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This page provides information on what makes EdShare/Language Box/OneShare different from a standard EPrints installation.

Add to this page any packages that are relevant to EdShare/LBox.

Please see conversations on:

  1. Bug lists: cf. Mantis
  2. OneShareWishList: discuss there new features which are not mentioned on this page already.
  3. OneSharePreviewTools: (TO COME)
  4. OneShareBlackboard: (TO COME)


Data Model


  1. What is a bare minimum for metadata?
  2. What do we do with Uni divisions/hierarchy? Part of extended schema? Part of core-data?
  3. What do we do with the security model eg viewing/editing permissions? see below.
  4. Do we include or provide different subjects hierarchies (eg JACS...)? As an optional feature?
  5. What is the name of a 'resource'? A 'Resource' or a 'Share'?
  6. What are the basic data types?? On EdShare we have shares, collections, bookmarks, shoppbasket. On LBox we have resources, "resource_collection" -> need to harmonize.
Also see sections on Collections, Bookmarks.

Priority: high, core feature!
Time: dev < 1 week, politics < 1 month hopefully

(User) Worflow

Define a user workflow i.e.:

  1. How does the user interact with the repository?
  2. What is their path through the site for creating, managing their resources? Is it consistent?

On Edshare, this needs loads of improvements :)

Make links to all features (browsing, searching etc) intuitive/easy to find/consistent.

Priority: low
Time: 1-2 dev, 1 week politics

UI Styling

Create a unique, generic style for OneShare. This should be eye-catching but generic/neutral enough (cf. a vanilla EPrints install).

This include: default citations for resources and files, site template, frontpage, <add more>.

  1. Also we could package the LBox & EdShare styles as optional themes?
Priority: low
Time: unknown?


Viewing Permissions

Use EdShare Soton's advanced viewing permissions to share with selected users, schools etc.

Previews are also included into that model i.e. you cannot see previews for a resource if you're not allowed to view/download the resource.

Editing Permissions

Cf. Viewing Permissions but for editing.

Maybe merge viewing + editing perms into a more generic ACL system.

ACLs for Viewing and Editing items?

We could create a system of ACL (Access Control List) for each share/resource and add the appropriate hooks in the code:"can_user_edit", "can_user_view".

  1. The idea on EdShare Soton is good (share with school, uni, x/y) but need refactoring/rewriting.
  2. How do we generalise this to EPrints and add the right hooks to the existing eprints code? Maybe ask TimB for advice.
Priority: low
Time: 3-4 days to refactor/generalise


  1. Make HTTPS compulsory? At least, make all the code COMPLIANT to HTTPS :)


Generating previews

Generating previews for:

  1. Microsoft Office formats (+ newer OpenXML standards)
  2. HTML pages
  3. Multimedia files (video + audio)

Or use a dedicated server for the task?

  1. Where do we store the previews on the filesystem? In the thumbnails dir? etc... Backport the EP3.2 model?
  2. Do we need to re-factor Pat's work on queuing (for audio/video)?

If local:

Priority: med-high
Time: < 1 week

Previews/Coverflow-like interface

This will be a part of another conversation.

  1. Decide of a nice "player"?!
Priority: super high
Time: ? months?

Social Tools

MePrints Profiles

  1. Should we force OneShare to use MePrints?
  2. Should we developed widgets specific to OneShare (would be nice)? Such as stats, comments, feeds...
Priority: N/A (project delivered)
Time: 0

Commenting (SNEEP)

Add tools for commenting on resources. Maybe use SNEEP or Pat/Marcus' updated version. Test on HTTPS :)

  1. Decide!
Priority: low
Time: 1-2 days


Add virtual collections to EPrints. A virtual collection contains links to other resources.

Priority: low, quite mature code
Time: 1-2 days


A special virtual collection available for every user. Bookmarks are persistent and can be shared to other users.

AJAX Tools exist to easily populate bookmarks from search results, summary pages etc. (cf EdShare Soton).

  1. Using a separate dataobj for bookmarks? This would allow more powerful features eg. "who has bookmarks share X"? Also, this would hide My Bookmarks from my list of resources.
Priority: low, quite mature code
Time: 1-2 days

Folder/Shopping Basket

A special virtual collection that allows people to aggregate shares during their current session. This allows easy creation of collections or download of several resources in one go.

Emptied when user logs out. Cannot be shared with other users.

  2. Do we need this?

Collections Organiser

The AJAX tool to easily create, edit and manage collections.

  1. Need storyboards from the management layer!
  2. We know that we need a special tool to manage resources/collections but is this the appropriate one?
  3. Could this replace the 'Manage Deposit' screen altogether (whether collections are enabled or not)?
Priority: need requirements
Time: unknown

Embedding content (TO DO)

To allow embeddable objects that present a resource (maybe looking like the coverflow tool).

  1. What do we expect from such a feature? Needs requirements.
Priority: low
Time: <1 week

Extra Tools (as optional packages?)

Possible optional packages:

  1. Anti-Virus Scanning: cf. use of Sophos on the EdShare Soton server.
  2. IRStats: improved integration of IRStats with EPrints.
  3. Bulk Upload & related features
  4. Tag cloud
  5. Presentation of latest additions on the frontpage
  6. LBox's remixed resources (cf. cloning on EP).
  7. <add more>

Blackboard integration (TO DO)

Single-deposit paradigm i.e. dissemination from BB to OneShare.

This will be part of a separate conversation.