Runestone Issue: Code Sharing Fails

[theperfectionist89]

I was trying to share code with students from the Scratch ActiveCode window, but I got a popup (seen below) saying I need to be logged in to share code. I am already logged in (as seen in the second screenshot where I have an option to go to my dashboard).

This worked a couple of weeks ago, and as far as I can tell, I have not done anything different. I am on the same browser (Firefox) and logged into the same account.

My username on Runestone is umpazdor.

[bnmnetp]

We've been making a lot of behind the scenes changes this summer. One of the changes involved moving the API endpoint that handles the sharing to a new docker container. The FOPP-PIE book has not been updated since October 2024, and it has a very old javascript.

The not logged in error is a byproduct of our distributed system. The old API endpoint relies on a different auth system than the rest of the system. I'm not sure I have a good work around for you at the moment.

[bnmnetp]

I might have to make a way for you to get logged in on the one (old - web2py) server in order for it to work. The better solution is for the author to finish the work of porting the book to PreTeXt so that it will stay up to date and in sync with our work.

The plan is for that web2py server to be gone by the end of the summer. That will make the books that are long out of date not work so well.

[theperfectionist89]

I will take that temporary solution if you have. I believe I can get in contact with the book's author, so I will pass this along, but if there is a fix in the meantime, that would be helpful for now.

[bnmnetp]

I think I have this fixed for you. No extra login required.

1. I did a patch release of the components for the 7.13.x branch that moves the target for the code sharing API to the new server.
2. I fixed up (copied missing files) the FOPP-PIE source so it would build and use the 7.13.9 release. If it does not work the first time, a hard refresh may be required.

Note: there were two other old old endpoints in the javascript but I'm convinced those are both in dead code, so I see no reason to worry about them right now.

[bnmnetp]

I'll wait for you to confirm the change is working for you and then we can close this.

[theperfectionist89]

Hi,

Unfortunately the change did not work. I was able to open the textbook (it looked like an older version, so that was promising), but the scratch pad would not open. I checked the console for Javascript errors and found the message here:

[bnmnetp]

Hmm, eBookConfig is defined in all of the pages of the book. What page were you on?

[bnmnetp]

Yeah, I just rebuilt the test book with the same version that you have and the scratch activecode works fine from all of the book pages.

[theperfectionist89]

I have attached a screenshot of the page I was on, including the profile dropdown to double-check I was still logged in

Also opened up the javascript to see what the error was and it was on this line

[bnmnetp]

OK, now I'm super confused. It appears that FOPP-PIE had been marked as PreTeXt book in the database at some point in the past. Like maybe the author ran a build of it from our author interface.

BUT they had not properly configured it as a new PreTeXt book. I removed the entry so it is now treating the book as an RST book again, and you no longer get the header in the nav bar that says {{ course_name }}. The scratch activecode works again.

I'm guessing you might have been seeing an old version of that PreTeXt book. (I couldn't tell from your initial screenshot of the menu) But I don't think the PreTeXt version was anywhere near finished. I haven't heard from Celine in a long time so maybe I'm wrong.

So, FOPP-PIE appears to be displaying properly and the scratch activecode is working for me. Not sure what you may have done for assignments but there is a very real possibility that the identifiers are different on some questions and grading is probably messed up.

No idea how far you were into the course or what the ramifications of all this might be.

It may be that getting you back to the PreTeXt based version of the book is the right call. Sorry that this is such a mess. I certainly hadn't planned on spending hours trying to untangle all of this. I should probably do a better job of disabling books where it looks like the author has abandoned the project.

[theperfectionist89]

Okay, thanks for doing that. I can confirm that the scratch pad works now. I had experienced some minor issues with students doing the assignment evaluation, but telling Runestone to redo the grading once it was over seemed to be fixing that.

I'll get in contact with Celine and let her know about this. Is there anything specific I should tell her?

[bnmnetp]

I guess the main thing is that she should update the document-id in bookinfo.ptx so that it is NOT FOPP-PIE. The RST version of the book should remain as FOPP-PIE and the new edition using PreTeXt needs a new name .

I would also love clarification on the state of the port to PreTeXt so I know what I should be supported / made available to other instructors moving forward.