[Xerte] Developer documentation

[Nicola Wilkinson]

Hi,

Here at Loughborough we have an installation working - hence no interest in this area.

As a developer I am interested in the guts of the code, how it hangs together, how I could improve areas and in the long term - if we decide to use xerte, feedback the modifications that we make for our benefit that may help the wider community. 

At the moment I am in the process of evaluating the xerte code and the first thing I would want to do is improve the text input. As I am sure that you are aware the bulleted section doesn't really do what it says on the tin. When playing with the tool I expected to create a list and the when viewing it see a nicely bulleted list. But this doesn't happen - with the lack of easily accessible documentation I assumed that I would then need to know HTML, luckily I do, - but if working with a tutor they may not - hence a nicer clearer text input tool bar is really needed. But at the moment looking at the code from the SVN (remember not interested in the .exe installation) I can't see where I would start or how. 

Linked to this is the database and the scripts needed to create this. I don't want to go round altering a database that is working with the .exe installed version. I want my own to test/ examine/ change etc - just good development practice - don't work on the production database!

At the moment xerte has too many barriers to developers joining and contributing effectively to the Xerte project. Believe me I know how hard open source is and at the moment although the project is open source it is still quite closed. BTW this is fine and fits with the belevonant dictator model (think Moodle), but if I am struggeling to get started I will not be the only one.

Thanks

Nic

ps sorry if this comes over as a rant!

-----Original Message-----
From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Julian Tenney
Sent: 14 May 2009 11:22
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: RE: [Xerte] Developer documentation

Hi, welcome to the list,

Firstly, have you installed toolkits and got it running yet?

Secondly, what as a developer, are you interested in doing?

We can provide some steers, but could do with a bit more information,

Many thanks,

J

-----Original Message-----
From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk
[mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Nicola
Wilkinson
Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2009 11:19 AM
To: xerte at lists.nottingham.ac.uk
Subject: [Xerte] Developer documentation

Hi

Do you have any documentation for a code developer to get started.
Although I have taken the code of the SVN it is very hard to get your
head around. I am interested in the online tool kit in particular. From
the code I can only see elements of the pages - i.e. the header of html
and the start of the body tag, which then appears to be concluded in a
php file.

There are no instructions for any one downloading from the SVN as to
what the database script code is, where it is and how to apply this.

Basically - how do you get started with Xerte with out using the .exe
file.

In addition have you any coding standards that are being followed. I ask
only because I have noted that you are using the abbreviated php tag
(<?) rather than the more commonly accepted tag (<?php). If you do have
coding standards have you any intention to publish them any where.

Thanks

Nic

--------------------------------------------
Nicola Wilkinson
Learning Technologist / eLearning Systems Developer
engCETL

Tel: 01509 22 7186
email: N.Wilkinson at lboro.ac.uk

Web: http://webpaproject.lboro.ac.uk/
JISCmail: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/webpa.html
Project Blog: http://webpa-tec.blogspot.com/
--------------------------------------------



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