Add scheduled visibility for assessments

Changelog.md

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 ### 🚨 Breaking changes
 
 ### ✨ New features and improvements
+- Added datetime-based visibility scheduling for assessments with `visible_on` and `visible_until` columns (#7697)
 - Added new loading spinner icon for tables (#7602)
 - Update message and page displaying cannot create new course via external LTI tool (#7669)
 - Provide file viewer the option to render Microsoft files (#7676)

app/controllers/api/assignments_controller.rb

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ class AssignmentsController < MainApiController
                       :student_form_groups, :remark_due_date, :remark_message,
                       :assign_graders_to_criteria, :enable_test, :enable_student_tests, :allow_remarks,
                       :display_grader_names_to_students, :group_name_autogenerated,
-                      :repository_folder, :is_hidden, :vcs_submit, :token_period,
+                      :repository_folder, :is_hidden, :visible_on, :visible_until, :vcs_submit, :token_period,
                       :non_regenerating_tokens, :unlimited_tokens, :token_start_date, :token_end_date, :has_peer_review,
                       :starter_file_type, :default_starter_file_group_id].freeze
 

app/controllers/api/grade_entry_forms_controller.rb

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 module Api
   class GradeEntryFormsController < MainApiController
-    DEFAULT_FIELDS = [:id, :short_identifier, :description, :due_date, :is_hidden, :show_total].freeze
+    DEFAULT_FIELDS = [:id, :short_identifier, :description, :due_date, :is_hidden, :visible_on, :visible_until,
+                      :show_total].freeze
 
     # Sends the contents of the specified grade entry form
     # Requires: id

app/lib/repository.rb

@@ -249,17 +249,46 @@ def self.get_repo_auth_records
     # Return a nested hash of the form { assignment_id => { section_id => visibility } } where visibility
     # is a boolean indicating whether the given assignment is visible to the given section.
     def self.visibility_hash
+      current_time = Time.current
       records = Assignment.left_outer_joins(:assessment_section_properties)
                           .pluck_to_hash('assessments.id',
                                          'section_id',
                                          'assessments.is_hidden',
-                                         'assessment_section_properties.is_hidden')
+                                         'assessments.visible_on',
+                                         'assessments.visible_until',
+                                         'assessment_section_properties.is_hidden',
+                                         'assessment_section_properties.visible_on',
+                                         'assessment_section_properties.visible_until')
+
       visibilities = records.uniq { |r| r['assessments.id'] }
-                            .map { |r| [r['assessments.id'], Hash.new { !r['assessments.is_hidden'] }] }
+                            .map do |r|
+                              # Check if datetime-based visibility is set
+                              visible_on = r['assessments.visible_on']
+                              visible_until = r['assessments.visible_until']
+                              default_visible = if visible_on || visible_until
+                                                  (visible_on.nil? || visible_on <= current_time) &&
+                                                    (visible_until.nil? || visible_until >= current_time)
+                                                else
+                                                  !r['assessments.is_hidden']
+                                                end
+                              [r['assessments.id'], Hash.new { default_visible }]
+                            end
                             .to_h
+
       records.each do |r|
-        unless r['assessment_section_properties.is_hidden'].nil?
-          visibilities[r['assessments.id']][r['section_id']] = !r['assessment_section_properties.is_hidden']
+        section_visible_on = r['assessment_section_properties.visible_on']
+        section_visible_until = r['assessment_section_properties.visible_until']
+        section_is_hidden = r['assessment_section_properties.is_hidden']
+
+        unless section_is_hidden.nil? && section_visible_on.nil? && section_visible_until.nil?
+          # Section-specific settings exist
+          section_visible = if section_visible_on || section_visible_until
+                              (section_visible_on.nil? || section_visible_on <= current_time) &&
+                                (section_visible_until.nil? || section_visible_until >= current_time)
+                            else
+                              !section_is_hidden
+                            end
+          visibilities[r['assessments.id']][r['section_id']] = section_visible
         end
       end
       visibilities

