Annotation of loncom/html/adm/help/tex/Resource_Types.tex, revision 1.8
1.2 bowersj2 1: \label{Resource_Types}
1.1 bowersj2 2:
1.4 lira 3: LON-CAPA provides several types of resources for organizing your course website.
1.8 ! raeburn 4: Resource behavior is determined by file extension. Valid extensions are:
1.4 lira 5: .xml, .html, .xhtml, .htm, .xhtm, .problem, .page, .sequence, .rights,
6: .sty, .task, .library, .js, .css, .txt.
1.1 bowersj2 7:
8: \begin{itemize}
1.4 lira 9: \item A \textbf{.css} cascading style sheet file \index{.css}\index{css}\index{cascading style sheet}
1.8 ! raeburn 10: can be published for use in multiple courses.
1.4 lira 11: Use of a specific CSS style within a resource can be set using an html tag within a text
12: block that refers to a class by name, where the class is included in the
13: published css file. You would specify use
1.5 raeburn 14: of the css file with a $<$link$>$ tag, and indicate a file dependency with
15: an allow tag (if the $<$allow$>$ tag is not specified LON-CAPA should add it
1.4 lira 16: at the first publication step).
17:
18: \begin{verbatim}
19: <startouttext />
20: <link rel="stylesheet" index="11"
21: href="/res/yourname/yourpath/testcss.css" type="text/css" />
22: <span class="Yellow">After the Earth and Mars, which other body in our
23: solar system is thought to be the next most likely site for finding
24: life?</span><endouttext />
25: <allow src="/res/yourname/yourpath/testcss.css" />
26:
27: where testcss.css contains:
28:
29: .Yellow {
30: color: yellow;
31: }
32: \end{verbatim}
33:
34: It also possible to indicate use of a css file within a course,
35: course-wide, for a specific folder, or specific resource etc, by setting
36: the parameter: CSS file to link [Part: 0] (cssfile).
37:
38: \item A \textbf{.html} HTML file\index{HTML file}\index{content page}\index{.htm, .html, xhtm, xhtml},
39: (formerly known as a Content Page), displays course content. It is a conventional HTML page.
40: These resources use the extension
1.7 lira 41: {}``.html''. By using the ``New File..'' dropdown, you can enter a file name with one
1.4 lira 42: of the other extensions, htm, xhtml, xhtm, xml. For more information see the section \ref{Content_Page_Overview}.
43:
44: Although the extensions: xhtml and xhtm imply that the file should be
45: xhtml compliant (i.e., be a valid document, according to w3c validation
46: meaning (amongst other things): all elements closed; attributes
47: case-sensitive; attributes required by certain elements, certain
48: specials characters need to be included as entities in some attributes
49: etc.), LON-CAPA does not test whether a document with an xhtml extension
50: is actually valid xhtml.
51:
52: Files of type .xml are supported for legacy files, but it is suggested that new files
1.8 ! raeburn 53: are one of the html varieties. See also the .library file description for xml.
1.4 lira 54:
55: \item A \textbf{.problem} Problem\index{problem}\index{.problem} resource represents problems for the students
1.1 bowersj2 56: to solve, with answers stored in the system. These resources are stored in
1.4 lira 57: files that must use the extension {}``.problem''. Problems are coded in a combination
58: of Perl and xml markup tags. Most of this manual concerns authoring problems. For an overview
59: see the section \ref{Problem_Types}
60:
61: \item A \textbf{.page} Page\index{page}\index{.page} is a type of \textbf{Map}\index{map} which
62: is used to join other resources together into one HTML page. For example,
63: a page of problems will appears as a problem set. These resources are stored
64: in files that must use the extension {}``.page''.
65:
66: For performance purposes it is best not to include too may resources in a
67: .page (8 would be a good limit; and likely fewer if maxima or R are
68: required for computation). The course editor offers similar tool called
1.7 lira 69: a ``Composite page'' which resides within a course rather than in the published
1.4 lira 70: repository.
71:
72: The underying XML structure, and
1.7 lira 73: behavior of a .page file are the same as used for a ``Composite page'',
1.4 lira 74: which can be added to a course using the Course Editor. One difference
75: between the two is that for a .page in Authoring Space, one of the
76: Authoring Space editors (Simple Edit or Advanced Edit) will be used to
77: modify the contents of the file, whereas for a Composite Page, the
78: course editor is used.
79:
80: Options for reuse of a course Composite page are: (a) use cloning to copy
81: everything from the old course to the new; (b) as course coordinator,
82: copy the Composite map into the Course Editor's clipboard, change role to
83: course coordintator in a different course, and past the item
1.8 ! raeburn 84: into the other course from the Course Editor's clipboard.
