updating the course overview block to include a configurable news field, plus...

updating the course overview block to include a configurable news field, plus adding of a "create new course" link

block_course_overview_uwmoodle.php

@@ -94,6 +94,13 @@ class block_course_overview_uwmoodle extends block_base {
             $msgcount = message_count_unread_messages();
             $this->content->text = $renderer->welcome_area($msgcount);
         }
+        // next render the news section if there is any content
+        if(!empty($config->news)){
+            $this->content->text .= $renderer->render_news($config->news);
+        }
+
+        // Finally render the legend
+        $this->content->text .= $renderer->render_create_course_and_legend();
 
         $usephp = optional_param('usephp', '', PARAM_ALPHA);
         IF(empty($usephp)){ // set up course blocks, but then let ajax load courses

lang/en/block_course_overview_uwmoodle.php

@@ -59,3 +59,7 @@ $string['youhavemessages'] = 'You have {$a} unread ';
 $string['youhavenomessages'] = 'You have no unread ';
 
 $string['nojavascript'] = 'Javascript is not enabled on this page.  Click this link to load the block';
+
+$string['news'] = 'News';
+$string['news_desc'] = 'Configurable text that will show above the courses section but below the welcome area';
+$string['create_course'] = 'Click here to create a new course';

renderer.php

@@ -288,14 +288,59 @@ class block_course_overview_uwmoodle_renderer extends plugin_renderer_base {
         $output .= $this->output->box('', 'flush');
         $output .= $this->output->box_end();
 
-        $output .= html_writer::start_tag('div', array('class'=>'legend'));
-        $output .= html_writer::tag('div', get_string('moodle_legend', 'block_my_course_links'), array('class'=>'Moodle-icon'));
-        $output .= html_writer::tag('div', get_string('d2l_legend', 'block_my_course_links'), array('class'=>'D2L-icon'));
-        $output .= html_writer::end_tag('div');
 
         return $output;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Renders the news
+     *
+     * @param string $news
+     * @return string HTML of the news section
+     */
+    public function render_news($news){
+
+        $output = $this->output->box_start('news_area');
+        $output .= $news;
+        $output .= $this->output->box_end();
+        return $output;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Renders legend section
+     *
+     * @return string HTML of the legend
+     */
+    public function render_create_course_and_legend(){
+        global $CFG;
+        $output = '';
+
+        $output .= html_writer::start_tag('div', array('class', 'course_overview_info'));
+
+            if(file_exists($CFG->dirroot . '/enrol/wisc/accesslib.php')){
+                require_once($CFG->dirroot . '/enrol/wisc/accesslib.php');
+            }
+
+            if(function_exists('wisc_can_create_course')){
+                if(wisc_can_create_course()){
+
+                    $createcourselink = new moodle_url('/enrol/wisc/create.php');
+                    $output .= html_writer::start_tag('div', array('class'=>'createcourse'));
+                    $output .= html_writer::link($createcourselink,
+                                                 get_string('create_course', 'block_course_overview_uwmoodle'));
+                    $output .= html_writer::end_tag('div');
+
+                }
+            }
+
+            $output .= html_writer::start_tag('div', array('class'=>'legend'));
+            $output .= html_writer::tag('div', get_string('moodle_legend', 'block_my_course_links'), array('class'=>'Moodle-icon'));
+            $output .= html_writer::tag('div', get_string('d2l_legend', 'block_my_course_links'), array('class'=>'D2L-icon'));
+            $output .= html_writer::end_tag('div');
+        $output .= html_writer::end_tag('div');
+        return $output;
+    }
+
     /**
      * The course block as it renders when using the AJAX functionality
      *

settings.php

@@ -17,8 +17,9 @@
 /**
  * course_overview block settings
  *
- * @package    block_course_overview
+ * @package    block_course_overview_uwmoodle
  * @copyright  2012 Adam Olley <adam.olley@netspot.com.au>
+ * @copyright  2014 Univrsity of Wisconsin System - Board of Regents
  * @license    http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
  */
 defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die;
@@ -26,4 +27,12 @@ defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die;
 if ($ADMIN->fulltree) {
     $settings->add(new admin_setting_configcheckbox('block_course_overview_uwmoodle/showwelcomearea', new lang_string('showwelcomearea', 'block_course_overview_uwmoodle'),
         new lang_string('showwelcomeareadesc', 'block_course_overview_uwmoodle'), 1));
+
+    // my page news setting.
+    $name = 'block_course_overview_uwmoodle/news';
+    $title = get_string('news', 'block_course_overview_uwmoodle');
+    $description = get_string('news_desc', 'block_course_overview_uwmoodle');
+    $default = '';
+    $setting = new admin_setting_confightmleditor($name, $title, $description, $default);
+    $settings->add($setting);
 }

styles.css

@@ -311,8 +311,9 @@
 
 .block_course_overview_uwmoodle .legend{
     content: "";
-    width: 100%;
     margin-bottom: 10px;
+    display: inline-block;
+    float: right;
 }
 
 .block_course_overview_uwmoodle .legend div{
@@ -323,3 +324,15 @@
 .block_course_overview_uwmoodle .course_title a.dimmed{
     color: #999;
 }
+
+.block_course_overview_uwmoodle .createcourse{
+    display: inline-block;
+    margin-bottom: 10px;
+}
+
+.block_course_overview_uwmoodle .news_area{
+    border: 1px solid;
+    padding: 5px;
+    margin-bottom: 10px;
+    background-color: white;
+}