The Descriptor File (*.des)

The Descriptor file contains data pertaining to each of the learning objects in a learning path. This ASCII file provides a means of cross-referencing system-generated IDs (System_ID) for these objects with any IDs you have assigned (Developer_ID). It also contains textual descriptions associated with each individual element of the learning path. See the AICC CMI specification for more information on this file.

File elements include:

System_ID: This field contains an ID that is usually generated by the exporting LMS. The typical format of the ID is “A” followed by a number. So, when hand-coding the files and describing a single learning object for import to SkillPort, you should use the value “A1”. This ID is used by the importing LMS to piece together content information from the various files of the file set.
- The System_ID also appears in the Assignable Unit file; values in both places should be identical. If more than one assignable unit is listed, ensure that each System_ID is unique.
Developer_ID: This is an alphanumeric identification number you assign to uniquely identify the learning object. It is used to identify your content on Skillport and appears, for example, in the MyProgress view. You can use any alphanumeric sequence meaningful to you as long as it contains no spaces (such as "XYZ-456”).
Title: This field contains the title of the learning object as you want it to appear on Skillport. It is used wherever the object is displayed on Skillport (for example, “Interpersonal Skills M101”).
Description: This field may contain a text description of the learning object and should not exceed 4 KB in size.