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   1  This partial distribution contains a complete review of the
   2  Global Search Engine of Moodle.
   3  
   4  The Global Search Engine stores indexes about a huge quantity  
   5  of information from within modules, block or resources stored 
   6  by Moodle either in the database or the file system.
   7  
   8  The administrator initialy indexes the existing content. Once this 
   9  first initialization performed, the search engine maintains indexes
  10  regularily, adding new entries, deleting obsolete one or updating
  11  some that have changed.
  12  
  13  Search will produce links for acceding the information in a similar
  14  context as usually accessed, from the current user point of view.
  15  Results filtering removes from results any link to information the
  16  current user would not be allowed to acces on a straight situation.
  17  
  18  Deployement
  19  ###########
  20  
  21  For setting the engine : 
  22  
  23  
  24  * File copy
  25  
  26  1. Add to Moodle's library both additional libraries provided in the distribution
  27  2. Replace the "search" directory with the new one
  28  3. Replace the "blocks/search" with the new one.
  29  
  30  * Logical install
  31  
  32  4. Browse to the administrative notification screen and let the 
  33  install/update process run. The install process creates the Moodle
  34  table needed for backing the indexed documents identities.
  35  
  36  5. Go to the block administration panel and setup once the Global Search
  37  block. This will initialize useful parameters for the global search engine.
  38  
  39  6. Insert a new Global Search block somewhere in a course or top-level screen. 
  40  
  41  7. Launch an empty search (you must be administrator).
  42  
  43  8. Go to the statistics screen.
  44  
  45  9. Activate indexation (indexersplash.php). Beware, if your Moodle has
  46  a large amount of content, indexing process may be VERY LONG.
  47  
  48  To search, go back to the search block and try a query.
  49  
  50  Handled information for indexing
  51  ################################
  52  
  53  In the actual state, the engine indexes the following information:
  54  
  55  - forum posts
  56  - database records (using textual fields only)
  57  - database comments
  58  - glossary entries
  59  - glossary comments on entries
  60  - Moodle native resources
  61  - physical MSWord files as resources (.doc)
  62  - physical Powerpoint files as resources (.ppt)
  63  - physical PDF files as resources 
  64  - physical text files as resources (.txt)
  65  - physical html files as resources (.htm and .html)
  66  - physical xml files as resources (.xml)
  67  - wiki pages
  68  - techproject descriptions
  69  - char sessions
  70  - lesson pages
  71  
  72  Extensions
  73  ##########
  74  
  75  The reviewed search engine API allows: 
  76  
  77  - indexing of blocks contents
  78  - indexation of modules or blocks containing a complex information model
  79  - securing the access to the results
  80  - adding indexing handling adding a php calibrated script
  81  - adding physical filetype handling adding a php calibrated script
  82  
  83  Future extensions
  84  #################
  85  
  86  - Should be added more information to index such as forum and glossary attachements, so will other standard module contents.
  87  
  88  - extending the search capability to a mnet network information space.
  89  
  90   
  91