Hack Fest 2010

The 2010 PHP Hackfest Cheat Sheet!

Mahara Project

Plan

To integate Status Net, the open-source "host-your-own" Twitter, into Mahara, an open source e-portfolio system.

First Step

A block to follow a twitter tag.

Useful Links

• Downloading Mahara
• Installing Mahara
• Mahara Coding Guidelines

• Twitter API

Moodle Project

Plan

To get Moodle (open-source learning management system) working with Koha (open-source integrated library system).

First Step

Let's start by extending the Moodle External Search block to query a Koha library system and display the returned records of Koha books.

Koha Search

1. Here's a Koha already set up we can use - no Koha set up required (phew!):
   • http://opac.koha.workbuffer.org:9998/
2. Koha uses an open standard from the Library of Congress called SRU - Search/Retrieval by URL.
3. Using the Z39.50 Explain protocol, we can "self-discover" the Koha catalog search interface:
   • http://opac.koha.workbuffer.org:9998/?version=1.1&operation=explain
4. by parsing the XML response, we can use the <database> element (in this case, "biblios") to construct a search URL:
   • http://opac.koha.workbuffer.org:9998/biblios?version=1.1&operation=searchRetrieve&query=fish
5. which will return the number of results:
   • <zs:numberOfRecords>178</zs:numberOfRecords>
6. Then we can grab (e.g.) records 5 and 6, in Dublin Core, like this:
   • http://opac.koha.workbuffer.org:9998/biblios?version=1.1&operation=searchRetrieve&query=fish&startRecord=5&maximumRecords=2&recordSchema=dc

Useful Links

• Downloading Moodle
• Installing Moodle
• Moodle Coding Guidelines

• Moodle External Search block
• Koha Integrated Library System
• SRU search protocol
• Z39.50 protocol
• Z39.50 Explain