diff --git a/course/externallib.php b/course/externallib.php
index d02506f251155..1dfc4c651903e 100644
--- a/course/externallib.php
+++ b/course/externallib.php
@@ -119,9 +119,10 @@ public static function get_course_contents($courseid, $options) {
                 $sectionvalues = array();
                 $sectionvalues['id'] = $section->id;
                 $sectionvalues['name'] = get_section_name($course, $section);
-                $summary = file_rewrite_pluginfile_urls($section->summary, 'webservice/pluginfile.php', $context->id, 'course', 'section', $section->id);
                 $sectionvalues['visible'] = $section->visible;
-                $sectionvalues['summary'] = format_text($summary, $section->summaryformat);
+                list($sectionvalues['summary'], $sectionvalues['summaryformat']) =
+                        external_format_text($section->summary, $section->summaryformat,
+                                $context->id, 'course', 'section', $section->id);
                 $sectioncontents = array();
 
                 //for each module of the section
@@ -205,6 +206,7 @@ public static function get_course_contents_returns() {
                     'name' => new external_value(PARAM_TEXT, 'Section name'),
                     'visible' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'is the section visible', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                     'summary' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'Section description'),
+                    'summaryformat' => new external_format_value('summary'),
                     'modules' => new external_multiple_structure(
                             new external_single_structure(
                                 array(
@@ -311,8 +313,8 @@ public static function get_courses($options) {
             $courseinfo['fullname'] = $course->fullname;
             $courseinfo['shortname'] = $course->shortname;
             $courseinfo['categoryid'] = $course->category;
-            $courseinfo['summary'] = $course->summary;
-            $courseinfo['summaryformat'] = $course->summaryformat;
+            list($courseinfo['summary'], $courseinfo['summaryformat']) =
+                external_format_text($course->summary, $course->summaryformat, $context->id, 'course', 'summary', 0);
             $courseinfo['format'] = $course->format;
             $courseinfo['startdate'] = $course->startdate;
             $courseinfo['numsections'] = $course->numsections;
@@ -367,8 +369,7 @@ public static function get_courses_returns() {
                             'fullname' => new external_value(PARAM_TEXT, 'full name'),
                             'idnumber' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'id number', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                             'summary' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'summary'),
-                            'summaryformat' => new external_value(PARAM_INT,
-                                    'the summary text Moodle format'),
+                            'summaryformat' => new external_format_value('summary'),
                             'format' => new external_value(PARAM_PLUGIN,
                                     'course format: weeks, topics, social, site,..'),
                             'showgrades' => new external_value(PARAM_INT,
@@ -435,8 +436,7 @@ public static function create_courses_parameters() {
                             'categoryid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'category id'),
                             'idnumber' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'id number', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                             'summary' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'summary', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
-                            'summaryformat' => new external_value(PARAM_INT,
-                                    'the summary text Moodle format', VALUE_DEFAULT, FORMAT_MOODLE),
+                            'summaryformat' => new external_format_value('summary', VALUE_DEFAULT),
                             'format' => new external_value(PARAM_PLUGIN,
                                     'course format: weeks, topics, social, site,..',
                                     VALUE_DEFAULT, $courseconfig->format),
@@ -560,6 +560,9 @@ public static function create_courses($courses) {
 
             $course['category'] = $course['categoryid'];
 
+            // Summary format.
+            $course['summaryformat'] = external_validate_format($course['summaryformat']);
+
             //Note: create_course() core function check shortname, idnumber, category
             $course['id'] = create_course((object) $course)->id;
 
