[Xerte] Developer documentation

Thu May 14 13:29:21 BST 2009

I'm saying get me started somewhere and if I develop anything that will be of use I will feed it back.

At the moment we are only evaluating for the project I am working on, but if we go down the route of using Xerte you may get the modifications we make fed back. As part of the evaluation I am looking to get started and potentially add in a text editor - whether that fits your needs or not I don't know (from Alistairs email it doesn't). It would be fitting ours (not asking you to do it).

All of the points I raise are not for a personal agenda. They are common issues found when any project becomes open source, and if with 10 years hard coding behind me I'm struggling to by passing the .exe install (which by the way is good) then there are others who will also be doing the same and walking away from your project - I know they have done with the one I have just spent two years on. 

Sorry to be a pest, but I'm afraid that you would have faced someone like me sooner or later.

So back to my original issue... I've by passed your exe install, where do I find the sql scripts to create the database? Will this then let me configure the tool and get it running?

Thanks

Nic

-----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 13:11
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: RE: [Xerte] Developer documentation

Are you saying you would like to roll your sleeves up and get stuck in,
and help to address some of those concerns? Or are you saying that until
we address those concerns you feel unable to contribute? 

-----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 11:44 AM
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: RE: [Xerte] Developer documentation

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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