1.9.2. Access Restrictions in the Expert Mode
Use of Expert Rules
In case of more complicated visibility or access rules you can also use the expert mode. You can e.g. limit a course element's access to a specific user name. It is also possible to interrelate several restrictions to each other. Just click on «Display expert mode» in the tabs «Visibility» and «Access» in order to define your expert rules in the box provided.
Configuration of Expert Rules
Expert rules certify if there is an attribute with a specific value.
| Attribute | Description | Example Expert Rule |
|---|---|---|
| isGuest | accessible only for guests | isGuest(0) |
| isCourseCoach | available only for users tutoring a learning group | isCourseCoach(0) |
| isUser | available only for one specific user | isUser(«pmuster») |
In the tabs «Visibility» and «Access» there will be more examples of expert rules within the context-sensitive Help.
There are various options to interrelate single rules to each other. The two most important operators to combine attributes are:
- AND conjunction: &
- OR conjunction: |
Please note that an OR conjunction precedes an AND conjunction. In order to handle an AND conjunction first you have to use brackets.
Example: The expert rule (inLearningGroup(«Participants IntensiveCourse») & isCourseCoach(0)) means that either participants of an intensive course or all tutors of learning groups will have access to a course element.
Use of AAI Attributes
By means of AAI attributes you can set access rules within a course to make sure that only course participants with specific user attributes (e.g. members of a certain organization) will have access to your course material. AAI means «Authentication and Authorization Infrastructure» and allows university members to use systems of other participating institutions with only one user name and password. For further information please go to Switch.
Available attributes and possible values are described in the AAI Attribute Specification (in English). The two most common attributes can be found in the following table along with examples of their corresponding expert rules:
| Attribute | Description | Example Expert Rule and Explication |
|---|---|---|
| swissEduPerson-HomeOrganization | University or home organization | hasAttribute ("swissEduPersonHomeOrganization", "uzh.ch"): only members of the Zurich University will get access. |
| swissEduStudyBranch3 | Field of study, 3rd classification | hasAttribute ("swissEduPersonStudyBranch3","6400"): only veterinary medicine students will have access. |
For further fields of study please go to the List of University Study Branch Codes; home organizations can be found in the List of all Home Organizations.
In case course participants have problems when accessing course material restricted by AAI attributes you can check if these AAI user accounts correspond to the attributes required by the access rules. Just ask the user to log on via the AAI Attribut Viewer before sending you a screenshot. There you will see if there are any attributes and values. Not all home organizations will provide their staff with each and every AAI attribute. Please clarify this with those home organizations that are concerned.
Registered users without appropriate attributes can be accepted in learning groups; you can then adapt your expert rules accordingly by means of the following rule: (in LearningGroup("[group name]").