PulseLMS Administrator Guide¶

Complete System Administration Documentation¶

Welcome to the comprehensive Administrator Guide for PulseLMS. This document provides detailed instructions for managing, configuring, and maintaining your learning management system. As an administrator, you have access to powerful tools for controlling every aspect of the platform.

1. Administrator Overview and Dashboard¶

1.1 Understanding the Administrator Role¶

As a PulseLMS administrator, you are responsible for the overall health, security, and functionality of the learning management system. Your responsibilities include:

Responsibility	Description
User Management	Creating, editing, and managing user accounts
Course Oversight	Managing course categories and course-level settings
System Configuration	Configuring site-wide settings and features
Security	Implementing and monitoring security measures
Performance	Optimizing system performance and resources
Maintenance	Performing backups, updates, and troubleshooting
Integration	Configuring external services and web services
Compliance	Ensuring data privacy and regulatory compliance

1.2 Administrator Dashboard Overview¶

When you log into PulseLMS as an administrator, your dashboard provides a comprehensive overview of system status and quick access to administrative functions.

Dashboard Blocks Available to Administrators¶

Block	Purpose	Configuration Location
Site Administration	Quick access to admin settings	Automatically visible to admins
Course Overview	View all courses in the system	Dashboard preferences
Recently Accessed Courses	Quick access to recent courses	Dashboard preferences
Calendar	View site-wide events	Dashboard preferences
Private Files	Personal file storage	Dashboard preferences
Online Users	Currently logged-in users	Dashboard preferences
Latest Announcements	Site-wide announcements	Dashboard preferences
Logged In User	Current user details	Dashboard preferences
Admin Bookmarks	Saved admin page shortcuts	Dashboard preferences

Accessing the Administration Dashboard¶

Log in to PulseLMS with your administrator credentials
Click on Site administration in the navigation menu
Alternatively, access via the gear icon in the top navigation bar
The admin dashboard provides categorized access to all settings

1.3 Quick Administration Tasks¶

Most Common Administrative Tasks¶

Task	Navigation Path	Frequency
Add new user	Site administration > Users > Add a new user	As needed
Create course	Site administration > Courses > Manage courses and categories	As needed
Check system status	Site administration > Server > Environment	Weekly
Review logs	Site administration > Reports > Logs	Daily
Manage plugins	Site administration > Plugins > Plugins overview	Monthly
Check scheduled tasks	Site administration > Server > Scheduled tasks	Weekly
Purge caches	Site administration > Development > Purge all caches	As needed

PulseLMS provides quick access to frequently used administrative functions:

Quick Actions Available:
---------------------------------
[+] Add new user
[+] Add new course
[+] Upload users (CSV)
[+] Purge all caches
[+] View site logs
[+] Run scheduled tasks
[+] Site backup
[+] Check for updates

1.5 System Notifications for Administrators¶

Administrators receive special notifications about:

System Updates: New versions available
Plugin Updates: Available plugin upgrades
Security Alerts: Potential security issues
Environment Warnings: Server configuration problems
Task Failures: Scheduled task errors
User Reports: Flagged content or behavior

Configuring Admin Notifications¶

Navigate to Site administration > Messaging > Notification settings
Locate the "System alerts" section
Configure preferred notification methods:
Web notifications
Email notifications
Mobile push notifications

2.1 Site Administration Panel Structure¶

The Site Administration panel is organized into logical categories for easy navigation:

Site Administration
├── General
│   ├── Notifications
│   ├── Registration
│   └── Advanced features
├── Users
│   ├── Accounts
│   ├── Permissions
│   └── Privacy and policies
├── Courses
│   ├── Manage courses and categories
│   ├── Course default settings
│   └── Course request
├── Grades
│   ├── General settings
│   ├── Grade category settings
│   └── Grade item settings
├── Badges
│   ├── Badge settings
│   └── Manage badges
├── Competencies
│   └── Competency frameworks
├── H5P
│   └── Content types
├── Location
│   └── Location settings
├── Language
│   ├── Language settings
│   └── Language customization
├── Plugins
│   ├── Plugins overview
│   ├── Install plugins
│   └── [Plugin categories]
├── Security
│   ├── Site security settings
│   ├── HTTP security
│   └── Notifications
├── Appearance
│   ├── Themes
│   ├── Navigation
│   └── HTML settings
├── Front page
│   └── Front page settings
├── Server
│   ├── System paths
│   ├── Performance
│   ├── Session handling
│   └── Scheduled tasks
├── Reports
│   ├── Logs
│   ├── Live logs
│   └── Performance overview
└── Development
    ├── Debugging
    ├── Web service test client
    └── Purge caches

The primary method for accessing administration settings is through the left navigation panel:

Click the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) if not visible
Scroll to find Site administration
Click to expand the administration tree
Navigate through the hierarchical structure

Method 2: Search Functionality¶

Use the admin search to quickly find settings:

At the top of Site Administration, locate the search box
Type keywords related to the setting you need
Results display matching settings and pages
Click a result to navigate directly

Example Searches:

Search Term	Results Include
"email"	Email settings, SMTP configuration, notifications
"security"	Security settings, password policy, IP blocking
"course"	Course settings, categories, enrollment
"user"	User policies, authentication, permissions
"backup"	Automated backups, restore settings

Method 3: Direct URL Access¶

Experienced administrators can access settings directly via URL:

Common Admin URLs:
---------------------------------
/admin/index.php              - Main admin page
/admin/settings.php           - General settings
/admin/user.php               - User browse
/admin/category.php           - Course categories
/admin/tool/log/index.php     - System logs
/admin/settings.php?section=security - Security settings

2.3 Admin Bookmarks¶

Save frequently accessed admin pages for quick access:

Navigate to any admin page
Click the star icon next to the page title
Access bookmarks via the "Admin bookmarks" block on your dashboard

Recommended Bookmarks for Administrators¶

Page	Use Case
Scheduled tasks	Monitor automated processes
Live logs	Real-time activity monitoring
Browse list of users	Quick user lookup
Plugins overview	Plugin management
Environment check	System health verification

2.4 Administration Interface Customization¶

Collapsible Sections¶

Click section headers to expand/collapse
State is preserved between sessions
Use "Expand all" / "Collapse all" when needed

Table Display Options¶

Configure how administrative tables display:

Setting	Options	Location
Items per page	10, 20, 50, 100	User preferences
Default sort order	Ascending/Descending	Column headers
Column visibility	Show/Hide columns	Table settings
Export format	CSV, Excel, PDF	Export dropdown

3. System Configuration¶

3.1 General Site Settings¶

Access via: Site administration > General > Site settings

Basic Site Information¶

Setting	Description	Example
Full site name	Complete name of your PulseLMS instance	"Acme Corporation Learning Portal"
Short name for site	Abbreviated site name	"AcmeLMS"
Site home summary	Description shown on front page	"Welcome to our training platform"
Default timezone	System default timezone	"America/New_York"
Default country	Default country selection	"United States"

Configuring Site Name¶

Step-by-Step Configuration:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > General > Site settings
2. Locate "Full site name" field
3. Enter your organization's LMS name
4. Locate "Short name for site" field
5. Enter an abbreviated version
6. Scroll to bottom and click "Save changes"

3.2 Front Page Settings¶

Access via: Site administration > Front page > Front page settings

Front Page Display Options¶

Option	Description	When to Use
Site news items	Number of announcements to display	Active announcement strategy
Courses per page	Number of courses in listings	Large course catalogs
Logged in users	What logged-in users see	Personalized experience
Not logged in users	What guests see	Public-facing sites
Include a topic section	Add content section	Additional information needed
Maximum category depth	Category nesting level	Deep category structures

Front Page Layout Configuration¶

Configure what appears on the front page:

For Logged-in Users: 1. News items / Site announcements 2. List of categories 3. List of courses 4. Combo list (categories and courses) 5. Enrolled courses 6. Course search box 7. None

For Guests/Not Logged In: 1. News items 2. List of categories 3. List of courses 4. Course search box 5. None

3.3 Advanced Features¶

Access via: Site administration > General > Advanced features

Enable or disable major system features:

Feature	Description	Default
Enable outcomes	Competency-based outcomes	Disabled
Enable comments	Allow comments on content	Enabled
Enable tags	Tagging functionality	Enabled
Enable notes	Notes about users	Enabled
Enable portfolios	Portfolio integration	Disabled
Enable web services	API access	Disabled
Enable messaging	User-to-user messaging	Enabled
Enable statistics	Usage statistics	Disabled
Enable RSS feeds	RSS feed generation	Disabled
Enable blogs	User blogs	Enabled
Enable badges	Digital badges	Enabled
Enable competencies	Competency frameworks	Enabled
Enable global search	Site-wide search	Disabled
Enable analytics	Learning analytics	Disabled

Enabling a Feature - Example: Web Services¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > General > Advanced features
2. Locate "Enable web services" checkbox
3. Check the box to enable
4. Click "Save changes"
5. Additional configuration required at:
   Site administration > Server > Web services

3.4 System Paths Configuration¶

Access via: Site administration > Server > System paths

Configure paths to external programs:

Path Setting	Description	Example Value
Path to du	Disk usage command	/usr/bin/du
Path to aspell	Spell checker	/usr/bin/aspell
Path to dot	Graphviz for diagrams	/usr/bin/dot
Path to ghostscript	PDF processing	/usr/bin/gs
Path to Python	Python interpreter	/usr/bin/python3
Path to LaTeX	Mathematical notation	/usr/bin/latex
Path to dvips	DVI to PostScript	/usr/bin/dvips

Verifying System Paths¶

# Commands to verify paths on server
which du          # Should return /usr/bin/du
which aspell      # Should return /usr/bin/aspell
which gs          # Should return /usr/bin/gs
which python3     # Should return /usr/bin/python3

3.5 Date and Time Settings¶

Access via: Site administration > Location > Location settings

Setting	Description	Options
Default timezone	System default zone	List of timezones
Force timezone	Override user preferences	Off or specific zone
Default country	Default in forms	List of countries
IP lookup service	Geolocation provider	hostip.info, geoplugin, etc.
Google Maps API key	For location features	Your API key

