Diff for /loncom/html/adm/help/tex/Resource_Types.tex between versions 1.3 and 1.8

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 \label{Resource_Types}  \label{Resource_Types}
   
 LON-CAPA provides three types of resources for organizing your course website.  LON-CAPA provides several types of resources for organizing your course website. 
 LON-CAPA refers to these resources as HTML files, Problems, and Maps.  Resource behavior is determined by file extension. Valid extensions are:
 Maps may be either of two types: Sequences or Composite Pages. You can use LON-CAPA Maps  .xml, .html, .xhtml, .htm, .xhtm, .problem, .page, .sequence, .rights,
 resources to build the outline, or structure, for the presentation of your  .sty, .task, .library, .js, .css, .txt.
 course to your students.  
   
 \begin{itemize}  \begin{itemize}
 \item A \textbf{HTML file}\index{HTML file}\index{Content Page}, (formerly known as a Content Page), displays course content. It  \item A \textbf{.css} cascading style sheet file \index{.css}\index{css}\index{cascading style sheet} 
 is a conventional HTML page. These resources use the extension  can be published for use in multiple courses.
 {}``.html''.  Use of a specific CSS style within a resource can be set using an html tag within a text
 \item A \textbf{Problem}\index{Problem} resource represents problems for the students  block that refers to a class by name, where the class is included in the
   published css file.  You would specify use
   of the css file with a $<$link$>$ tag, and indicate a file dependency with
   an allow tag (if the $<$allow$>$ tag is not specified LON-CAPA should add it
   at the first publication step).
   
   \begin{verbatim}
   <startouttext />
   <link rel="stylesheet" index="11"
   href="/res/yourname/yourpath/testcss.css" type="text/css" />
   <span class="Yellow">After the Earth and Mars, which other body in our
   solar system is thought to be the next most likely site for finding
   life?</span><endouttext />
   <allow src="/res/yourname/yourpath/testcss.css" />
   
   where testcss.css contains:
   
   .Yellow {
     color: yellow;
   }
   \end{verbatim}
   
   It also possible to indicate use of a css file within a course,
   course-wide, for a specific folder, or specific resource etc, by setting
   the parameter: CSS file to link [Part: 0] (cssfile).
   
   \item A \textbf{.html} HTML file\index{HTML file}\index{content page}\index{.htm, .html, xhtm, xhtml}, 
   (formerly known as a Content Page), displays course content. It is a conventional HTML page. 
   These resources use the extension
   {}``.html''. By using the ``New File..'' dropdown, you can enter a file name with one
   of the other extensions, htm, xhtml, xhtm, xml. For more information see the section \ref{Content_Page_Overview}.
   
   Although the extensions: xhtml and xhtm imply that the file should be
   xhtml compliant (i.e., be a valid document, according to w3c validation
   meaning (amongst other things): all elements closed; attributes
   case-sensitive; attributes required by certain elements, certain
   specials characters need to be included as entities in some attributes
   etc.), LON-CAPA does not test whether a document with an xhtml extension
   is actually valid xhtml.
   
   Files of type .xml are supported for legacy files, but it is suggested that new files
   are one of the html varieties. See also the .library file description for xml.
   
   \item A \textbf{.problem} Problem\index{problem}\index{.problem} resource represents problems for the students
 to solve, with answers stored in the system. These resources are stored in  to solve, with answers stored in the system. These resources are stored in
 files that must use the extension {}``.problem''.  files that must use the extension {}``.problem''. Problems are coded in a combination
 \item A \textbf{Sequence}\index{Sequence} is a type of \textbf{Map}\index{Map}  of Perl and xml markup tags. Most of this manual concerns authoring problems. For an overview
   see the section \ref{Problem_Types}
   
   \item A \textbf{.page} Page\index{page}\index{.page} is a type of \textbf{Map}\index{map} which
   is used to join other resources together into one HTML page. For example,
   a page of problems will appears as a problem set. These resources are stored
   in files that must use the extension {}``.page''. 
   
   For performance purposes it is best not to include too may resources in a
   .page (8 would be a good limit; and likely fewer if maxima or R are
   required for computation).  The course editor offers similar tool called 
   a ``Composite page'' which resides within a course rather than in the published
   repository.
   
   The underying XML structure, and 
   behavior of a .page file are the same as used for a ``Composite page'',
   which can be added to a course using the Course Editor.  One difference
   between the two is that for a .page in Authoring Space,  one of the
   Authoring Space editors (Simple Edit or Advanced Edit) will be used to
   modify the contents of the file, whereas for a Composite Page, the
   course editor is used.  
   
   Options for reuse of a course Composite page are: (a) use cloning to copy
   everything from the old course to the new; (b) as course coordinator, 
   copy the Composite map into the Course Editor's clipboard, change role to 
   course coordintator in a different course, and past the item
   into the other course from the Course Editor's clipboard.
   