@@ -1085,13 +1088,9 @@ public static function get_categories($criteria = array(), $addsubcategories = t
                     $categoryinfo = array();
                     $categoryinfo['id'] = $category->id;
                     $categoryinfo['name'] = $category->name;
-                    $categoryinfo['description'] = file_rewrite_pluginfile_urls($category->description,
-                            'webservice/pluginfile.php', $context->id, 'coursecat', 'description', null);
-                    $options = new stdClass;
-                    $options->noclean = true;
-                    $options->para = false;
-                    $categoryinfo['description'] = format_text($categoryinfo['description'],
-                            $category->descriptionformat, $options);
+                    list($categoryinfo['description'], $categoryinfo['descriptionformat']) =
+                        external_format_text($category->description, $category->descriptionformat,
+                                $context->id, 'coursecat', 'description', null);
                     $categoryinfo['parent'] = $category->parent;
                     $categoryinfo['sortorder'] = $category->sortorder;
                     $categoryinfo['coursecount'] = $category->coursecount;
@@ -1160,6 +1159,7 @@ public static function get_categories_returns() {
                     'name' => new external_value(PARAM_TEXT, 'category name'),
                     'idnumber' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'category id number', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                     'description' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'category description'),
+                    'descriptionformat' => new external_format_value('description'),
                     'parent' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'parent category id'),
                     'sortorder' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'category sorting order'),
                     'coursecount' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'number of courses in this category'),
@@ -1193,6 +1193,7 @@ public static function create_categories_parameters() {
                                         'the new category idnumber', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                                 'description' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW,
                                         'the new category description', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
+                                'descriptionformat' => new external_format_value('description', VALUE_DEFAULT),
                                 'theme' => new external_value(PARAM_THEME,
                                         'the new category theme. This option must be enabled on moodle',
                                         VALUE_OPTIONAL),
@@ -1257,7 +1258,7 @@ public static function create_categories($categories) {
             if (!empty($category['description'])) {
                 $newcategory->description = $category['description'];
             }
-            $newcategory->descriptionformat = FORMAT_HTML;
+            $newcategory->descriptionformat = external_validate_format($category['descriptionformat']);
             if (isset($category['theme']) and !empty($CFG->allowcategorythemes)) {
                 $newcategory->theme = $category['theme'];
             }
@@ -1308,6 +1309,7 @@ public static function update_categories_parameters() {
                             'idnumber' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'category id number', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                             'parent' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'parent category id', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                             'description' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'category description', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
+                            'descriptionformat' => new external_format_value('description', VALUE_DEFAULT),
                             'theme' => new external_value(PARAM_THEME,
                                     'the category theme. This option must be enabled on moodle', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                         )
@@ -1356,7 +1358,7 @@ public static function update_categories($categories) {
             }
             if (!empty($cat['description'])) {
                 $category->description = $cat['description'];
-                $category->descriptionformat = FORMAT_HTML;
+                $category->descriptionformat = external_validate_format($cat['descriptionformat']);
             }
             if (!empty($cat['theme'])) {
                 $category->theme = $cat['theme'];
diff --git a/enrol/externallib.php b/enrol/externallib.php
index 08438e18b770c..0b1003142987f 100644
--- a/enrol/externallib.php
+++ b/enrol/externallib.php
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ public static function get_enrolled_users_returns() {
                     'firstaccess' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'first access to the site (0 if never)', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                     'lastaccess'  => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'last access to the site (0 if never)', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                     'description' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'User profile description', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
-                    'descriptionformat' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'User profile description format', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
+                    'descriptionformat' => new external_format_value('description', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                     'city'        => new external_value(PARAM_NOTAGS, 'Home city of the user', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                     'url'         => new external_value(PARAM_URL, 'URL of the user', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                     'country'     => new external_value(PARAM_ALPHA, 'Home country code of the user, such as AU or CZ', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
@@ -298,6 +298,7 @@ public static function get_enrolled_users_returns() {
                                 'id'  => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'group id'),
                                 'name' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'group name'),
                                 'description' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'group description'),
+                                'descriptionformat' => new external_format_value('description'),
                             )
                         ), 'user groups', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                     'roles' => new external_multiple_structure(
diff --git a/group/externallib.php b/group/externallib.php
index 9045afd702f6c..080f406e9d302 100644
--- a/group/externallib.php
+++ b/group/externallib.php
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ public static function create_groups_parameters() {
                             'courseid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'id of course'),
                             'name' => new external_value(PARAM_TEXT, 'multilang compatible name, course unique'),
                             'description' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'group description text'),
+                            'descriptionformat' => new external_format_value('description', VALUE_DEFAULT),
                             'enrolmentkey' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'group enrol secret phrase'),
                         )
                     ), 'List of group object. A group has a courseid, a name, a description and an enrolment key.'
@@ -99,6 +100,9 @@ public static function create_groups($groups) {
             }
             require_capability('moodle/course:managegroups', $context);
 
+            // Validate format.
+            $group->descriptionformat = external_validate_format($group->descriptionformat);
+
             // finally create the group
             $group->id = groups_create_group($group, false);
             $groups[] = (array)$group;
@@ -123,6 +127,7 @@ public static function create_groups_returns() {
                     'courseid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'id of course'),
                     'name' => new external_value(PARAM_TEXT, 'multilang compatible name, course unique'),
                     'description' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'group description text'),
+                    'descriptionformat' => new external_format_value('description'),
                     'enrolmentkey' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'group enrol secret phrase'),
                 )
             ), 'List of group object. A group has an id, a courseid, a name, a description and an enrolment key.'
@@ -157,7 +162,7 @@ public static function get_groups($groupids) {
         $groups = array();
         foreach ($params['groupids'] as $groupid) {
             // validate params
-            $group = groups_get_group($groupid, 'id, courseid, name, description, enrolmentkey', MUST_EXIST);
+            $group = groups_get_group($groupid, 'id, courseid, name, description, descriptionformat, enrolmentkey', MUST_EXIST);
 
