Versions
========

1.9 as branch MOODLE_19_STABLE (Status : RELEASE)

2.2 as branch MOODLE_22_STABLE (Status : BETA)

Dashboard element block
=======================

the dashboard element block is of use with flexible Moodle
page formats allowing free setup of the page layout using blocks.

It implements a "dashboard element" capable to plot and render in
many graphic output formats any result of a complex query presented
to the Moodle database (or an eventual external PostGre schema).

Given a full query, the dashboard block mashes up :

- Data table output
+ Linear (records) data table
+ Tabular (cross dimension) tables
+ Treeview (on hierarchical mapped results)

- Graphic plotting using JQPlot
+ Line graphs
+ Bar graphs
+ Pie graphs
+ Donuts graphs

- Geographic plotting (using GoogleMaps API)
+ Google Maps + query data plotting
+ Possibility to change icons and plor mutiple class data using course files
+ Geocoding requests to Google handled (up to 2500 per day) with static long term caching
=> Will evolve

- Time special plotting : Integrating SIMILE Timeline plugin
+ Plot on a timeline plugin of "instant" and "time duration" events
+ possibility of setting up color classes for events
+ possibility to customize "instant" pin icons from course files
=> Will evolve

- Data output additional features
+ Data output formatting (using sprintf formatting)
+ Filters (selecting output or query fields for filtering)
+ Summators : displaying computed sums of output fields
+ Cumulative mode : Produces cumulative sum of a field without extra query
+ Data colouring and marking (on tables) using comparison formulas (ex: %% == 0 )
+ Mappable Labels for ALL query field names

- Performance features
+ Result caching (programmable retension delay)
+ Croned refresh of cache
+ Instance adjustable refresh mode or global cron settings

# Install
#########


1. Deploy the block in Moodle/blocks as usual

2. Activate notifications to isntall the data model

3. Create a course, better a flexipage or paged format course if available

4. Add a Dashboard block and write a query

5. Define output fields, output modes, output labels... and discover features....

# Install additive for running timelines
========================================

Timeline needs to be post page loading activated. We got some issue to stack onload events
on body element. The solution is till now to add a late call to initialisation in footer :

Add this statement :

if (function_exists('timeline_initialize')) timeline_initialize();

As latest possible statement in footer.

Enjoy nice plotting...