Timezone Configuration Best Practices¶

Scenario	Recommendation
Single location organization	Force timezone to that location
Multi-national organization	Allow user timezone preferences
Compliance requirements	Force timezone, document in policies
Mixed user base	Default timezone, allow overrides

3.6 Site Policies Configuration¶

Access via: Site administration > Users > Privacy and policies > Site policies

Policy Setting	Description	Purpose
Site policy URL	Link to terms of use	Legal compliance
Site policy for guests	Policy for non-authenticated	Guest access compliance
Force users to agree	Require acceptance	Enforce acknowledgment
Privacy policy	Data privacy statement	GDPR/privacy compliance
Age of digital consent	Minimum age requirement	Child protection
Cookie policy	Cookie usage disclosure	Cookie law compliance

Creating a Site Policy¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Create a page with your terms of service content
2. Upload to your site or host externally
3. Navigate to Site administration > Users > Privacy and policies
4. Enter the full URL in "Site policy URL"
5. Optionally set guest policy
6. Save changes
7. Users will be prompted to agree on next login

4. Security Settings¶

4.1 Site Security Settings Overview¶

Access via: Site administration > Security > Site security settings

PulseLMS provides comprehensive security controls:

Category	Settings Included
IP Blocking	IP whitelist/blacklist
Password Policy	Complexity requirements
Anti-Spam	CAPTCHA, email confirmation
Session Security	Session handling, timeouts
HTTP Security	HTTPS enforcement, headers
Form Protection	Token validation, CSRF prevention

4.2 Password Policy Configuration¶

Enforce strong password requirements:

Setting	Description	Recommended Value
Password policy	Enable password rules	Enabled
Minimum length	Minimum characters	12
Minimum digits	Required numbers	1
Minimum lowercase	Required lowercase letters	1
Minimum uppercase	Required uppercase letters	1
Minimum non-alphanumeric	Special characters	1
Consecutive characters	Max identical chars	3
Password rotation	Force periodic changes	90 days
Lock account	Failed attempt lockout	5 attempts
Lock account duration	Lockout period	30 minutes

Password Policy Implementation¶

Step-by-Step Configuration:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Security > Site security settings
2. Scroll to "Password policy" section
3. Enable "Password policy" checkbox
4. Set minimum password length (recommend 12+)
5. Set minimum digit requirement (recommend 1)
6. Set minimum lowercase requirement (recommend 1)
7. Set minimum uppercase requirement (recommend 1)
8. Set minimum special character requirement (recommend 1)
9. Configure maximum consecutive identical characters
10. Save changes

Users will see password requirements when setting passwords.

4.3 IP Blocking Configuration¶

Control access by IP address:

Allowed IP List¶

Restrict access to specific IP addresses or ranges:

Format Examples:
---------------------------------
192.168.1.100          # Single IP
192.168.1.0/24         # CIDR notation (entire subnet)
192.168.1.100-200      # IP range
10.0.0.0/8             # Large private network

Blocked IP List¶

Block specific IPs from accessing the system:

Blocking Examples:
---------------------------------
45.33.32.156           # Block single IP
45.33.32.0/24          # Block entire subnet

Configuration Steps¶

Navigate to Site administration > Security > Site security settings
Locate "Allowed IP list" field
Enter allowed IPs/ranges (one per line)
Locate "Blocked IP list" field
Enter blocked IPs/ranges (one per line)
Save changes

Warning: Test carefully before applying IP restrictions. Incorrect configuration can lock out legitimate users including administrators.

4.4 HTTPS Configuration¶

Enforce secure connections:

Setting	Description	Recommendation
Cookies only through HTTPS	Secure cookie flag	Enable in production
HSTS	HTTP Strict Transport Security	Enable
Log in via HTTPS	Force secure login	Enable always

Enabling HTTPS-Only Mode¶

Prerequisites:
---------------------------------
1. Valid SSL certificate installed
2. HTTPS working correctly
3. All resources accessible via HTTPS

Configuration:
---------------------------------
1. Verify HTTPS works by accessing https://yoursite.com
2. Edit config.php file:
   $CFG->wwwroot = 'https://yoursite.com';
   $CFG->sslproxy = true; // If behind load balancer
3. Navigate to Site administration > Security > HTTP security
4. Enable "Cookies only through HTTPS"
5. Enable HSTS headers if desired
6. Save changes

4.5 Session Handling Security¶

Access via: Site administration > Server > Session handling

Setting	Description	Recommended Value
Timeout	Session expiration	7200 seconds (2 hours)
Cookie prefix	Session cookie name	Custom prefix
Cookie path	Cookie scope	Site path
Session handler	Storage mechanism	Default or Redis
Keep session on timeout	Preserve draft data	Enabled

Session Timeout Configuration¶

Security vs. Usability Balance:
---------------------------------
Very Secure:      30 minutes (1800 seconds)
Balanced:         2 hours (7200 seconds)
Convenience:      8 hours (28800 seconds)
Very Permissive:  24 hours (86400 seconds)

Consider your use case:
- Public terminals: Use shorter timeouts
- Personal devices: Longer timeouts acceptable
- Sensitive data: Shorter timeouts recommended

4.6 Anti-Spam Measures¶

CAPTCHA Configuration¶

Access via: Site administration > Security > Site security settings

CAPTCHA Option	Description	Use Case
reCAPTCHA	Google's CAPTCHA service	High-security, internet-connected
Built-in	Simple image CAPTCHA	Offline or no Google dependency
None	No CAPTCHA	Trusted environments only

Configuring reCAPTCHA¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Visit https://www.google.com/recaptcha/admin
2. Register your site to obtain keys
3. Navigate to Site administration > Security > Site security settings
4. Scroll to "ReCAPTCHA" section
5. Enter "reCAPTCHA site key"
6. Enter "reCAPTCHA secret key"
7. Choose reCAPTCHA type (v2 Checkbox or v3)
8. Save changes
9. Enable CAPTCHA on login, signup as needed

4.7 Account Lockout Policy¶

Protect against brute force attacks:

Configuration:
---------------------------------
Setting: Account lockout threshold
Value: 5 failed attempts

Setting: Account lockout duration
Value: 30 minutes (1800 seconds)

Setting: Lockout observation window
Value: 30 minutes (1800 seconds)

Effect: After 5 failed login attempts within 30 minutes,
the account is locked for 30 minutes.

4.8 Security Recommendations Checklist¶

Security Measure	Priority	Status
HTTPS enabled and enforced	Critical	[ ]
Strong password policy enabled	Critical	[ ]
Account lockout configured	High	[ ]
Session timeout appropriate	High	[ ]
reCAPTCHA on signup	High	[ ]
Admin notification for failures	Medium	[ ]
IP restrictions (if applicable)	Medium	[ ]
HSTS headers enabled	Medium	[ ]
Regular security audits	High	[ ]
Backup encryption enabled	High	[ ]

4.9 Security Audit Logging¶

Enable comprehensive security logging:

Log Type	Location	Retention
Login attempts	Standard logs	365 days recommended
Failed logins	Security log	365 days recommended
Permission changes	Standard logs	365 days recommended
User modifications	Standard logs	As required
Admin actions	Standard logs	365 days recommended

5. Performance Optimization¶

5.1 Performance Overview¶

PulseLMS performance depends on multiple factors:

Factor	Impact	Optimization Approach
Server Hardware	High	Adequate CPU, RAM, fast storage
Database	Critical	Query optimization, indexing
Caching	High	Multiple cache layers
PHP Configuration	High	OpCache, memory limits
Network	Medium	CDN, compression
Code Efficiency	Medium	Plugin review, updates

5.2 Cache Configuration¶

Access via: Site administration > Plugins > Caching > Configuration

Cache Types¶

Cache Type	Description	Storage Options
Application	Long-lived data	File, Redis, Memcached
Session	User session data	File, Database, Redis
Request	Single request data	Memory (static)
JavaScript/CSS	Minified assets	File system

Cache Store Comparison¶

Store	Speed	Scalability	Persistence	Use Case
File	Good	Limited	Yes	Single server
Database	Slow	Good	Yes	Not recommended
Redis	Excellent	Excellent	Configurable	Production recommended
Memcached	Excellent	Excellent	No	High-traffic sites
APCu	Fastest	Limited	No	Single server, high traffic

Redis Cache Configuration¶

Prerequisites:
---------------------------------
1. Redis server installed and running
2. PHP Redis extension installed

Configuration Steps:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Plugins > Caching > Configuration
2. Under "Installed cache stores", click "Add instance" for Redis
3. Configure connection settings:
   - Store name: "Redis Cache"
   - Server: localhost (or Redis server IP)
   - Port: 6379
   - Password: (if configured)
   - Database: 0
4. Save changes
5. Under "Cache definitions", map caches to Redis store
6. Test caching is working correctly

Optimal Cache Mappings¶

Cache Definition	Recommended Store	Reason
Core/databasemeta	Redis	Frequently accessed
Core/eventinvalidation	Redis	Real-time updates
Core/coursecat	Redis	Course browsing
Core/langmenu	File	Rarely changes
Core/string	APCu or Redis	Very frequent access
Core/htmlpurifier	File	Rarely changes

5.3 Purging Caches¶

Access via: Site administration > Development > Purge all caches

When to Purge Caches¶

Situation	Cache Action
After plugin installation	Purge all caches
After theme changes	Purge theme cache
After language changes	Purge language cache
Debug issues	Purge all caches
After config changes	Purge all caches
Performance degradation	Investigate then purge

Cache Purge Commands¶

Via Web Interface:
---------------------------------
Site administration > Development > Purge all caches

Via Command Line:
---------------------------------
php admin/cli/purge_caches.php

Selective Cache Purge:
---------------------------------
php admin/cli/purge_caches.php --cache=langmenu
php admin/cli/purge_caches.php --cache=theme