             // now security checks
             $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_COURSE, $group->courseid);
@@ -171,6 +176,10 @@ public static function get_groups($groupids) {
             }
             require_capability('moodle/course:managegroups', $context);
 
+            list($group->description, $group->descriptionformat) =
+                external_format_text($group->description, $group->descriptionformat,
+                        $context->id, 'group', 'description', $group->id);
+
             $groups[] = (array)$group;
         }
 
@@ -191,6 +200,7 @@ public static function get_groups_returns() {
                     'courseid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'id of course'),
                     'name' => new external_value(PARAM_TEXT, 'multilang compatible name, course unique'),
                     'description' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'group description text'),
+                    'descriptionformat' => new external_format_value('description'),
                     'enrolmentkey' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'group enrol secret phrase'),
                 )
             )
@@ -233,10 +243,14 @@ public static function get_course_groups($courseid) {
         }
         require_capability('moodle/course:managegroups', $context);
 
-        $gs = groups_get_all_groups($params['courseid'], 0, 0, 'g.id, g.courseid, g.name, g.description, g.enrolmentkey');
+        $gs = groups_get_all_groups($params['courseid'], 0, 0,
+            'g.id, g.courseid, g.name, g.description, g.descriptionformat, g.enrolmentkey');
 
         $groups = array();
         foreach ($gs as $group) {
+            list($group->description, $group->descriptionformat) =
+                external_format_text($group->description, $group->descriptionformat,
+                        $context->id, 'group', 'description', $group->id);
             $groups[] = (array)$group;
         }
 
@@ -257,6 +271,7 @@ public static function get_course_groups_returns() {
                     'courseid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'id of course'),
                     'name' => new external_value(PARAM_TEXT, 'multilang compatible name, course unique'),
                     'description' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'group description text'),
+                    'descriptionformat' => new external_format_value('description'),
                     'enrolmentkey' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'group enrol secret phrase'),
                 )
             )
@@ -557,7 +572,8 @@ public static function create_groupings_parameters() {
                         array(
                             'courseid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'id of course'),
                             'name' => new external_value(PARAM_TEXT, 'multilang compatible name, course unique'),
-                            'description' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'grouping description text')
+                            'description' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'grouping description text'),
+                            'descriptionformat' => new external_format_value('descripiton', VALUE_DEFAULT)
                         )
                     ), 'List of grouping object. A grouping has a courseid, a name and a description.'
                 )
@@ -604,8 +620,7 @@ public static function create_groupings($groupings) {
             }
             require_capability('moodle/course:managegroups', $context);
 
-            // We must force allways FORMAT_HTML.
-            $grouping->descriptionformat = FORMAT_HTML;
+            $grouping->descriptionformat = external_validate_format($grouping->descriptionformat);
 
             // Finally create the grouping.
             $grouping->id = groups_create_grouping($grouping);
@@ -630,7 +645,8 @@ public static function create_groupings_returns() {
                     'id' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'grouping record id'),
                     'courseid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'id of course'),
                     'name' => new external_value(PARAM_TEXT, 'multilang compatible name, course unique'),
-                    'description' => new external_value(PARAM_CLEANHTML, 'grouping description text')
+                    'description' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'grouping description text'),
+                    'descriptionformat' => new external_format_value('description')
                 )
             ), 'List of grouping object. A grouping has an id, a courseid, a name and a description.'
         );
@@ -650,7 +666,8 @@ public static function update_groupings_parameters() {
                         array(
                             'id' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'id of grouping'),
                             'name' => new external_value(PARAM_TEXT, 'multilang compatible name, course unique'),
-                            'description' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'grouping description text')
+                            'description' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'grouping description text'),
+                            'descriptionformat' => new external_format_value('description', VALUE_DEFAULT)
                         )
                     ), 'List of grouping object. A grouping has a courseid, a name and a description.'
                 )
@@ -705,7 +722,7 @@ public static function update_groupings($groupings) {
             require_capability('moodle/course:managegroups', $context);
 
             // We must force allways FORMAT_HTML.
-            $grouping->descriptionformat = FORMAT_HTML;
+            $grouping->descriptionformat = external_validate_format($grouping->descriptionformat);
 
             // Finally update the grouping.
             groups_update_grouping($grouping);
@@ -772,12 +789,9 @@ public static function get_groupings($groupingids) {
             }
             require_capability('moodle/course:managegroups', $context);
 
