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@dmurphy1  With Classic Quizzes, I've used the method that @James mentioned to handle multiple questions (i.e., make a fill_in_multiple_blanks question) and simply generated a lot of answers to cover the needed cases to do the exact match against the different values that a user could enter. ... View more

With regard to Canvas pages, one method I have used is to get all of the pages as local files and then search these files. A program to do this is cgetall.py it can be found at https://github.com/gqmaguirejr . You specify a Canvas course_id and optionally a directory to put the files into. I find having the page contents locally allows me to do a lot of searching and even make changes to the files and then I can replace the page content with the changed contents of the file. I also wrote an earlier program to make a CSV file of all of the URLs in a course: #!/usr/bin/python3 # # ./compute_list_of_URLs_on_pages_in_course.py course_id # # it outputs a CSV file with the name URLs_for_course_xx.csv # where xx is the course_id # # G. Q. Maguire Jr. # # 2017.04.21 # based on earlier program: compute_stats_for_pages_in_course.py # import csv, requests, time from pprint import pprint import optparse import sys from lxml import html import json ############################# ###### EDIT THIS STUFF ###### ############################# # styled based upon https://martin-thoma.com/configuration-files-in-python/ with open('config.json') as json_data_file: configuration = json.load(json_data_file) canvas = configuration['canvas'] access_token= canvas["access_token"] # access_token=configuration["canvas"]["access_token"] #baseUrl = 'https://kth.instructure.com/api/v1/courses/' # changed to KTH domain baseUrl = 'https://%s/api/v1/courses/' % canvas.get('host', 'kth.instructure.com') header = {'Authorization' : 'Bearer ' + access_token} #modules_csv = 'modules.csv' # name of file storing module names log_file = 'log.txt' # a log file. it will log things def write_to_log(message): with open(log_file, 'a') as log: log.write(message + "\n") pprint(message) def unique_URLs(txt): set_of_unique_URLs=set() text_words=txt.split() for t in text_words: if (t.find("http://") >= 0 or t.find("HTTP://") >= 0 or t.find("https://") >= 0 or t.find("HTTPs://") >= 0): set_of_unique_URLs.add(t) return set_of_unique_URLs def compute_stats_for_pages_in_course(course_id): list_of_all_pages=[] page_stats=[] # Use the Canvas API to get the list of pages for this course #GET /api/v1/courses/:course_id/pages url = baseUrl + '%s/pages' % (course_id) if Verbose_Flag: print("url: " + url) r = requests.get(url, headers = header) if Verbose_Flag: write_to_log("result of getting pages: " + r.text) if r.status_code == requests.codes.ok: page_response=r.json() else: print("No pages for course_id: {}".format(course_id)) return False for p_response in page_response: list_of_all_pages.append(p_response) # the following is needed when the reponse has been paginated # i.e., when the response is split into pieces - each returning only some of the list of modules # see "Handling Pagination" - Discussion created by tyler.clair@usu.edu on Apr 27, 2015, https://community.canvaslms.com/thread/1500 while r.links['current']['url'] != r.links['last']['url']: r = requests.get(r.links['next']['url'], headers=header) page_response = r.json() for p_response in page_response: list_of_all_pages.append(p_response) for p in list_of_all_pages: # make a new list of links for each page raw_links = set() print("{}".format(p["title"])) # Use the Canvas API to GET the page #GET /api/v1/courses/:course_id/pages/:url url = baseUrl + '%s/pages/%s' % (course_id, p["url"]) if Verbose_Flag: print(url) payload={} r = requests.get(url, headers = header, data=payload) if r.status_code == requests.codes.ok: page_response = r.json() if Verbose_Flag: print("body: {}".format(page_response["body"])) try: document = html.document_fromstring(page_response["body"]) #raw_text = document.text_content() for link in document.xpath('//a/@href'): if Verbose_Flag: print("link: {}".format(link)) raw_links.add(link) except ValueError: # if there is code on the page, for example a json structure, then the hyphenation package cannot handle this if Verbose_Flag: print("there is likely code on page {}".format(url)) continue if Verbose_Flag: print("raw_links: {}".format(raw_text)) else: print("No pages for course_id: {}".format(course_id)) return False # see http://www.erinhengel.com/software/textatistic/ try: fixed_title=page_response["title"].replace(',', '_comma_') fixed_title=fixed_title.replace('"', '_doublequote_') fixed_title=fixed_title.replace("'", '_singlequote_') page_entry={"url": url, "page_name": fixed_title, "unique URLs": raw_links} except ZeroDivisionError: # if there are zero sentences, then some of the scores cannot be computed if Verbose_Flag: print("no sentences in page {}".format(url)) continue except ValueError: # if there is code on the page, for example a json structure, then the hyphenation package cannot handle this if Verbose_Flag: print("there is likely code on page {}".format(url)) continue if page_entry: page_stats.append(page_entry) return page_stats def list_pages(course_id): list_of_all_pages=[] # Use the Canvas API to get the list of pages for this course #GET /api/v1/courses/:course_id/pages url = baseUrl + '%s/pages' % (course_id) if Verbose_Flag: print("url: " + url) r = requests.get(url, headers = header) if Verbose_Flag: write_to_log("result of getting pages: " + r.text) if r.status_code == requests.codes.ok: page_response=r.json() for p_response in page_response: list_of_all_pages.append(p_response) # the following is needed when the reponse has been paginated # i.e., when the response is split into pieces - each returning only some of the list of modules # see "Handling Pagination" - Discussion created by tyler.clair@usu.edu on Apr 27, 2015, https://community.canvaslms.com/thread/1500 while r.links['current']['url'] != r.links['last']['url']: r = requests.get(r.links['next']['url'], headers=header) page_response = r.json() for p_response in page_response: list_of_all_pages.append(p_response) for p in list_of_all_pages: print("{}".format(p["title"])) def main(): global Verbose_Flag parser = optparse.OptionParser() parser.add_option('-v', '--verbose', dest="verbose", default=False, action="store_true", help="Print lots of output to stdout" ) options, remainder = parser.parse_args() Verbose_Flag=options.verbose if Verbose_Flag: print('ARGV :', sys.argv[1:]) print('VERBOSE :', options.verbose) print('REMAINING :', remainder) # add time stamp to log file log_time = str(time.asctime(time.localtime(time.time()))) if Verbose_Flag: write_to_log(log_time) if (len(remainder) < 1): print("Inusffient arguments\n must provide course_id\n") else: course_id=remainder[0] output=compute_stats_for_pages_in_course(course_id) if (output): if Verbose_Flag: print(output) with open('URLs_for_course_'+course_id+'.csv', "wb") as writer: spreadsheet_headings = ['url', 'page_name', 'unique URLs'] for heading in spreadsheet_headings: encoded_output =bytes((heading + ","), 'UTF-8') writer.write(encoded_output) writer.write(bytes(u'\n', 'UTF-8')) for item in output: out_row = [item['url'], item['page_name'], item['unique URLs']] for v in out_row: if type(v) is str: encoded_output = bytes((v + ","), 'UTF-8') else: encoded_output = bytes((str(v) + ","), 'UTF-8') writer.write(encoded_output) writer.write(bytes(u'\n', 'UTF-8')) writer.close() # add time stamp to log file log_time = str(time.asctime(time.localtime(time.time()))) if Verbose_Flag: write_to_log(log_time) write_to_log("\n--DONE--\n\n") if __name__ == "__main__": main() ... 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So to be more precise, you put the table that you want the student to get in conjunction with the question into the 'question_text'. You put all of these questions and corresponding answers into a question group from which you tell Canvas to randomly pick one question. For example, you might ask for a single numeric value with a      question['question_type']='numerical_question'     You can specify whether you want an exact match, approximate answer, precisions, etc. as per https://canvas.instructure.com/doc/api/quiz_questions.html You have to give the answer to each question when you generate the question. Now, you just generate a number of questions (each with its own embedded table) and their corresponding answers.  ... View more

