Update for hiding sections and subsections and bulk publishing

docs/en_us/course_authors/source/change_log.rst

@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ August, 2014
 
    * - Date
      - Change
+   * - 08/27/14
+     - Updated documentation in :ref:`Developing Your Course Index`
+       for new capabilities to publish or hide multiple units 
+       from the outline.
    * - 08/22/14
      - Added warnings about the effects of changing the course grading policy,
        graded subsections, or graded components after the course begins.

docs/en_us/course_authors/source/developing_course/controlling_content_visibility.rst

@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ See:
 Unit Publishing Status
 ***********************
 
-You publish units to make them visible to students.  Students see the last
+You publish units to make them visible to students. Students see the last
 published version of a unit if the section and subsection it is in are
 released.
 
@@ -56,15 +56,40 @@ experience.
 
 For more information, see :ref:`Unit Publishing Status`.
 
+You can publish all changes in a section or subsection at once, or publish
+changes to individual units.  See:
+
+* :ref:`Publish all Units in a Section`
+* :ref:`Publish all Units in a Subsection`
+* :ref:`Publish a Unit`
+
+
 .. _Content Hidden from Students:
 
 *****************************
 Content Hidden from Students
 *****************************
 
-You can :ref:`hide any unit from students<Hide a Unit from Students>`,
-regardless of the parent section and subsection's release dates.
+You can hide content from students. Such content is never visible to students,
+regardless of the release and publishing status.
 
 You might hide a unit from students, for example, when that unit contains an
-answer to a problem in that subsection. After the problem due date, you could
-make the unit with the answer visible.
+answer to a problem in another unit of that subsection. After the problem's due
+date, you could make the unit with the answer visible.
+
+You could also hide a unit from students if you wanted to use that unit to
+provide instructions or guidance meant only for course staff. Only course staff
+would see that unit in the course.
+
+You can hide content at different levels:
+
+* :ref:`Sections<Hide a Section from Students>`
+* :ref:`Subsections<Hide a Subsection from Students>`
+* :ref:`Units<Hide a Unit from Students>`
+
+.. warning::
+ When you make a previously hidden section or subsection visible to students,
+ not all content in the section or subsection is necessarily made visible to
+ students. If you also explicitly set a child subsection or unit to be hidden
+ from students, it remains hidden from students. Unpublished units remain
+ unpublished, and changes to published units remain unpublished.

docs/en_us/course_authors/source/developing_course/course_outline.rst

@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ the course outline:
 * `View the Course Organization as a Student`_
 * `Navigate the Course Outline`_
 * `Add Content in the Course Outline`_
+* `Modify Settings for Objects in the Course Outline`_
+* `Publish Content from the Course Outline`_
 * `Reorganize the Course Outline`_
 * `Delete Content in the Course Outline`_
   
@@ -127,6 +129,60 @@ Unit**:
 
 The :ref:`unit<Developing Course Units>` page opens.
 
+
+.. _Modify Settings for Objects in the Course Outline:
+
+***************************************************
+Modify Settings for Objects in the Course Outline
+***************************************************
+
+You modify settings for sections, subsections, and units in the course outline.
+Specifically, you can complete the following tasks:
+
+* :ref:`Set a Section Release Date`
+* :ref:`Hide a Section from Students`
+* :ref:`Set a Subsection Release Date`
+* :ref:`Set the Assignment Type and Due Date for a Subsection`
+* :ref:`Hide a Subsection from Students`
+* :ref:`Hide a Unit from Students`
+
+To modify settings for a section, subsection, or unit, click the settings icon
+for that object. In the following example, the settings icon is circled for a
+section, a subsection, and two units:
+
+.. image:: ../Images/settings-icons.png
+ :alt: Settings icons in the course outline
+
+For more information, see the links above.
+
+
+.. _Publish Content from the Course Outline:
+
+************************************************
+Publish Content from the Course Outline
+************************************************
+
+You can publish new and changed units for an entire section or subsection. You
+can also publish individual units.
+
+To publish new and changed units, click the publish icon for a section,
+subsection, or unit. In the following example, the publish icon is circled for
+a section, subsection, and unit:
+
+.. image:: ../Images/outline-publish-icons.png
+ :alt: Publishing icons in the course outline
+
+.. note:: 
+ The publish icon only appears when there is new or changed content within the
+ object.
+
+For more information, see:
+
+* :ref:`Unit Publishing Status`
+* :ref:`Publish all Units in a Section`
+* :ref:`Publish all Units in a Subsection`
+* :ref:`Publish a Unit`
+
 .. _Reorganize the Course Outline:
 
 ************************************************

docs/en_us/course_authors/source/developing_course/course_sections.rst

@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ Section tasks:
 * `Create a Section`_
 * `Change a Section Name`_
 * `Set a Section Release Date`_
+* `Publish all Units in a Section`_
+* `Hide a Section from Students`_
 * `Delete a Section`_
 
 
@@ -224,13 +226,70 @@ To set the section release date:
 
 #. Enter the release date and time for the section:
    
-   .. image:: ../Images/section-settings.png
+   .. image:: ../Images/section-settings-release-date.png
     :alt: The section release date settings
 
 #. Click **Save**.
 
