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1: <html> 2: <head> 3: <meta name=Title content="Session Two: Spreadsheet and Messaging (Matthew)"> 4: <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=macintosh"> 5: <link rel=Edit-Time-Data href="Session%20Tw1_files/editdata.mso"> 6: <title>Session Two: Spreadsheet and Messaging (Matthew)</title> 7: <style> 30: </style> 31: </head> 32: <body bgcolor=#FFFFFF link=blue vlink=purple class="Normal" lang=EN-US> 33: <div class=Section1> 34: <h2>Session Two: Spreadsheet and Messaging (Matthew)</h2> 35: <h3><a name="_Toc421867092">Spreadsheets</a></h3> 36: The spreadsheet presents data on student performance on 37: homework problems. Spreadsheets are handled by loncom/interface/lonspreadsheet.pm 38: and are completely web based. A person who has selected a student role will 39: access the spreadsheets using the [GRDS] button. A course coordinator is given 40: access via the [SPRS] button. Students are not able to see data on anyone's 41: performance but their own. Students are also not allowed to save spreadsheets. 42: 43: <h3><a name="_Toc421867093">Spreadsheet Structure and Hierarchy</a></h3> 44: The spreadsheets are laid out in the typical fashion, 45: with some limitations. There can only be 52 columns, addressed [A-Za-z]. There 46: may be any number of rows, but currently there do not exist facilities to 47: add rows other than those automatically generated. 48: There are three levels of spreadsheets, as illustrated 49: in Fig. 2.2.1. <img width=432 height=278 51: src="Session%20Tw1_files/image003.png" v:shapes="_x0000_i1025"> 52: Fig. 2.1.1 � Spreadsheet 53: Hierarchy 54: The rightmost spreadsheets are the assessment spreadsheets. 55: The middle spreadsheets are the student spreadsheets. The left spreadsheet 56: is the course spreadsheet. 57: <h3><a name="_Toc421867094">Export Rows</a></h3> 58: The hierarchy of spreadsheets described above allows 59: data from the lower level spreadsheets (assessment and student) to be exported 60: up to the higher level spreadsheets (student and course, respectively). Row 61: 0 is the export row. Only the cells A0-Z0 are exported. Cells a0-z0 are not 62: exported and can be used as 'scratch' space for the results exported in A0-Z0. 63: 64: The export rows in the image are shown shaded in 65: figure 2.2.1. Where the exported rows appear in the student and course spreadsheets 66: is indicated by arrows. 67: <h3><a name="_Toc421867095">Assessment Spreadsheet</a></h3> 68: The assessment spreadsheet gives data on the students 69: performance on a specific resource in LON-CAPA (typically a *.problem resource). 70: Parameters such as the due date, the number of tries possible, the number 71: of attempts made, the correctness of the student solution, and any <parameter> 72: tags inserted in the resource will be shown. Fig. 2.2.2 73: shows an example of an assessment spreadsheet. 74: <img width=432 height=290 75: src="Session%20Tw1_files/image005.jpg" v:shapes="_x0000_i1026"> 76: Fig. 2.2.2 � Example Spreadsheet on Assessment Level 78: <h3><a name="_Toc421867096">Student Spreadsheet</a></h3> 79: Each assessment spreadsheet exports a row into the student 80: spreadsheet. Fig 2.2.3 shows an example student spreadsheet. The student spreadsheet 81: exports a row to the course spreadsheet. 82: Fig. 2.2.3 shows the next level up spreadsheet with the exported 84: data from this sheet. 85: <img width=431 height=240 86: src="Session%20Tw1_files/image007.jpg" v:shapes="_x0000_i1027"> 87: Fig. 2.2.3 88: � Default Spreadsheet on Student Level 89: <h3><a name="_Toc421867097">Course Spreadsheet</a></h3> 90: The course spreadsheet gives a summary of each students performance in the 91: course as a whole. Fig 2.2.4 shows the default course spreadsheet. 93: <img width=432 height=143 94: src="Session%20Tw1_files/image009.jpg" v:shapes="_x0000_i1028"> 95: Fig. 2.2.4 96: � Default Spreadsheet on Course Level 97: <h3><a name="_Toc421867098">Spreadsheet definition</a></h3> 98: The default spreadsheets are defined via xml. Fig. 99: 2.2.5 shows a sample definition of a 100: spreadsheet. However, it is possible to work with spreadsheets and never edit 101: the xml for the spreadsheet itself. By modifying the contents of cells via 102: the web interface and saving the results, instructors can create as complicated 103: a spreadsheet as they like. It is now possible for users to upload spreadsheets 104: to the library server, publish them, and set them as the default sheets for 105: their course. 