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1: Multiple Choice Module, Small Usability Question
12/10/07 01:33 PM
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I was testing the multiple choice module and was curious about the decision to use a curved arrow as the "button" to continue to the next page in the multiple choice test.

I was confused since this is not a usual interface element, and it does not trigger the pointer cursor in IE or Firefox.

Is there a way to customize this behavior?

Posted by Dave Bauer

2: Re: Multiple Choice Module, Small Usability Question
In response to 1 12/10/07 11:31 PM
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No easy way.

The image was used to differentiate between the button when there were more questions to be answered, and the button when you were on the last question.

If you really hate it, then you have to change the source files.

If you have someone that is used to unjarring and re-jarring war files, then you could try this:

* Shutdown LAMS
* Expand the lams-monitoring.war file.
* Find the file SingleQuestioAnswersContent.jsp and make the change I give below.
* Jar up the war file.
* Start LAMS

Now if you don't jar it up right, then LAMS won't start up properly or it may start and MCQ may be broken. So only do it if you have someone who knows what I'm going on about.

Change:

<c:if
        test="${mcGeneralLearnerFlowDTO.totalCountReached != 'true'  &&  mcGeneralLearnerFlowDTO.totalQuestionCount != '1'}">
        <img src="<c:out value="${tool}"/>images/green_arrow_down_right.gif"
            align=left onclick="javascript:if (verifyCandidateSelected()){ submitNextQuestionSelected();}">
    </c:if>

to

    <c:if
        test="${mcGeneralLearnerFlowDTO.totalCountReached != 'true'  &&  mcGeneralLearnerFlowDTO.totalQuestionCount != '1'}">
        <html:submit property="continueOptionsCombined" onclick="if (verifyCandidateSelected()){ submitNextQuestionSelected();}" styleClass="button">
            <fmt:message key="button.continue" />
        </html:submit>
    </c:if>

I've done a quick test on this and it seems to work, but no guarantees, as it was a QUICK test.

Now if you make this change and the user doesn't enter an answer, they will get the "Submission is not allowed. Please select at least one answer for each of the questions." error twice - once in a popup box and once on the learner screen. If you live with this, then that will give you a normal button.

Now, you would have to make this change everytime you upgrade LAMS until we change our code. I'll make a note of this as a usability problem.

Fiona

Posted by Fiona Malikoff

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