Suggestion about new "tread" or "forum".

I have noted that some of the questions in this forum is not really related to H5P itself, but actually configuration issues on the underlaying operating system.

If there were a tread or something named "work logs" or "HowTo's" it could be possible to write down what you are doing and post it under this tread. In this way there could be "cook-book guides" how to set it all up and make it work. It is also quite easy to install a "WAMP stack" under Windows and then to set it up an run it all at your desktop. It could be a "HowTo" for this as well.

Another option would be to have a preinstalled and preconfigured virtual server with H5P for download, that could be runned under Virtual Box or Vmware player.  

I think a couple of such "getting started" guides and some "small trix" could make it more easy to "getting started", so more time can be used for "courseware authoring" (and less time for "fighting technology").

By the way, I belive that "H5P courseware modules" that is developed on a laptop/desktop will have the full functionally, so they later can be uploaded to a server with the required runtime environment. In this way it is not needed anything more than a PC (with a "wamp stack") to develop content based on H5P.  

If it is made "much more easy to get started" it might lead to more discussion about "the good and proper use of H5P".

falcon's picture

Thanks for that. I think you're right. We've discussed creating a faq for installation and server related problems, but we haven't done it yet.

I've created some new forums now. Please advice if you think the names are wrong.

A desktop app are in the plans, but it will take some time til we can start working on it. We've got lots of other stuff that needs fixing first.

No .. Desktop installations does not need any "app" at all. H5P can run perfect on desktops "as is" (I have done it all the time.) Look at the "installation tread".

falcon's picture

I know, we're all running H5P locally in the H5P team. My setup is quite similar to yours. Most of the devs uses linux and other setups. But we're planning to do an app. What kind of app haven't been decided yet. It might be a xamp installer or it might be a windows 10, ios or android app for instance...

Thanks for your feedback. I just got a few ideas about "how to do this in an hour or two".

To modify a Bitnami appliance by installing H5P that might be one option. (But it is a bit "big and clumsy" and a virtuallization environment will in some way mess up your PC. )

https://bitnami.com/stack/drupal/virtual-machine

But then one other idea that should work as easy as possible .. Running Xampp with preconfigured Drupal and H5P from a memory stick. You just plug in your USB memory stick, and you are up and running with a H5P "courseware authoring environment" in two seconds. No chnges at your PC.

I havent used the portable Xampp for a couple of years, but I guess it (still) should work?

http://portableapps.com/apps/development/xampp

If the discussion about "how to use H5P" is restricted to those who know how to set up and configure a Linux server, quite many school teachers that could have been good at "the use of H5P" will not be a part of the discussion. In this way it should be an "easy to get started" alternative. The "HP5 installation in your pocket" should anyhow be a good alternative when you are moving around.

Will test it (when I have time) and make a "howto" if it works.

 

falcon's picture

Cool! H5P on a stick is probably a very practical and good approach! :)

Did it work ? - Allmost, but not completely. It looks like the Xampp program itself uses "relative path adressing", so that the installation can be moved to another drive. On the other hand it looks like the H5P module itself uses "absolute path adressing" so it will not work if it is moved with Xampp/Drupal to another drive. Error message:

 ·                   Notice: Undefined property: stdClass::$name in h5p_add_core_assets() (line 684 ofC:\xampp\apps\drupal\htdocs\sites\all\modules\h5p\h5p.module).

(The Xampp with H5P is copied over from C: drive to D: drive but H5P continue to address C: drive)

What I on the other hand believe does work is to make a Zipped file of the Xampp directory and move it to C:/ drive to another PC via a USB stick. (Or download from Internet and then only extract to right directory.)

There is also another Bitnami Drupal Stack that is quite much smaller. (150 Mb when zipped with Drupal/H5P, Xampp with drupal/H5P is about 450 Mb when zipped. (After installation to PC.)

https://bitnami.com/stack/drupal/installer

 

 

 

falcon's picture

Thanks for the info. We'll keep this in mind. We know it is very hard to install H5P at the moment.