 For more information, see :ref:`Release Dates`.
 
+.. _Publish all Units in a Section:
+
+********************************
+Publish all Units in a Section
+********************************
+
+To publish all new and changed units in a section, click the publish icon in
+the box for the section:
+
+.. image:: ../Images/outline-publish-icon-section.png
+ :alt: Publishing icon for a section
+
+.. note:: 
+ The publish icon only appears when there is new or changed content within the
+ section.
+
+See :ref:`Unit Publishing Status` for information about statuses and visibility
+to students.
+
+
+.. _Hide a Section from Students:
+
+********************************
+Hide a Section from Students
+********************************
+
+You can hide all content in a section from students, regardless of the status
+of subsections and units within the section.
+
+To hide a section from students:
+
+#. Click the Settings icon in the section box:
+   
+   .. image:: ../Images/section-settings-box.png
+    :alt: The section settings icon circled
+
+   The **Settings** dialog box opens.
+
+#. Check **Hide from students**.
+
+   .. image:: ../Images/section-settings-hide.png
+    :alt: The section hide from students setting
+
+#. Click **Save**.
+
+Now, no content in the section is visible to students.
+
+To make the section visible to students, repeat these steps and clear the
+**Hide from students** checkbox.
+
+.. warning::
+ When you clear the **Hide from students** checkbox for a section, not all
+ content in the section is necessarily made visible to students. If you
+ explicitly set a subsection or unit to be hidden from students, it remains
+ hidden from students. Unpublished units remain unpublished, and changes to
+ published units remain unpublished.
+
 ********************************
 Delete a Section
 ********************************

docs/en_us/course_authors/source/developing_course/course_subsections.rst

@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ Subsection tasks:
 * `Change a Subsection Name`_
 * `Set a Subsection Release Date`_
 * `Set the Assignment Type and Due Date for a Subsection`_
+* `Publish all Units in a Subsection`_
+* `Hide a Subsection from Students`_
 * `Delete a Subsection`_
 
 
@@ -240,7 +242,7 @@ To set the subsection release date:
 
 #. Enter the release date and time for the section:
 
-   .. image:: ../Images/subsection-settings.png
+   .. image:: ../Images/subsection-settings-release.png
     :alt: The subsection release date settings
 
 #. Click **Save**.
@@ -279,6 +281,62 @@ To set the assignment type and due date for a subsection:
 
 For more information, see :ref:`Establish a Grading Policy`.
 
+.. _Publish all Units in a Subsection:
+
+**********************************
+Publish all Units in a Subsection
+**********************************
+
+To publish all new and changed units in a subsection, click the publish icon in
+the box for the subsection:
+
+.. image:: ../Images/outline-publish-icon-subsection.png
+ :alt: Publishing icon for a subsection
+
+.. note:: 
+ The publish icon only appears when there is new or changed content within the
+ subsection.
+
+See :ref:`Unit Publishing Status` for information about statuses and visibility
+to students.
+
+.. _Hide a Subsection from Students:
+
+********************************
+Hide a Subsection from Students
+********************************
+
+You can hide all content in a subsection from students, regardless of the
+status of units within the section.
+
+To hide a subsection from students:
+
+#. Click the Settings icon in the subsection box:
+   
+   .. image:: ../Images/subsections-settings-icon.png
+    :alt: The subsection settings icon circled
+
+   The **Settings** dialog box opens.
+
+#. Check **Hide from students**.
+
+   .. image:: ../Images/subsection-settings-hidden.png
+    :alt: The subsection hide from students setting
+
+#. Click **Save**.
+
+Now, no content in the subsection is visible to students.
+
+To make the subection visible to students, repeat these steps and clear the
+**Hide from students** checkbox.
+
+.. warning::
+ When you clear the **Hide from students** checkbox for a subsection, not all
+ content in the subsection is necessarily made visible to students. If you
+ explicitly set a unit to be hidden from students, it remains hidden from
+ students. Unpublished units remain unpublished, and changes to published units
+ remain unpublished.
+
 .. _Delete a Subsection:
 
 ********************************

docs/en_us/course_authors/source/developing_course/course_units.rst

@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ To a student using the edX Learning Management System, each unit in the
 subsection appears as a link on the course ribbon at the top of the page. The
 active unit is open beneath the course ribbon.
 
