Sharing one study site with a class #

This page is for study groups, student clubs and classes that work on one shared installation, for example a server of the school. It explains when sharing works, how to set it up so nobody locks the others out, and how to reset it. Trainers have a fuller treatment in Train the trainer, module 2.

Contents #

1. One per learner, or one for all
2. Accounts: one per learner
3. When everyone is an administrator: demo mode
4. Rules for the group
5. Resetting the shared site

One per learner, or one for all #

The trainers' lesson One installation per learner says it plainly: "The safest lab gives every learner their own installation: nobody can break a neighbour's exercise, and every learner can be an administrator." Since exp:install installs a complete site on SQLite in one command, this is cheap.

Share only when you must, and give each learner their own site for the administrator and developer paths. The trainers compare both in Shared server or one per learner.

Accounts: one per learner #

On a shared site, every learner gets an account of their own, never the shared admin account:

1. The person who runs the site creates a user group, for example "Class 2026".
2. Each learner gets a user in that group, with an address at example.invalid if no real mail is needed.
3. The group gets a role that fits the exercises, for example editing in one subtree only (How do I give a group edit rights on one section?, Roles, policies and unactivated users).
4. Each learner works in a folder of their own, so the work stays apart.

The trainers' lesson Learner accounts and roles shows the same set-up step by step. Setting it up is itself a good exercise: see project 9.

When everyone is an administrator: demo mode #

If every participant must sign in as an administrator, any one of them could change the administrator password and lock out the rest. Demo mode prevents that: with the environment variable EXP_DEMO_MODE=1 set for every PHP process of the installation, administrator passwords cannot be changed or reset (Demo mode FAQ). The trainers use it for this case (Trainers: start here).

What you must know before you use it:

• It is switched on by the server, not from the administration; only the exact value 1 counts (Demo mode).
• Everything else still works: an administrator can still change content, roles and settings, so the site must be rebuilt regularly (Demo mode FAQ).
• It means the administrator password is meant to be known. Never use it on a site with real content, real users or real data (Demo mode FAQ).
• Nobody may enter anything private on such a site. The banner says so: "Do not enter anything private here."

Rules for the group #

Agree on these before the first session, and write them at the top of the group's notes:

1. Everyone uses their own account. Nobody shares a password in a chat.
2. Only invented content and test addresses at example.invalid.
3. Nobody removes or changes another person's work without asking.
4. Settings are changed by one named person, and every change is written in the group's notes.
5. Before a risky exercise, the person who runs the site makes a backup (Resetting and rebuilding your study site).
6. Problems with the software are reported once, by one person, with the steps (Bugs you find while learning).

Resetting the shared site #

• Between courses or terms: reinstall with exp:install --force (Resetting and rebuilding your study site).
• Before an exam or a presentation: restore a saved state.
• The trainers' lesson Resetting the lab has a routine for groups.

Related pages #

• Demo mode FAQ
• Asking for help and study groups
• For teachers: assigning these pages
• Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.