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   1  Course formats
   2  ==============
   3  
   4  To create a new course format, make another folder in here.
   5  
   6  If you want a basic format, you only need to write the 'standard files' listed
   7  below.
   8  
   9  If you want to store information in the database for your format, or control
  10  access to features of your format, you need some of the optional files too.
  11  
  12  All names below assume that your format is called 'yourformat'.
  13  
  14  
  15  Standard files
  16  --------------
  17  
  18  * yourformat/format.php
  19  
  20    Code that actually displays the course view page. See existing formats for
  21    examples.
  22  
  23  * yourformat/config.php
  24  
  25    Configuration file, mainly controlling default blocks for the format.
  26    See existing formats for examples.
  27  
  28  * yourformat/lang/en/format_yourformat.php
  29  
  30    Language file containing basic language strings for your format. Here
  31    is a minimal language file:
  32  
  33  <?php
  34  $string['formatyourformat']='Your format'; // Name to display for format
  35  $string['nameyourformat']='section'; // Name of a section within your format
  36  ?>
  37  
  38    The first string is used in the dropdown menu of course settings. The second
  39    is used when editing an activity within a course of your format.
  40  
  41    Note that existing formats store their language strings in the main
  42    moodle.php, which you can also do, but this separate file is recommended
  43    for contributed formats.
  44  
  45    You can also store other strings in this file if you wish. They can be
  46    accessed as follows, for example to get the section name:
  47  
  48    get_string('nameyourformat','format_yourformat');
  49  
  50    Of course you can have other folders as well as just English if you want
  51    to provide multiple languages.
  52  
  53  
  54  Optional files (database access)
  55  --------------------------------
  56  
  57  If these files exist, Moodle will use them to set up database tables when you
  58  visit the admin page.
  59  
  60  * yourformat/db/install.xml
  61  
  62    Database table definitions. Use your format name at the start of the table
  63    names to increase the chance that they are unique.
  64  
  65  * yourformat/db/upgrade.php
  66  
  67    Database upgrade instructions. Similar to other upgrade.php files, so look
  68    at those for modules etc. if you want to see.
  69  
  70    The function must look like:
  71  
  72    function xmldb_format_yourformat_upgrade($oldversion) {
  73    ...
  74  
  75  * yourformat/version.php
  76  
  77    Required if you use database tables.
  78  
  79    <?php
  80    $plugin->version  = 2006120100; // Plugin version (update when tables change)
  81    $plugin->requires = 2006092801; // Required Moodle version
  82    ?>
  83  
  84  
  85  Optional files (backup)
  86  -----------------------
  87  
  88  If these files exist, backup and restore run automatically when backing up
  89  the course. You can't back up the course format data independently.
  90  
  91  * yourformat/backuplib.php
  92  
  93    Similar to backup code for other plugins. Must have a function:
  94  
  95    function yourformat_backup_format_data($bf,$preferences) {
  96    ...
  97  
  98  * yourformat/restorelib.php
  99  
 100    Similar to restore code for other plugins. Must have a function:
 101  
 102    function yourformat_restore_format_data($restore,$data) {
 103    ...
 104  
 105    ($data is the xmlized data underneath FORMATDATA in the backup XML file.
 106    Do print_object($data); while testing to see how it looks.)
 107  
 108  
 109  Optional file (capabilities)
 110  ----------------------------
 111  
 112  If this file exists, Moodle refreshes your format's capabilities
 113  (checks that they are all included in the database) whenever you increase
 114  the version in yourformat/version.php.
 115  
 116  * yourformat/db/access.php
 117  
 118    Contains capability entries similar to other access.php files.
 119  
 120    The array definition must look like:
 121  
 122    $format_yourformat_capabilities = array(
 123    ...
 124  
 125    Format names must look like:
 126  
 127    format/yourformat:specialpower
 128  
 129    Capability definitions in your language file must look like:
 130  
 131    $string['yourformat:specialpower']='Revolutionise the world';
 132  
 133  
 134  
 135  Optional file (styles)
 136  ----------------------
 137  
 138  * yourformat/styles.php
 139  
 140    If this file exists it will be included in the CSS Moodle generates.
 141