5.4 PHP Configuration Optimization¶

Recommended PHP Settings¶

Setting	Minimum	Recommended	Purpose
memory_limit	256M	512M	Script memory
upload_max_filesize	50M	100M	File uploads
post_max_size	50M	120M	POST data size
max_execution_time	60	180	Script timeout
max_input_time	60	180	Input parsing timeout
max_input_vars	1000	5000	Form variables
opcache.enable	1	1	Code caching
opcache.memory_consumption	64	256	OpCache memory
opcache.interned_strings_buffer	8	16	String memory
opcache.max_accelerated_files	4000	10000	Cached files
opcache.revalidate_freq	2	60	Cache refresh

PHP Configuration File Example¶

; php.ini or php-fpm pool configuration

; Memory and Execution
memory_limit = 512M
upload_max_filesize = 100M
post_max_size = 120M
max_execution_time = 180
max_input_time = 180
max_input_vars = 5000

; OpCache Settings
opcache.enable = 1
opcache.enable_cli = 0
opcache.memory_consumption = 256
opcache.interned_strings_buffer = 16
opcache.max_accelerated_files = 10000
opcache.revalidate_freq = 60
opcache.fast_shutdown = 1
opcache.validate_timestamps = 1

; Session Settings
session.gc_maxlifetime = 7200
session.cookie_secure = 1
session.cookie_httponly = 1

5.5 Database Optimization¶

MySQL/MariaDB Configuration¶

; my.cnf optimization for PulseLMS

[mysqld]
# InnoDB Settings
innodb_buffer_pool_size = 2G
innodb_log_file_size = 512M
innodb_flush_log_at_trx_commit = 2
innodb_flush_method = O_DIRECT
innodb_file_per_table = 1

# Query Cache (MySQL 5.7 and earlier)
query_cache_type = 1
query_cache_size = 128M
query_cache_limit = 2M

# Connection Settings
max_connections = 200
wait_timeout = 600
interactive_timeout = 600

# Temp Tables
tmp_table_size = 64M
max_heap_table_size = 64M

# Thread Settings
thread_cache_size = 8

PostgreSQL Configuration¶

; postgresql.conf optimization

# Memory Settings
shared_buffers = 256MB
effective_cache_size = 1GB
work_mem = 16MB
maintenance_work_mem = 256MB

# Write Ahead Log
wal_buffers = 16MB
checkpoint_completion_target = 0.9

# Query Planner
random_page_cost = 1.1
effective_io_concurrency = 200

# Connection Settings
max_connections = 200

5.6 Performance Settings in PulseLMS¶

Access via: Site administration > Server > Performance

Setting	Description	Recommended
Cache JavaScript	Minify and cache JS	Yes (production)
Cache CSS	Minify and cache CSS	Yes (production)
Theme designer mode	Disable caching for theming	No (production)
Extra HTML caching	Additional HTML cache	Yes
Stats processing	Usage statistics	Enabled (off-peak)
Chart rendering	Chart processing	Appropriate to load

5.7 Cron and Background Tasks¶

Optimize scheduled task execution:

Optimization	Description	Implementation
Cron frequency	Run cron appropriately	Every 1-5 minutes
Off-peak heavy tasks	Schedule intensive tasks overnight	Task scheduling
Parallel execution	Multiple cron processes	Use cron helper
Task monitoring	Track execution time	Log review

5.8 Performance Monitoring¶

Key Performance Metrics¶

Metric	Healthy Range	Action if Exceeded
Page load time	< 3 seconds	Check cache, database
Database queries/page	< 100	Review plugins, queries
Memory per request	< 128MB	Check plugins, data
Cron execution	< 10 minutes	Review task queue
Active users	Depends on resources	Scale infrastructure

Performance Monitoring Tools¶

Built-in Tools:
---------------------------------
Site administration > Server > Performance overview
Site administration > Reports > Logs (filter by performance)
Site administration > Development > Debugging

Command Line:
---------------------------------
php admin/cli/cron.php --execute --time-limit=60
php admin/cli/mysql_engine.php --list

5.9 Content Delivery Network (CDN)¶

For high-traffic sites, configure a CDN:

CDN Benefit	Description
Reduced latency	Content served from edge servers
Lower server load	Static content offloaded
Better availability	Distributed infrastructure
DDoS protection	Traffic filtering

CDN Configuration Steps¶

Set up CDN account (Cloudflare, CloudFront, etc.)
Configure CDN to cache static content
Update config.php with CDN URL
Configure appropriate cache headers
Test and verify functionality

6. Plugin Management¶

6.1 Plugin Overview¶

Access via: Site administration > Plugins > Plugins overview

PulseLMS supports numerous plugin types:

Plugin Type	Description	Example
Activity modules	Learning activities	Quiz, Assignment, Forum
Blocks	Sidebar content	Calendar, Online users
Question types	Assessment questions	Multiple choice, Essay
Authentication	Login methods	LDAP, OAuth2, SAML
Enrollment	Course enrollment	Self, Cohort, Manual
Repositories	File storage	Google Drive, Dropbox
Themes	Visual appearance	Custom themes
Admin tools	Administrative utilities	Log cleanup, Backup
Report builders	Data reporting	Custom reports
Text filters	Content processing	MathJax, Multimedia
Message outputs	Notification channels	Email, Slack
Local plugins	Custom functionality	Custom features

6.2 Installing Plugins¶

Method 1: Web Interface Installation¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Plugins > Install plugins
2. Choose plugin source:
   - Upload ZIP file
   - Install from PulseLMS plugins directory
3. If uploading:
   - Click "Choose a file" or drag ZIP
   - Click "Install plugin from the ZIP file"
4. Review plugin information displayed
5. Click "Install plugin!"
6. Complete any database upgrades
7. Configure plugin settings as needed

Method 2: Command Line Installation¶

# Navigate to plugin directory
cd /var/www/html/pulselms

# Download plugin (example)
wget https://plugin-source.com/plugin.zip

# Unzip to appropriate directory
unzip plugin.zip -d mod/  # For activity modules
unzip plugin.zip -d blocks/  # For blocks
unzip plugin.zip -d local/  # For local plugins

# Set correct permissions
chown -R www-data:www-data mod/newplugin
chmod -R 755 mod/newplugin

# Run upgrade script
php admin/cli/upgrade.php

Method 3: Git Installation¶

# Clone plugin repository
cd /var/www/html/pulselms/mod
git clone https://github.com/developer/pluginname.git pluginname

# Set permissions
chown -R www-data:www-data pluginname

# Run upgrade
php admin/cli/upgrade.php

6.3 Plugin Directory Structure¶

Directory	Plugin Types
/mod	Activity modules
/blocks	Blocks
/theme	Themes
/auth	Authentication plugins
/enrol	Enrollment plugins
/repository	Repository plugins
/local	Local/custom plugins
/admin/tool	Admin tools
/question/type	Question types
/filter	Text filters
/report	Report plugins
/message/output	Message outputs
/lib/editor	Text editors
/plagiarism	Plagiarism detection
/portfolio	Portfolio plugins
/cache/stores	Cache backends
/availability/condition	Availability conditions
/customfield/field	Custom field types

6.4 Plugin Updates¶

Checking for Updates¶

Automatic Check:
---------------------------------
Site administration > Notifications
- Shows available updates

Manual Check:
---------------------------------
Site administration > Plugins > Plugins overview
- Click "Check for available updates"

Updating Plugins¶

Step-by-Step Update:
---------------------------------
1. Backup your site (always before updates)
2. Navigate to Site administration > Plugins > Plugins overview
3. Identify plugins with available updates
4. For each plugin to update:
   a. Download new version
   b. Delete old plugin files (keep database)
   c. Upload new plugin files
   d. Run upgrade (automatic on login)
5. Test functionality after update
6. Clear caches if needed

Command Line Update¶

# Enable maintenance mode
php admin/cli/maintenance.php --enable

# Update plugin files (varies by method)
cd /var/www/html/pulselms/mod/pluginname
git pull origin main

# Run upgrade
php admin/cli/upgrade.php

# Disable maintenance mode
php admin/cli/maintenance.php --disable

6.5 Uninstalling Plugins¶

Web Interface Uninstall¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Plugins > Plugins overview
2. Find the plugin to uninstall
3. Click "Uninstall" link
4. Confirm uninstallation
5. Plugin database tables are removed
6. Delete plugin files from server:
   rm -rf /path/to/plugin/directory

Important Uninstall Considerations¶

Consideration	Description
Data loss	User data may be permanently deleted
Dependencies	Check if other plugins depend on this
Backup first	Always backup before uninstalling
Testing	Test in staging environment first
Course content	Activity modules remove course content

6.6 Plugin Configuration¶

Each plugin has its own settings area:

Navigation Pattern:
---------------------------------
Site administration > Plugins > [Plugin Type] > [Plugin Name]

Examples:
---------------------------------
Site administration > Plugins > Activity modules > Quiz
Site administration > Plugins > Authentication > Manual accounts
Site administration > Plugins > Enrolments > Self enrolment
Site administration > Plugins > Blocks > Activity results

6.7 Plugin Troubleshooting¶

Problem	Possible Cause	Solution
Plugin not appearing	Version mismatch	Check version.php requirements
Installation fails	File permissions	Check write permissions
Database errors	Upgrade not run	Run admin/cli/upgrade.php
Conflicts	Plugin incompatibility	Check plugin dependencies
Performance issues	Poorly coded plugin	Review plugin, contact developer
Security warnings	Outdated plugin	Update or remove plugin

6.8 Plugin Security¶

Evaluating Plugin Security¶

Criterion	What to Check
Source	Official directory or trusted developer
Updates	Recently updated and maintained
Reviews	User feedback and ratings
Code quality	Open source allows review
Documentation	Well-documented usage
Support	Active developer support

Plugin Security Best Practices¶

Only install plugins from trusted sources
Review plugin permissions and capabilities
Test in staging environment before production
Keep all plugins updated
Remove unused plugins
Monitor for security advisories
Regularly audit installed plugins

