Post on 12-Jan-2016
description
transcript
WebCT VistaPowerLinks SDK Overview
Sasan SalariVP, New Technology Services
Head, Vista Developers Network
salari@webct.com
Overview
• WebCT Vista 3.0 contains 4 major areas in the SDK:– System Integration– WebServices– Deployable Components– Reporting Interfaces
Overview
• Each interface offers access to slightly different parts of the Vista Core Framework
Overview
• Each interface also provides a variety of sub-services and ways to get at those services
System Integration
• Focuses on enterprise data integration & bulk transactions
• e.g.:– Courses, Sections, Groups– Users and Enrolments– Bulk file uploads
• Broken into 3 layers– Transport Layer– Translation Layer– Core Layer
• Each layer processes request, then hands it to the next layer
System Integration
System Integration
• Transport Layer:– 3 built-in Adaptors
• WebAPI• Command Line Interface• LDIS (SunGard SCT)
– Option to write your own
System Integration
• Translation Layer:– 3 built-in Adaptors
• IMS• LDIS (SunGard SCT)• Standard
– Option to write your own
System Integration
• Core Layer– Processes final request and
hands actions off to individual Vista services
WebServices
• Focus on “user level” transactions
• Handy for external manipulation/retrieval of user information or course data
WebServices
• Commands are processed by the same services that process UI events
• Proper permissions apply– e.g.: Student cannot edit
Quiz
WebServices
• Supported Interfaces in Vista 3:– Context– Calendar– Gradebook– Mail– File Manager– Quiz & Question
Access Options
3 ways to get at WebServices SDK
.NET DLL Client
Java SDK Client
Vista WebService
s
Vista
Outside World
Direct WSDL in
your favorite
language
Vista Gradebook
Vista Mail Service
Context WebService
• Before you do anything, you have to log in. This is the primary reason for the Context WebService’s existence
• Also provides access to enrollment information
Context WebService
• Functions:– Log a user in, and receive a session object
(must be used in all other WS calls)– Get a list of Learning Contexts a user is
enrolled in, and what roles the user has in those
– Get ID of template associated with LC
Context WebService
• login method can also use Single Sign-On for password-less authentication
• Supporting methods for retrieving section instructor (e.g. for submitting grades)
Calendar WebService
• Gives access to Vista Calendar tool
• Ideal for synchronizing external calendars, scheduling applications & portal channels
• Functions:– Support for full Create, Read, Update, Delete
of calendar entries– Bulk call for retrieving all entries for a user
Gradebook WebService
• Great for assignment or testing integration, portals
• Functions:– Create, read, update, delete for columns,
values, types, meta-data, attributes (25 methods in total)
– Common gotcha: students can not set their own grades; only instructors can do this
Mail WebService
• Good for campus mail integration, portals, implementing outside email in Vista
• Functions:– Create, read, update, delete for messages,
mailboxes (per course), marking mail read/unread
– Support for bulk transactions, attachments
File Manager WebService
• Provides access to Vista file system
• Good for managing content, portals, client integration
• Functions:– Create, read, update, delete for files,
folders, plus duplicate, rename, upload– Editable permissions (read/write)
Assessment WebService
• Access to Vista Quiz/Question engine based on IMS QTI (Question and Test Interoperability)
• Functions:– Create, read, update, delete for questions,
quizzes– All via the IMS QTI format
(http://www.imsproject.org)
Versioning
• All interfaces contain methods for determining version compatibility
• Compatibility guaranteed for at least two major Vista revisions
Now Vista 4.0 Vista 5.0
2005 200X
Documentation
• Full Web Services Javadoc included in SDK Client Distribution
• SDK Programmer’s Guide covers best-practices and higher-level documentation
WebServices
• Example Applications:– Remote mail client– Portal integration– Remote quiz delivery– File uploader
• Added in Vista 2.1• Focused on:
– Authentication of users into/from Vista– Delivering content and applications to
Vista frameset
Deployable Components
Deployable Components
• Authentication Modules (AuthModules for short) enable SSO into Vista
• Format of SSO is up to you; Vista only supplies the framework
• Great for Portals
Deployable Components
• Proxy Tools do the opposite, allowing users to be brought from Vista to another application
• They allow an AuthModule to appear in the UI just like any other tool (Quiz, Mail, etc.)
Deployable Components
Deployable Components
• In Vista 2.1, an XML file was used to create Proxy Tools. Vista 3.0 introduced a very nice, and easy to use UI
Deployable Components
Deployable Components
Deployable Components
Reporting
• WebCT contains vast amounts of data
• Prior to WebCT Vista, this data was stored in a distributed, flat file database
• This made correlation and detailed data analysis almost impossible
Reporting
• WebCT Vista introduced an SQL database server
• With that, detailed analysis became possible, but there was still a problem
Reporting
• The Vista data schema is not exactly intuitive
• The DB is designed for functionality and performance, not for data extraction
• Relevant information can be spread out among many, many tables
• The table schema can change from version to version
Reporting
• The Vista Reporting Interfaces solve these problems by abstracting away from direct DB access
• The result is a set of “safe” database views containing the most relevant data all in one place
Reporting
Reporting: Examples
Vista Enrollment by Department
Reporting: Examples
Vista Tool Usage by Department
Reporting: Examples
Average Final Grade vs Vista
Sessions
Developer Support
• Want to build a Community around Vista PowerLinks
• But How?
• Many different ways…
Vista Developers Network
• Members from Institutional and Commercial partners
• Want to learn more about, or get help with, developing Vista PowerLinks
• Contribute their work to the community
• Active monitoring and participation by WebCT staff
New Site Launched
As of July 12th, 2004:
http://devnet.webct.com
DevNet Features
• Links to WebCT Documentation and Resources
• Contribution Area to Share PowerLinks and Code
• How-To area where users can add their own tips and tricks
DevNet Features
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Discussion Forums
• List of known issues and their workarounds and resolution targets
• + much more…
Sample Contributions
• 12 contributions in the past 2 months
• Examples:– RSS Module– Shibboleth and CAS Authentication– Simple quiz creation from MS Word Template– Utilities for SIS IMS imports– E-mail checker
• Many currently under development