Quiz Builder Media File Migration to Samigo

Owned by Lisa Wilson
Last updated: Nov 14, 2006Version comment
8 min read

Summary

MyUCDavis Quiz Builder users have associated various media, including graphics, .doc and .pdf files with their questions. These media need to be accessible by faculty for migration with their quizzes and question pools.

Desired functionality includes:

  • ability to retrieve from Quiz Builder all files associated with a quiz or question pool
  • ability to identify which media file(s) are associated with each question that is being exported
  • resolution in cases of name collisions

This project is listed in Jira as SAK-270
#Jira Story Card Description is included below for your convenience.

Phases

Analysis

Initial analysis is based on the research noted in My_To_Samigofunc-tech_v1.doc in April 2006. The media count and usage should not have changed appreciably in the last 6 months.

? 16.3% of the quizzes contain images, media or other content files (223 quizzes with media / 1370 total quizzes)
? There are 218 distinct quizzes in Quiz Builder using media files which are owned by 33 faculty and staff.

The following distribution of media types was pulled from the cms database in April 2006.

FILEEXT

FILECOUNT

FILEEXT

FILECOUNT

FILEEXT

FILECOUNT

.jpg

541

.mp3

12

.bat

1

.gif

269

.doc

6

.cfm

1

.pdf

39

.bmp

4

.sql

1

(null)

26

.swf

3

.2

1

.JPG

17

.png

1

 

 

Media in MyUCDavis are associated with questions only, i.e., do not belong to answers or feedback fields. This relationship is illustrated in the database schema shown below.

Quiz Builder Media Usage

Faculty use single or multiple images associated with a question for identification of objects or concepts. For example, an instructor in Veterinary Medicine might use multiple radiograph images along with a downloadable PDF file with those images imbedded to test student diagnostic abilities. A music instructor might use images to ask students to identify musicians, musical scores or notations. Chemistry instructors use images to display chemical formulas and biota for students to identify. An instructor might also ask a student to download a .doc, a .pdf or some other type of non-media file as part of a quiz.

Multiple images or files can be added to a question by uploading them one after another. No screen manipulations are allowed to determine where the files are displayed. Images and/or files can only be associated with the question - not with the answers. The instructor does not have the ability to format or rearrange the appearance of this content, other than by entering the images and other files in the order he/she would like them displayed.

Samigo Media Usage

Adding images and files to Samigo is more complex than in Quiz Builder, but allows more flexibility in layout. Images are generally stored in Resources of the course or related project worksite. A reference link is generated in a question by selecting the image icon and adding in the image url. If multiple images will be added to a quiz, it is easy to open Resources in a new window to access to link information and quizzes at the same time.

Images can be placed before, within or after text, allowing more display control than in Quiz Builder. Multiple images can be added by repeating these actions. Images can be placed in any text area field, including answers and feedback.

The image source reference with this method requires that the file reside in Resources. Once an image URL is generated in Resources, the URL can be used in multiple questions or quizzes. Changing the graphic in Resources, even if the new file has a different name, will replace the image in all URL references and the new image will be renamed with the original file's name.

When a quiz with images referenced to Resources is exported and then imported to another course or site, the path reference is retained and the images are accessible from the new course. Because only the path, but not the actual image is imported, those files associated with quizzes in Quiz Builder would need to be moved separately into Resources, and then referenced within the quiz by their new URL.

Images and documents outside of Sakai can be linked also, as long as the URL is properly formed and the outside location is publicly accessible. For most non-media files, it is best to set the target to "_blank" to open it in a new window. The student will need to either open or save the file. Audio and other media files can be accessed successfully through this method.

Samigo v2.3 adds the ability to add an attachment to a question.

Design Specification

The goals for the Quiz Builder media file export design are as follows:

  1. Provide a method for faculty to download multiple media files associated with a quiz, question pool or collection.
  2. Provide identification information specifying which media file(s) are associated with each question that is being exported.
  3. Include question title, media file name and question text in the identification information.
  4. Rename image files from their AFS storage name to their original file name as recorded in the myucdavis database, if possible.
  5. If image files are renamed, deal with name collisions in an intuitive, documented manner.

GUI Review

Media export is tied into the Quiz Builder export of quiz, collection or question pool, so the information and download are located on the export screen. The text associated with the export function is shown below.

If the user is exporting media as part of a quiz, the information lists the section and question number with which it is related. If the question exists in a pool or collection, there is no associated question number (or there will not be after import into Samigo) so the files are simply listed in the order that they are pulled from the database.

For graphic files, such as .gif, .jpg, or .bmp, the user can click to view and/or save the graphic individually. The user is provided with a download button which displays the filename as "media_quiz#.zip" where # is the id of the quiz or "media_for_kname.zip" where kname is the user's Kerberos name for collection or question pool media.

