1 <h1>Importing new questions
</h1>
3 <p>This function allows you to import questions from
4 external text files, uploaded through a form,
5 or by choosing a suitable file already in the
6 course Files area.
</p>
8 <h2>A note about character encodings
</h2>
10 <p>If your file contains non-ascii characters then it must use UTF-
8 encoding.
11 You may be able to select or convert to UTF-
8 using your favourite editor,
12 or it may be an option in the exporting software.
13 Be particularly cautious with files generated by Microsoft Office applications,
14 as these commonly use special encoding which will not be handled correctly.
15 XML based import formats will be handled
16 automatically provided your Moodle server is running PHP
5.
</p>
18 <p>A number of file formats are supported:
</p>
23 <p>GIFT is the most comprehensive import format available for importing
24 Moodle quiz questions from a text file. It was designed to be an easy
25 method for teachers writing questions as a text file. It supports Multiple-Choice,
26 True-False, Short Answer, Matching and Numerical questions, as well as insertion
27 of a _____ for the
"missing word" format. Various question-types can be
28 mixed in a single text file, and the format also supports line comments, question names,
29 feedback and percentage-weight grades. Below are some examples:
</p>
31 Who's buried in Grant's tomb?{~Grant ~Jefferson =no one}
33 Grant is {~buried =entombed ~living} in Grant's tomb.
35 Grant is buried in Grant's tomb.{FALSE}
37 Who's buried in Grant's tomb?{=no one =nobody}
39 When was Ulysses S. Grant born?{#
1822}
42 <p class=
"moreinfo"><a href=
"help.php?file=formatgift.html&module=quiz">More info about the
"GIFT" format
</a></p>
47 <p>This is a simple format for importing multiple choice questions from a text file.
</p>
48 <p class=
"moreinfo"><a href=
"help.php?file=formataiken.html&module=quiz">More info about the
"Aiken" format
</a></p>
51 <h2>Moodle XML format
</h2>
53 <p>This Moodle specific format imports quiz questions that have previously been
54 exported in the same format. The format is straightforward and is best demonstrated
55 by exporting a category in the Moodle XML format. The XML format is capabable of
56 importing image files.
58 <p class=
"moreinfo"><a href=
"help.php?file=formatxml.html&module=quiz">More info about the
"Moodle XML" format
</a></p>
63 <p>This format only supports multiple choice questions and
64 short answer question, depending on the number of answers. One
65 answer generates a short answer question, two or more answers
66 generate a multiple choice question.
67 Each answer is separated with a tilde (~), and the correct answer is
68 prefixed with an equals sign (=). Here is an example of a multiple
71 <blockquote><p>As soon as we begin to explore our body parts as infants
72 we become students of {=anatomy and physiology ~reflexology
73 ~science ~experiment}, and in a sense we remain students for life.
76 <p>Here is an example of a short answer question:
</p>
78 <blockquote><p>As soon as we begin to explore our body parts as infants
79 we become students of {=anatomy and physiology},
80 and in a sense we remain students for life.
86 <p>This module can import questions saved in Blackboard's
"POOL" type export
87 format. It relies on XML functions being compiled into your PHP.
88 Note that you must first unpack the exported zip file and provide Moodle
89 with the appropriate .dat file.
90 Note that this version
<strong>does not
</strong> work with Blackboard
91 Version
6 and newer.
</p>
94 <h2>Blackboard V6+
</h2>
96 <p>This module can import questions saved in Blackboard's export
97 format. It provides limited support for Blackboard Version
6 and
98 7. It relies on XML functions being compiled into your PHP. You
99 must upload the zip file exported from Blackboard.
</p>
104 <p>This module can import questions saved in WebCT's text-based format.
</p>
106 <p class=
"moreinfo"><a href=
"help.php?file=formatwebct.html&module=quiz">More info about the
"WebCT" format
</a></p>
109 <h2>Course Test Manager
</h2>
111 <p>This module can import questions saved in a Course Test Manager test bank.
112 It relies on different ways of accessing the test bank, which is in a Microsoft Access
113 database, depending on whether Moodle is running on a Windows or Linux web server.
</p>
114 <p>On Windows it lets you upload the access database just like any other data import file.
</p>
115 <p>On Linux, you must set up a windows machine on the same network with the Course Test
116 Manager database and a piece of software called the ODBC Socket Server, which uses XML
117 to transfer data to moodle on the Linux server.
</p>
118 <p>Please read the full help file below before
119 using this import class.
</p>
121 <p class=
"moreinfo"><a href=
"help.php?file=formatctm.html&module=quiz">More info about the
"CTM" format
</a></p>
124 <h2>Embedded answers (Cloze)
</h2>
126 <p>This special purpose format imports just one type of question, the
127 Embedded Answers (also known as Cloze) format.
130 <p class=
"moreinfo"><a href=
"help.php?file=multianswer.html&module=quiz">More info about the
"Cloze" format
</a></p>
133 <h2>Learnwise format
</h2>
135 <p>This format can import multiple choice questions saved in Learnwise's XML
139 <h2>Examview format
</h2>
141 <p>This format can import from Examview
4 XML files. Note that the older
142 versions of Examview are not supported.
</p>
145 <p>Import and Export formats are a pluggable resource. Other optional formats may be available in the
146 Modules and Plugins database.
</p>