1.4 lira 85:
86: The course manual describes ways to combine resources in folders,
87: which is an alternative to creating composite pages. The advantage of a .page
88: is that they can be printed all at once. The disadvantage is that once a .page
89: is published, the contents are more difficult to change. Publishing a .page
90: in the repository is suggested if the content does not need to change.
91:
92: For more information on .pages, see the section \ref{Sequence_Page_Maps}
93:
94: \item A \textbf{.js} javascript file contains javascript code which might be referenced
95: with HTML in a textblock in a LON-CAPA problem in a manner similar to a .css file.
96:
97: \item A \textbf{.library} library file contains LON-CAPA XML which can be imported into
98: other .problem files. Typically a .library file will hold commonly used subroutines, or
99: data structures (to be called in
100: LON-CAPA perl script blocks). It is included in a problem in the
1.7 lira 101: colorful editor by using the ``Import a File'' selection in a dropdown
1.4 lira 102: list in the colorful editor.
103:
104: \item A \textbf{.sequence} sequence\index{sequence}\index{.sequence} is a type of \textbf{Map}\index{map}
1.1 bowersj2 105: which is used to link other resources together. The users of this resource
1.4 lira 106: can use links to follow the
1.1 bowersj2 107: sequence. Sequences are stored in files that must use the extension {}``.sequence''.
108: Sequences can contain other sequences and pages.
1.4 lira 109:
110: A published sequence contains XML which describes which LON-CAPA resources are to be
111: grouped together in a folder. If a .sequence file is imported in its entirety
112: then there is limited
113: control over which specific resources are shown, and in which order. The
1.7 lira 114: ``Randomorder'' and ``Randompick'' checkboxes in the Course Editor can be
1.4 lira 115: used to cause the resources to be displayed in a randomorder (randomized
116: for each user), and to display M of the total N resources in the
117: sequence (again the choice of which M are shown is randomized for each
1.7 lira 118: user). By contrast, if the ``Import from Assembled Map'',
119: a ``Select Map'' link will allow all resources in the
1.4 lira 120: published sequence to be imported into the current folder, as distinct
121: resources, allowing them to be reordered, and cut/removed, as preferred
122: using the standard Course Editor tools.
123:
124: Conditional sequences are published sequence files for which conditions
125: have been specified for one or more links between resources in the map.
1.7 lira 126: These have to be created using the ``Advanced Edit'' button when creating
1.4 lira 127: a new sequence file in Authoring Space. These are the types of sequence
128: for which a student's progress through a series of resources can be
129: specified. Grading of conditional sequences can be complicated.
130:
131: \item A .rights file is used to specify custom access rights for a published
132: resource. The access rights to apply to a specific resource are
133: specified on publication (or republication) of the resource. A .rights
134: file also must be published to be selectable during resource publication
1.7 lira 135: as a ``Custom Distribution File'' when ``Customized right of use ...'' is selected from the
136: ``Copyright/Distribution'' dropdown list. See the section \ref{Publishing_Copyright}.
1.4 lira 137:
138: \item A .sty is a LON-CAPA style file used to apply custom styling to specific
139: tags in a LON-CAPA problem. The styles defined in the file can be applied to display of all
140: resources in a course using:
141:
1.6 raeburn 142: Main Menu-$>$Modify course configuration-$>$Display of resources
1.7 lira 143: (checked) + click ``Display'' button-$>$Click ``Select Style File'' link (
1.4 lira 144: Default XML style file item) to launch window to select published .sty
1.7 lira 145: file, then click ``Save Changes'' in main window.
1.4 lira 146:
147: Style files can contain different instructions for different
148: targets (e.g., web or tex). For example, the following style file would replace
1.5 raeburn 149: the $<$h1$>$-tag in all
150: incorporated pages by the annoying $<$blink$>$-tag:
1.4 lira 151:
152: \begin{verbatim}
153: <definetag name = "h1">
154: <meta></meta>
155: <render>
156: <web><blink></web>
157: <tex>\section{</tex>
158: <latexsource>\section{</latexsource>
159: </render>
160: </definetag>
161:
162:
163: <definetag name = "/h1">
164: <meta></meta>
165: <render>
166: <web></blink></web>
167: <tex>}</tex>
168: <latexsource>}</latexsource>
169: </render>
170: </definetag>
171: \end{verbatim}
172:
1.7 lira 173: To use the .sty in a course, within the course, In PARM - ``Set Course Environment''
174: you can specify a style file for your course under ``Default XML Style File''.
1.4 lira 175:
176: When printing, LON-CAPA will use the tex \textbackslash section as
1.5 raeburn 177: $<$h1$>$-rendering.
1.4 lira 178:
179: Note that .css is perhaps a more modern way to acheive formatting.
180:
181: \item A \textbf{.task} task file is a bridge task file. Bridge tasks permit
1.8 ! raeburn 182: assessment using rubrics. See the Bridge Task section \ref{BridgeTask_About}.
1.1 bowersj2 183: \end{itemize}
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