Adding external content

Content can be added into the environment workspace.

The following content types can be included:

• Custom content. See: Creating content.
• External content (this article)
• A document / file or video. See: Adding content to a course, environment or event.  

In this article: 

Adding external content

Using Gitbook as an external content source

Adding external content

A content item must be checked out before content can be added to it. See: Editing content.

Once checked out, external content is added by first creating sections, and then exercises within sections. 

Adding Sections

1. On the Content details page select the Details tab, and then click Add Section.
2. In the Create new section window enter a name for the section, then click Create. Section names are visible to end users.

Adding Exercises

1. At the end of the Section row, click the + icon to add an exercise to the section. 
2. In the Create new exercise window enter a name for the exercise, and then click Create. Exercise names are visible to end users.

Adding content to Exercises

Because the content type is external, adding content to exercises simply requires adding a URL. 

This will then display the content from that URL in the exercise in the Content panel of the user's workspace.

Using Gitbook as an external content source

Creating a GitBook space

1. Log in to gitbook.com

2. Create a new space in GitBook

3. Name the space to match the course content that you will be creating

For more information on how to create a space in GitBook, please see the GitBook documentation.

Connecting the GitBook space to a GitHub repository

If Content is added, a document can also be added, to be displayed in the Content panel.

1. Enable GitHub sync for the space.

2. If this is the first GitBook that you have created, you may be asked to install the GitHub sync extension to your GitBook space.

3. Connect the space with GitHub by authorizing it to have the access required. You can choose to grant it access to a single repository, or all repositories.

4. Once authorized, you will be required to configure the sync within your GitBook space. You will need to select the GitHub account that you want to sync with and the repository that you will store your content in.

For more information on configuring GitHub sync, please see the GitBook documentation.

Creating content in the GitBook

You can now create and modify content within the GitBook UI, or via source control by pushing changes to the content in the connected GitHub repository.

Publishing your content in GitBook

Once your content has been created and is ready for use within Heropa, you will need to publish your content to the web.

1. Click on the share button and choose to publish to the web.

2. Obtain the link for the published content.

Using your GitBook content in Heropa

1. In Heropa, select Content from the left hand navigation, then select Add.

2. In the Create new content modal:

   • For Type, select 'External'.

   • Name the content 

3. Add a new section with the same name

4. Add an exercise with the same name

5. In the URL field, paste the GitBook URL.

Updating Gitbook content

Content in GitBook can be updated through the GitBook UI, or by making changes to the markup files in the synced GitHub repository.

Once changes are made in GitHub and synced to GitBook, students will be able to see the content in their lab workspace.

Next...

Adding content to a course, environment or event

Editing content

Exporting and importing content