Block Manager

An admin tool that allows you to control a block layout across units.

Versions and branches

Moodle Version	Branch
Moodle 3.9 - 4.1	master
Moodle 4.4	MOODLE_404_STABLE

Features

• Lock down functionality for the blocks in the regions.
  • Create locking rules for the regions in the specific course categories (block regions in courses from the selected course categories (including child categories) will be locked according to configured rules).
  • Create locking rules for specific blocks in the specific regions of the specific course categories (block rules will override region rules).
  • There is Bypass blocks locking ('tool/blocksmanager:bypasslocking') capability that allows users to bypass created locking rules.
• Add a specific set of blocks to the courses in the specific course categories:
  • Define region and weight for every block type.
  • Set visibility for each block type.
  • Reposition or add another block instance if it's already exist in the course.
  • Set up config data as a string if required.
  • Set whether to show the block in subcontexts.
  • Set the page type pattern.
• Add blocks to course module / activity / resource pages.

Installation

1. Download files or clone the repository to /admin/tool/blocksmanager
2. Install the plugin as usual.
3. Add following line to your config.php.

 $CFG->blockmanagerclass = '\\tool_blocksmanager\\block_manager';

Usage

Block management

This feature allows locking a specific block in a specific region through a selected course category so no one (expect users with 'tool/blocksmanager:bypasslocking') can apply changes to a block configuration in that region.

Actions that could be locked per block:

• configuration
• deleting
• hiding
• moving

To create set of rules to lock blocks, navigate to Site administration > Plugins > Admin tools > Blocks Manager > Blocks management

Region management

This feature gives an ability to lock a whole region through a selected course category. That means all blocks in the matching region will be locked from performing configured actions (expect for users with 'tool/blocksmanager:bypasslocking').

Actions that could be locked per region:

• configuration
• deleting
• hiding
• adding blocks to region
• moving

To create set of rules to lock regions, navigate to Site administration > Plugins > Admin tools > Blocks Manager > Region management

Set up blocks

This features helps to create blocks in bulk through selected course categories (for example add a calendar block to every course for a selected category).

To do that, navigate to Site administration > Plugins > Admin tools > Blocks Manager > Set up blocks

The form let you to select:

• Region - what region to add a block to (e.g. side-pre, side-post)?
• Block - what block to add?
• Categories - what categories to apply the block?
• Weight - what block weight will be on those pages?
• Config data - does block have any config? Could be applied here (but should be exact string of config that is stored in DB if you would add the block manually)?
• Visible? - is block visible when added?
• Add another instance (if exists)? - if the same block already exists, should we add another instance of that block?
• Update instance (if exists)? - if the block already exists, should we update the block by new settings?
• Reposition instance (if exists)? - if the block already exists, should we reposition the block?
• Show in subcontexts - should the block be displayed on course subpages (e.g. course page and activity pages)?
• Page type pattern - what page should the block be displayed? E.g. course-view-*, mod-assign-view and etc.
  • courses: course-view-* (https://examplemoodle.com/course/view.php?id=1)
  • assign modules: mod-assign-view (https://examplemoodle.com/mod/assign/view.php?id=1)
  • quiz modules: mod-quiz-view (https://examplemoodle.com/mod/quiz/view.php?id=1)
  • feedback modules: mod-feedback-view (https://examplemoodle.com/mod/feedback/view.php?id=1)

Once you configured all fields in the form, you click on "Add new line". This will update "Set of blocks" text field with a new configuration line. (This data will be used later for applying blocks.) Once all blocks are added to a set, click 'Apply set of blocks'. The form will be submitted, and the set of blocks will be applied by an adhoc task in the background. This means there will a little delay before you see new blocks appeared.

CLI script

A CLI script has been added to handle recurring set of blocks. The configuration created in "Set up blocks" can be added to a file, then the script can be called as:

sudo -u www-data /usr/bin/php admin/tool/blocksmanager/cli/blocks_cli_setup.php --filepath=block_setup.txt

The set of blocks will be applied in the same way as previously by an adhoc task in the background.

Crafted by Catalyst IT

This plugin was developed by Catalyst IT Australia:

https://www.catalyst-au.net/