--- loncom/html/adm/help/tex/Resource_Types.tex 2002/07/18 15:52:27 1.2
+++ loncom/html/adm/help/tex/Resource_Types.tex 2013/08/30 15:05:58 1.8
@@ -1,25 +1,183 @@
\label{Resource_Types}
-LON-CAPA provides three types of resources for organizing your course website.
-LON-CAPA refers to these resources as Content Pages, Problems, and Maps.
-Maps may be either of two types: Sequences or Pages. You will use these LON-CAPA
-resources to build the outline, or structure, for the presentation of your
-course to your students.
+LON-CAPA provides several types of resources for organizing your course website.
+Resource behavior is determined by file extension. Valid extensions are:
+.xml, .html, .xhtml, .htm, .xhtm, .problem, .page, .sequence, .rights,
+.sty, .task, .library, .js, .css, .txt.
\begin{itemize}
-\item A \textbf{Content Page}\index{Content Page} displays course content. It
-is essentially a conventional HTML page. These resources use the extension
-{}``.html''.
-\item A \textbf{Problem}\index{Problem} resource represents problems for the students
+\item A \textbf{.css} cascading style sheet file \index{.css}\index{css}\index{cascading style sheet}
+can be published for use in multiple courses.
+Use of a specific CSS style within a resource can be set using an html tag within a text
+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}
+
+
+After the Earth and Mars, which other body in our
+solar system is thought to be the next most likely site for finding
+life?
+
+
+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
-files that must use the extension {}``.problem''.
-\item A \textbf{Sequence}\index{Sequence} is a type of \textbf{Map}\index{Map}
+files that must use the extension {}``.problem''. Problems are coded in a combination
+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
-can use directional buttons on their remote or the NAV button to follow the
+can use links to follow the
sequence. Sequences are stored in files that must use the extension {}``.sequence''.
Sequences can contain other sequences and pages.
-\item A \textbf{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''.
+
+A published sequence contains XML which describes which LON-CAPA resources are to be
+grouped together in a folder. If a .sequence file is imported in its entirety
+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}
+
+
+
+
+ \section{
+ \section{
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ }
+ }
+
+
+\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}