HodgeHi Posted April 22, 2008 Posted April 22, 2008 So has anyone integrated their Moodle to pull data from SMIS? I ask as i have seen a module for Moodle that integrates with CMIS and pulls in the Pupils, Teachers and Parent data from it and imports it into Moodle. I think it could be interesting to see what others have managed to do with SMIS as i have heard that if you fiddle with the back end DB then you are unsupported by capita. Is this correct? If so does this extend to also connecting to the back end and extracting data?
CyberNerd Posted April 22, 2008 Posted April 22, 2008 yes, Moodle pulls courses directly from SIMS. first we used a script to create AD accounts from SIMS. then we use AD LDAP to marry up SIMS and Moodle. We don't write back to the database so capita still support us. If we did write back we'd need to get capita to test the system. Apparently they charge £1000 for testing
HodgeHi Posted April 22, 2008 Author Posted April 22, 2008 I have tried to authenticate users against the AD LDAP and get a 53 error? I tried against our OD LDAP and authenticated fine but it doesn't support group membership so could not get it to work. So you hold your courses in your SIMS DB? I don't know much about SIMS. How does this work? Sorry for all the questions but it raised something i did not think of. I was thinking more along the lines of Attendance modules along the right side of screen and online monitoring of progress to assist parents in reviewing their child as he/she goes along with the online learning.
CyberNerd Posted April 22, 2008 Posted April 22, 2008 I started documenting some of this on the wiki, but gave up when I couldn't add images: SIMS and Moodle Integration - EduGeek.net Wiki 2
HodgeHi Posted April 22, 2008 Author Posted April 22, 2008 That sounds cool. I will read this in more detail when i get a chance but looks great so far. You should continue with the wiki if you have time as so far it does look very useful. There doesn't seem to be much info around combining these two apps.
JoeyB Posted April 22, 2008 Posted April 22, 2008 I've recently been looking at this on a test system. All authentication is with AD over LDAP. Not wanting to anger the boys at Capita I've not been talking directly to SIMS at all. I've created reports to pull the course info out of SIMS and a script to import it into a MySQL Database. Moodle then queries a table or view in this database to populate the course enrolment information. Using scheduled tasks the reports and scripts can be run on a regular (typically nightly) basis. Seems to work but I haven't tried it on a large scale live environment yet.
HodgeHi Posted April 22, 2008 Author Posted April 22, 2008 Would the script be a generic but easily modifiable type of script that others users could use to do the same things. I think it would be great to get the Open Source Moodle working together with the Student Systems. The reason i say this as i am not the best scripter in the world and perhaps indeed in the school i work in (primary one) I can read them a little and edit simple ones but thats about it. I know a little of SQL but there are differences that i could not convert between MSSQL and MySQL.
PhilNeal Posted April 22, 2008 Posted April 22, 2008 SIMS supports an IMS service FOC so that you can dynamically maintain Moodle's pupil, course, teachers etc. We can't do the Moodle bit though.
CyberNerd Posted April 22, 2008 Posted April 22, 2008 SIMS supports an IMS service FOC so that you can dynamically maintain Moodle's pupil, course, teachers etc. We can't do the Moodle bit though. indeed, fancy posting the full documentation. 1
JoeyB Posted April 22, 2008 Posted April 22, 2008 Would the script be a generic but easily modifiable type of script that others users could use to do the same things. I think it would be great to get the Open Source Moodle working together with the Student Systems. The reason i say this as i am not the best scripter in the world and perhaps indeed in the school i work in (primary one) I can read them a little and edit simple ones but thats about it. I know a little of SQL but there are differences that i could not convert between MSSQL and MySQL. I'll clean up the scripts and post them up when I've got a minute. Would be interested to see any documentation on the IMS service though. I've heard rumours about it before but the support and documentation seems very difficult to get hold of.
PhilNeal Posted April 22, 2008 Posted April 22, 2008 It's resource 507 on SupportNet. If you have difficulty getting to it then email [email protected] who will email it to you by return.