app/models/assessment.rb

@@ -20,10 +20,13 @@ class Assessment < ApplicationRecord
   # date: true maps to DateValidator (custom_name: true maps to CustomNameValidator)
   # Look in lib/validators/* for more info
   validates :due_date, date: true
+  validates :visible_on, date: true, allow_nil: true
+  validates :visible_until, date: true, allow_nil: true
 
   validates :short_identifier, uniqueness: { scope: :course_id }
   validates :short_identifier, presence: true
   validate :short_identifier_unchanged, on: :update
+  validate :visible_dates_are_valid
   validates :description, presence: true
   validates :is_hidden, inclusion: { in: [true, false] }
   validates :short_identifier, format: { with: /\A[a-zA-Z0-9\-_]+\z/ }
@@ -38,6 +41,13 @@ def short_identifier_unchanged
     false
   end
 
+  def visible_dates_are_valid
+    return if visible_on.nil? || visible_until.nil?
+    if visible_on >= visible_until
+      errors.add(:visible_until, 'must be after visible_on')
+    end
+  end
+
   def upcoming(*)
     return true if self.due_date.nil?
     self.due_date > Time.current

app/models/assessment_section_properties.rb

@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ class AssessmentSectionProperties < ApplicationRecord
 
   has_one :course, through: :assessment
   validate :courses_should_match
+  validates :visible_on, date: true, allow_nil: true
+  validates :visible_until, date: true, allow_nil: true
+  validate :visible_dates_are_valid
+
   # Returns the dute date for a section of an assignment. Defaults to the global
   # due date of the assignment.
   def self.due_date_for(section, assignment)
@@ -14,4 +18,11 @@ def self.due_date_for(section, assignment)
       where(section_id: section.id, assessment_id: assignment.id).first
     section_due_date.try(:due_date) || assignment.due_date
   end
+
+  def visible_dates_are_valid
+    return if visible_on.nil? || visible_until.nil?
+    if visible_on >= visible_until
+      errors.add(:visible_until, 'must be after visible_on')
+    end
+  end
 end

app/models/assignment.rb

@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ class Assignment < Assessment
                     :enable_student_tests, :allow_remarks,
                     :display_grader_names_to_students,
                     :display_median_to_students, :group_name_autogenerated,
-                    :is_hidden, :vcs_submit, :has_peer_review].freeze
+                    :is_hidden, :visible_on, :visible_until, :vcs_submit, :has_peer_review].freeze
 
   STARTER_FILES_DIR = (
     Settings.file_storage.starter_files || File.join(Settings.file_storage.default_root_path, 'starter_files')
@@ -1517,7 +1517,11 @@ def update_repo_required_files
   # Returns whether the visibility for this assignment changed after a save.
   def visibility_changed?
     saved_change_to_is_hidden? ||
+      saved_change_to_visible_on? ||
+      saved_change_to_visible_until? ||
       assessment_section_properties.any?(&:is_hidden_previously_changed?) ||
+      assessment_section_properties.any?(&:visible_on_previously_changed?) ||
+      assessment_section_properties.any?(&:visible_until_previously_changed?) ||
       @prev_assessment_section_property_ids != self.reload.assessment_section_properties.ids
   end
 end

app/models/student.rb

@@ -256,26 +256,80 @@ def grace_credits_used_for(assessment)
     grouping.grace_period_deduction_single
   end
 
