GOLDMine

Overview

GOLDMine is a browser extension designed to get course data from UCSB's GOLD system. This allows students to leverage their courses (enrolled in, past and presently) in new ways. Currently the extension is in active development for the Safari and Chrome browsers.

Download

You can download the Safari extension here. The Chrome extension will be available soon.

Features

GOLDMine's current features include:

• Get course data from GOLD
• Stores multiple quarters, once a quarter schedule is loaded it will be saved along with all the other quarters that are saved
• Exports course data to a portable calendar file format, usable in Google and Apple calendar programs
• Allow students to quickly look up professors on RateMyProfessors
• Allow students to view each classroom on an interactive map of UCSB
• Allow students to view the websites of departments they are taking classes in
• Get final exam data from GOLD (for current quarter)
• Automatically updates itself to new versions

Help

Here are a few things you should know about using GOLDMine:

• You can open the extension by clicking the G icon in the Safari toolbar (the bar where the back/forward buttons and URL field are). The button looks like this:
  
• When you open GOLDMine for the first time, it won't have any course data. To get course data you need to load a class schedule page in GOLD. GOLDMine will automatically get the information about that quarter from the page. After logging in to GOLD, you can open your class schedule by clicking on the button shown below (at the top of the navigation list):
  
• GOLDMine can only store information about quarters you have loaded in GOLD. To load a schedule for a different quarter, use the quarter dropdown on the schedule page (in the top left corner of the schedule):
  
• Once multiple quarters of data are stored, you can look at a different quarter in GOLDMine by using the quarter selection dropdown. This is at the top of the GOLDMine window, and is shown below:
  
• That's a quick overview of how to use GOLDMine. Make sure to load all your quarters so they will all be stored.

GOLDMine includes functionality to export your course calendar to a portable calendar file, which can be imported into Google Calendar, Apple/iPhone Calendar, and many other calendar programs. How to use this functionality:

• First, select the current quarter schedule in GOLDMine. A download link should appear below the course selection dropdown, which will look like this:
  
• Clicking on this link will open the calendar file in your browser, which will then be downloaded like a normal file download. The file will be named 'goldmine-courses.ics' and will look like this:
  
• This file can be opened in Apple Calendar (which can sync to iOS devices via iCloud). After opening the file, Apple Calendar will ask what calendar the events should be imported into. Once you select a calendar, your courses will show up.
• The file can also be imported into Google Calendar. To import the file into Google calendar, first open Google Calendar and click on the down-arrow next to 'Other Calendars'. The arrow looks like this:
  
• Then select import calendars, shown below:
  
• An import dialog will open. Now select the 'goldmine-courses.ics' file and the calendar you would like to add the events to, and press import. Your courses will show up in the selected calendar once you click import

Some common problems and questions and their solutions are listed below:

• Q: GOLDMine doesn't show my courses, just a message about loading my schedule.
  A: GOLDMine needs to get course information from GOLD. Load your Class Schedule in GOLD and GOLDMine will store the information.
• Q: Final exam information is only showing up for the most recent quarter.
  A: GOLD only shows final exams for the most recent quarter, so that's all the information GOLDMine can get.
• Q: GOLDMine or the calendar file downloaded has the wrong time/room/professor/days for my course.
  A: The data shown (and used to generate the calendar file) is loaded from the last time that the student schedule page was visited in the browser. Revisit or reload that page to allow GOLDMine to record the changes in information.
• Q: GOLDMine only shows me a link to download my calendar for the most recent quarter.
  A: The calendar dates are based on final exam dates, and the calendar is only constructed when final exam data is present.
• Q: The calendar file that is generated has the wrong dates for the quarter or no final exam times.
  A: Making the courses repeat during the correct weeks for the quarter requires final exam times to be present. In the same way, final exams are only added to the calendar if they have valid dates and times.