7. Theme Configuration¶

7.1 Theme Management Overview¶

Access via: Site administration > Appearance > Themes

PulseLMS themes control the visual presentation of your site:

Theme Aspect	Description
Layout	Page structure and regions
Colors	Color scheme and branding
Typography	Fonts and text styling
Navigation	Menu structure and placement
Responsiveness	Mobile and tablet display
Blocks	Block regions and styling

7.2 Theme Selection¶

Selecting a Theme¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Appearance > Themes > Theme selector
2. Click "Change theme" button
3. Browse available themes
4. Click on theme to preview
5. Click "Use theme" to apply
6. Theme is immediately active

Theme Preview¶

Before applying a theme: 1. Click on the theme name 2. View preview screenshots 3. Check theme information (version, compatibility) 4. Test with preview link if available 5. Confirm selection

7.3 Theme Settings¶

Access via: Site administration > Appearance > Themes > [Theme Name]

Common Theme Settings¶

Setting	Description	Example Values
Brand color	Primary theme color	#1177d1
Logo	Site logo image	Uploaded image
Compact logo	Small logo for navigation	Uploaded image
Favicon	Browser tab icon	.ico or .png
Background image	Page background	Uploaded image
Login page image	Login background	Uploaded image
Preset	Color/style presets	Default, Architect, etc.
Custom CSS	Additional styling	CSS code
Custom SCSS	SCSS variables	SCSS code

Configuring Brand Colors¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to theme settings
2. Locate "Brand color" setting
3. Enter hex color code: #1177d1
4. Or click color picker to select
5. Preview changes if available
6. Save changes
7. Purge theme caches to apply

7.4 Custom Logo Configuration¶

Logo Requirements¶

Logo Type	Dimensions	Format	Usage
Main logo	200x75 px (max)	PNG, JPG, SVG	Header area
Compact logo	75x75 px (max)	PNG, JPG, SVG	Collapsed navigation
Favicon	32x32 px	ICO, PNG	Browser tab
Login logo	Variable	PNG, JPG, SVG	Login page

Uploading Logos¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Prepare logo files in correct dimensions
2. Navigate to theme settings
3. Find "Logo" file picker
4. Click or drag to upload logo file
5. Find "Compact logo" file picker
6. Upload compact version
7. Find "Favicon" file picker
8. Upload favicon file
9. Save changes
10. Purge caches if needed

7.5 Custom CSS and SCSS¶

Adding Custom CSS¶

/* Example custom CSS for theme */

/* Change header background */
.navbar {
    background-color: #003366 !important;
}

/* Modify button colors */
.btn-primary {
    background-color: #1177d1;
    border-color: #0d5ca3;
}

/* Adjust course card styling */
.card.dashboard-card {
    border-radius: 10px;
    box-shadow: 0 2px 4px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);
}

/* Custom footer styling */
#page-footer {
    background-color: #f5f5f5;
    padding: 20px;
}

Using SCSS Variables¶

// SCSS variables for theme customization

// Brand colors
$primary: #1177d1;
$secondary: #6c757d;
$success: #28a745;
$warning: #ffc107;
$danger: #dc3545;

// Typography
$font-family-base: 'Open Sans', sans-serif;
$font-size-base: 0.9375rem;

// Spacing
$spacer: 1rem;
$border-radius: 0.375rem;

// Navigation
$navbar-height: 60px;
$sidebar-width: 285px;

7.6 Theme Development Mode¶

For theme developers and testing:

Access via: Site administration > Appearance > Theme settings

Setting	Description	Production
Theme designer mode	Disable theme caching	Disabled
Allow category themes	Per-category themes	Optional
Allow course themes	Per-course themes	Optional
Allow user themes	User theme selection	Optional

Enabling Theme Designer Mode¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Appearance > Theme settings
2. Check "Theme designer mode"
3. Save changes

WARNING: Only enable during active development.
         Significantly impacts performance.
         Disable in production.

7.7 Mobile Theme Considerations¶

Ensure themes are mobile-responsive:

Mobile Consideration	Implementation
Responsive breakpoints	Use CSS media queries
Touch targets	Minimum 44x44 px
Font sizes	Readable on small screens
Navigation	Collapsible/hamburger menu
Images	Responsive image sizes
Forms	Touch-friendly inputs

7.8 Theme Backup and Restore¶

Backing Up Theme Customizations¶

What to Backup:
---------------------------------
1. Theme folder: /theme/yourtheme/
2. Custom CSS settings (copy from admin)
3. Uploaded logos and images
4. SCSS customizations
5. Theme configuration settings

Backup Command:
---------------------------------
tar -czvf theme_backup.tar.gz /var/www/html/pulselms/theme/yourtheme/

8. Authentication Methods¶

8.1 Authentication Overview¶

Access via: Site administration > Plugins > Authentication

PulseLMS supports multiple authentication methods:

Method	Description	Use Case
Manual accounts	Admin-created accounts	Small user bases
Email-based self-registration	User self-signup	Open registration
LDAP	Directory service auth	Enterprise/corporate
OAuth 2	Third-party OAuth	Google, Microsoft, etc.
SAML 2.0	Single Sign-On	Enterprise SSO
Shibboleth	Federated identity	Educational institutions
CAS	Central Auth Service	Multi-system environments
MNet	PulseLMS network auth	Connected PulseLMS sites
Web services	Token-based auth	API access
No authentication	Guest access	Public content

8.2 Managing Authentication Plugins¶

Access via: Site administration > Plugins > Authentication > Manage authentication

Authentication Plugin Priority¶

Priority Order:
---------------------------------
1. First matching enabled plugin authenticates
2. If authentication fails, try next plugin
3. Manual accounts always checked last
4. Disabled plugins are skipped

Recommended Order:
---------------------------------
1. SSO methods (SAML, OAuth, LDAP)
2. Email-based self-registration
3. Manual accounts (fallback)

Enable/Disable Authentication¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Manage authentication page
2. Click the eye icon to enable/disable
3. Use arrows to change order
4. Configure settings for each method
5. Test authentication before production use

8.3 Manual Accounts¶

The default authentication method for admin-created accounts:

Setting	Description	Recommendation
Enable	Allow manual authentication	Yes (always)
Lock account	Days of inactivity before lock	180 days
Prevent account creation	Block new manual accounts	No
Expiration warning	Days before expiration warning	10 days

8.4 Email-Based Self-Registration¶

Allow users to create their own accounts:

Setting	Description	Recommendation
Enable	Allow self-registration	Depends on policy
CAPTCHA	Require CAPTCHA	Yes (recommended)
Email domain	Restrict to domains	your-org.com
Default city	Pre-filled city	Organization city
Default country	Pre-filled country	Organization country

Configuring Self-Registration¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Plugins > Authentication > Email-based self-registration
2. Enable the authentication plugin
3. Configure allowed email domains (if restricting):
   - yourcompany.com
   - partner.com
4. Set default location values
5. Enable CAPTCHA requirement
6. Configure email templates
7. Save changes

Security Consideration:
---------------------------------
Open self-registration can lead to spam accounts.
Consider:
- Email domain restrictions
- CAPTCHA requirement
- Manual approval workflow
- Email confirmation requirement

8.5 LDAP Authentication¶

Connect to enterprise directory services:

LDAP Settings¶

Setting	Description	Example
Host URL	LDAP server address	ldap://ldap.company.com
Version	LDAP protocol version	3
LDAP encoding	Character encoding	utf-8
Bind DN	Service account	cn=admin,dc=company,dc=com
Bind password	Service account password	Secure password
User type	Directory type	posixAccount, Active Directory, etc.
Contexts	User search location	ou=users,dc=company,dc=com
Search subcontexts	Search recursively	Yes
User attribute	Login attribute	uid or sAMAccountName
Member attribute	Group membership	memberOf

LDAP Configuration Example¶

Active Directory Example:
---------------------------------
Host URL: ldap://dc1.company.com
Version: 3
Bind DN: CN=LMSService,OU=Services,DC=company,DC=com
User type: Active Directory
Contexts: OU=Users,DC=company,DC=com
User attribute: sAMAccountName
Member attribute: memberOf

OpenLDAP Example:
---------------------------------
Host URL: ldap://ldap.company.com
Version: 3
Bind DN: cn=admin,dc=company,dc=com
User type: posixAccount
Contexts: ou=people,dc=company,dc=com
User attribute: uid
Member attribute: memberOf

LDAP Field Mapping¶

PulseLMS Field	LDAP Attribute	Example
Username	sAMAccountName / uid	jsmith
First name	givenName	John
Last name	sn	Smith
Email	mail	[email protected]
ID number	employeeNumber	12345
Department	department	Engineering
Phone	telephoneNumber	555-1234

8.6 OAuth 2 Authentication¶

Configure OAuth 2 for third-party authentication:

Supported OAuth 2 Providers¶

Provider	Setup Required	Common Use
Google	Google Cloud Console	G Suite users
Microsoft	Azure AD / Microsoft 365	Microsoft 365 users
Facebook	Facebook Developers	Social login
GitHub	GitHub Developer Settings	Developer communities
Custom	Provider's admin console	Custom OAuth servers

Google OAuth 2 Setup¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Go to Google Cloud Console
2. Create new project or select existing
3. Enable Google+ API
4. Create OAuth 2.0 credentials
5. Configure consent screen
6. Add authorized redirect URI:
   https://your-pulselms.com/admin/oauth2callback.php
7. Copy Client ID and Client Secret
8. In PulseLMS:
   a. Navigate to Site administration > Server > OAuth 2 services
   b. Click "Create new service" > Google
   c. Enter Client ID and Secret
   d. Save changes
9. Enable OAuth 2 authentication
10. Test login functionality

8.7 SAML 2.0 / Single Sign-On¶

Enterprise SSO integration:

SAML Configuration¶

Setting	Description	Example
IdP entity ID	Identity Provider ID	https://idp.company.com
IdP SSO URL	Login endpoint	https://idp.company.com/sso
IdP X.509 cert	Certificate for validation	Certificate content
SP entity ID	Service Provider ID	https://lms.company.com
NameID format	User identifier format	emailAddress
Attribute mapping	LDAP attribute mapping	email, firstName, etc.