-  # Determine what assessments are visible to the role.
-  # By default, returns all assessments visible to the role for the current course.
-  # Optional parameter assessment_type takes values "Assignment" or "GradeEntryForm". If passed one of these options,
-  # only returns assessments of that type. Otherwise returns all assessment types.
-  # Optional parameter assessment_id: if passed an assessment id, returns a collection containing
-  # only the assessment with the given id, if it is visible to the current user.
-  # If it is not visible, returns an empty collection.
+  # Returns assessments visible to this student.
+  # Can filter by assessment_type ("Assignment" or "GradeEntryForm") and/or assessment_id.
+  #
+  # Visibility logic:
+  # - visible_on/visible_until datetime columns override is_hidden when set
+  # - Section-specific settings override global settings
+  # - Assessment is visible if current time is within the datetime range
   def visible_assessments(assessment_type: nil, assessment_id: nil)
     visible = self.assessments.where(type: assessment_type || Assessment.type)
     visible = visible.where(id: assessment_id) if assessment_id
+    current_time = Time.current
+
     if self.section_id
       visible = visible.left_outer_joins(:assessment_section_properties)
                        .where('assessment_section_properties.section_id': [self.section_id, nil])
-      visible = visible.where('assessment_section_properties.is_hidden': false)
-                       .or(visible.where('assessment_section_properties.is_hidden': nil,
-                                         'assessments.is_hidden': false))
+
+      # Check section-specific visibility first (takes precedence when any section property is set)
+      section_visible = visible.where('assessment_section_properties.section_id': self.section_id)
+                               .where.not(assessment_section_properties: { is_hidden: nil })
+                               .or(visible.where('assessment_section_properties.section_id': self.section_id)
+                                          .where.not(assessment_section_properties: { visible_on: nil }))
+                               .or(visible.where('assessment_section_properties.section_id': self.section_id)
+                                          .where.not(assessment_section_properties: { visible_until: nil }))
+
+      # Make sure current time is within the datetime range
+      section_visible = section_visible
+                        .where(assessment_section_properties: { visible_on: nil })
+                        .or(section_visible.where(assessment_section_properties: { visible_on: ..current_time }))
+      section_visible = section_visible
+                        .where(assessment_section_properties: { visible_until: nil })
+                        .or(section_visible.where(assessment_section_properties: { visible_until: current_time.. }))
+
+      # Use datetime if set, otherwise fall back to is_hidden
+      section_visible = section_visible
+                        .where.not(assessment_section_properties: { visible_on: nil })
+                        .or(section_visible.where.not(assessment_section_properties: { visible_until: nil }))
+                        .or(section_visible.where(assessment_section_properties: { is_hidden: false }))
+
+      # Check global visibility (when no section-specific settings exist)
+      global_visible = visible.where('assessment_section_properties.section_id': nil)
+                              .or(visible.where(assessment_section_properties: { is_hidden: nil,
+                                                                                 visible_on: nil,
+                                                                                 visible_until: nil }))
+
+      # Same datetime range check for global settings
+      global_visible = global_visible
+                       .where(assessments: { visible_on: nil })
+                       .or(global_visible.where(assessments: { visible_on: ..current_time }))
+      global_visible = global_visible
+                       .where(assessments: { visible_until: nil })
+                       .or(global_visible.where(assessments: { visible_until: current_time.. }))
+
+      # Use datetime if set, otherwise fall back to is_hidden
+      global_visible = global_visible
+                       .where.not(assessments: { visible_on: nil })
+                       .or(global_visible.where.not(assessments: { visible_until: nil }))
+                       .or(global_visible.where(assessments: { is_hidden: false }))
+
+      section_visible.or(global_visible)
     else
-      visible = visible.where(is_hidden: false)
+      # No section assigned - just check global visibility
+      visible = visible
+                .where(assessments: { visible_on: nil })
+                .or(visible.where(assessments: { visible_on: ..current_time }))
+      visible = visible
+                .where(assessments: { visible_until: nil })
+                .or(visible.where(assessments: { visible_until: current_time.. }))
+
+      # Use datetime if set, otherwise fall back to is_hidden
+      visible
+        .where.not(assessments: { visible_on: nil })
+        .or(visible.where.not(assessments: { visible_until: nil }))
+        .or(visible.where(assessments: { is_hidden: false }))
     end
-    visible
   end
 
   def section_name

db/migrate/20251010150000_add_visibility_dates_to_assessments.rb

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+class AddVisibilityDatesToAssessments < ActiveRecord::Migration[7.1]
+  def change
+    add_column :assessments, :visible_on, :datetime
+    add_column :assessments, :visible_until, :datetime
+    add_column :assessment_section_properties, :visible_on, :datetime
+    add_column :assessment_section_properties, :visible_until, :datetime
+  end
+end