-The following image shows a subsection that has seven units, which are circled
+The following image shows a subsection that has five units, which are circled
 in the ribbon above the video, with the first unit open:
 
 .. image:: ../Images/Units_LMS.png
@@ -144,16 +144,16 @@ Unit Publishing Status
 
 As an course author, you work with units with the following statuses:
 
-* `Draft (Never Published)`_
+* `Draft (Never published)`_
 * `Published and Live`_
-* `Published Not Yet Released`_
-* `Draft (Unpublished Changes)`_
+* `Published (not yet released)`_
+* `Draft (Unpublished changes)`_
 * `Visible to Staff Only`_
 
 .. _Draft (Never Published):
 
 ========================
-Draft (Never Published)
+Draft (Never published)
 ========================
 
 When you create a new unit and add components to it, the unit's publishing
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ current version of the unit.
 .. _Published Not Yet Released:
 
 ====================================
-Published Not Yet Released
+Published (not yet released)
 ====================================
 
 You've published the unit, but the release date hasn't passed. Students cannot
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ see this unit until the release date passes.
 .. _Draft (Unpublished Changes):
 
 ===========================
-Draft (Unpublished Changes)
+Draft (Unpublished changes)
 =========================== 
 
 When you edit a published unit, whether or not it is released, the unit's
@@ -228,6 +228,10 @@ Visible to Staff Only
 When you :ref:`hide a unit from students<Hide a Unit from Students>`, the
 unit's publishing status changes to **Visible to Staff Only**.
 
+The publishing status of a unit can be **Visible to Staff Only** if you hid the
+parent :ref:`section<Hide a Section from Students>` or :ref:`subsection<Hide a
+Subsection from Students>` from students.
+
 Students never see a unit with this status, even if it has been published and
 the release date has passed.
 
@@ -361,12 +365,32 @@ You publish a unit that has a status of `Draft (Never Published)`_ or `Draft
 (Unpublished Changes)`_. When you publish a unit, the status changes to
 `Published and Live`_ or `Published Not Yet Released`_.
 
+You can publish a unit from the unit page or the course outline.
+
+=======================================
+Use the Unit Page to Publish a Unit
+=======================================
+
 To publish the unit, click **Publish** in the status panel:
 
 .. image:: ../Images/unit-publish-button.png
  :alt: Unit status panel with Publish button circled
 
 
+=======================================
+Use the Outline to Publish a Unit
+=======================================
+
+To publish a unit from the outline, click the publish icon in the box for the
+unit:
+
+.. image:: ../Images/outline-publish-icon-unit.png
+ :alt: Publishing icon for a unit
+
+.. note:: 
+ The publish icon only appears when there is new or changed content in the
+ unit.
+
 .. _Discard Changes to a Unit:
 
 ****************************
@@ -419,29 +443,62 @@ Hide a Unit from Students
 ****************************
 
 You can prevent students from seeing a unit regardless of the unit status or
-the release schedules of the section and subsection.
+the release schedules of the section and subsection. 
 
-To do this, select the **Hide from students** checkbox in the status panel:
+For more information, see :ref:`Controlling Content Visibility`.
+
+You can hide a unit from students using the course outline or the unit page.
+
+=======================================
+Use the Unit Page to Hide a Unit
+=======================================
+
+Select the **Hide from students** checkbox in the status panel:
 
 .. image:: ../Images/unit-hide.png
  :alt: Unit status panel with Hide from Students checked
 
 For more information, see :ref:`Controlling Content Visibility`.
 
+=======================================
+Use the Outline to Hide a Unit
+=======================================
+
+#. Click the Settings icon in the unit box:
+   
+   .. image:: ../Images/outline-unit-settings.png
+    :alt: The unit settings icon circled
+
+   The **Settings** dialog box opens.
+
+#. Check **Hide from students**.
+
+   .. image:: ../Images/outline-unit-settings-dialog.png
+    :alt: The unit hide from students setting
+
+#. Click **Save**.
+
 =======================================
 Make a Hidden Unit Visible to Students
 =======================================
 
-To make a hidden unit visible to students, clear the **Hide from students**
+Before you make a hidden unit visible to students, be aware that course content
+will immediately be visible to students, as follows:
+
+* For a hidden unit that previously was published, clearing the check box
+  publishes the current content for the unit. If you made changes to the unit
+  while is was hidden, those draft changes are published.
+
+* When you make a section or subsection that was previously hidden visible to
+  students, draft content in units is *not* published. Changes you made since
+  last publishing units are not made visible to students.
+
+You can make a hidden unit visible to students from the unit page or the course
+outline. Follow the instructions above and clear the **Hide from students**
 checkbox.
 
 You are prompted to confirm that you want to make the unit visible to students.
 
-.. caution::
- When you make a hidden unit that was previously published visible to
- students, the current content in the unit is published. Any changes you made
- to the unit when it was hidden from students will now be visible to students.
-
 ********************************
 Delete a Unit
 ********************************