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  1. Moodle
  2. MDL-29987

Embedded PDF files cause problems in some configurations

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Details

    • MOODLE_21_STABLE, MOODLE_22_STABLE, MOODLE_23_STABLE, MOODLE_24_STABLE, MOODLE_25_STABLE
    • MOODLE_24_STABLE, MOODLE_25_STABLE
    • Hide

      Use the "Display: Open" setting for the file resource.

      Show
      Use the "Display: Open" setting for the file resource.
    • Hide

      Note: This test run needs to be done using a browser that supports embedding PDF files, such as Firefox 21.

      • Enter a course when logged in as teacher.
      • Upload a file by drag & drop.
      • Click on the filename (to open the file).
      • Verify: PDF file is opened in a separate window/tab/viewer (not embedded in the Moodle page).
      • Return to the course page (with editing on).
      • Click on "Update" from the pop-up menu next to the file resource.
      • Set "Appearance -> Display" to "Embed", then click "Save and return to course".
      • Click on the filename again.
      • Verify: PDF file is opened in an embedded PDF viewer.
      Show
      Note: This test run needs to be done using a browser that supports embedding PDF files, such as Firefox 21. Enter a course when logged in as teacher. Upload a file by drag & drop. Click on the filename (to open the file). Verify: PDF file is opened in a separate window/tab/viewer (not embedded in the Moodle page). Return to the course page (with editing on). Click on "Update" from the pop-up menu next to the file resource. Set "Appearance -> Display" to "Embed", then click "Save and return to course". Click on the filename again. Verify: PDF file is opened in an embedded PDF viewer.

    Description

      In Moodle 2.x, the default setting for the "File" resource is "Display: Automatic". For PDF files, this means that they will be shown as an embedded PDF viewer (if a browser plugin is available). This causes problems in various configurations:

      • In IE 8 (other versions not tested), the PDF file is displayed but not in a very user-friendly way: The "viewport" for the PDF file is rather small, covers only part of the screen, and is in landscape format (whereas typical PDF documents are portrait format, at least for us). There is no obvious option to open the document in a larger window.
      • Users of mobile devices (Android, iPad) have reported that the files are displayed, but they are unable to scroll to the next page. (Likely this is a problem with mobile browsers, but one that seems to be widespread.)

      All in all, I don't see much benefit for displaying PDFs in an embedded window, however I see that it causes problems to some of our users.

      Suggestions for a solution:
      (a) Remove PDF from the list of file types to be displayed in an embedded frame - see mod/resource/locallib.php, function resource_get_final_display_type(), variable $embed

      (b) Alternatively, display a link to the file above the embedded frame.

      I can provide a patch, but would be happy about some feedback regarding the options above.

      See also http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=164712 .

      Attachments

        Issue Links

          has a non-specific relationship to

          Improvement - An enhancement to an existing Moodle feature. MDL-29624 Media embedding should be consistent and customisable

          • Minor - Minor loss of function where workaround is possible
          • Closed

          Improvement - An enhancement to an existing Moodle feature. MDL-31368 Embedded HTML resources don't make full use of available space, and have extra scrollbars.

          • Minor - Minor loss of function where workaround is possible
          • Closed
          has been marked as being related by

          Bug - A problem which impairs or prevents Moodle from functioning correctly. MDL-27712 Embedded PDF pages are blank in 2.0.3

          • Major - Major loss of function, incorrect output
          • Closed

          Bug - A problem which impairs or prevents Moodle from functioning correctly. MDL-33339 Pdf files won't embed or in-frame since upgrade to 2.2.3

          • Minor - Minor loss of function where workaround is possible
          • Closed
          is duplicated by

          Bug - A problem which impairs or prevents Moodle from functioning correctly. MDL-41628 Can't open PDF on iPad

          • Minor - Minor loss of function where workaround is possible
          • Closed

          Activity

            People

              bostelm Henning Bostelmann
              bostelm Henning Bostelmann
              Dan Poltawski Dan Poltawski
              Sam Hemelryk Sam Hemelryk
              Jason Fowler Jason Fowler
              Ilya Tregubov, Kevin Percy, Mathew May, Mihail Geshoski, Shamim Rezaie
              Votes:
              60 Vote for this issue
              Watchers:
              54 Start watching this issue

              Dates

                Created:
                Updated:
                Resolved:
                11/Nov/13