-            $grouping->description = file_rewrite_pluginfile_urls($grouping->description, 'webservice/pluginfile.php', $context->id, 'grouping', 'description', $grouping->id);
-
-            $options = new stdClass;
-            $options->noclean = true;
-            $options->para = false;
-            $grouping->description = format_text($grouping->description, FORMAT_HTML, $options);
+            list($grouping->description, $grouping->descriptionformat) =
+                external_format_text($grouping->description, $grouping->descriptionformat,
+                        $context->id, 'grouping', 'description', $grouping->id);
 
             $groupings[] = (array)$grouping;
         }
@@ -798,7 +812,8 @@ public static function get_groupings_returns() {
                     'id' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'grouping record id'),
                     'courseid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'id of course'),
                     'name' => new external_value(PARAM_TEXT, 'multilang compatible name, course unique'),
-                    'description' => new external_value(PARAM_CLEANHTML, 'grouping description text')
+                    'description' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'grouping description text'),
+                    'descriptionformat' => new external_format_value('description')
                 )
             )
         );
@@ -849,13 +864,9 @@ public static function get_course_groupings($courseid) {
 
         $groupings = array();
         foreach ($gs as $grouping) {
-            $grouping->description = file_rewrite_pluginfile_urls($grouping->description, 'webservice/pluginfile.php', $context->id, 'grouping', 'description', $grouping->id);
-
-            $options = new stdClass;
-            $options->noclean = true;
-            $options->para = false;
-            $grouping->description = format_text($grouping->description, FORMAT_HTML, $options);
-
+            list($grouping->description, $grouping->descriptionformat) =
+                external_format_text($grouping->description, $grouping->descriptionformat,
+                        $context->id, 'grouping', 'description', $grouping->id);
             $groupings[] = (array)$grouping;
         }
 
@@ -875,7 +886,8 @@ public static function get_course_groupings_returns() {
                     'id' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'grouping record id'),
                     'courseid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'id of course'),
                     'name' => new external_value(PARAM_TEXT, 'multilang compatible name, course unique'),
-                    'description' => new external_value(PARAM_CLEANHTML, 'grouping description text')
+                    'description' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'grouping description text'),
+                    'descriptionformat' => new external_format_value('description')
                 )
             )
         );
diff --git a/lib/externallib.php b/lib/externallib.php
index 9ef3b12a9ac8f..1913f4546ea9e 100644
--- a/lib/externallib.php
+++ b/lib/externallib.php
@@ -584,19 +584,242 @@ function external_delete_descriptions($component) {
 }
 