   The course manual describes ways to combine resources in folders, 
   which is an alternative to creating composite pages. The advantage of a .page
   is that they can be printed all at once. The disadvantage is that once a .page
   is published, the contents are more difficult to change. Publishing a .page
   in the repository is suggested if the content does not need to change.
   
   For more information on .pages, see the section \ref{Sequence_Page_Maps}
   
   \item A \textbf{.js} javascript file contains javascript code which might be referenced
   with HTML in a textblock in a LON-CAPA problem in a manner similar to a .css file.
   
   \item A \textbf{.library} library file contains LON-CAPA XML which can be imported into
   other .problem files.  Typically a .library file will hold commonly used subroutines, or 
   data structures (to be called in
   LON-CAPA perl script blocks).  It is included in a problem in the
   colorful editor by using the ``Import a File'' selection in a dropdown
   list in the colorful editor.
   
   \item A \textbf{.sequence} sequence\index{sequence}\index{.sequence} is a type of \textbf{Map}\index{map}
 which is used to link other resources together. The users of this resource  which is used to link other resources together. The users of this resource
 can use directional buttons on the web page or remote to follow the  can use links to follow the
 sequence. Sequences are stored in files that must use the extension {}``.sequence''.  sequence. Sequences are stored in files that must use the extension {}``.sequence''.
 Sequences can contain other sequences and pages.  Sequences can contain other sequences and pages.
 \item A \textbf{Composite Page}\index{Page} is a type of \textbf{Map\index{Map}} which  
 is used to join other resources together into one HTML page. For example,  A published sequence contains XML which describes which LON-CAPA resources are to be
 a page of problems will appears as a problem set. These resources are stored  grouped together in a folder. If a .sequence file is imported in its entirety 
 in files that must use the extension {}``.page''. The course manual describes ways to combine resources in folders, which is an alternative to creating composite pages.  then there is limited
   control over which specific resources are shown, and in which order. The
   ``Randomorder'' and ``Randompick'' checkboxes in the Course Editor can be
   used to cause the resources to be displayed in a randomorder (randomized
   for each user), and to display M of the total N resources in the
   sequence (again the choice of which M are shown is randomized for each
   user).  By contrast, if the ``Import from Assembled Map'', 
   a ``Select Map'' link will allow all resources in the
   published sequence to be imported into the current folder, as distinct
   resources, allowing them to be reordered, and cut/removed, as preferred
   using the standard Course Editor tools.
   
   Conditional sequences are published sequence files for which conditions
   have been specified for one or more links between resources in the map.
    These have to be created using the ``Advanced Edit'' button when creating
   a new sequence file in Authoring Space.  These are the types of sequence
   for  which a student's progress through a series of resources can be
   specified. Grading of conditional sequences can be complicated.
   
   \item A .rights file is used to specify custom access rights for a published
   resource. The access rights to apply to a specific resource are
   specified on publication (or republication) of the resource.  A .rights
   file also must be published to be selectable during resource publication
   as a ``Custom Distribution File'' when ``Customized right of use ...'' is selected from the
   ``Copyright/Distribution'' dropdown list. See the section \ref{Publishing_Copyright}.
   
   \item A .sty is a LON-CAPA style file used to apply custom styling to specific
   tags in a LON-CAPA problem. The styles defined in the file can be applied to display of all
   resources in a course using:
   
   Main Menu-$>$Modify course configuration-$>$Display of resources
   (checked) + click ``Display'' button-$>$Click ``Select Style File'' link (
   Default XML style file item) to launch window to select published .sty
   file, then click ``Save Changes'' in main window.
   
   Style files can contain different instructions for different
   targets (e.g., web or tex). For example, the following style file would replace 
   the $<$h1$>$-tag in all
   incorporated pages by the annoying $<$blink$>$-tag:
   
   \begin{verbatim}
   <definetag name = "h1">
      <meta></meta>
      <render>
         <web><blink></web>
         <tex>\section{</tex>
         <latexsource>\section{</latexsource>  
     </render>
   </definetag>
   
   
   <definetag name = "/h1">
      <meta></meta>
      <render>
         <web></blink></web>
         <tex>}</tex>
         <latexsource>}</latexsource>  
     </render>
   </definetag>
   \end{verbatim}
   
   To use the .sty in a course, within the course, In PARM - ``Set Course Environment'' 
   you can specify a style file for your course under ``Default XML Style File''.
   
   When printing, LON-CAPA will use the tex \textbackslash section as 
   $<$h1$>$-rendering.
   
   Note that .css is perhaps a more modern way to acheive formatting.
    
   \item A \textbf{.task} task file is a bridge task file. Bridge tasks permit
   assessment using rubrics. See the Bridge Task section \ref{BridgeTask_About}.
 \end{itemize}  \end{itemize}

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