Uploading websites to ILIAS

Learning module HTML - Introduction

The learning module HTML uploads and displays websites in HTML format (including any associated media, CSS, and JavaScript files) in ILIAS. This is useful if you already have learning content in HTML format on a webserver/web space or your local hard drive.

You create HTML pages using HTML editors such as Adobe Dreamweaver. In addition, many applications can export content in HTML format. These include specialized authoring tools such as Adobe Captivate, but programs such as Microsoft Word or PowerPoint also offer such an export. Content exported in this way can be integrated into ILIAS as an HTML learning module.

HTML pages are usually used with other web formats, such as CSS. However, not all web formats work in a learning module HTML. You can find more information about this in the instructions for the keyword "Technical limitations".

Technical limitations

Formats

Various other web formats, such as CSS or JavaScript, can be embedded in HTML pages. However, the learning module HTML is subject to certain restrictions regarding the web formats that continue to work after uploading to ILIAS.

In general, so-called "client-side" technologies can be used in HTML learning modules. "Client-side" means that these are executed by the viewer's browser (the "client") and do not require a server. This includes technologies such as HTML, XHTML, HTML 5, CSS, JavaScript, Flash, or Java applets.

In contrast, web pages that are generated dynamically by a web server using PHP, Python, or other scripting languages will not work in an HTML learning module.

Editing files

You cannot edit the files of your learning module HTML in ILIAS. If you want to change a file, you must do this on your local computer and then replace the existing file in the learning module HTML with the changed version.

Upload website

You want to upload and display an existing website in ILIAS.

Note: Usually, a website consists of several files. To not have to upload each file individually, you should pack all associated files into a ZIP archive and then upload and unpack it.

Procedure

  1. If the HTML learning module already contains files and directories, you should delete them if possible. To do this, follow the corresponding instructions for deletion.
  2. Click on the button to the right of Upload a new file. A dialog of your operating system opens for selecting files.
  3. Select the ZIP file on your hard disk.
  4. Click on the Upload button.
  5. ILIAS uploads the ZIP file and displays it in the list of files.
  6. Open the ▼-selection menu and select the Unzip option.
  7. Click the Run button.
  8. ILIAS unzips the ZIP file. All files and folders of your website will now be displayed in the list.    
    Note that you may still need to put the HTML learning module online in the Settings tab and define a start page so that other users can view your website.

Define start page

You may need to define which page ILIAS should open when the HTML learning module is clicked, and your website is accessed.

Annotations

  • If it is on the top level of the file directory, a file named index.html or index.htm is automatically set as the start page by ILIAS. If this is the start page you want, you can save yourself the following steps.
  • If there is no index.html or index.htm on the top level of the file directory, you must define another file as the start page. Otherwise, your website cannot be displayed.

Procedure

  1. Open the ▼-select menu and choose Set Startup File.
  2. Depending on your settings under Personal Desktop " Settings " Hits/Page, you may not see all files on a page. You can use the Page selection menu or the Next and Back buttons to move back and forth between the different pages of the file directory.
  3. ILIAS will apply the changes and reload the page.

Put website online/offline.

You want to switch the learning module HTML online or offline.

  1. Click on the tab Settings.
  2. Activate or deactivate the checkbox Online.
  3. Click on the Save button.
  4. ILIAS applies the change. Depending on the selection, the learning module HTML is visible or not visible for users without editing rights.

Export website

You want to export the website you have uploaded to ILIAS as learning module HTML to edit it on your local computer or to use it in other contexts.

  1. Click on the Export tab.
  2. Open the Type drop-down menu and select the HTML option.
  3. The XML option exports the learning module HTML in an XML format that can only be processed by
  4. Therefore, ILIAS is only suitable for exchange between different ILIAS installations.
  5. Click on the Generate export file button.
  6. ILIAS generates the export file and displays it in the list.
  7. Click on the Download action link.
  8. Depending on the operating system, the file is now downloaded or a dialog for opening or saving the file opens.

Working with the file directory

Open directory

You want to open a directory to view the files and subdirectories it contains.

  1. Click on the title of the respective directory in the Directory/File column.
  2. ILIAS opens the directory and displays the contained files and subdirectories.

    To return to the parent directory, click on the two small dots (to the right of the blue folder icon) in the first entry of the list.

Switch to the parent directory.

You are in the learning module HTML subdirectory and want to switch to the parent directory.

  1. Click on the two small dots (to the right of the blue folder icon) in the first entry of the list. If you do not see the two small dots, you are on the top level of the file directory.
  2. ILIAS will open the parent directory.

Create directory

You want to create a new directory within the learning module HTML.

  1. Click in the text input field New directory.
  2. Enter the desired name for the new directory.
  3. Click the Create button.
  4. ILIAS creates a new directory and reloads the page.