A ReadMe.txt file is included in each media download indicating the filename, question name, original (user's) filename, and question text. Because the media file is renamed for storage on upload to Quiz Builder, the information is here to assist the user in identifying their content and/or to allow them to rename their files back to the original, descriptive name. The question name will not be imported into Samigo.

Code Functionality

Currently, the MyUCDavis cms runs on ColdFusion MX 6 with an Oracle database. New code for exporting question media in a zip file will use the existing environment and will include ColdFusion code, CF components, and JavaScript. The export file generated via download will be Samigo-compliant XML.

Code modifications to 2 existing files and 1 new file in the directory 'login/CourseManagement/quiz/' are required.
The addition of the component zip.cfc in the root directory level 'login' is also required.

File Name

Proposed Addition/Modification

qz_quiz_exportfiles.cfm

Calls function to pull information associated with the media files for a quiz, aan entire question pool, or a collection. Calls function to generate a ReadMe.txt message. Calls zip function to generate a zip folder and populates it with the media and ReadMe files. Generates a downloadable zip file screen.

login/zip.cfc

This imported component is setup in the main cms directory so that it can be access globally. It's Java-based and contains the functions which generate the zip folder and copied files into it.

qz_quiz_exportxml.cfm

Includes the download link for the user to generate their media files into a zip file.

qz_quiz_exportxml.cfc

Includes query calls which pull the requested media files and provide user information about those files.

Code Review

Brian Donnelly, or another qualified member of the MyUCDavis team, will perform code review on these files.

QA Testing

Quis Builder Media Export Test Plan Overview

This three-part test plan covers the ability of users to successfully complete the following actions:

Part 1: Export Media with their Quiz:

  1. Locate the Export Quiz link in Quiz Builder
  2. Successfully download any media associated with their quiz
  3. Verify that a ReadMe.txt contains accurate information about their media
  4. Verify that the exported media can be imported into SmartSite Resources

Part 1: Export Media with their Question Pool:

  1. Locate the Export Question Pool link in Quiz Builder
  2. Successfully download any media associated with their question pool
  3. Verify that a ReadMe.txt contains accurate information about their media
  4. Verify that the exported media can be imported into SmartSite Resources

Part 1: Export Media with their Collection:

  1. Locate the Export Collection link in Quiz Builder
  2. Successfully download any media associated with their collection
  3. Verify that a ReadMe.txt contains accurate information about their media
  4. Verify that the exported media can be imported into SmartSite Resources

JIRA Ticket(s) relating to this story: SAK-270.

TEST ENVIRONMENT

QA TESTING

SETUP

Server Type

Location

web server

url,

https://bumbus.ucdavis.edu/main_frame.cfm

web server

url,

https://sakai-test.ucdavis.edu:8443/portal

OR

https://smartsite.ucdavis.edu:8443/portal
  • Website Setup
    Tester logs into MyUCDavis dev/test environment and using Secure Login. Tester will need course management (cms) permission to access Quiz Builder. Tester may request access via CM Guest under My Options on the main menu.
    • Testers must have or create questions in Quiz Builder with one of each of the following media types attached: .jpg, .gif, .pdf, .mp3, .doc, .bmp
    • Testers must have or create at least one quiz containg questions with media in Quiz Builder.
    • Testers must have or create at least one Collection containg questions with media in Quiz Builder.
      Testers unfamiliar with MyUCDavis may contact Lisa at 754-4983 to schedule training.
  • Additional Setup for Advanced QA
    Advanced QA will be limited to those testers with SuperUser access to MyUCDavis dev/test systems.
    **SU access to list of user accounts provided by Lisa
TEST DOCUMENT

MyUCD-matrix-exportMedia.xls

Release

Release of the export question pool, collection and media will be concurrent and are expected to go to production late November/early December. Code releases include r71 - r76 from mware.ucdavis.edu/svn/coursemanagement/trunk/login

Jira Story Card Description

MyUCDavis Quiz Builder users have associated various media, including graphics, .doc and .pdf files with their questions.

These media are displayed with the question, but they are not built into the question text. Once faculty have uploaded media, they can be deleted from the question, but the files remain on the server and cannot be accessed by faculty.

It is desirable that faculty have a method of retrieving these files for review and/or import into Resources as the first step in adding the media to assessments or question pool questions in Tests & Quizzes.

Successful outcome will be measured by these criteria:
1) Faculty are given a method of retrieving Quiz Builder media files on a per quiz, question pool and collection basis.
2) Identification information specifying which media file(s) are associated with each question that is being exported.
3) Identification includes question title, media file names and question text.
4) Image files renamed before zipping to their original names (as recorded in the myucdavis database), if possible.
5) If image files are renamed, deal with name collisions in an intuitive, documented manner.