Implementing SAML SSO¶

Prerequisites:
---------------------------------
1. Install SAML authentication plugin
2. Obtain IdP metadata from your SSO provider
3. Generate or obtain SP certificate

Configuration Steps:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Plugins > Authentication > SAML2
2. Enter IdP entity ID
3. Enter IdP SSO URL
4. Paste IdP X.509 certificate
5. Configure SP settings (or generate)
6. Map attributes:
   - Username: urn:oid:0.9.2342.19200300.100.1.1
   - Email: urn:oid:0.9.2342.19200300.100.1.3
   - First name: urn:oid:2.5.4.42
   - Last name: urn:oid:2.5.4.4
7. Export SP metadata for IdP configuration
8. Enable plugin and test

8.8 Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)¶

Enhance security with MFA:

MFA Method	Description	Setup
Time-based OTP	Authenticator apps	User self-service
Email codes	Code sent via email	Automatic
Security keys	Hardware keys (FIDO2)	User registration
SMS codes	Code via text message	Requires SMS gateway

Enabling MFA¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Plugins > Admin tools > Multi-factor authentication
2. Enable MFA
3. Configure available factors:
   - TOTP (authenticator app)
   - Email verification
   - Security keys
4. Set grace period for setup
5. Configure required factors
6. Save changes

User Experience:
---------------------------------
1. Users log in with username/password
2. Prompted to set up MFA on first login
3. Choose from available methods
4. Verify setup with code
5. Subsequent logins require MFA

8.9 Authentication Best Practices¶

Practice	Description	Priority
Use SSO when available	Reduces password fatigue	High
Enable MFA	Adds security layer	High
Audit authentication logs	Monitor for anomalies	Medium
Limit authentication methods	Reduce complexity	Medium
Document configuration	Maintain setup records	High
Test failover	Ensure backup auth works	Medium
Regular password rotation	If not using SSO	Medium
Secure bind credentials	Protect LDAP passwords	Critical

9. Email Configuration¶

9.1 Email Overview¶

Access via: Site administration > Server > Email > Outgoing mail configuration

Email is critical for PulseLMS operations:

Email Function	Purpose
Account notifications	New accounts, password resets
Course notifications	Enrollment, completion, deadlines
Forum posts	Discussion notifications
Assignment reminders	Due date alerts
Grade notifications	Grading updates
System alerts	Admin notifications
Messaging	User-to-user messages

9.2 SMTP Configuration¶

Configure outgoing email server:

Setting	Description	Example
SMTP hosts	Mail server(s)	smtp.company.com
SMTP security	Encryption type	TLS
SMTP port	Server port	587
SMTP username	Authentication user	[email protected]
SMTP password	Authentication password	Secure password
SMTP Auth Type	Authentication method	LOGIN
No-reply address	Sender address	[email protected]
No-reply name	Sender name	PulseLMS

Common SMTP Configurations¶

Office 365 / Microsoft 365:

SMTP hosts: smtp.office365.com
SMTP security: TLS
SMTP port: 587
SMTP username: [email protected]
SMTP password: App password (if MFA enabled)
SMTP Auth Type: LOGIN

Google Workspace (G Suite):

SMTP hosts: smtp.gmail.com
SMTP security: TLS
SMTP port: 587
SMTP username: [email protected]
SMTP password: App password
SMTP Auth Type: LOGIN

Amazon SES:

SMTP hosts: email-smtp.us-east-1.amazonaws.com
SMTP security: TLS
SMTP port: 587
SMTP username: SMTP credentials from SES
SMTP password: SMTP credentials from SES
SMTP Auth Type: LOGIN

Mailgun:

SMTP hosts: smtp.mailgun.org
SMTP security: TLS
SMTP port: 587
SMTP username: [email protected]
SMTP password: Mailgun SMTP password
SMTP Auth Type: LOGIN

9.3 Testing Email Configuration¶

Test Email Feature¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Server > Email > Test outgoing mail configuration
2. Enter a test email address
3. Click "Send a test message"
4. Check for success message
5. Verify email received in inbox
6. Check spam folder if not received

Command Line Email Test¶

# Test email from command line
php admin/cli/test_email.php --to=[email protected] --from=[email protected]

# Verbose output for debugging
php admin/cli/test_email.php --to=[email protected] --from=[email protected] --debug

9.4 Email Troubleshooting¶

Problem	Possible Cause	Solution
Email not sending	Incorrect SMTP settings	Verify server, port, credentials
Authentication failed	Wrong username/password	Reset credentials
Connection timeout	Firewall blocking	Check outbound port 25/587/465
Emails going to spam	SPF/DKIM not configured	Configure DNS records
Bounce messages	Invalid recipient	Verify addresses
Rate limiting	Too many emails	Use email queue

9.5 Email Queue and Processing¶

Configure email handling for high-volume sites:

Setting	Description	Recommendation
Email processing	Queue vs. immediate	Queue for high volume
Emails per cron	Batch size per cron run	100-500
Max attempts	Retry failed emails	3 attempts
Retry interval	Time between retries	1 hour

Configuring Email Queue¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Server > Email > Outgoing mail configuration
2. Enable "Email processing"
3. Set "Emails per cron run" to 500 (adjust based on volume)
4. Ensure cron runs frequently (every minute)
5. Monitor email queue:
   Site administration > Server > Task logs

9.6 Email Template Customization¶

Customize system email templates:

Available Templates¶

Template	Purpose	Location
Enrollment notification	New course enrollment	lang/en/moodle.php
Password reset	Forgotten password	lang/en/moodle.php
Forum digest	Forum post summaries	lang/en/forum.php
Assignment notification	Submission reminders	lang/en/assign.php
Grade notification	Grade updates	lang/en/grades.php

Customizing Email Templates¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Language > Language customisation
2. Select English (or target language)
3. Click "Open language pack for editing"
4. Filter strings by component (e.g., "moodle")
5. Search for email template string
6. Enter custom text
7. Save changes

Common String Identifiers:
---------------------------------
emailconfirmation - Account confirmation
passwordforgotteninstructions2 - Password reset
newcourseemail - Course enrollment
gradenotification - Grade update

9.7 SPF, DKIM, and DMARC¶

Configure DNS for better email deliverability:

SPF Record¶

DNS TXT Record:
---------------------------------
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:amazonses.com ~all

Purpose: Authorizes servers to send email for your domain

DKIM Configuration¶

Setup:
---------------------------------
1. Generate DKIM keys (via email service)
2. Add DNS TXT record for DKIM
3. Configure email service to sign emails

Example DNS Record:
---------------------------------
selector._domainkey.yourdomain.com TXT "v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=MIIBIjANBgkqh..."

DMARC Policy¶

DNS TXT Record:
---------------------------------
_dmarc.yourdomain.com TXT "v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected]"

Policy Options:
- p=none: Monitor only
- p=quarantine: Send to spam
- p=reject: Block emails

9.8 Email Logging¶

Monitor email activity:

Log Type	Location	Information
Email queue	Task logs	Pending/sent emails
SMTP debug	Debug mode	Detailed SMTP conversation
Bounce reports	Email service	Failed deliveries
Send statistics	Reports	Volume and success rates

Enabling Email Debug Logging¶

Configuration:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Development > Debugging
2. Set debug messages to "DEVELOPER"
3. Check "Display debug messages"
4. Send test email
5. Review debug output
6. Disable debug mode when done

10. Scheduled Tasks (Cron)¶

10.1 Cron Overview¶

Access via: Site administration > Server > Scheduled tasks

Scheduled tasks automate essential PulseLMS operations:

Task Category	Description
Content	Grade calculations, backup processing
Maintenance	Log cleanup, cache purging
Communication	Email digests, notifications
External	External content sync, web services
Reports	Statistics, analytics processing
Security	Session cleanup, password expiry

10.2 Understanding Cron Jobs¶

What Cron Does¶

Cron Execution Flow:
---------------------------------
1. System cron triggers PulseLMS cron script
2. PulseLMS checks for due scheduled tasks
3. Tasks execute in priority order
4. Results logged to database
5. Next run time calculated
6. Process repeats on next trigger

Critical Cron-Dependent Functions¶

Function	Without Cron
Email delivery	Delayed or never sent
Forum digests	Not generated
Grades	Not calculated properly
Backups	Not executed
Session cleanup	Memory/database bloat
Content sync	Not updated
Statistics	Not processed

10.3 Configuring System Cron¶

Linux Cron Configuration¶

# Edit crontab for web server user
crontab -u www-data -e

# Add entry to run every minute
* * * * * /usr/bin/php /var/www/html/pulselms/admin/cli/cron.php >> /var/log/pulselms_cron.log 2>&1

# Alternative: Run every 5 minutes
*/5 * * * * /usr/bin/php /var/www/html/pulselms/admin/cli/cron.php >> /var/log/pulselms_cron.log 2>&1

# With execution time limit
* * * * * /usr/bin/php /var/www/html/pulselms/admin/cli/cron.php --time-limit=60 >> /var/log/pulselms_cron.log 2>&1

Windows Task Scheduler¶

Configuration:
---------------------------------
Program: C:\php\php.exe
Arguments: C:\inetpub\wwwroot\pulselms\admin\cli\cron.php
Start in: C:\inetpub\wwwroot\pulselms
Trigger: Every 1 minute
Run with highest privileges: Yes

10.4 Managing Scheduled Tasks¶

Task List Overview¶

Column	Description
Name	Task identifier
Component	Plugin/component owner
Last run	Previous execution time
Next run	Scheduled next execution
Minute	Cron minute setting
Hour	Cron hour setting
Day	Cron day of month
Month	Cron month setting
Day of week	Cron weekday setting
Disabled	Task status

