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Friday, June 1, 2012

Upload files faster and easier in Moodle 1.9 with less mouse clicks. What do you think?

Moodle 1.9.x is like old wine that keeps getting better. There are a 1,001 different ways to innovate and enhance the code. Here's what I managed to do, recently, with the "Link to file or website" resource.



The humble Browse button has sprouted siblings. In this case nine other Browse buttons. Why settle for just one Browse button, when you can have 10 of them! In the screenshot above, you are 11 clicks away from uploading 10 files. Still, you might argue that that's 11 clicks too many still. However, considering that there are no page refreshes between which picking of each file, this feature will be welcomed, I am sure, by teachers and site administrators.

Secondly, here's what I did to enhance the "Advanced loading of files" assignment activity. Now students can upload multiple files within a Moodle assignment. They should now have less reasons why Moodle is so "clunky". The benefit of this? Less mouse clicks, less page refreshes and more student and user satisfaction. After all, time is money.






Again, the Browse button has multiplied like rabbits. To get the full 'flavour' of what I've just done after N number of hours, you are invited watch this 5-minute Youtube video. Seing is believing.






On a side note, when thinking and talking about multiple file uploads, you can't go wrong with Guy Thomas’ most excellent “Enhanced File Module (multiple uploads)” resource type for Moodle 1.9. 

Guy Thomas' work is one of the best examples I can find on http://moodle.org. A package or plugin that meets a gaping need in a stock, vanilla Moodle 1.9. The need is to "multiple-select" a bunch of files and then upload all with a single click. However, it only works for Site Administrators and not by students.

For installation details and additional information on how I enabled this for my Moodle 1.9.15 production site, read my post here.

Lastly, if this post has benefited  either your yourelf, or your institution, please either comment below, or send an  E-mail to boonsengkam@gmail.com.


Adios for now!
Frankie Kam
Melaka, Malaysia


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