Quick Search (block_quicksearch)

Adds a quick search block to Moodle, allowing authorised users to search users and courses from a single block interface.

Requirements

• Moodle 4.0+.


• Works with themes that support standard Moodle block regions.

Installation

1. Copy this folder to: blocks/quicksearch


2. Visit Site administration ' Notifications


3. Complete the plugin installation


4. Add the block to the desired Moodle page


5. Configure the plugin at
   
   Site administration ' Plugins ' Blocks ' Quick Search

Features

User Search

• Search active Moodle users


• Search by:
  
  
  
  • First name
  
  
  • Last name
  
  
  • Full name
  
  
  • Username
  
  
  • Email
  
  
  
  


• Open user profile


• Open advanced user edit page


• Log in as user when the current user has the required Moodle capability

Course Search

• Search Moodle courses


• Search by:
  
  
  
  • Full course name
  
  
  • Course short name
  
  
  
  


• Open course page


• Open course participants page


• Open course settings page

Interface

• Single block interface


• AJAX-based search


• Debounced search requests


• Loading indicators


• Empty result messages


• Search term highlighting


• Mustache template rendering


• AMD JavaScript module

Configuration

The plugin can be configured at:

Site administration ' Plugins ' Blocks ' Quick Search

Available settings:

• Enable block


• Block title


• Result limit

Result limit

Defines the maximum number of users and courses returned by each search request.

The plugin validates the configured limit and falls back to a safe default when needed.

Capabilities

• block/quicksearch:addinstance — Add a new Quick Search block instance


• block/quicksearch:myaddinstance — Add a new Quick Search block to the Dashboard


• block/quicksearch:view — View and use the Quick Search block

Permission Requirements

The block only displays content to logged-in, non-guest users with:

• block/quicksearch:view

The user search endpoint also requires:

• moodle/user:viewdetails

The course search endpoint also requires:

• moodle/course:viewhiddencourses

The "Log in as" action is only displayed when the current user has:

• moodle/user:loginas

Security

The plugin uses Moodle security APIs and standards:

• require_login()


• require_sesskey()


• require_capability()


• PARAM_TEXT


• PARAM_INT


• $DB->sql_like()


• $DB->sql_like_escape()


• Moodle URL generation with moodle_url


• Output rendering through Mustache templates


• JavaScript loaded through AMD

Data and Privacy (GDPR)

The plugin does not create custom database tables and does not store personal data.

The block only displays existing Moodle user and course information to authorised users during search requests.

Displayed user data may include:

• Full name


• Username


• User profile link


• User edit link, when permitted


• Login as link, when permitted

Displayed course data may include:

• Course full name


• Course short name


• Course page link


• Participants page link


• Course settings link

No user preferences are stored by this plugin.

Privacy API

Implements:

• \core_privacy\local\metadata\null_provider

Technical Structure

Main plugin files:

• block_quicksearch.php


• settings.php


• version.php


• db/access.php


• classes/privacy/provider.php


• templates/content.mustache


• amd/src/search.js


• amd/build/search.min.js


• ajax_usuarios.php


• ajax_cursos.php


• styles.css


• pix/icon.png

License

This plugin is licensed under the GNU GPL v3 or later.

See LICENSE for full license details.