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# Moodle

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Moodle is a free and open-source e-learning software platform, written in PHP.

This article describes how to set up the Moodle server.

## Installation

Installation quick guide:

  You will need a working web server (e.g. Apache HTTP Server), a database (e.g. MySQL or PostgreSQL) and have PHP configured.

Be aware a compatible PHP version is required.

There is also an AUR package moodleAUR for the installation.

Either you can use this way:

Download the most current version of Moodle from https://download.moodle.org/ - this installation was done with 2.3.1+, and there may be minor changes to the install routine in later versions.

Unzip it into `/srv/http`:

    # tar xzvf moodle-latest-23.tgz -C /srv/http

Make it read/writeable by Apache:

    # chown -R http:http /srv/http/moodle

## Configuration

### Preconfiguration

Some changes need to be made to the default setup so Moodle will work.

#### File access

Add `/srv` to `/etc/php/php.ini`:

    open_basedir = /srv/http/:/home/:/tmp/:/usr/share/pear/:/srv/

This allows PHP to access the `/srv/moodledata directory`.BBS#80782

#### Create the MoodleData Directory

This needs to be readable and writeable by Apache:

    # mkdir /srv/moodledata
    # chown http:http /srv/moodledata

#### Configure PHP extension

Uncomment the following lines in `/etc/php/php.ini` (remove the semicolon from the start of the line):

    extension=curl
    extension=gd
    extension=gettext
    extension=iconv
    extension=intl
    extension=mysqli
    extension=soap
    extension=xmlrpc
    extension=zip

#### Restart Apache

You now need to restart Apache's `httpd.service` to make these changes current. Note that if you get any errors while installing Moodle, and make subsequent changes, you will need to restart Apache after each set of changes.

#### MariaDB

If you are using MariaDB and the moodle installer complains about the wrong version of MySQL, edit `config.php` in `/srv/http/moodle`

    $CFG->dbtype    = 'mariadb';
    $CFG->dblibrary = 'native';

You will also need to create some tables so that Moodle can connect to it and modify it:

    MariaDB[(none)] > CREATE USER 'moodleuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'yourpassword';
    MariaDB[(none)] > GRANT SELECT,INSERT,UPDATE,DELETE,CREATE,CREATE TEMPORARY TABLES,DROP,INDEX,ALTER ON moodle.* TO 'moodleuser'@'localhost';
    MariaDB[(none)] > FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
    MariaDB[(none)] > exit;

#### Configure a cron job

Per maintenance requirements, you need to configure a cron job to run regularly on your site.

Check Cron page to install a cron implementation. After that, edit your {{ic[/etc/crontab}} file and add the following:

    * * * * *    /usr/bin/php /path/to/moodle/admin/cli/cron.php >/dev/null

Change the path to your Moodle installation directory.

### Application configuration

Go to http://localhost/moodle/install.php - this starts the Moodle installer. There then follows a sequence of configuration screens, most of which should be left at the defaults:

- Select the language
- You should pass the first page of tests (PHP Settings).
- Leave the default locations as they are. An error here is likely to be a data directory problem - check the directory exists, that it has the right ownership and that `open_basedir` in `/etc/php/php.ini` is set correctly.
- On the MySQL Screen, enter the user (root) and that user's password in the screen. If you get an error here, go to the `test.php` created when you set up the LAMP stack and check mysql is working, and also check the passwords.
- On the Environment screen, you should pass all the tests - if not the errors give you a clue what is missing - an uninstalled program or a failure to uncomment one of the lines in `/etc/php/php.ini`
- If you are English, you do not need to download language packs.
- If the `config.php` has failed - probably because of lack of write access to the moodle subdirectory - the most likely reason is the ownership of the `/srv/http/moodle` structure, which should be `http:http` - this was set earlier but you might have skipped that bit.
- The remainder of the install should be automatic. It takes 2 or 3 minutes on my computer to set up all the SQL Databases and so on.
- The final page allows you to set up the administrator user for Moodle. You need to enter a password, name and set the country as a bare minimum. Do not forget the password !

Happy Moodling !

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- Web applications

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