AdminTools

Installation

(TBD)

Configuring Properties

The URLs, passwords, directory locations and grading dates are specified in the admintools.properties file.  An example is shown below:

classes.path=/home/webct/ISUtools/vtest
data.path=/home/webct/ISUtools/datafiledir
jdbcHost=webctora.its.iastate.edu
jdbcPort=3425
jdbcUser=postgres
jdbcPassword=
jdbcDatabase=isusi
vista.url=https://webctbeta.ait.iastate.edu
vista.secret=
isuauth.secret=
mail.host=mailhub-3.iastate.edu
mail.debug=false
mail.admin=rdalhoff
grades.midterm.start=12:00:00 7/1/2006
grades.midterm.end=12:00:00 7/24/2006
grades.final.start=12:00:00 7/25/2006
grades.final.end=12:00:00 7/31/2006

Changes to these properties will be noted immediately in the Powerlink.  In particular, the grading dates may be adjusted dynamically to extend the final dates if needed.

Updating the Interface

Cosmetic changes to the PowerTool interface can be made dynamically by editing the AdminTools/xsl files without redeploying the PowerTool.  This is particular useful to correct HTML rendering errors or updating messages.

Directories

The AdminTools PowerLink is located at <WebCTDomain>/deployablecomponents/AdminTools. The jar files are located in the main directory and the xsl stylesheets are located in the xsl subdirectory.

The command line tool is located at /home/webct/ISUtools/admintools.  The files in this directory include the

• ant build.properties and build.xml
• admintools.properties file
• lib subdirectory containing necessary jar files
• snapshot.sh script for generating Vista snapshot file (needed for expiring unused exception IDs)

Using the Command Line

The AdminTools command line is used to process gradebook and user files, get grades, remove unused exceptionids and clear semester information. It can be invoked from any directory by issuing the command:

% ant -f /home/webct/ISUtools/admintools/build.xml [command]

The command can be one of the values listed below:

Command	When	Requires Vista	Action
get_midterm	Just before submitting data to the Registrar		dump the midterm grades to grades.dat
get_final	Just before submitting data to the Registrar		dump the final grades to grades.dat
process_files	Every few minutes via cron job. This will process incremental user adds scores submitted by departments scores submitted by bubblesheet		process the gradebook and users xml files in datafiledir. See Import Grades
process_users	Daily via cron job. This will process files in classlistdir.		Add and drop users to isu sis database and add and drop students to mapped Vista sections
expire_exceptions	Manually.		expire unused exceptionids
-Dsemester=F2006 clear_semester	Manually when all grading and mapping for the semester is done. The semester name must be the 5 character name used by the Registrar		clear grades and enrollment data for given semester
report_enrollment	Manually. Report will appear in enroll_report.dat		List of enrolled classes by student
report_grades	Manually. Report will appear in grade_report.dat		List of number of each grade by section
-Dsection=ims_id report_gradebook	Manually. Report will appear in gradebook.xml		List of complete gradebook for given section
-Dnetid=jbogus report_user	Manually. Report will appear in console and admintools.log		List netid,first,last and isuid and all enrollments for user
report_mapping	Manually. Report will appear in course_mapper.dat		List instructor isuID, Vista section and role by ISU section
report_instructor	Manually. Report will appear in isuc-courses.dat		List ISU classes and role by instructor isuID
-Dsection=ims_id update_mapping	Manually. Logs will report students added		Remap all students to the section
process_grades	Daily via cron job. this will process files in datafiledir		Updates gradebook of files from other servers which places the retrieved files in the datafiledir
update_students	Manually. Reads isuids from students.dat		Deletes and adds student in Vista. Remaps student to mapped sections
-Dsection=ims_id report_gradebook	Manually. Report will appear in gradebook-[ims_id].xml		Reports all columns and grades of gradebook.
report_members	Manually. Report will appear in members-[ims_id].xml		Gets webct username from Mail and prints out user data
update_properties	Manually. New dates will be stored in database		Reads dates from admintools.properties and puts in database for global access.  Updates Midterm and Final grade submittal dates/times.
-Dsearch=string grep_admintools	Manually, printout will appear in console		Searches admintools.log on all systems for string
-Dsearch=string grep_all	Manually, printout will appear in console		Searches all logs, classlist archives and data archives

Using the PowerLink

To use the PowerLink in a section, the instructor must add it to the main content page using the Add Content Link on the Build tab. It should also be hidden.  To use, the instructor should go to the Teach tab and click on the link.

Note: AdminTools can only be used by instructors of the section, not designers or students.  The instructor must be the instructor of record for the mapped courses.

Mapping

Typically, the first step for the instructor is to map Registrar courses to the section the PowerLink is in.  Multiple courses can be mapped to one section and a different mapping option (add and delete, add only, initial only) may be selected for each class.  These may be changed at any time. 

Submitting Grades

When it comes time to submit midterm or final grades, the Submit Grades option may be selected.  If the current time is outside the submission window for midterm or final grades, the instructor will be told when submission can begin.  The grades will be checked against the allowable grades and any errors will be reported in a table.  The instructor must fix these errors before the grades are recorded.  Once the errors are fixed, the recorded grades will be shown for confirmation and stored.  The grades will be written to a file manually by the serveradmin when it is time to submit to the Registrar.

The following tables describe the actions that are taken for grades submitted:

MidTerm grades 

Final grades 

Adding ExceptionIDs

An instructor can create temporary Exception IDs for users who are not members of the ISU community.  To create an ID, the netid, password, email address, first and last name must be specified. Multiple IDs may be provided on separate lines either in the supplied text editor, attached file or both.  The actual username will have 'w.' prepended to the netid.  The exception IDs will be added as users of Vista and be added to the given section.  An error will be reported if the netid already exists. 

If the instructor would like to use the same exception ID in another section, the Add User function in the section must be used in the second section. Exception IDs will be removed when they are no longer members of a Vista section.

Submitting a Test and Evaluation Service Form

An instructor can use this option to specify the information need to upload scores from a bubblesheet to a gradebook column in WebCTGold.  The completed information will be emailed to TES so that accurate information is provided to the TES submittal system.  In particular, the column name and IMS ID of the WebCTGold section must be correctly specified for this process to succeed.

The instructor should select the Submit TES Form from the AdminTools menu. The following display will be shown:
 
The instructor should supply all the information.  If the Special Code Column name is provided, two columns will be added to the gradebook.
 

If there are no errors, the following summary will be provided:

An email notification will be sent to both the instructor and TES.  The Submittal Form may also be printed.  The instructor may then bring the tests and the printed form and key to the Solution center for processing.