lang/en_utf8/help/lesson/import.html

   1 <h1>Importing new questions</h1>
   2
   3 <p>This function allows you to import questions from
   4    external text files, uploaded through a form.  </p>
   5
   6 <p>A number of file formats are supported:</p>
   7
   8 <h2>GIFT format</h2>
   9 <div class="indent">
  10 <p>GIFT is the most comprehensive import format available for importing
  11    Moodle quiz questions from a text file.  It was designed to be an easy
  12    method for teachers writing questions as a text file. It supports Multiple-Choice,
  13    True-False, Short Answer, Matching and Numerical questions, as well as insertion
  14    of a _____ for the "missing word" format.  Various question-types can be
  15    mixed in a single text file, and the format also supports line comments, question names,
  16    feedback and percentage-weight grades.  Below are some examples:</p>
  17 <pre>
  18 Who's buried in Grant's tomb?{~Grant ~Jefferson =no one}
  19
  20 Grant is {~buried =entombed ~living} in Grant's tomb.
  21
  22 Grant is buried in Grant's tomb.{FALSE}
  23
  24 Who's buried in Grant's tomb?{=no one =nobody}
  25
  26 When was Ulysses S. Grant born?{#1822}
  27 </pre>
  28
  29 <p class="moreinfo"><a href="help.php?file=formatgift.html&amp;module=quiz">More info about the "GIFT" format</a></p>
  30 </div>
  31
  32 <h2>Aiken format</h2>
  33 <div class="indent">
  34 <p>The Aiken format is a very simple way of creating multiple choice questions using a very clear human-readable format. Here is an example of the format:</p>
  35 <pre>
  36 What is the purpose of first aid?
  37 A. To save life, prevent further injury, preserve good health
  38 B. To provide medical treatment to any injured or wounded person
  39 C. To prevent further injury
  40 D. To aid victims who may be seeking help
  41 ANSWER: A
  42 </pre>
  43
  44 <p class="moreinfo"><a href="help.php?file=formataiken.html&amp;module=quiz">More info about the "Aiken" format</a></p>
  45 </div>
  46
  47
  48 <h2>Missing Word</h2>
  49 <div class="indent">
  50 <p>This format only supports multiple choice questions.
  51 Each answer is separated with a tilde (~), and the correct answer is
  52 prefixed with an equals sign (=).  Here is an example:</p>
  53
  54 <blockquote><p>As soon as we begin to explore our body parts as infants
  55 we become students of {=anatomy and physiology ~reflexology
  56 ~science ~experiment}, and in a sense we remain students for life.</p>
  57 </blockquote>
  58
  59 <p class="moreinfo"><a href="help.php?file=formatmissingword.html&amp;module=quiz">More info about the "Missing Word" format</a></p>
  60 </div>
  61
  62
  63 <h2>AON</h2>
  64 <div class="indent">
  65 <p>This is the same as Missing Word Format, except that after importing
  66    the questions all Short-Answer questions are converted four at a time
  67    into Matching Questions.</p>
  68 <p>Additionally, the answers of multiple-choice questions are randomly
  69    shuffled during the import.</p>
  70 <p>It's named after an organisation that sponsored the development of many
  71    quiz features</p>
  72 </div>
  73
  74
  75 <h2>Blackboard</h2>
  76 <div class="indent">
  77 <p>This module can import questions saved in Blackboard's export
  78 format.  It relies on XML functions being compiled into your PHP.</p>
  79
  80 <p class="moreinfo"><a href="help.php?file=formatblackboard.html&amp;module=quiz">More info about the "Blackboard" format</a></p>
  81 </div>
  82
  83 <h2>Course Test Manager</h2>
  84 <div class="indent">
  85 <p>This module can import questions saved in a Course Test Manager test bank.
  86 It relies on different ways of accessing the test bank, which is in a Microsoft Access
  87 database, depending on whether Moodle is running on a Windows or Linux web server.</p>
  88 <p>On Windows it lets you upload the access database just like any other data import file.</p>
  89 <p>On Linux, you must set up a windows machine on the same network with the Course Test
  90 Manager database and a piece of software called the ODBC Socket Server, which uses XML
  91 to transfer data to moodle on the Linux server.</p>
  92
  93 <p>Please read the full help file below before
  94 using this import class.</p>
  95
  96
  97 <p class="moreinfo"><a href="help.php?file=formatctm.html&amp;module=quiz">More info about the "CTM" format</a></p>
  98 </div>
  99
 100 <h2>Custom</h2>
 101 <div class="indent">
 102 <p>If you have your own format that you need to import, you can
 103    implement it yourself by editing mod/quiz/format/custom.php</p>
 104
 105 <p>The amount of new code needed is quite small - just enough
 106    to parse a single question from given text.</p>
 107
 108 <p class="moreinfo"><a href="help.php?file=formatcustom.html&amp;module=quiz">More info about the "Custom" format</a></p>
 109 </div>
 110
 111
 112 <p>More formats are yet to come, including WebCT, IMS QTI and whatever else
 113    Moodle users can contribute! </p>