Editing Task Schedule¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Server > Scheduled tasks
2. Find the task to modify
3. Click the settings icon
4. Modify timing settings:
   - Minute: 0-59 or * for any
   - Hour: 0-23 or * for any
   - Day: 1-31 or * for any
   - Month: 1-12 or * for any
   - Day of week: 0-6 or * for any
5. Optionally disable task
6. Save changes

Cron Expression Examples¶

Expression	Meaning
* * * * *	Every minute
/5 * * *	Every 5 minutes
0 * * * *	Every hour
0 0 * * *	Daily at midnight
0 3 * * *	Daily at 3 AM
0 0 * * 0	Weekly on Sunday
0 0 1 * *	First of month
30 4 * * 1-5	Weekdays at 4:30 AM

10.5 Important Scheduled Tasks¶

Task	Component	Recommended Schedule	Purpose
Send notifications	message	Every minute	Email notifications
Forum digests	mod_forum	Daily	Digest emails
Automated backups	tool_backup	Weekly/Daily	Site backups
Log cleanup	tool_log	Weekly	Clear old logs
Session cleanup	core	Hourly	Clean expired sessions
Password expiry	core	Daily	Check password expiry
Statistics	core	Daily	Process statistics
Grade history	core	Daily	Archive old grades
Recycle bin	tool_recyclebin	Daily	Clean recycle bin
Question cleanup	core_question	Weekly	Remove orphan questions

10.6 Running Tasks Manually¶

Via Web Interface¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Server > Scheduled tasks
2. Find the desired task
3. Click "Run now" link
4. Task executes immediately
5. Check task log for results

Via Command Line¶

# Run all due scheduled tasks
php admin/cli/cron.php

# Run specific task
php admin/cli/scheduled_task.php --execute='\core\task\send_failed_login_notifications_task'

# List all available tasks
php admin/cli/scheduled_task.php --list

# Run task with verbose output
php admin/cli/scheduled_task.php --execute='\core\task\backup_cleanup_task' --showdebugging

10.7 Task Logs and Monitoring¶

Viewing Task Logs¶

Navigation:
---------------------------------
Site administration > Server > Task logs

Filter Options:
- Task name
- Result (success/failure)
- Time period
- Component

Log Interpretation¶

Log Entry	Meaning
Task started	Execution began
Task completed	Successful completion
Task failed	Error during execution
Seconds taken	Execution duration
Database reads	DB query count
Database writes	DB modification count

10.8 Troubleshooting Cron¶

Problem	Cause	Solution
Tasks not running	Cron not configured	Set up system cron
Tasks late	Insufficient cron frequency	Run cron more often
Task timeouts	Long-running task	Increase time limit
Memory errors	Large data processing	Increase memory limit
Database locks	Concurrent execution	Configure lock timeout
Permission errors	Wrong file ownership	Fix file permissions

Cron Debug Mode¶

# Enable cron debugging
php admin/cli/cron.php --showdebugging

# Run with time profiling
php admin/cli/cron.php --showdebugging --showsql

11. System Logs and Debugging¶

11.1 Logging Overview¶

Access via: Site administration > Reports > Logs

PulseLMS provides comprehensive logging:

Log Type	Purpose	Location
Standard logs	All user activity	Database
Live logs	Real-time activity	Live view
Legacy logs	Historical data	Database (legacy)
Config changes	Settings modifications	Database
Task logs	Scheduled task results	Database
Backup logs	Backup operations	Database/Files
System logs	Server errors	Web server logs

11.2 Standard Log Reports¶

Accessing Logs¶

Navigation:
---------------------------------
Site administration > Reports > Logs

Filter Options:
- Course: Specific course or all
- Participants: Specific user or all
- Days: Last N days
- Activities: Specific activity or all
- Actions: CRUD operations
- Origin: Web, CLI, WS
- IP address: Specific IP

Log Export Options¶

Format	Use Case	Size Limit
HTML	Quick viewing	Browser memory
CSV	Spreadsheet analysis	Unlimited
Excel	Office analysis	Row limits apply
ODS	Open format	Row limits apply
JSON	API/programming	Unlimited

11.3 Live Logs¶

Access via: Site administration > Reports > Live logs

Real-time activity monitoring:

Feature	Description
Auto-refresh	Updates every few seconds
Recent activity	Last 60 minutes
User identification	Username, IP, browser
Action detail	What was accessed
Context	Course, activity, page

Using Live Logs¶

Use Cases:
---------------------------------
1. Monitor assessment activity during exams
2. Troubleshoot user-reported issues
3. Verify user actions in real-time
4. Security monitoring during incidents
5. Training observation

11.4 Debugging Configuration¶

Access via: Site administration > Development > Debugging

Debug Levels¶

Level	Description	When to Use
NONE	No debugging	Production
MINIMAL	Fatal errors only	Production fallback
NORMAL	Standard errors	Development
ALL	All PHP messages	Development
DEVELOPER	Maximum detail	Deep debugging

Debug Settings¶

Setting	Description	Production
Debug messages	Message verbosity	NONE
Display debug messages	Show on screen	No
Performance info	Show load times	No
Show origin of languages strings	String debugging	No
Show validator links	HTML validation	No
Show page information	Page details	No

11.5 Enabling Debug Mode¶

Temporary Debug via config.php¶

// Add to config.php for debugging
@error_reporting(E_ALL | E_STRICT);
@ini_set('display_errors', '1');
$CFG->debug = (E_ALL | E_STRICT);
$CFG->debugdisplay = 1;
$CFG->debugstringids = 1;
$CFG->perfdebug = 15;
$CFG->debugpageinfo = 1;

// Remove after debugging complete

Debug for Specific User¶

// Show debug only for admin user
$CFG->debugusers = '1'; // Admin user ID

// This allows debugging without affecting other users

11.6 Database Query Debugging¶

For performance investigation:

// In config.php
$CFG->dblogerror = true;        // Log database errors
$CFG->dblogquerytime = 0.2;     // Log queries over 0.2 seconds

// Enable full query logging (development only)
$CFG->debugsqltrace = true;     // Full stack trace for queries

11.7 Error Log Analysis¶

Web Server Logs¶

# Apache error log
tail -f /var/log/apache2/error.log

# Nginx error log
tail -f /var/log/nginx/error.log

# PHP-FPM log
tail -f /var/log/php8.1-fpm.log

Common Error Patterns¶

Error	Likely Cause	Resolution
Memory exhausted	Large operation/bug	Increase memory_limit
Maximum execution time	Long-running process	Increase max_execution_time
Permission denied	File permission issue	Fix file ownership
Database connection	DB server/credentials	Verify connection settings
Class not found	Missing plugin/code	Reinstall/update component
Session error	Session handler issue	Check session configuration

11.8 Debug Page Features¶

When debug mode is enabled, pages display:

Debug Information Shown:
---------------------------------
- PHP version and settings
- Database driver and version
- Memory usage (current/peak)
- Page generation time
- Included files count
- Database reads/writes
- Cache hits/misses
- Session handler information

11.9 Log Retention and Cleanup¶

Configure log retention:

Setting	Location	Recommendation
Standard log lifetime	loglifetime setting	365 days
Legacy log cleanup	Scheduled task	Enable
Config changes log	Automatic	Permanent
Task logs	loglifetime setting	30 days

Configuring Log Cleanup¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Plugins > Logging > Standard log
2. Set "Log lifetime" (e.g., 365 days)
3. Navigate to Scheduled tasks
4. Find "Clean up logs" task
5. Ensure task is enabled
6. Logs older than specified will be deleted

12. Server Requirements¶

12.1 Minimum Server Requirements¶

Component	Minimum	Recommended
PHP Version	8.0	8.1 or 8.2
Database	MariaDB 10.4 / MySQL 8.0 / PostgreSQL 13	Latest stable
Memory (RAM)	512 MB	2 GB+
Disk Space	200 MB (without data)	5 GB+
Web Server	Apache 2.4 / Nginx 1.18	Latest stable

12.2 PHP Requirements¶

Required PHP Extensions¶

Extension	Purpose	Check Command
iconv	Character encoding	php -m \| grep iconv
mbstring	Multibyte strings	php -m \| grep mbstring
curl	External connections	php -m \| grep curl
openssl	Encryption	php -m \| grep openssl
tokenizer	Code parsing	php -m \| grep tokenizer
xmlrpc	XMLRPC services	php -m \| grep xmlrpc
soap	SOAP web services	php -m \| grep soap
ctype	Character classification	php -m \| grep ctype
zip	File compression	php -m \| grep zip
gd	Image processing	php -m \| grep gd
simplexml	XML parsing	php -m \| grep simplexml
dom	DOM manipulation	php -m \| grep dom
xml	XML support	php -m \| grep xml
json	JSON handling	php -m \| grep json

Recommended PHP Extensions¶

Extension	Purpose
intl	Internationalization
opcache	Code caching
redis	Redis caching
sodium	Modern cryptography
exif	Image metadata
fileinfo	File type detection

PHP Configuration Check¶

# Check PHP version
php -v

# List loaded extensions
php -m

# Check specific extension
php -m | grep -i curl

# View PHP configuration
php -i | grep -i memory_limit
php -i | grep -i upload_max_filesize
php -i | grep -i post_max_size
php -i | grep -i max_execution_time

12.3 Database Requirements¶

MySQL/MariaDB¶

-- Required settings
innodb_file_per_table = 1
innodb_file_format = Barracuda
innodb_large_prefix = 1

-- Character set requirements
character-set-server = utf8mb4
collation-server = utf8mb4_unicode_ci

-- Check current settings
SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'innodb_file_per_table';
SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'character_set_server';
SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'collation_server';

PostgreSQL¶

-- PostgreSQL requirements
- Version 13.0 or higher
- UTF-8 encoding
- Standard PostgreSQL extensions

-- Check version
SELECT version();

-- Check encoding
SHOW server_encoding;

12.4 Web Server Configuration¶

Apache Configuration¶

<VirtualHost *:443>
    ServerName lms.company.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html/pulselms

    <Directory /var/www/html/pulselms>
        Options -Indexes +FollowSymLinks
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>

