Sysadmin - technical documentation - Import formats

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• 1. About This Document
• 2. Import Process Summary
• 3. Moodle Backup Format (MBZ)
  • Course Structure Import
  • Supported Content Types
• 4. Common Cartridge Format (IMSCC)
  • About Common Cartridge
  • Supported Content Types
• 5. Rich Text Considerations
  • 5.1 What Is Exported
  • 5.2 Known Limitations - Rich text formatting and HTML levels
    • 5.2.1 Tags and attributes
• 6. Troubleshooting
  • 6.1 Rich Text Formatting Issues
  • 6.2 Missing Content After Import
  • 6.3 Broken Links and Media
  • 6.4 H5P Content Not Working
  • 6.5 General Formatting Issues
• 7. When to Contact Support

NOTE: This feature will launch first in Germany and is scheduled to roll out globally at the start of August.

1. About This Document

This article provides an overview of the two supported file formats for importing content into itslearning: MBZ and IMSCC.

It is not a step-by-step guide, but rather a reference to help you understand:

• What types of content each format supports

• How itslearning handles structure and formatting

• Known limitations and troubleshooting tips

This article is intended to supplement step-by-step instructions found in the Course Importer/exporter guides. It is especially relevant for system administrators and educators transferring content from Moodle or other LMS platforms.

2. Import Process Summary

• Content is imported into an existing itslearning course

• Each import creates a folder in the Resources section, named after the source course

• Course structure and content are recreated within that folder

• Multiple imports can be performed in the same course

3. Moodle Backup Format (MBZ)

Course Structure Import

• A main folder is created using the Moodle course title

• If present, the Moodle course summary becomes the folder description

• Each section in the Moodle course becomes a subfolder

• Section names and descriptions are preserved

• Content is placed in corresponding folders

Supported Content Types

Note: Unsupported content types such as Glossary, Workshop, and Database are skipped during import.

4. Common Cartridge Format (IMSCC)

About Common Cartridge

Common Cartridge (CC) is a standard format developed by 1EdTech to support interoperability between LMS systems. It enables consistent packaging of digital learning materials for reuse and migration.

Supported Content Types

5. Rich Text Considerations

Rich text content (such as descriptions in assignments, discussions, and pages) is exported as HTML, but there are some limitations to be aware of.

5.1 What Is Exported

• Most formatting, tables, and images are preserved

• Emoticons (smileys) are removed

• Relative links (e.g., links to other resources within the course) are exported as-is and will not resolve correctly after import

• Third-party plugins (such as H5P) embedded in rich text will not function after import

• Images and media with absolute URLs are preserved

• Images and media with relative URLs are not imported

5.2 Known Limitations - Rich text formatting and HTML levels

All Learning Management Systems, such as Moodle and itslearning, have a rich text editor, that allows the user to add markup, tables, images, etc. to text which is offered across the platform.

There can be some differences between how rich text descriptions are displayed in for example Moodle, and how they are displayed in itslearning after import.

5.2.1 Tags and attributes

How text should be displayed is technically described in the HTML format (HyperText Markup Language). In the HTML format, tags are used to tell the browser how the text should be displayed. For example, the HTML tag “<b>” can be used to tell the browser that text needs to be displayed in bold. Where “</b>” is used to indicated where the bold text stops. So, if the HTML contains “<b>this text is bold</b> and this text isn’t” It will look like “this text is bold and this text isn’t”. In addition, a tag can have attributes. For example, the attribute “width” can be used to tell the browser how wide a table or image should be.

For security reasons, itslearning does not allow all HTML tag and attributes. This can be restricted further by a user right in itslearning, which can be granted via Profiles or Policies. This user right is called “Allowed HTML Code level” and the more restricted it is, the fewer HTML elements and attributes you are allowed to use. In general, “Highly restricted” will only allow simple markup such as bold, italic and underline and new lines or paragraphs.  The differences between “Restricted” and “Less restricted” are small and will likely hardly be noticed.

• Users with Highly restricted HTML level cannot import images, links, or media

• Iframes are only displayed if allowed by the domain whitelist

• H5P content is not supported and will appear as placeholder text (e.g., @@PLUGINFILE@@/filename.h5p)

6. Troubleshooting

6.1 Rich Text Formatting Issues

Issue: Rich text content appears different or simplified after import 

Symptom:

• Text formatting is lost or changed
• Images, tables, or media missing from descriptions
• Content appears as plain text instead of formatted text

Solution:

1. Check the "Allowed HTML Code level" setting in itslearning user profile
2. Contact system administrator to adjust HTML restrictions if needed
3. Verify user has appropriate permissions for rich content

6.2 Missing Content After Import

Issue: Expected content does not appear in itslearning after import 

Symptom:

• Course sections are empty
• Specific activities or resources missing
• Import appears successful but content is incomplete

Solution:

1. Verify the content type is supported for your import format (MBZ/IMSCC)
2. Check the supported content types table in this document
3. Unsupported content types (Glossary, Workshop, Database) are automatically skipped
4. Review import log for any error messages

6.3 Broken Links and Media

Issue: Links and media files don't work after import 

Symptom:

• Images show as broken/missing
• Links lead to error pages
• Media files don't play or display

Solution:

• For images/media: Check if original content used relative URLs (not supported)
• For links: Verify if links were internal course links (will break after import)
• Workaround: Re-upload media files directly to itslearning
• Workaround: Update links to point to new itslearning locations

6.4 H5P Content Not Working

Issue: H5P interactive content appears as placeholder text 

Symptom:

• Text shows "@@PLUGINFILE@@/filename.h5p"
• Interactive content is replaced with non-functional text
• H5P activities missing from course

Solution:

• Understanding: H5P content is not supported by the import system for now
• Workaround: Recreate H5P content using itslearning's native tools
• Alternative: Export H5P content separately and re-import using itslearning's H5P integration (if available)

6.5 General Formatting Issues

Issue: Course layout or formatting appears different than expected 

Symptom:

• Tables appear simplified
• Colors or styling missing
• Layout elements repositioned or removed

Solution:

1. Understanding: Some formatting is simplified for security reasons
2. Check: Verify your HTML Code level permissions
3. Workaround: Manually adjust formatting in itslearning after import

7. When to Contact Support

Contact your system administrator when:

• HTML Code level needs adjustment
• User permissions need modification
• Domain whitelist configuration required

Contact itslearning support when:

• Import process fails completely
• Supported content types don't import correctly
• Technical errors during import process