SSP FAQ- MAP

Owned by Jason Elwood
Last updated: Jan 03, 2014Version comment
3 min read

SSP FAQ for MAP Related Questions

 

 

Questions

MAP takes a very long time to load when I click on the MAP tool.
When I create a new Plan in MAP, I don't see all the terms I expect.
The MAP term and tag filters (drop down boxes) do not have values.
Why do I see a blank Plan for my student?
Choosing New Plan in MAP had no effect.
Can a course have more than 1 TAG?
Can a course on a Plan or Template have more than 1 Elective?
Why can't I create a public template?
Why won't my MAP print?
Why can't I use the Move Plan feature to move a Plan backwards?

Questions and Answers

MAP takes a very long time to load when I click on the MAP tool.
There are seveal reasons why MAP takes a long time to load initially.  The most common reason is a large number of rows in the external_course table.  Because MAP is primarily about planning, loading external_course with courses relevant to current and future terms makes a lot of sense, at least for an initial install.  Dramatic improvement by shrinking the table to approximately 1000 rows.
When I create a new Plan in MAP, I don't see all the terms I expect.
MAP loads terms into a Plan or Template based on the rows in the external_term database table.  MAP attempts to build the current year and terms from data in that table.  If there are previously planned terms, those will show before the current term.  MAP will attempt to create Plans and Templates with the current year terms and three future years.  If there are not terms defined in external_term for three future years, MAP will load as many years and terms as possible.
  The MAP term and tag filters (drop down boxes) do not have values. 

The values in the drop down boxes are based on data in the external tables and reference items. 

  • Terms: For each course in external_course, corresponding rows in external_course_term can define when courses are planned to be offered.  For each term in external_course_term that matches a valid external_term row, the drop down will be populated with a distinct list of those terms. 
  • TAGs: The definition of a TAG exists as a reference item maintained in SSP admin.  For each TAG included in external data in the external_course_tag table, the TAG value must be defined as a reference item.  When the TAG reference item matches a TAG in external_course_tag, the TAG name is populated in the drop-down.
  Why do I see a blank Plan for my student?

When MAP initially loads for a student, SSP checks the following conditions to render a Plan

  1. SSP checks to see if the student has an existing, active Plan.  If that exists, the active Plan is loaded
  2. If no active Plan exists, SSP checks to see if there are any Plans saved for the student.  If there are existing Plans (not active), a select dialog is display to select a Plan
  3. If no Plan exists, SSP renders a blank Plan
  Choosing New Plan in MAP had no effect
Based on the logic to display existing Plans (as described above), SSP may load a blank Plan for a student.  Choosing the New Plan feature will not create a new Plan because a new Plan is already loaded.
Can a course have more than 1 TAG?
Courses can have multiple TAGs associated.  The associations are made in the external_course_tag table.  One row for each association is required, and the TAG code associated in the table must be defined as a reference item in SSP admin to appear in MAP as a filter.
Can a course on a Plan or Template have more than 1 Elective?

Courses on a Plan or Template can only have 1 elective assigned.  Electives can be defined to have a combination of values.  For example, three electives could be defined as reference items.

  • Program
  • GenEd
  • Program and GenEd
Why can't I create a public template?
Public templates can only be created by SSP administrators and MAP template administrators.  Those permissions are based on SSP roles that are assigned to individual user accounts.  Check with your SSP administrator and/or IT support.
Why won't my MAP print?
When choosing to print a MAP Plan or Template, SSP opens the Plan or Template in a separate browser window.  Many browsers block pop-up windows by default.  If your browser does not notify you that a pop-up was blocked, enable pop-ups temporarily in the browser settings.
Why can't I use the Move Plan feature to move a Plan backwards?
The Move Plan feature can be used to move a Plan backwards but not to a past term.  Moves can only be done for current and future terms.