LTI Deep Linking "Editor Button" Placement for RCE on Open Source version (dev environment)

[FunkyPajamas]

Hi,

I've set up the open source version of Canvas (https://github.com/instructure/canvas-lms) for development/testing purposes, by using the Quick Start guide (https://github.com/instructure/canvas-lms/wiki/Quick-Start), which clearly states "The environment produced by this guide is lacking in several features (...)". While it is not specified, I assume one of these features not present in the quick start setup is the ability to add LTI Deep Linking with "Editor Button" placement on the Rich Content Editor (RCE) (https://canvas.instructure.com/doc/api/file.editor_button_placement.html).

I have followed that guide and the one about Using Deep Linking to Select Resources (https://canvas.instructure.com/doc/api/file.content_item.html) and I've had no luck in having the LTI link appear in the "Tools" section of the RCE. As a sanity check, I attempted the same on the Free for Teachers version of Canvas (canvas.instructure.com) and it worked, which means it really is an issue with the Quick Start setup.

I was wondering if anyone here knows which additional steps are needed after the Quick Start setup is complete, in order to have the RCE refresh with the LTI Button Placement. I followed the "Automated jobs" sections of the "Production Start" guide (https://github.com/instructure/canvas-lms/wiki/Production-Start) and while I got the background processes running, I still can't see the LTI link appear in the RCE Tools.

Maybe I need to set up the RCE API following this (https://github.com/instructure/canvas-rce-api/blob/master/README.md) guide?

Thanks.

[FunkyPajamas · Accepted solution]

So I decided to go through the RCE API setup which was not complex at all, though it did require some trial/error.

I followed the install guide here: https://github.com/instructure/canvas-rce-api but will simplify the steps to what eventually worked for me.

1. git clone https://github.com/instructure/canvas-rce-api

2. cd canvas-rce-api

3. docker-compose build

4. docker-compose up

If no changes have been made to the configuration files, AND you're running dory (https://github.com/FreedomBen/dory), you should be able to open http://rce.docker in your browser.

If it loads OK you should see the following text in your browser "Hello, from RCE Service".

After that make sure your canvas-lms dynamic configuration file (config/dynamic_settings.yml) points to the right service by editing the following snippet in the yml file:

rich-content-service:
  app-host: "SOMEVALUE"

Then change "SOMEVALUE" to "http://rce.docker"

After that you can go into Canvas LMS on the browser and go through the setup process for the Editor Button placement on LTI apps.