Course import & backup

Contents

Import of course content

You can use Moodle's Import function to copy content from one or more courses to another course in the same Moodle instance . The prerequisite for this is that you have lecturer, tutor or employee in charge rights in both the template course and the target course.

To access the Import function, select the option Course import & backup in the More tab at the top of the Moodle course into which you want to copy the content.

In the next window select the option Import.

The following steps must be carried out for the import:

1. Course selection

A list of possible courses that you can use as a template will be displayed. If you have administrative rights in many courses, this list is not complete and you can use the search function below to find the desired course. Then select the desired course from the list of search results (even if there is only one search result) and click the Continue button.

2. Import settings (initial settings)

In the next step, specify which types of content should generally be transferred and confirm your selection with Next.

3. Include (Schema settings)

In the third step, select the specific content from the template course that is to be copied to the target course. You can check or uncheck elements individually or select or deselect all elements at once via All or None . If you uncheck a section title, the contents of the section will not be copied. Once you have made your selection, click on the Next button.

4. Confirm and review

In the Confirm and review step, you can check again whether your selection for the import is correct. If you still want to make changes, you can go back to the previous steps via the navigation path at the top. If your settings are correct, click on the Perform import button.

Depending on the size of the course and the number of content elements, the import process may take a little longer. As soon as the import process is complete, you will receive a success message. Finally, click on the Next button.

The content will now be added to the target course at the bottom of in the sections where it is placed in the template course. You can then make further adjustments to the target course, e.g. change availability dates and deadlines, add further elements - also by importing from other courses -, move elements etc.

Saving and restoring courses

If you want to transfer content from one Moodle instance to another (e.g. from the preview instance to the Moodle for teaching or from the Moodle to u:rise), first create a backup copy of the template course and upload it to the target course.

Create a backup copy

Zum Erstellen der Sicherungskopie wählen Sie oben im Quellkurs im Register Mehr die Option Kursimport & -sicherung aus dem Drop-down-Menü aus.

Click Backup in the following window.

The following steps must now be carried out:

1. Backup settings (initial settings)

In the first step, you define which types of content are to be transferred in general. Then confirm your selection with Next.

2. Include (Schema settings)

In the next step, select the specific content from the template course that is to be included in the backup copy. You can check or uncheck elements individually or select or deselect all elements at once via All or None at the top. If you uncheck a section title, the contents of the section will not be included. Once you have made your selection, click on the Next button.

3. Confirm and review

In the Confirm and review step, you can check again whether your selection for the backup copy is correct. If you still want to make changes, you can go back to the previous steps via the navigation path at the top. If your settings are correct, click on the Perform backup button.

The backup copy is now generated. Depending on the size of the course to be backed up, it may take some time for the backup file to be created. You will receive a success message as soon as the backup has been completed. Then click on Next.

The system will now automatically switch to the Restore view.  In the section User private backup area you can download the backup file you have just created to your computer.

Restore

To restore Moodle content from a backup file, first open the Moodle course into which you want to import the content. In the More tab at the top of the course, select the Course import & backup option from the drop-down menu.

On the following page, click on Restore.

Upload backup file

In the Upload backup file section, you can now drag and drop the backup file from your computer into the field provided or alternatively transfer it to the field using the Choose a file button (top left of the field) > Upload a file (left column) > Select a file > Upload this file (button at the bottom). Then click on the Restore button.

Now follow the steps again:

1. Confirm

The first window displays the backup details, backup settings and contents of the backup file, which you must confirm by clicking Continue.

2. Destination

Now select the course into which the contents of the backup copy are to be inserted. We recommend starting the restore process in the target course and selecting the Restore into this course option to minimize the risk of accidentally selecting the wrong target course, which is the case with the Restore into an existing course option. If the target course already has content, you can decide whether the content of the backup copy should also be added to the course (Merge the backup course into this course) or whether the existing content should be deleted and replaced by the content of the backup copy (Delete the contents of this course and then restore). Finally, click on the Continue button.

3. Restore settings

In the Restore settings step, specify which types of content should generally be transferred from the backup copy. Then confirm your selection with Next.

4. Kurseinstellungen (Schema)

In the fourth step, you can overwrite the long title of your course in the upper area if you select the option Yes under Overwrite course configuration and check the box Overwrite next to  Course name .

Furthermore, you can now select the specific content from the backup copy that is to be transferred to the target course. You can check or uncheck elements individually or select or deselect all elements at once via All or None . If you uncheck a section title, the contents of the section will not be transferred. Once you have made your selection, click on the Next button.

4. Review

In the Check step, you can check again whether your selection for the restore is correct. If you still want to make changes, you can go back to the previous steps via the navigation path at the top. If your settings are correct, click on the Perform restore button.

Depending on the number and size of the contents that are transferred from the backup copy, the restore process may take some time. You will receive a success message as soon as the restore is complete. Then click on Next.

The contents are now inserted in the target course. If you already had content in the target course and have merged it with the backup copy, the new content will be inserted below in the sections where it is also placed in the template course. You can then make further adjustments to the target course, e.g. change availability dates and deadlines, add further elements, move elements, etc.