 /**
- * Creates a warnings external_multiple_structure
+ * Standard Moodle web service warnings
  *
- * @return external_multiple_structure
- * @since  Moodle 2.3
+ * @package    core_webservice
+ * @copyright  2012 Jerome Mouneyrac
+ * @license    http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
+ * @since Moodle 2.3
+ */
+class external_warnings extends external_multiple_structure {
+
+    /**
+     * Constructor
+     *
+     * @since Moodle 2.3
+     */
+    public function __construct() {
+
+        parent::__construct(
+            new external_single_structure(
+                array(
+                    'item' => new external_value(PARAM_TEXT, 'item', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
+                    'itemid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'item id', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
+                    'warningcode' => new external_value(PARAM_ALPHANUM,
+                            'the warning code can be used by the client app to implement specific behaviour'),
+                    'message' => new external_value(PARAM_TEXT,
+                            'untranslated english message to explain the warning')
+                ), 'warning'),
+            'list of warnings', VALUE_OPTIONAL);
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+ * A pre-filled external_value class for text format.
+ *
+ * Default is FORMAT_HTML
+ * This should be used all the time in external xxx_params()/xxx_returns functions
+ * as it is the standard way to implement text format param/return values.
+ *
+ * @package    core_webservice
+ * @copyright  2012 Jerome Mouneyrac
+ * @license    http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
+ * @since Moodle 2.3
  */
-function external_warnings() {
-    return new external_multiple_structure(
-        new external_single_structure(array(
-            'item' => new external_value(PARAM_TEXT, 'item', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
-            'itemid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'item id', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
-            'warningcode' => new external_value(PARAM_ALPHANUM, 'the warning code can be used by
-                the client app to implement specific behaviour'),
-            'message' => new external_value(PARAM_TEXT, 'untranslated english message to explain the warning')
-                ), 'warning'), 'list of warnings', VALUE_OPTIONAL
-    );
+class external_format_value extends external_value {
+
+    /**
+     * Constructor
+     *
+     * @param string $textfieldname Name of the text field
+     * @param int $required if VALUE_REQUIRED then set standard default FORMAT_HTML
+     * @since Moodle 2.3
+     */
+    public function __construct($textfieldname, $required = VALUE_REQUIRED) {
+
+        $default = ($required == VALUE_DEFAULT) ? FORMAT_HTML : null;
+
+        $desc = $textfieldname . ' format (' . FORMAT_HTML . ' = HTML, '
+                . FORMAT_MOODLE . ' = MOODLE, '
+                . FORMAT_PLAIN . ' = PLAIN or '
+                . FORMAT_MARKDOWN . ' = MARKDOWN)';
+
+        parent::__construct($type, $desc='', $required, $default);
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Validate text field format against known FORMAT_XXX
+ *
+ * @param array $format the format to validate
+ * @return the validated format
+ * @throws coding_exception
+ * @since 2.3
+ */
+function external_validate_format($format) {
+    $allowedformats = array(FORMAT_HTML, FORMAT_MOODLE, FORMAT_PLAIN, FORMAT_MARKDOWN);
+    if (!in_array($format, $allowedformats)) {
+        throw new moodle_exception('formatnotsupported', 'webservice', '' , null,
+                'The format with value=' . $format . ' is not supported by this Moodle site');
+    }
+    return $format;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Format the text to be returned properly as requested by the either the web service server,
+ * either by an internally call.
+ * The caller can change the format (raw, filter, file, fileurl) with the external_settings singleton
+ * All web service servers must set this singleton when parsing the $_GET and $_POST.
+ *
+ * @param string $text The content that may contain ULRs in need of rewriting.
+ * @param int $textformat The text format, by default FORMAT_HTML.
+ * @param int $contextid This parameter and the next two identify the file area to use.
+ * @param string $component
+ * @param string $filearea helps identify the file area.
+ * @param int $itemid helps identify the file area.
+ * @return array text + textformat
+ * @since Moodle 2.3
+ */
+function external_format_text($text, $textformat, $contextid, $component, $filearea, $itemid) {
+    global $CFG;
+
+    // Get settings (singleton).
+    $settings = external_settings::get_instance();
+
+    if ($settings->get_fileurl()) {
+        $text = file_rewrite_pluginfile_urls($text, $settings->get_file(), $contextid, $component, $filearea, $itemid);
+    }
+
+    if (!$settings->get_raw()) {
+        $textformat = FORMAT_HTML; // Force format to HTML when not raw.
+        $text = format_text($text, $textformat,
+                array('noclean' => true, 'para' => false, 'filter' => $settings->get_filter()));
+    }
+
+    return array($text, $textformat);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Singleton to handle the external settings.
+ *
+ * We use singleton to encapsulate the "logic"
+ *
+ * @package    core_webservice
+ * @copyright  2012 Jerome Mouneyrac
+ * @license    http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
+ * @since Moodle 2.3
+ */
+class external_settings {
+
+    /** @var object the singleton instance */
+    public static $instance = null;
+
+    /** @var boolean Should the external function return raw text or formatted */
+    private $raw = false;
+
+    /** @var boolean Should the external function filter the text */
+    private $filter = false;
+
+    /** @var boolean Should the external function rewrite plugin file url */
+    private $fileurl = true;
+
+    /** @var string In which file should the urls be rewritten */
+    private $file = 'webservice/pluginfile.php';
+
+    /**
+     * Constructor - protected - can not be instanciated
+     */
+    protected function __construct() {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Clone - private - can not be cloned
+     */
+    private final function __clone() {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Return only one instance
+     *
+     * @return object
+     */
+    public static function get_instance() {
+        if (self::$instance === null) {
+            self::$instance = new external_settings;
+        }
+
+        return self::$instance;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Set raw
+     *
+     * @param boolean $raw
+     */
+    public function set_raw($raw) {
+        $this->raw = $raw;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get raw
+     *
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    public function get_raw() {
+        return $this->raw;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Set filter
+     *
+     * @param boolean $filter
+     */
+    public function set_filter($filter) {
+        $this->filter = $filter;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get filter
+     *
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    public function get_filter() {
+        return $this->filter;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Set fileurl
+     *
+     * @param boolean $fileurl
+     */
+    public function set_fileurl($fileurl) {
+        $this->fileurl = $fileurl;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get fileurl
+     *
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    public function get_fileurl() {
+        return $this->fileurl;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Set file
+     *
+     * @param string $file
+     */
+    public function set_file($file) {
+        $this->file = $file;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get file
+     *
+     * @return string
+     */
+    public function get_file() {
+        return $this->file;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/message/externallib.php b/message/externallib.php
index f39d51798216b..ca28d2db37624 100644
--- a/message/externallib.php
+++ b/message/externallib.php
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ public static function send_instant_messages_parameters() {
                     new external_single_structure(
                         array(
                             'touserid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'id of the user to send the private message'),
-                            'text' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'the text of the message - not that you can send anything it will be automatically cleaned to PARAM_TEXT and used againt MOODLE_FORMAT'),
+                            'text' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'the text of the message'),
+                            'textformat' => new external_format_value('text', VALUE_DEFAULT),
                             'clientmsgid' => new external_value(PARAM_ALPHANUMEXT, 'your own client id for the message. If this id is provided, the fail message id will be returned to you', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                         )
                     )
@@ -111,7 +112,6 @@ public static function send_instant_messages($messages = array()) {
 