In the sense of Canvas classic quizzes each question consists of the question and any data that goes with it, so even if the text of the question is the same - if the data is different this is a different question (hence may have its own specific answer). The key is to generate a lot of these questions and answers. #!/usr/bin/python3 # # ./insert_formula_questions.py course_id [quiz_id] # # inserts a calculated_question into a quiz for the indicated course. # # G. Q. Maguire Jr. # # 2017.06.19 # import csv, requests, time from pprint import pprint import optparse import sys #from io import StringIO, BytesIO import json # for regular expression processing import re # Use Python Pandas to create XLSX files import pandas as pd ############################# ###### EDIT THIS STUFF ###### ############################# # styled based upon https://martin-thoma.com/configuration-files-in-python/ with open('config.json') as json_data_file: configuration = json.load(json_data_file) access_token=configuration["canvas"]["access_token"] baseUrl="https://"+configuration["canvas"]["host"]+"/api/v1/courses/" modules_csv = 'modules.csv' # name of file storing module names log_file = 'log.txt' # a log file. it will log things header = {'Authorization' : 'Bearer ' + access_token} payload = {} ############################################################################## ## ONLY update the code below if you are experimenting with other API calls ## ############################################################################## def write_to_log(message): with open(log_file, 'a') as log: log.write(message + "\n") pprint(message) def list_quizzes(course_id): global Verbose_Flag quizzes_found_thus_far=[] #List quizzes in a course # GET /api/v1/courses/:course_id/quizzes url = baseUrl + '%s/quizzes' % (course_id) if Verbose_Flag: print("url: " + url) r = requests.get(url, headers = header) if Verbose_Flag: write_to_log("result of getting quizzes: " + r.text) if r.status_code == requests.codes.ok: page_response=r.json() for p_response in page_response: quizzes_found_thus_far.append(p_response) # the following is needed when the reponse has been paginated # i.e., when the response is split into pieces - each returning only some of the list of modules # see "Handling Pagination" - Discussion created by tyler.clair@usu.edu on Apr 27, 2015, https://community.canvaslms.com/thread/1500 while r.links['current']['url'] != r.links['last']['url']: r = requests.get(r.links['next']['url'], headers=header) page_response = r.json() for p_response in page_response: quizzes_found_thus_far.append(p_response) return quizzes_found_thus_far def create_quiz(course_id, name): global Verbose_Flag #Create a quiz # POST /api/v1/courses/:course_id/quizzes url = baseUrl + '%s/quizzes' % (course_id) if Verbose_Flag: print("url: " + url) payload={'quiz[title]': name} r = requests.post(url, headers = header, data=payload) write_to_log("result of post creating quiz: " + r.text) if r.status_code == requests.codes.ok: write_to_log("result of creating quiz in the course: " + r.text) page_response=r.json() print("inserted quiz") return page_response['id'] return 0 def create_quiz_question(course_id, quiz_id, question): global Verbose_Flag global quiz_question_groups print("in create_quiz_question") question_category=question['question_category'] print("question_category={}".format(question_category)) quiz_group_id=quiz_question_groups.get(question_category) # if the group already exists for this category, then use the quiz_group_id, else create the quesiton group if quiz_group_id is None: quiz_group_id=create_quiz_question_group(course_id, quiz_id, question_category, question) print("quiz_group_id={}".format(quiz_group_id)) # Create a single quiz question - Create a new quiz question for this quiz # POST /api/v1/courses/:course_id/quizzes/:quiz_id/questions url = baseUrl + '%s/quizzes/%s/questions' % (course_id, quiz_id) if Verbose_Flag: print("url: " + url) payload={'question': { 'question_name': question['question_name'], 'points_possible': question['points_possible'], 'question_type': question['question_type'], 'question_text': question['question_text'], } } ans=question.get('answers') if ans: payload['question']['answers']= ans gid=question.get('quiz_group_id') if gid: payload['question']['quiz_group_id']= gid v=question.get('variables') if v: payload['question']['variables']= v f=question.get('formulas') if f: payload['question']['formulas']= f tol=question.get('answer_tolerance') if tol: payload['question']['answer_tolerance']= tol digs=question.get('formula_decimal_places') if digs: payload['question']['formula_decimal_places']= digs #if question.get('correct_comments'): # payload.update({'question[correct_comments]': question['correct_comments']}) #if question.get('incorrect_comments'): # payload.update({'question[incorrect_comments]': question['incorrect_comments']}) #if question.get('neutral_comments'): # payload.update({'question[neutral_comments]': question['neutral_comments']}) #if question.get('text_after_answers'): # payload.update({'question[text_after_answers]': question['text_after_answers']}) print("payload={}".format(payload)) r = requests.post(url, headers = header, json=payload) write_to_log("result of post creating question: " + r.text) if r.status_code == requests.codes.ok: write_to_log("result of creating question in the course: " + r.text) page_response=r.json() print("inserted question") return page_response['id'] return 0 def create_quiz_question_group(course_id, quiz_id, question_group_name, question): # return the quiz_group_id global Verbose_Flag # quiz_groups will be a dictionary of question_category and corresponding quiz_group_id # we learn the quiz_group_id when we put the first question into the question group global quiz_question_groups print("course_id={0}, quiz_id={1}, question_group_name={2}".format(course_id, quiz_id, question_group_name)) quiz_group_id=quiz_question_groups.get(question_group_name) # if the group already exists for this category, then simply return the quiz_group_id if quiz_group_id is not None: return quiz_group_id # Create a question group # POST /api/v1/courses/:course_id/quizzes/:quiz_id/groups url = baseUrl + '%s/quizzes/%s/groups' % (course_id, quiz_id) if Verbose_Flag: print("url: " + url) payload={'quiz_groups': [ { 'name': question_group_name, 'pick_count': 1, 'question_points': question['points_possible'] #'question_points': question['points_possible'] } ] } print("payload={}".format(payload)) r = requests.post(url, headers = header, json=payload) write_to_log("result of post creating question group: " + r.text) print("r.status_code={}".format(r.status_code)) if (r.status_code == requests.codes.ok) or (r.status_code == 201): write_to_log("result of creating question group in the course: " + r.text) page_response=r.json() if Verbose_Flag: print("page_response={}".format(page_response)) # store the new id in the dictionary if Verbose_Flag: print("inserted question group={}".format(question_group_name)) # '{"quiz_groups":[{"id":541,"quiz_id":2280,"name":"Newgroup","pick_count":1,"question_points":1.0,"position":2,"assessment_question_bank_id":null}]}') quiz_group_id=page_response['quiz_groups'][0]['id'] quiz_question_groups[question_group_name]=quiz_group_id if Verbose_Flag: print("quiz_group_id={}".format(quiz_group_id)) return quiz_group_id return 0 def main(): global Verbose_Flag global quiz_question_groups # constant(s) # assumed upper limit of number of alternatives in multiple choice questions max_choices=10 # assumed upper limit on number of question fields that are common max_question_fields=10 parser = optparse.OptionParser() parser.add_option('-v', '--verbose', dest="verbose", default=False, action="store_true", help="Print lots of output to stdout" ) options, remainder = parser.parse_args() Verbose_Flag=options.verbose if Verbose_Flag: print('ARGV :', sys.argv[1:]) print('VERBOSE :', options.verbose) print('REMAINING :', remainder) # add time stamp to log file log_time = str(time.asctime(time.localtime(time.time()))) write_to_log(log_time) if (len(remainder) < 1): print("Insuffient arguments\n must provide course_id quiz_id\n") return if (len(remainder) >= 1): course_id=remainder[0] if Verbose_Flag: print("course_id={}".format(course_id)) quiz_id_valid=False question_group_name='Newgroup' quiz_question_groups=dict() question=dict() quiz_name='sample multiple answer quiz' if (len(remainder) >= 2): quiz_id=remainder[1] if Verbose_Flag: print("quiz_id={}".format(quiz_id)) #check that this quiz_id is valid quizzes=list_quizzes(course_id) for q in quizzes: if Verbose_Flag: print("valid q['id']={}".format(q['id'])) if q['id'] == int(quiz_id): if Verbose_Flag: print("valid quiz_id={}".format(quiz_id)) quiz_id_valid=True break else: # need to create a quiz quiz_id=create_quiz(course_id, quiz_name) quiz_id_valid=True if Verbose_Flag: print("quiz_id={}".format(quiz_id)) # if the qiuz_id is not valid then there is nothing to do if not quiz_id_valid: print("quiz_id={} is not valid".format(quiz_id)) return # now do question type specific processing question=dict() question['question_type']="calculated_question" question['question_name']="Q6" question['points_possible']=1 question['question_text']="<p>Simple formula question. <span>What is 5 plus [x]?