    # PHP-FPM configuration
    <FilesMatch \.php$>
        SetHandler "proxy:unix:/var/run/php/php8.1-fpm.sock|fcgi://localhost"
    </FilesMatch>

    # Security headers
    Header always set X-Content-Type-Options nosniff
    Header always set X-Frame-Options SAMEORIGIN
    Header always set X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block"

    # SSL configuration
    SSLEngine on
    SSLCertificateFile /etc/ssl/certs/lms.crt
    SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/ssl/private/lms.key

    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/pulselms_error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/pulselms_access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Nginx Configuration¶

server {
    listen 443 ssl http2;
    server_name lms.company.com;
    root /var/www/html/pulselms;

    ssl_certificate /etc/ssl/certs/lms.crt;
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/ssl/private/lms.key;

    index index.php index.html;

    # Security headers
    add_header X-Content-Type-Options nosniff;
    add_header X-Frame-Options SAMEORIGIN;
    add_header X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block";

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$query_string;
    }

    location ~ ^(.+\.php)(.*)$ {
        fastcgi_split_path_info ^(.+\.php)(.*)$;
        fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php8.1-fpm.sock;
        fastcgi_index index.php;
        fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
        include fastcgi_params;
        fastcgi_param PATH_INFO $fastcgi_path_info;
    }

    location /dataroot/ {
        internal;
        alias /var/www/pulselmsdata/;
    }

    # Deny access to sensitive files
    location ~ /\.ht {
        deny all;
    }

    location ~ ^/(config\.php|install\.php|upgrade\.txt) {
        deny all;
    }
}

12.5 File System Requirements¶

Directory Structure¶

Directory	Purpose	Permissions
/var/www/html/pulselms	Web root	755
/var/www/pulselmsdata	Data directory	750
/var/www/pulselmsdata/filedir	Uploaded files	750
/var/www/pulselmsdata/cache	Cache files	750
/var/www/pulselmsdata/temp	Temporary files	750
/var/www/pulselmsdata/sessions	PHP sessions	750

Setting Permissions¶

# Set ownership
chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html/pulselms
chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/pulselmsdata

# Set directory permissions
find /var/www/html/pulselms -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
find /var/www/pulselmsdata -type d -exec chmod 750 {} \;

# Set file permissions
find /var/www/html/pulselms -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;
find /var/www/pulselmsdata -type f -exec chmod 640 {} \;

# Config file protection
chmod 640 /var/www/html/pulselms/config.php

12.6 Memory and Resource Sizing¶

User Capacity Guidelines¶

Concurrent Users	RAM	CPU Cores	Notes
< 50	2 GB	2	Small organization
50-200	4 GB	4	Medium organization
200-500	8 GB	8	Large organization
500-1000	16 GB	16	Enterprise
1000+	32 GB+	32+	Multi-server setup

Disk Space Planning¶

Component	Approximate Size
PulseLMS code	500 MB
Database (per 100 users)	500 MB
Uploaded files (per 100 users)	5 GB (varies greatly)
Cache files	2 GB
Log files	1 GB
Backups	2x data size

13. Environment Checks¶

13.1 Environment Check Overview¶

Access via: Site administration > Server > Environment

The environment check verifies:

PHP version and configuration
Database version and settings
Required PHP extensions
Recommended settings
Security configurations

13.2 Running Environment Check¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Server > Environment
2. System automatically runs checks
3. Review results:
   - Green checkmarks: Passed
   - Orange warnings: Recommended improvements
   - Red X: Critical issues
4. Address any critical issues
5. Consider addressing warnings

13.3 Environment Check Results¶

Status Indicators¶

Icon	Meaning	Action
Green check	Requirement met	None needed
Orange warning	Not optimal	Recommended fix
Red X	Requirement not met	Must fix
Gray info	Information only	Review

Common Check Categories¶

Category	Checks
PHP version	Minimum and recommended version
PHP settings	Memory, execution time, etc.
PHP extensions	Required and optional
Database	Version and configuration
Server	Unicode, file permissions
Security	HTTPS, security headers

13.4 Resolving Common Issues¶

PHP Memory Limit Too Low¶

Issue: memory_limit below 256M

Resolution (php.ini):
---------------------------------
memory_limit = 512M

Or (PHP-FPM pool):
---------------------------------
php_admin_value[memory_limit] = 512M

Missing PHP Extension¶

Issue: Required extension not installed

Resolution (Debian/Ubuntu):
---------------------------------
apt-get install php8.1-curl php8.1-gd php8.1-mbstring

Resolution (RHEL/CentOS):
---------------------------------
yum install php-curl php-gd php-mbstring

Then restart PHP-FPM:
---------------------------------
systemctl restart php8.1-fpm

Database Collation Issue¶

Issue: Incorrect database collation

Resolution (MySQL):
---------------------------------
ALTER DATABASE pulselms CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci;

13.5 PHP Info Page¶

View detailed PHP configuration:

Access:
---------------------------------
Site administration > Server > PHP info

Information Displayed:
---------------------------------
- PHP version and build
- Loaded configuration file
- Loaded extensions
- Configuration directives
- Environment variables
- HTTP headers

13.6 Pre-Upgrade Checks¶

Before upgrading PulseLMS:

Checklist:
---------------------------------
[ ] Run environment check
[ ] Verify PHP version compatibility
[ ] Check database version compatibility
[ ] Review plugin compatibility
[ ] Backup database and files
[ ] Notify users of maintenance
[ ] Test in staging environment
[ ] Document current configuration

13.7 Health Check Monitoring¶

Implement ongoing health monitoring:

Check	Frequency	Alert Threshold
Cron status	Every 5 minutes	> 15 minutes since last run
Disk space	Every hour	< 10% free
Database connections	Continuous	> 90% max
Memory usage	Continuous	> 90%
PHP errors	Continuous	Any fatal errors
SSL certificate	Daily	< 30 days to expiry

14. Mobile Browser Access Configuration¶

14.1 Mobile Browser Access Overview¶

PulseLMS is fully accessible on mobile devices through any modern web browser. There is no separate mobile app - simply visit PulseLMS using your phone or tablet's browser for a responsive, mobile-optimized experience.

Access Method	Description
Mobile Browser	Full responsive experience via Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge on any mobile device
Progressive Web App (PWA)	Add PulseLMS to your home screen for an app-like experience

14.2 Enabling Mobile Web Services¶

Access via: Site administration > Mobile > Mobile settings

Basic Mobile Configuration¶

Setting	Description	Recommendation
Enable mobile web services	Allow mobile browser connectivity	Enable
Authenticated users only	Require login	Enable
Force login	Require login for mobile access	Enable
Type of login	QR code, browser, manual	All methods
QR code type	Login QR type	Enhanced

Enabling Mobile Services¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Mobile > Mobile settings
2. Check "Enable web services for mobile devices"
3. Configure login options
4. Save changes
5. Navigate to Site administration > Server > Web services > Overview
6. Verify "Enable web services" is checked
7. Navigate to Plugins > Protocols
8. Enable "REST protocol"
9. Test mobile browser connection

14.3 Mobile Browser Features¶

Configure available features for mobile browser users:

Feature	Description	Toggle Location
Push notifications	Browser notification alerts	Mobile settings
File downloads	Download course files	Mobile settings
Messaging	Mobile messaging	Mobile settings
Calendar sync	Device calendar integration	Mobile settings
QR scanner	Scan attendance QR codes	Mobile settings

14.4 Mobile Web Appearance¶

Customize mobile web branding:

Setting	Description	Requirement
Mobile CSS	Custom styling	CSS code
Mobile logo	Logo display on mobile	Image file
Color scheme	Theme colors	Hex colors
Custom language strings	Text customization	Language strings

14.5 Push Notification Configuration¶

Enable push notifications for mobile users:

Notification Type	Description
New messages	Private message received
Forum posts	New discussion replies
Assignment deadlines	Due date reminders
Grade updates	New grade available
Course announcements	Important updates

Configuring Push Notifications¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Mobile > Mobile settings
2. Locate "Enable push notifications"
3. Register for push notification service (if required)
4. Configure notification types
5. Test notification delivery

14.6 Mobile Content Restrictions¶

Control what content is available on mobile:

Setting	Options	Purpose
Disabled features	Select features to disable	Limit functionality
Custom menu items	Configure navigation	Customize experience
Download limits	File size restrictions	Bandwidth control
Offline content	What's available offline	Storage management

14.7 Mobile Security Considerations¶

Security Measure	Implementation
HTTPS required	Enforce SSL for all connections
Token expiry	Set appropriate token lifetime
Device registration	Track registered devices
Session management	Configure mobile sessions
Data encryption	Enable at-rest encryption

14.8 Testing Mobile Access¶

Testing Checklist¶

Test	Expected Result
Mobile browser access	Site loads responsively
Site connection	Connects without errors
Login	Authentication succeeds
Course access	Courses display correctly
Activity completion	Tracks properly
Content download	Files download correctly
Push notifications	Browser notifications received

15. Web Services Configuration¶

15.1 Web Services Overview¶

Access via: Site administration > Server > Web services

Web services enable:

Use Case	Description
Mobile browser access	Mobile web connectivity
External systems	Third-party integrations
Automation	Scripted operations
Custom apps	Custom application development
Data sync	External data synchronization
SSO integration	Authentication systems

15.2 Enabling Web Services¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > General > Advanced features
2. Enable "Web services"
3. Navigate to Site administration > Server > Web services > Overview
4. Follow the setup wizard:
   a. Enable web services: Check box
   b. Enable protocols: REST protocol
   c. Create service: Define new or use existing
   d. Create user: Service account
   e. Assign capabilities: Grant permissions
   f. Create token: Generate access token
   g. Test service: Verify functionality

15.3 Web Service Protocols¶

Protocol	Description	Use Case
REST	RESTful API	Most integrations
SOAP	SOAP services	Legacy systems
XML-RPC	XML remote procedure	Older systems
AMF	Action Message Format	Flash applications