         $resultmessages = array();
         foreach ($params['messages'] as $message) {
-            $text = clean_param($message['text'], PARAM_TEXT);
             $resultmsg = array(); //the infos about the success of the operation
 
             //we are going to do some checking
@@ -143,7 +143,8 @@ public static function send_instant_messages($messages = array()) {
             //now we can send the message (at least try)
             if ($success) {
                 //TODO MDL-31118 performance improvement - edit the function so we can pass an array instead one touser object
-                $success = message_post_message($USER, $tousers[$message['touserid']], $text, FORMAT_MOODLE);
+                $success = message_post_message($USER, $tousers[$message['touserid']],
+                        $message['text'], external_validate_format($message['textformat']));
             }
 
             //build the resultmsg
@@ -153,6 +154,9 @@ public static function send_instant_messages($messages = array()) {
             if ($success) {
                 $resultmsg['msgid'] = $success;
             } else {
+                // WARNINGS: for backward compatibility we return this errormessage.
+                //          We should have thrown exceptions as these errors prevent results to be returned.
+                // See http://docs.moodle.org/dev/Errors_handling_in_web_services#When_to_send_a_warning_on_the_server_side .
                 $resultmsg['msgid'] = -1;
                 $resultmsg['errormessage'] = $errormessage;
             }
diff --git a/notes/externallib.php b/notes/externallib.php
index f9a1bf912d6aa..fc31e9bb8fbf1 100644
--- a/notes/externallib.php
+++ b/notes/externallib.php
@@ -53,7 +53,11 @@ public static function create_notes_parameters() {
                             'publishstate' => new external_value(PARAM_ALPHA, '\'personal\', \'course\' or \'site\''),
                             'courseid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'course id of the note (in Moodle a note can only be created into a course, even for site and personal notes)'),
                             'text' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'the text of the message - text or HTML'),
-                            'format' => new external_value(PARAM_ALPHA, '\'text\' or \'html\'', VALUE_DEFAULT, 'text'),
+                            'format' => new external_value(PARAM_ALPHANUMEXT, // For backward compatibility it can not be PARAM_INT, so we don't use external_format_value.
+                                    'text format (' . FORMAT_HTML . ' = HTML, '
+                                    . FORMAT_MOODLE . ' = MOODLE, '
+                                    . FORMAT_PLAIN . ' = PLAIN or '
+                                    . FORMAT_MARKDOWN . ' = MARKDOWN)', VALUE_DEFAULT, FORMAT_HTML),
                             'clientnoteid' => new external_value(PARAM_ALPHANUMEXT, 'your own client id for the note. If this id is provided, the fail message id will be returned to you', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                         )
                     )
@@ -130,18 +134,19 @@ public static function create_notes($notes = array()) {
                 $dbnote = new stdClass;
                 $dbnote->courseid = $note['courseid'];
                 $dbnote->userid = $note['userid'];
-                //clean param text and set format accordingly
+                // Need to support 'html' and 'text' format values for backward compatibility.
                 switch (strtolower($note['format'])) {
                     case 'html':
-                        $dbnote->content = clean_param($note['text'], PARAM_CLEANHTML);
-                        $dbnote->format = FORMAT_HTML;
+                        $textformat = FORMAT_HTML;
                         break;
                     case 'text':
+                        $textformat = FORMAT_PLAIN;
                     default:
-                        $dbnote->content = clean_param($note['text'], PARAM_TEXT);
-                        $dbnote->format = FORMAT_PLAIN;
+                        $textformat = external_validate_format($note['format']);
                         break;
                 }
+                $dbnote->content = $note['text'];
+                $dbnote->format = $textformat;
 
                 //get the state ('personal', 'course', 'site')
                 switch ($note['publishstate']) {
@@ -169,6 +174,9 @@ public static function create_notes($notes = array()) {
 