</span></p>" question['question_category']='Unknown' question['answers']=[ {'answer_weight': 100, "variables": [{"name": "x", "value": "0"}], "answer_text": 5 }, {'answer_weight': 100, "variables": [{"name": "x", "value": "1"}], "answer_text": 6 }, {'answer_weight': 100, "variables": [{"name": "x", "value": "2"}], "answer_text": 7 }, {'answer_weight': 100, "variables": [{"name": "x", "value": "3"}], "answer_text": 8 }, {'answer_weight': 100, "variables": [{"name": "x", "value": "4"}], "answer_text": 9 }, {'answer_weight': 100, "variables": [{"name": "x", "value": "5"}], "answer_text": 10}, {'answer_weight': 100, "variables": [{"name": "x", "value": "6"}], "answer_text": 11}, {'answer_weight': 100, "variables": [{"name": "x", "value": "7"}], "answer_text": 12}, {'answer_weight': 100, "variables": [{"name": "x", "value": "8"}], "answer_text": 13}, {'answer_weight': 100, "variables": [{"name": "x", "value": "9"}], "answer_text": 14}, {'answer_weight': 100, "variables": [{"name": "x", "value": "10"}], "answer_text": 15}] question['variables']=[{"name": "x", "min": 0, "max": 10, "scale": 0}] #question['formulas']=[{"formula": "5+x"}] # note that the above does not work, you have to do it as below: question['formulas']=["5+x"] question['answer_tolerance']="0" question['formula_decimal_places']=0 question_id=create_quiz_question(course_id, quiz_id, question) # add time stamp to log file log_time = str(time.asctime(time.localtime(time.time()))) write_to_log(log_time) write_to_log("\n--DONE--\n\n") if __name__ == "__main__": main() .  ... 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As was pointed out by @James you cannot be sure that the question is never given to another student; however, you can generate a lot of alternative questions and since they are randomly selected - you can reduce the probability that two students get the same question. For classic quizzes, I have used a program to generate hundreds of alternative questions - each question can have its own contents, data tables, etc. I do not know if there is an upper limit on the number of alternative questions you can have Canvas choose among, but I never found a limit (although viewing the questions via the GUI could take a long time - I did not really care since I generated them with a program). Is there an API for entering questions in New Quizzes (yet)? On a related issue, today I was looking at mining data from students' responses to quiz questions. One of the things that I found that I think is missing is a field that says which questions were selected from the question bank for a given student's quiz. The fields returned via GET /api/v1/courses/:course_id/quizzes/:quiz_id/submissions are from the 'quiz_submissions' part of the response: quiz_id id submission_id quiz_version user_id score kept_score started_at end_at finished_at attempt workflow_state fudge_points quiz_points_possible extra_attempts extra_time manually_unlocked validation_token score_before_regrade has_seen_results time_spent attempts_left overdue_and_needs_submission excused? html_url result_url The html_url and result_url return a part of the HTML for the whole submission for a given quiz - so this might include many questions and their answers,  If you look at the HTML you can find the question IDs, as shown in the figure below: Some of the relevant HTML is shown below:   <div id="questions" class="assessment_results show_correct_answers"> <div role="region" aria-label="Question" class="quiz_sortable question_holder " id="" style="" data-group-id=""> <div style="display: block; height: 1px; overflow: hidden;">&nbsp;</div> <a name="question_274816"></a> <div class="display_question question true_false_question correct" id="question_274816">   Here we can see the question id  question_274816 and this can be found in the set of questions returned by GET /api/v1/courses/:course_id/quizzes/:quiz_id/questions We can also see the type of the question, in this case: true_false_question. So one could look at all of the submissions and see whether or not two students got assigned the same question.     ... View more