Images still shown even section is hidden

[CReinhardt1967]

Is there a new concept for grid format? In an elder Version the grid-images will be hidden just when hiding a section (Release 3.9.1.5, Version $a->version} für Moodle 3.9.13 (Build: 20220314))
On a other Moodle-Site Release 3.11.1.2, Version 2021102702 für Moodle 3.11.7 (Build: 20220509) it doesn*t work. Can I do anything to change the behaviour?

[gjb2048]

@CReinhardt1967 The Grid format comes with no support. I'll investigate at some point in the future. Unless you have 'Hidden sections are shown' etc. in the course settings.

[gjb2048]

Dear @CReinhardt1967

I am no long supporting the M3.9 version unpaid.

Gareth

[rodspears]

Just upgraded to Moodle 4.1.1 (Build: 20230116) from a 3.9.x version
Grid Release 401.1.0, version 2022112603

Course setting = Hidden sections are completely invisible
In the previous version this worked for us and the section was completely hidden from the course page when viewing the section was restricted.
After the upgrade this no longer works the same. The learner with a restriction is able to view the section image on their course page and when they click it then they see a message telling them that they are not able to view it.

One of the main reasons we started using the grid format was because it completely hid a section that was restricted and that is what we needed to meet the requirements for certain courses.

Have we missed a course or grid setting that would still completely hide the section?
We have confirmed that our learner role does not have permission to "view hidden sections"

[gjb2048]

@rodspears This issue is pending investigation and I'll get around to it at some point.

[rodspears]

@gjb2048 Thanks for your prompt response. I will keep an eye out for updates.

[gjb2048]

@rodspears Can't replicate in version V401.1.1, which in this instance is functionally the same as V401.1.0.

[rodspears]

Thank you for attempting to replicate it. Do you have any suggestions about any settings we missed? It was working correctly before our upgrade to 4.1.1 and the only thing we edited after the update was to set the default for "use a pop-up" to yes.

…

On Mon, May 22, 2023 at 11:15 AM Gareth J Barnard ***@***.***> wrote: @rodspears <https://github.com/rodspears> Can't replicate in version V401.1.1, which in this instance is functionally the same as V401.1.0. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#162 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAOP2AXGBFQOOOX5KGRA2XTXHOGKHANCNFSM5WNAHF6Q> . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: ***@***.***>

-- Rod Spears

[gjb2048]

@rodspears Double check everything - settings - code, i.e. upgrade was done properly. I tested both with and without the pop-up.

[gjb2048]

@rodspears Sorry, but no reply from you and as I cannot reproduce the issue, closing.

[rodspears]

We have reviewed our settings numerous times. We are asking our contractor to remove the plugin from our Staging site and then install it again so we can determine if that fixes the issue. They may have not installed it correctly the first time.

[rodspears]

@gjb2048 We are still waiting for our contractor. However, I have installed a local 3.9.11 site and installed the grid format version that we used before our upgrade to 4.1.1 and confirmed that the courses on 3.9.11 do hide the entire grid image for a section when the learner does not meet the requirements to view that section.

I also installed a local 4.1.1 instance and installed the current version of the plugin that we are using now and confirmed that the learner is able to view the grid image for a section where they don't meet the requirements. They have to click the section before they see a message telling them they do not have permission to view the activity in that section. If the course is using a theme that shows the navigation column they see a lock icon for that section and the link to the activity does not appear.

Are you able to tell me what we are doing that is different since you are not able to reproduce this in 4.1.1

[rodspears]

Our theme does not show the navigation column. Screenshots are from the local moodle 4.1.1 instance.

[rodspears]

@gjb2048 I removed version 401.1.1 from my local 4.1.1 instance and installed version 3.9.1.5 and the courses on the 4.1.1 instance worked like they did before we upgraded. Not sure if that would be a good idea for us to implement on our LMS at work. We would have to test it on our Staging site first.

[gjb2048]

@rodspears Just tested and strange though it might seem, that with 'Hidden sections are completely invisible' the section is still shown to the student that does not belong in 'Group 1' when using the Topics format. Therefore nothing, bar perhaps needing a lock icon on the section name, to fix from a Grid point of view as it is behaving and 'explaining' the 'why' in the same way that core Moodle operates.

[rodspears]

@gjb2048 Thanks for testing again. I don't recall a time when the "Hidden sections are completely invisible" setting ever worked in the Topics format. That is why we started using the Grid format. I think I understand your explanation, but not completely. Are you saying this cannot be fixed in the Grid format because of the way Moodle core works now?

[gjb2048]

@rodspears Just tested with the Topics format in 3.9, and 'Hidden sections are completely invisible' does work there, along with the behaviour for restricted availability being the same as in M4.1:

Therefore Grid for 3.11 (if indeed it works as you say it does) has a bug and now the 4.1 version works as it should.

[rodspears]

@gjb2048 If that screen shot was taken when logged in as a student that was not a member of Group 1, I would say it is not working. Topic 4 is not 'completely invisible'. Maybe we have a different understanding of what completely invisible means.

[gjb2048]

@rodspears It is working because 'invisible' and 'not available' are two different things, with the former hiding the topic completely and the latter stating that is not 'available' for that student but will be available for another.

[rodspears]

@gjb2048 Yes, I think I understand the difference between 'invisible' and 'not available' but maybe I am misunderstanding the terms as they apply to the section.

Since the course setting is 'hidden sections are completely invisible' I would expect the learner not to see the section at all if they are not a member of the required group. That is how it works in 3.9 so I don't understand why that would be considered a bug.

[gjb2048]

@rodspears

1. "Since the course setting is 'hidden sections are completely invisible' I would expect the learner not to see the section at all if they are not a member of the required group." - they need to see the availability message.
2. "That is how it works in 3.9 so I don't understand why that would be considered a bug." - I'm confused as I've proven that both M3.9 and 4.1 work the same way in terms of the 'hidden sections are completely invisible' setting value and group section availabilty.

[rodspears]

@gjb2048 Thanks for your explanations. I know you are not being paid to update the plugin so I appreciate your time.
Our university does not want the learners to see the section at all - not even the availability message when the section is supposed to be invisible.

I will tell them we will have to pay for that if they insist on that requirement. The problem is they got used to not seeing the section at all when we were on 3.9.11 so we had complaints after the upgrade to 4.1.1. They may not have noticed it otherwise. Thanks again for you time.

[gjb2048]

@rodspears Thanks. Snag is, if I 'fix' it so that the format does not work as core does then I'll get issues raised from others. I do make changes when I can see that there is a real issue to fix that core is getting incorrect and I can defend the position. However in this instance I can't as I understand that there is a genuine need to see the message, however frustrating. Catch-22.

[rodspears]

@gjb2048 Understood. Thank you.

[gjb2048]

Related #192