106: <div style='border:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt'> 107: [www@zaphod www]$ cat /home/httpd/html/res/adm/includes/default.assesscalc 109: <field col=A row=0>[stores_0_solved]</field> 111: <field col=B row=0>'Tries:'</field> 113: <field col=C row=0>[stores_0_tries]</field> 115: <field col=D row=0>'Timestamp:'</field> 117: <field col=E row=0>[timestamp]</field> 119: <field col=F row=0>'Duedate:'</field> 121: <field col=G row=0>[parameter_0_duedate]</field> 123: <field col=W row=0>'Available Points:'</field> 125: <field col=X row=0>[parameter_0_weight]</field> 127: <field col=Y row=0>'Awarded Points:'</field> 129: <field col=Z row=0>[parameter_0_weight]*[stores_0_awarded]</field> 131: </div> 132: Fig. 2.2.5 133: � Default Spreadsheet on Assessment Level 134: <h3><a name="_Toc421867099">Template Row</a></h3> 135: The template row of a spreadsheets will make the contents 136: of a given column identical for each row. The contents of the template row 137: are shown verbatim, and not evaluated. Fig 2.2.6 shows the template row in 138: use. 139: <img width=432 height=215 140: src="Session%20Tw1_files/image011.jpg" v:shapes="_x0000_i1029"> 141: Fig. 2.2.7 142: � Customized Spreadsheet on Student Level Shows 143: a course-customized student-level spreadsheet with many of these functions, 144: templates and wildcards in action. In the dialog window, &SUM(�d*�) is entered as the expression for cell H0, which will 147: add up all cells in column d. The template row is used to define expressions 148: for columns a, b, c, and d, where for b and d both the �#� wildcard and access 149: to the EXT function is used in order to multiply the respective X and Z cells 150: in each row with 1 or 0 depending on whether the value in G (the duedate) 151: is smaller or larger than the system time (�?� is the standard Perl choice 152: operator). 153: <h3><a name="_Toc421867100">What goes in a cell</a></h3> 154: A cell contains either parameter data (which cannot be 155: changed) or perl code. Additionally, cells can contain references to other 156: cells and these references can be passed as parameters to perl functions. 157: Parameters can be accessed via the cell they are stored in or by the parameter 158: name. 159: <h3><a name="_Toc421867101">Parameter Access</a></h3> 160: Parameters can be accessed by enclosing the parameter 161: name in square brackets. A new feature allows the accessing of parameters 162: by enclosing only enough information to lead to a unique parameter. "[part_0_duedate]" 163: will give the same value as "[duedate]" if there are no other parameters 164: which contain the string "duedate". 165: <h3><a name="_Toc421867102">Addressing other cells</a></h3> 166: Cells are specified by the letter-number combination 167: of their position in the table, for example "A5". There are also 168: wildcards '*' and '#' which are used in ranges and templates, respectively, 169: and symbolic names. 170: Valid ranges are for example "A5..C7" 171: which is the square between cells A5 to C7, as in A5, A6, A7, B5, etc. Also, 172: wildcards can be used, as in "A*" for column A, or "*5" 173: for row 5. For example, &SUM("d*") will add up all cells in 174: column d. The table below gives a brief summary of the range options. 175: *          176: all rows, all columns 177: B*       all rows 178: in column B 179: *5        all 180: columns in row 5 181: C5..F25           182: all cells in the rectangle between C5 and F25 183: The template row allows the use of "A#", which will result in "A5" 184: in row 5, "A6" in row 6, etc. 186: Spreadsheet Functions 187: Many perl functions are available 188: in the spreadsheet (see "The Safe Environment" below). Additionally, 189: some spreadsheet specific functions have been defined as well. A complete 190: list is available by executing 'perldoc loncapa/loncom/interface/lonspreadsheet.pm' 191: on the command line. An abbreviated table appears in Fig. 2.2.7. 192: <div style='border:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt'> 193: &NUM(range) � number 195: of non-empty cells in range 196: &BIN(low, high, range) 198: � number of non-empty cells in range 199: with values between low and 200: high 201: &SUM(range) � sum of 203: the non-empty cells in range 204: &MEAN(range) � mean value 206: of non-empty cells in range 207: &STDDEV(range) � standard 209: deviation of non-empty cells in range 210: &PROD(range) � product 212: of non-empty cells in range 213: &MAX(range) � maximum 215: value of non-empty cell in range 216: &MIN(range) � minimum 218: value of non-empty cells in range 219: &SUMMAX(n ,range) � sum 221: of the maximum n non-empty 222: cells in range 223: &SUMMIN(n, range) � sum 225: of the minimum n non-empty 226: cells in range 227: &EXT(expression) � access 229: to EXT function in lonnet 231: </div> 232: Fig. 2.2.7 233: � Available Functions in Spreadsheet 234: <h3><a name="_Toc421867103">The Safe Environment</a></h3> 235: The spreadsheet cells are evaluated in a "Safe" 236: environment. The module Safe.pm is included in the standard systemperl RPM 237: put out by the LON-CAPA developers, but is written by Tim Bunce and Malcolm 238: Beattie. If you execute 'perldoc Safe' you can read the documentation for 239: the module. 