Is it possible to programmatically submit an assignment to Blackboard using Blackboard WebServices
blackboard, python, web-services
Solution
One of the developers of Blackboard got back to me and said that it is not possible to submit an assignment using the webservice as the 'studentSubmission' and 'setStudentSubmissionTextType' methods are readonly attributes.
A request has been made to Blackboard to update the documentation.
Problem
Can anyone confirm if it is possible to programmatically submit an assignment to Blackboard using Blackboard WebServices? (As documented here). Specifically I would like to know the correct way of using the Gradebook.WS, AttemptVO and the studentSubmission method to submit an assignment. Here is what I have tried so far which mostly works in that the attempt can be seen in Bb Gradebook except the attemptVO.studentSubmission is not visible in Blackboard Gradebook: ``` from suds.client import Client from suds.plugin import MessagePlugin from suds.wsse import Timestamp, UsernameToken, Security WS_BASE_URL = 'http://bbdev.bangor.ac.uk/webapps/ws/services/' class Learn9Plugin(MessagePlugin): def marshalled(self, context): password = context.envelope.childAtPath('Header/Security/UsernameToken/Password') password.set('Type', 'http://docs.oasis-open.org/wss/2004/01/oasis-200401-wss-username-token-profile-1.0#PasswordText') security = Security() security.tokens.append(Timestamp()) security.tokens.append(UsernameToken('session', 'nosession')) plugin = Learn9Plugin() context = Client( WS_BASE_URL + 'Context.WS?wsdl', location = WS_BASE_URL + 'Context.WS', autoblend = True, wsse = security, plugins = [plugin]) context.options.wsse.tokens[1].password = context.service.initialize() result = context.service.loginTool('xxxxx', 'xxxx', 'xxxxx', '', 500) course_id = '_15877_1' gradebook = Client(WS_BASE_URL + 'Gradebook.WS?wsdl', location=WS_BASE_URL + 'Gradebook.WS', autoblend=True, wsse=security, plugins=[plugin]) attemptVO = gradebook.factory.create('ns0:AttemptVO') attemptVO.override = False attemptVO.publicFeedbackToUser = False attemptVO.score = 0 attemptVO.gradeId = '_169_1' # Smith attemptVO.studentSubmission = 'Some sample text representing an assignment' attemptVO.studentSubmissionTextType = 'PLAIN_TEXT' print attemptVO attempt_result = gradebook.service.saveAttempts(course_id, [attemptVO,]) print attempt_result ``` Result: ``` (AttemptVO){ attemptDate = None creationDate = None displayGrade = None exempt = None expansionData[] = <empty> feedbackToUser = None grade = None gradeId = "_169_1" groupAttemptId = None id = None instructorNotes = None override = False publicFeedbackToUser = False score = 0 status = None studentComments = None studentSubmission = "Some sample text representing an assignment" studentSubmissionTextType = "PLAIN_TEXT" } [_586_1] ``` Many thanks.