                 $resultnote['noteid'] = $success;
             } else {
+                // WARNINGS: for backward compatibility we return this errormessage.
+                //          We should have thrown exceptions as these errors prevent results to be returned.
+                // See http://docs.moodle.org/dev/Errors_handling_in_web_services#When_to_send_a_warning_on_the_server_side .
                 $resultnote['noteid'] = -1;
                 $resultnote['errormessage'] = $errormessage;
             }
diff --git a/user/externallib.php b/user/externallib.php
index 8916ad02da438..c1d57bc07e717 100644
--- a/user/externallib.php
+++ b/user/externallib.php
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ public static function get_users_by_id_returns() {
                     'timezone'    => new external_value(PARAM_TIMEZONE, 'Timezone code such as Australia/Perth, or 99 for default', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                     'mailformat'  => new external_value(PARAM_INTEGER, 'Mail format code is 0 for plain text, 1 for HTML etc', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                     'description' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'User profile description', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
-                    'descriptionformat' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'User profile description format', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
+                    'descriptionformat' => new external_format_value('description', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                     'city'        => new external_value(PARAM_NOTAGS, 'Home city of the user', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                     'url'         => new external_value(PARAM_URL, 'URL of the user', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                     'country'     => new external_value(PARAM_ALPHA, 'Home country code of the user, such as AU or CZ', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ public static function get_course_user_profiles_returns() {
                     'firstaccess' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'first access to the site (0 if never)', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                     'lastaccess'  => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'last access to the site (0 if never)', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                     'description' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'User profile description', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
-                    'descriptionformat' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'User profile description format', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
+                    'descriptionformat' => new external_format_value('description', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                     'city'        => new external_value(PARAM_NOTAGS, 'Home city of the user', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                     'url'         => new external_value(PARAM_URL, 'URL of the user', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                     'country'     => new external_value(PARAM_ALPHA, 'Home country code of the user, such as AU or CZ', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
@@ -639,6 +639,7 @@ public static function get_course_user_profiles_returns() {
                                 'id'  => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'group id'),
                                 'name' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'group name'),
                                 'description' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'group description'),
+                                'descriptionformat' => new external_format_value('description'),
                             )
                         ), 'user groups', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                     'roles' => new external_multiple_structure(
diff --git a/user/lib.php b/user/lib.php
index 040a095fec0d8..c4f433efac2cf 100644
--- a/user/lib.php
+++ b/user/lib.php
@@ -171,6 +171,10 @@ function user_get_users_by_id($userids) {
  *
  * Give user record from mdl_user, build an array conntains
  * all user details
+ *
+ * Warning: description file urls are 'webservice/pluginfile.php' is use.
+ *          it can be changed with $CFG->moodlewstextformatlinkstoimagesfile
+ *
  * @param stdClass $user user record from mdl_user
  * @param stdClass $context context object
  * @param stdClass $course moodle course
@@ -319,11 +323,10 @@ function user_get_user_details($user, $course = null, array $userfields = array(
         if (!$cannotviewdescription) {
 
             if (in_array('description', $userfields)) {
-                $user->description = file_rewrite_pluginfile_urls($user->description, 'pluginfile.php', $usercontext->id, 'user', 'profile', null);
-                $userdetails['description'] = $user->description;
-            }
-            if (in_array('descriptionformat', $userfields)) {
-                $userdetails['descriptionformat'] = $user->descriptionformat;
+                // Always return the descriptionformat if description is requested.
+                list($userdetails['description'], $userdetails['descriptionformat']) =
+                        external_format_text($user->description, $user->descriptionformat,
+                                $usercontext->id, 'user', 'profile', null);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -417,11 +420,15 @@ function user_get_user_details($user, $course = null, array $userfields = array(
 
     // If groups are in use and enforced throughout the course, then make sure we can meet in at least one course level group
     if (in_array('groups', $userfields) && !empty($course) && $canaccessallgroups) {
-        $usergroups = groups_get_all_groups($course->id, $user->id, $course->defaultgroupingid, 'g.id, g.name,g.description');
+        $usergroups = groups_get_all_groups($course->id, $user->id, $course->defaultgroupingid,
+                'g.id, g.name,g.description,g.descriptionformat');
         $userdetails['groups'] = array();
         foreach ($usergroups as $group) {
-            $group->description = file_rewrite_pluginfile_urls($group->description, 'pluginfile.php', $context->id, 'group', 'description', $group->id);
-            $userdetails['groups'][] = array('id'=>$group->id, 'name'=>$group->name, 'description'=>$group->description);
+            list($group->description, $group->descriptionformat) =
+                external_format_text($group->description, $group->descriptionformat,
+                        $context->id, 'group', 'description', $group->id);
+            $userdetails['groups'][] = array('id'=>$group->id, 'name'=>$group->name,
+                'description'=>$group->description, 'descriptionformat'=>$group->descriptionformat);
         }
     }
     //list of courses where the user is enrolled
diff --git a/webservice/lib.php b/webservice/lib.php
index 7946bd88a9750..4fac2e9722a36 100644
--- a/webservice/lib.php
+++ b/webservice/lib.php
@@ -960,6 +960,38 @@ protected function authenticate_by_token($tokentype){
         return $user;
 