240: The Safe.pm module allows users to "compile 241: and execute code in restricted compartments". We use this to allow users 242: to implement in their spreadsheets a restricted set of perl functions, variables, 243: and operators. No one using the spreadsheet should ever need access to the 244: basic IO functions of Perl, for example, so these are not made available to 245: the users. 246: Each cell is evaluated within the same safe space, 247: so cells can actually contain function and declarations. 248: There is information the user may need which is 249: not contained in the cells of the spreadsheet. So we poke a hole in the safe 250: space using the Safe::Hole module. This lets us allow access to external information. 251: Obviously this needs to be done with some degree of caution. 252: At the beginning of lonspreadsheet.pm we have the 253: following code: 254: use Safe; 255: use Safe::Hole; 256: The function &initsheet, which is called when 257: a spreadsheet is created or modified, defines the safe space for the execution 258: of spreadsheet code: 259: sub initsheet { 260:     my 261: $safeeval = new Safe(shift); 262:     my 263: $safehole = new Safe::Hole; 264:     $safeeval->permit("entereval"); 265:     $safeeval->permit(":base_math"); 266:     $safeeval->permit("sort"); 267:     $safeeval->deny(":base_io"); 268:     $safehole->wrap(\&Apache::lonnet::EXT,$safeeval,'&EXT'); 269:     my 270: $code=<<'ENDDEFS'; 271: . 272: functions and variables 273: needed in the safe space are defined here 274: . 275: ENDDEFS 276:     $safeeval->reval($code); 277:     return 278: $safeeval; 279: } 280: <h3><a name="_Toc421867104">Change is coming</a></h3> 281: Currently the spreadsheet is scheduled to undergo 282: major revisions by the end of the summer. The goal of these revisions is to 283: increase the speed and add some requested functionality. We hope to add: 284: *          285: Improved exporting of the spreadsheet date to client side spreadsheets 286: *          287: Exporting of spreadsheet xml - allowing users to save spreadsheets from their 288: classes for reuse. 289: *          290: Additional spreadsheet functions. 291: <h3>  </h3> 292: <h3><a name="_Toc421867105">Discussion</a></h3> 293: loncapa/loncom/interface/lonfeedback.pm handles 294: feedback on resources. Feedback can be for course discussion of a resource 295: or to communicate with the author of the resource. In the latter case, a screenshot 296: of the resource and (if applicable) the students previous attempts to solve 297: the problem. 298: Course discussion messages appear at the bottom 299: of the resource being discussed. There are two types of attribution in course 300: discussion messages. Users may choose to have their LON-CAPA id shown to everyone 301: or they may have it shown only to instructors. Complete anonymity is not an 302: option. If the users choose to hide their LON-CAPA id (an 'anonymous' message), 303: they can set the name given in the [PREF] page. 304: Figures 2.2.8 through 2.2.10 show 306: a course discussion feedback cycle. 307: <img width=256 height=63 308: src="Session%20Tw1_files/image013.jpg" v:shapes="_x0000_i1030"> 309: Fig 2.2.8 - A Simple Resource 311: <img width=301 height=240 312: src="Session%20Tw1_files/image015.jpg" v:shapes="_x0000_i1031"> 313: Fig. 2.2.9 Composing Discussion Feedback  315: <img width=292 height=170 316: src="Session%20Tw1_files/image017.jpg" v:shapes="_x0000_i1032"> 317: Fig 2.2.10 The Resource with Anonymous and Non-anonymous Discussion 319: <h3><a name="_Toc421867106">Messaging</a></h3> 320: </div> 321: <h1> </h1> 322: loncapa/loncom/interface/lonmsg.pm provides functions 323: for sending users messages. All messaging is currently done via lonmsg.pm. The 324: following subroutines handle the sending of various types of messages: 325: author_res_msg 326: Send a message to the author of a resource. 327: user_crit_msg 328: Send a critical message to a user. Critical messages 329: require the user to acknowledge receipt before any other action in LON-CAPA 330: can be taken. 331: user_crit_received 332: Notify the sender of a critical message that the 333: message has been received. 334: user_normal_msg 335: Send a non-critical message to a user. 336: statuschange 337: Change the status of a message (read, replied, forwarded, 338: etc) 339: The lonmsg::handler takes care of the display and 340: sending of messages. If you have the time, communicate with yourself! Note: 341: Critical messages are displayed on login to LON-CAPA. Some message types are 342: only available for course coordinators. 343: <h3> </h3> 344: <h3><a name="_Toc421867107">Resource Feedback</a></h3> 345: <img border=0 width=432 height=304 id="_x0000_i1028" 346: src="handout_files/image004.jpg"> 347: Fig. 2.2.11 348: � Example of a Feedback 349: 351: <div class=Section2> </div> 352: </body> 353: </html>