Upload file

You want to upload a file from your local hard disk to the learning module HTML.

  1. Click on the button to the right of Upload a new file. A file selection dialog of your operating system opens.
  2. Select the file on your hard disk.
  3. Click on the Upload button.
  4. ILIAS uploads the file. It will now be displayed in the list of files.

Download file

You want to download a file from the HTML learning module.

Note: You can only download files individually. It is impossible to download multiple files or entire folders via the file directory. If you want to download the learning module HTML, you can do this in the Export tab. Make sure that you select HTML as the type before exporting.

Procedure:

  1. Open the ▼-selection menu and select the Download entry.
  2. Depending on the operating system, the file will now be downloaded, or a dialog for opening or saving the file will open.

Upload folder

You want to upload a folder from your local hard disk to the HTML learning module.

Note: You cannot upload folders from your hard disk directly but must create a ZIP file from the respective folder. You can upload this ZIP file and unpack it afterward.

Procedure:

  1. Click on the button to the right of Upload a new file. A dialog of your operating system opens for file selection.
  2. Select the ZIP file on your hard disk.
  3. Click on the Upload button.
  4. ILIAS uploads the ZIP file. This is now displayed in the list of files.
  5. Open the ▼-selection menu and select the Unzip option.
  6. ILIAS unzips the ZIP file and reloads the page. The unzipped contents are now listed in the file directory.

Deleting files and directories

You want to delete a file or directory from the HTML learning module.

Note: If you delete files or directories, there may be problems with the display of the HTML learning module.

  1. Activate the checkbox before the respective item you want to delete.
    You can also select several items at once.
  2. Click the Delete button.
  3. ILIAS will first ask you if you want to delete the selected entries.
  4. Click on the Delete button.
  5. ILIAS deletes the selected entries.

Unpack ZIP file

You want to unpack an uploaded ZIP file.

  1. Open the ▼-selection menu and select Unzip.
  2. ILIAS unzips the ZIP file and reloads the page.
  3. The unzipped contents are now listed in the file directory.

Renaming files and directories

You want to rename a file or directory.

Note: If you rename a file or directory, links pointing to it will no longer work. It would be best if you adapted the links in your HTML learning module accordingly.

Procedure:

  1. Open the ▼-selection menu and select Rename.
  2. ILIAS opens a new page.
  3. Enter the desired name for the file in the text input field.
  4. Click the Rename button.
  5. ILIAS applies the changes and takes you back to the file directory.

Sorting files and directories

You want to display the files and subdirectories in a directory sorted for clarity.

Alphabetical sorting

  1. Click on the column heading Directory/File in the file list.
  2. ILIAS sorts the files and directories in alphabetical order.

Sorting by file size

  1. Click on the Size column heading in the file list.
  2. ILIAS sorts the files and directories according to their size.

Notes:

  • The files and directories can be sorted in ascending or descending order. You can recognize the sorting direction by the orientation of the blue arrow next to the column heading.
  • The sorting does not affect the display of the HTML learning module.

Edit settings

Rename the HTML learning module

You want to give your learning module a different title.

  1. Click on the Settings tab.
  2. In the Title text input field, change the name of the learning module.
  3. Click on the Save button.
  4. ILIAS changes the name of the learning module and saves the changes.

Change description

You want to add a description or change or delete an existing description.

  1. Click on the Settings tab.
  2. Click in the text input field Description.
  3. Enter a new description for your learning module or change or delete the existing description.
  4. Click on the Save button.
  5. ILIAS accepts the change and reloads the page.

Putting the learning module HTML online/offline

You want to switch the learning module HTML online or offline.

  1. Click on the Settings tab.
  2. Activate or deactivate the checkbox Online.
  3. Click on the Save button.
  4. ILIAS applies the change. Depending on the selection, the learning module HTML is visible or not visible for users without editing rights.

Set start page

You may need to specify which page ILIAS should open when the learning module HTML is clicked.

Annotations

  • A file with the name index.html or index.htm is automatically set as the start page by ILIAS if it is located at the top of the file directory. If this is the start page you want, you can save yourself the following steps.
  • If there is no index.html or index.htm on the top level of the file directory, you must define another file as the start page. Otherwise, your learning module HTML cannot be displayed.

Procedure:

  1. Click on the Settings tab.
  2. Click on the button Define start file.
  3. ILIAS opens the file directory.
  4. Open the ▼-selection menu and select "Set start file."
    Depending on your settings under Personal Desktop " Settings " Hits/Page, you may not see all files on a page. You can use the Page selection menu or the Next and Back buttons to move back and forth between the different pages of the file directory.
  5. ILIAS applies the changes and reloads the page.