ZeroHour Posted April 23, 2008 Posted April 23, 2008 I started documenting some of this on the wiki, but gave up when I couldn't add images: SIMS and Moodle Integration - EduGeek.net Wiki You should be able to upload images now
penfold_99 Posted April 23, 2008 Posted April 23, 2008 It's resource 507 on SupportNet. If you have difficulty getting to it then email [email protected] who will email it to you by return. I have looked for resource 507 but this doesn't exist on the support.capitaes.co.uk website. We have also email david grashoff about the documentation and have received incomplete documentation, the reason given was capita is awaiting the becta report. The documentation has existed at some point, as there are web pages within the zip sent with links to sub folders and documents but these are missing. Phil can you shed some light on why the documentation is missing? Will it be possible to get the original version to see the process even if it changes because of the becta report on interoperability?
DaveJ2717uk Posted April 23, 2008 Posted April 23, 2008 (edited) I ask as i have seen a module for Moodle that integrates with CMIS and pulls in the Pupils, Teachers and Parent data from it and imports it into Moodle. Where? I would be interested in testing such a module. Edited April 23, 2008 by ZeroHour
HodgeHi Posted April 23, 2008 Author Posted April 23, 2008 (edited) The CMIS module was on the moodle site in the module section. I will see if I can find a direct link. There was also some vids on how it worked. Facility To Moodle Module Hope its what you are after :-) Edited April 24, 2008 by HodgeHi 1
DaveJ2717uk Posted April 25, 2008 Posted April 25, 2008 Thanks going to look at testing it next week - Looks promising:)
Tonyoung Posted April 25, 2008 Posted April 25, 2008 I have looked for resource 507 but this doesn't exist on the support.capitaes.co.uk website. We have also email david grashoff about the documentation and have received incomplete documentation, the reason given was capita is awaiting the becta report. The documentation has existed at some point, as there are web pages within the zip sent with links to sub folders and documents but these are missing. Phil can you shed some light on why the documentation is missing? Will it be possible to get the original version to see the process even if it changes because of the becta report on interoperability? Penfold I have just downloaded the file from Supportnet file sharing area and it looks fine. Can't see why your documentation is incomplete - have you emailed Capita and queried it ?
PhilNeal Posted April 27, 2008 Posted April 27, 2008 Penfold, we did discuss the future of IMS in light of Becta's preference for SIF but in view of the fact that IMS works today we have continued to support it and indeed take it futher. Please try again as the doc should be available, if not email David and copy me in on the email. [email protected].
penfold_99 Posted April 28, 2008 Posted April 28, 2008 Penfold, we did discuss the future of IMS in light of Becta's preference for SIF but in view of the fact that IMS works today we have continued to support it and indeed take it futher. Please try again as the doc should be available, if not email David and copy me in on the email. [email protected]. Hi Phil, I have found the documentation i was looking in the wrong place in the capita support website. Is there any implication for support from capita via our lea if we implement data write back via IMS? Thanks
PhilNeal Posted April 29, 2008 Posted April 29, 2008 I can't speak for your LA support unit but they would need to release the licence patch to you. There is no cost from Capita in doing this. The IMS links are used by a number of VLEs now including UniServity & Fronter. The May release of SIMS will expand the IMS capicity slightly by allowing exports of non-teaching staff. In the future we will support the movement of assessment data back into Assessment Manager.
penfold_99 Posted April 29, 2008 Posted April 29, 2008 I can't speak for your LA support unit but they would need to release the licence patch to you. There is no cost from Capita in doing this. The IMS links are used by a number of VLEs now including UniServity & Fronter. The May release of SIMS will expand the IMS capicity slightly by allowing exports of non-teaching staff. In the future we will support the movement of assessment data back into Assessment Manager. Hi Phil, Is there any time frame allowing "assessment data back into Assessment Manager"
PhilNeal Posted April 29, 2008 Posted April 29, 2008 I have asked the team to prepare an estimate but we haven't set a date yet. I have an aspiration to do it by the Autumn.
dave_aw Posted May 1, 2008 Posted May 1, 2008 Yes, the documentation is there. Go to the User Posts menu, select File Sharing. Click on the download file button and browse to resource 507. Hey Presto!
apeo Posted May 1, 2008 Posted May 1, 2008 Thought it would be useful to have a link to the File Sharing bit of SupportNet: SupportNet File Sharing Area You do have to login first then go to the link again and it works.
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