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Intercept some moodlewssettingXXX $_GET and $_POST parameter
+     * that are related to the web service call and are not the function parameters
+     */
+    protected function set_web_service_call_settings() {
+        global $CFG;
+
+        // Default web service settings.
+        // Must be the same XXX key name as the external_settings::set_XXX function.
+        // Must be the same XXX ws parameter name as 'moodlewssettingXXX'.
+        $externalsettings = array(
+            'raw' => false,
+            'fileurl' => true,
+            'filter' =>  false);
+
+        // Load the external settings with the web service settings.
+        $settings = external_settings::get_instance();
+        foreach ($externalsettings as $name => $default) {
+
+            $wsparamname = 'moodlewssetting' . $name;
+
+            // Retrieve and remove the setting parameter from the request.
+            $value = optional_param($wsparamname, $default, PARAM_BOOL);
+            unset($_GET[$wsparamname]);
+            unset($_POST[$wsparamname]);
+
+            $functioname = 'set_' . $name;
+            $settings->$functioname($value);
+        }
+
+    }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1336,7 +1368,10 @@ protected function init_zend_server() {
      */
     protected function parse_request() {
 
-        //Get GET and POST paramters
+        // We are going to clean the POST/GET parameters from the parameters specific to the server.
+        parent::set_web_service_call_settings();
+
+        // Get GET and POST paramters.
         $methodvariables = array_merge($_GET,$_POST);
 
         if ($this->authmethod == WEBSERVICE_AUTHMETHOD_USERNAME) {
diff --git a/webservice/rest/locallib.php b/webservice/rest/locallib.php
index 6dcfd431636ae..abd131cfd93a1 100644
--- a/webservice/rest/locallib.php
+++ b/webservice/rest/locallib.php
@@ -43,10 +43,9 @@ class webservice_rest_server extends webservice_base_server {
      * @param string $authmethod authentication method of the web service (WEBSERVICE_AUTHMETHOD_PERMANENT_TOKEN, ...)
      * @param string $restformat Format of the return values: 'xml' or 'json'
      */
-    public function __construct($authmethod, $restformat = 'xml') {
+    public function __construct($authmethod) {
         parent::__construct($authmethod);
         $this->wsname = 'rest';
-        $this->restformat = ($restformat != 'xml' && $restformat != 'json')?'xml':$restformat; //sanity check, we accept only xml or json
     }
 
     /**
@@ -55,11 +54,22 @@ public function __construct($authmethod, $restformat = 'xml') {
      *  1/ user authentication - username+password or token (wsusername, wspassword and wstoken parameters)
      *  2/ function name (wsfunction parameter)
      *  3/ function parameters (all other parameters except those above)
+     *  4/ text format parameters
+     *  5/ return rest format xml/json
      */
     protected function parse_request() {
 
-        //Get GET and POST paramters
-        $methodvariables = array_merge($_GET,$_POST);
+        // Retrieve and clean the POST/GET parameters from the parameters specific to the server.
+        parent::set_web_service_call_settings();
+
+        // Get GET and POST parameters.
+        $methodvariables = array_merge($_GET, $_POST);
+
+        // Retrieve REST format parameter - 'xml' (default) or 'json'.
+        $restformatisset = isset($methodvariables['moodlewsrestformat'])
+                && (($methodvariables['moodlewsrestformat'] == 'xml' || $methodvariables['moodlewsrestformat'] == 'json'));
+        $this->restformat = $restformatisset ? $methodvariables['moodlewsrestformat'] : 'xml';
+        unset($methodvariables['moodlewsrestformat']);
 
         if ($this->authmethod == WEBSERVICE_AUTHMETHOD_USERNAME) {
             $this->username = isset($methodvariables['wsusername']) ? $methodvariables['wsusername'] : null;
diff --git a/webservice/rest/server.php b/webservice/rest/server.php
index c0f02bce2efb5..56d39e270cc9f 100644
--- a/webservice/rest/server.php
+++ b/webservice/rest/server.php
@@ -42,16 +42,7 @@
     die;
 }
 
-$restformat = optional_param('moodlewsrestformat', 'xml', PARAM_ALPHA);
-//remove the alt from the request
-if(isset($_GET['moodlewsrestformat'])) {
-    unset($_GET['moodlewsrestformat']);
-}
-if(isset($_POST['moodlewsrestformat'])) {
-    unset($_POST['moodlewsrestformat']);
-}
-
-$server = new webservice_rest_server(WEBSERVICE_AUTHMETHOD_PERMANENT_TOKEN, $restformat);
+$server = new webservice_rest_server(WEBSERVICE_AUTHMETHOD_PERMANENT_TOKEN);
 $server->run();
 die;