps API V3 space goes to a lengthy documentation page that doesn't add any more clarity of installation.

Also, the directions on the page you site say that the second step is to insert not only the key but text surrounding the key. Moodle will not accept this as a valid entry, only the key itself. But as stated above, the key itself doesn't work either.

Also, regarding being on a real server, not local host, does this mean that I can't do this from my desktop internet access? The installation is on a VPS hosted server which I do have root access to but I am not familiar with this operation. No other keys that I have used have required anything other than input via an internet connection on a desktop computer.

Finally, thanks very much for considering an option to not have this feature. I know that when making a beautiful project such as this, one wants to have everything that can make it optimal. I could quite understand if you felt this feature needed to stay. Let me say however, that this plugin is a game changer for my site. I have long searched for a way to have students create their own groups and password protect them, giving them maximum control over their education. And this site does this very well. So given the extreme and unique value that the basic operations have, and the, by comparison, much more minimal and ordinary value that the maps feature has, and the exponential degree of difficulty added to the plugin installation, I would still see it as a good thing to do to offer this plugin without the maps feature.

Thanks very much for putting this together, we all benefit from it,
Stephen

Almost forgot, yes I would greatly value your guidance in disabling this function. I am not great working with code though. Could you do it yourself and send me the plugin file ready for upload with this function disabled? That might be a work around having to do a whole separate version that doesn't have this feature. Thanks again!

Hi Stephen, sorry it took me so long but know you have a new functional version and you can choose if you want to show the map or not ;)

Hope it's gonna help.

Martin