Enabling REST Protocol¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Server > Web services > Manage protocols
2. Click the eye icon next to "REST protocol"
3. Status changes to enabled
4. REST services now available

15.4 External Services¶

Create custom services for specific purposes:

Creating a Service¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Server > Web services > External services
2. Click "Add" button
3. Configure service:
   - Name: "Course Management API"
   - Short name: "course_mgmt"
   - Enabled: Yes
   - Authorized users only: Yes (for security)
   - Required capability: (if restricting by role)
4. Save changes
5. Click "Add functions"
6. Select functions for this service:
   - core_course_get_courses
   - core_course_create_courses
   - core_user_get_users
   - etc.
7. Save function selection

Common Web Service Functions¶

Function	Purpose	Example Use
core_user_create_users	Create users	User provisioning
core_user_get_users	Retrieve users	User lookup
core_course_create_courses	Create courses	Course creation
core_course_get_courses	Get course info	Course catalog
enrol_manual_enrol_users	Enroll users	Enrollment automation
core_grades_get_grades	Retrieve grades	Grade export
mod_assign_get_submissions	Get assignments	Assignment tracking

15.5 Token Management¶

Tokens provide API access:

Creating a Token¶

Step-by-Step:
---------------------------------
1. Navigate to Site administration > Server > Web services > Manage tokens
2. Click "Create token"
3. Configure token:
   - User: Select service account user
   - Service: Select target service
   - IP restriction: Limit by IP (recommended)
   - Valid until: Expiration date (optional)
4. Save changes
5. Copy generated token securely
6. Token displayed only once

Token Security Best Practices¶

Practice	Description
IP restriction	Limit tokens to specific IPs
Separate accounts	Create dedicated service users
Minimum permissions	Grant only needed capabilities
Regular rotation	Rotate tokens periodically
Monitoring	Log and monitor token usage
Secure storage	Store tokens securely
Expiration	Set token expiration dates

15.6 API Usage Examples¶

REST API Authentication¶

# Token in URL parameter (less secure)
curl "https://lms.company.com/webservice/rest/server.php?wstoken=YOUR_TOKEN&wsfunction=core_webservice_get_site_info&moodlewsrestformat=json"

# Token in header (more secure)
curl -X POST "https://lms.company.com/webservice/rest/server.php" \
  -H "Authorization: YOUR_TOKEN" \
  -d "wsfunction=core_webservice_get_site_info" \
  -d "moodlewsrestformat=json"

Common API Operations¶

# Get site information
curl "https://lms.company.com/webservice/rest/server.php?wstoken=TOKEN&wsfunction=core_webservice_get_site_info&moodlewsrestformat=json"

# Get courses
curl "https://lms.company.com/webservice/rest/server.php?wstoken=TOKEN&wsfunction=core_course_get_courses&moodlewsrestformat=json"

# Create user
curl -X POST "https://lms.company.com/webservice/rest/server.php" \
  -d "wstoken=TOKEN" \
  -d "wsfunction=core_user_create_users" \
  -d "moodlewsrestformat=json" \
  -d "users[0][username]=newuser" \
  -d "users[0][password]=SecurePass123!" \
  -d "users[0][firstname]=John" \
  -d "users[0][lastname]=Doe" \
  -d "users[0][email][email protected]"

# Enroll user in course
curl -X POST "https://lms.company.com/webservice/rest/server.php" \
  -d "wstoken=TOKEN" \
  -d "wsfunction=enrol_manual_enrol_users" \
  -d "moodlewsrestformat=json" \
  -d "enrolments[0][roleid]=5" \
  -d "enrolments[0][userid]=42" \
  -d "enrolments[0][courseid]=10"

15.7 Web Service Logs¶

Monitor API usage:

Navigation:
---------------------------------
Site administration > Server > Web services > Web services overview

Information Available:
---------------------------------
- Token usage statistics
- Function call counts
- Error rates
- User activity

15.8 Troubleshooting Web Services¶

Problem	Cause	Solution
Invalid token	Token expired/invalid	Generate new token
Function not available	Not in service	Add function to service
Permission denied	Missing capability	Grant capability to user
Service disabled	Protocol not enabled	Enable REST protocol
IP blocked	IP restriction	Update allowed IPs
Invalid parameters	Wrong function parameters	Check API documentation

15.9 Web Service Security¶

Security Measure	Implementation
HTTPS only	Enforce SSL for all API calls
IP restrictions	Limit by source IP
Token rotation	Regular token refresh
Audit logging	Log all API access
Rate limiting	Prevent abuse
Capability review	Minimal permissions
Dedicated users	Separate service accounts

Appendix A: Quick Reference Tables¶

A.1 Important File Locations¶

File/Directory	Purpose
/var/www/html/pulselms	Web root
/var/www/html/pulselms/config.php	Main configuration
/var/www/pulselmsdata	Data directory
/var/www/pulselmsdata/filedir	Uploaded files
/var/www/pulselmsdata/sessions	Session files
/var/log/apache2/pulselms_error.log	Error log

A.2 CLI Commands Reference¶

Command	Purpose
php admin/cli/cron.php	Run scheduled tasks
php admin/cli/purge_caches.php	Clear all caches
php admin/cli/upgrade.php	Run database upgrade
php admin/cli/maintenance.php	Maintenance mode
php admin/cli/install.php	Command-line install
php admin/cli/reset_password.php	Reset user password
php admin/cli/mysql_engine.php	Database engine management

A.3 Default Port Reference¶

Service	Port	Purpose
HTTP	80	Unencrypted web
HTTPS	443	Encrypted web
MySQL	3306	Database
PostgreSQL	5432	Database
Redis	6379	Cache
Memcached	11211	Cache
LDAP	389	Directory
LDAPS	636	Secure directory
SMTP	25/587/465	Email

A.4 Role Capability Quick Reference¶

Capability	Manager	Teacher	Student
Create courses	Yes	No	No
Manage enrollments	Yes	Yes	No
Grade activities	Yes	Yes	No
Submit assignments	No	No	Yes
View reports	Yes	Yes	Limited
Manage plugins	No	No	No
Site configuration	No	No	No

Appendix B: Maintenance Procedures¶

B.1 Regular Maintenance Schedule¶

Task	Frequency	Procedure
Backup verification	Daily	Verify backup completion
Log review	Daily	Check for errors
Disk space check	Weekly	Monitor available space
Security updates	Weekly	Apply security patches
Performance review	Weekly	Check response times
Database optimization	Monthly	Run optimize scripts
Plugin updates	Monthly	Update plugins
User audit	Quarterly	Review user accounts
Security audit	Quarterly	Full security review
Disaster recovery test	Annually	Test restore procedures

B.2 Backup Procedures¶

Daily Backup Routine:
---------------------------------
1. Automated backup via scheduled task
2. Backup includes:
   - Database dump
   - Data directory files
   - Configuration files
3. Verify backup completion
4. Test restore periodically

Manual Backup Command:
---------------------------------
# Database backup
mysqldump -u root -p pulselms > backup_$(date +%Y%m%d).sql

# Data directory backup
tar -czvf datadir_$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz /var/www/pulselmsdata/

# Configuration backup
cp /var/www/html/pulselms/config.php config.php.backup

B.3 Update Procedures¶

Pre-Update Checklist:
---------------------------------
[ ] Review release notes
[ ] Check PHP/database compatibility
[ ] Backup database and files
[ ] Notify users of maintenance
[ ] Enable maintenance mode
[ ] Test in staging environment

Update Steps:
---------------------------------
1. Enable maintenance mode
2. Backup current installation
3. Download new version
4. Replace code files (preserve config.php)
5. Run upgrade script
6. Clear caches
7. Verify functionality
8. Disable maintenance mode

Appendix C: Troubleshooting Guide¶

C.1 Common Issues and Solutions¶

Issue	Symptoms	Solution
White screen	Blank page	Enable debugging, check logs
Login loop	Can't stay logged in	Clear cookies, check sessions
Slow performance	Long load times	Check caching, database
Email not sending	Missing notifications	Verify SMTP settings
File upload fails	Upload errors	Check size limits, permissions
Database errors	Error messages	Check connection, run upgrade
Cron not running	Delayed tasks	Verify cron configuration
Plugin errors	After installation	Disable plugin, check compatibility

C.2 Emergency Access¶

If locked out of PulseLMS:

Reset Admin Password:
---------------------------------
php admin/cli/reset_password.php --username=admin --password=NewSecurePassword123!

Disable Maintenance Mode:
---------------------------------
php admin/cli/maintenance.php --disable

Or via database:
---------------------------------
UPDATE mdl_config SET value = '0' WHERE name = 'maintenance_enabled';

Disable Problem Plugin:
---------------------------------
Rename plugin directory:
mv /var/www/html/pulselms/mod/problemplugin /var/www/html/pulselms/mod/problemplugin.disabled

Appendix D: Glossary¶

Term	Definition
Activity	Interactive course content (quiz, assignment, forum)
Block	Content display area in the sidebar
Capability	Permission to perform specific action
Category	Organizational container for courses
Cohort	Site-wide group for enrollment
Context	Level at which permissions apply
Cron	Scheduled task execution system
Data directory	Server location for uploaded files
Enrollment	User registration in a course
Plugin	Extension that adds functionality
Role	Collection of capabilities
Theme	Visual appearance template
Token	API authentication credential
Web service	API for external access

Appendix E: Contact and Support¶

E.1 Support Resources¶

Resource	Purpose	Access
Documentation	This guide and others	/docs/ directory
System logs	Error investigation	Site admin > Reports > Logs
Community forums	Peer support	Community website
Professional support	Enterprise assistance	Support contract

E.2 Reporting Issues¶

When reporting issues, include:

PulseLMS version number
PHP version
Database type and version
Browser used
Error messages (exact text)
Steps to reproduce
Recent changes made
Relevant log entries

PulseLMS Administrator Guide v1.0 Last Updated: January 2026 Document: 30-ADMIN-GUIDE.md