Competencies

After reading this document, you will be able to:

•  Create, upload, organize and manage course content files

About Manage Files

Manage Files stores all of the HTML, text, and graphic files for your WebCT course. Once the files are stored in Manage Files, they can be linked to other areas of your course.

Folders

Manage Files has two default folders: My-Files and WebCT-Files.

• My-Files stores the files you create or add to your course. You can create subfolders in My-Files.

• WebCT-Files stores all the default files that are packaged with WebCT. These include graphic files for background images, banners, and icons. Although you cannot edit these files, you can use them to design your course.

Special Folders

Manage Files has special folders for three tools: Chat, Student Presentations, and Whiteboard. Chat logs, Whiteboard content, and Student Presentation files uploaded by your students are automatically saved in each of these special folders. You will not see these files until your students begin using these tools.

Uploading and Downloading Files

You can use Manage Files to upload files to your course from your hard drive. In addition, you can download course files to your computer for backup or modification.

Tip  If you want to upload or download multiple files, zip them first, and then upload or download the .zip file.

To upload a file

1 Navigate to Manage Files.

2 Under Options: Files in Actions, select Upload. The Upload File screen appears.

3 Click Browse. Your computer's file manager appears.

4 Select the file that you want to upload. The filename is entered in the File name text box.

5 Ensure that the filename contains only alphanumeric characters. Do not use spaces.

6 From the Destination folder drop-down list, select the folder you want to upload the file to.

7 Click Upload. The Manage Files screen appears and the file is uploaded.

Note  You cannot upload files to the WebCT-Files folder.

To download a file

1 Navigate to Manage Files.

2 Under My-Files, select the file that you want to download.

3 Under Options: Files, select Download. The Download File screen appears.

4 Click Download. Your browser's file download screen appears.

5 Follow the instructions to download the file to your computer.

Note  You can only download files from the My-Files folder. You cannot download files from the WebCT-Files folder.

Zipping and Unzipping Files

You can zip one file or several files to create a single .zip file. Using .zip files can greatly facilitate the ease of course file management.

To zip a file

1 Navigate to Manage Files.

2 Under My-Files, select the file(s) that you want to zip.

3 Under Options: Files, select Zip. The Zip Files screen appears.

4 Under Zip Files, verify that you wish to zip all the files listed. Uncheck the checkboxes next to any files you do not wish to zip.

5 From the Zip the selected files to drop-down list, select the destination for your .zip file.

6 In the Filename text box, enter the name for the .zip file. You can only use alphanumeric characters. Do not use spaces.

7 Click Zip. The Manage Files screen appears and the .zip file is added.

To unzip a file

1 Navigate to Manage Files.

2 Under My-Files, select the file that you want to unzip.

3 Under Options: Files, select Unzip. The Unzip Files screen appears.

4 Select the destination folder for your file from the drop-down list.

5 Click Unzip. The Manage Files screen appears and the file is unzipped.

Organizing Files

Once you have uploaded files to your course, WebCT allows you to copy them, move them between folders, and rename them.

To copy files

1 Navigate to Manage Files.

2 Under Folders and Files, select the file that you want to copy.

3 Under Options: Files, select Copy. The Copy Files screen appears.

4 Verify that you wish to copy all the files listed. Uncheck the checkboxes next to any files you do not wish to copy.

5 From the Copy the selected files to drop-down list, select the destination folder.

6 Click Copy. The Manage Files screen appears and the file is copied.

Note  You cannot copy files to the WebCT-Files folder.

To move files

1 Navigate to Manage Files.

2 Under My-Files, select the files that you want to move.

3 Under Options: Files, select Move. The Move Files screen appears.

4 Verify that you wish to move all the files listed. Uncheck the checkboxes next to any files you do not wish to move.

5 From the Move the selected files to drop-down list, select the destination folder.

6 Click Move. The Manage Files screen appears and the file is moved.

Note  You cannot move files in the WebCT-Files folder.

To rename a file

1 Navigate to Manage Files.

2 Under My-Files, select the file that you want to rename.

3 Under Options: Files, select Rename. The Rename File screen appears, listing the file's current name in the Old name field.

4 In the New name text box, enter the new filename, including its file extension (.html, .txt, .gif). You can only use alphanumeric characters. Do not use spaces.

5 Click Rename. The Manage Files screen appears and the file is renamed.

Note  You cannot rename files in the WebCT-Files folder.

Creating, Editing, and Deleting Files

It isn't always necessary to upload files to your course to add or modify course content. You also have the option of using Manage Files to create HTML files and to edit text and HTML files. In addition, you can delete files that you no longer wish to include in your course.

Note  You cannot create, edit, or delete files in the WebCT-Files folder.

To create a file

1 Navigate to Manage Files.

2 Under Options: Files, select Create File. The Create File screen appears.

Figure 1: The Create New HTML File screen

3 In the Filename text box, enter the name for the file, including the .html extension. You can only use alphanumeric characters. Do not use spaces.

4 In the File Content text box, enter the content for your file.

Note  Click HTML editor to add italics, bold, paragraph formatting and more to your file using WebCT's editor. For information about how to use this editor, please reference the tip sheet entitled WebCT 4.x: HTML Editor and Spellcheck.

5 When you have finished entering the file content, click Save. The Manage Files screen appears and the HTML file is added.

To edit a file

Note  You cannot edit text and HTML files located in the WebCT-Files folder.

1 Navigate to Manage Files.

2 Under My-Files, select the file that you want to edit.

3 Under Options: Files, select Edit. The Edit File screen appears.

4 In the File Content text box, edit the file.

Note  Click HTML editor to add italics, bold, paragraph formatting and more to your file using WebCT's editor. For information about how to use this editor, please reference the tip sheet entitled WebCT 4.x: HTML Editor and Spellcheck.

5 When you have finished editing the file, click Save. The Manage Files screen appears.

To delete files

1 Navigate to Manage Files.

2 Under My-Files, select the file that you want to delete.

3 Under Options: Files, select Delete. The Delete Files screen appears.

4 Verify that you wish to delete all the files listed. Uncheck the checkboxes next to any files you do not wish to delete.

5 Click Delete. The Manage Files screen appears and the files are deleted.

Displaying File Information

By default, the size, modification date (Date), and modification time (Time) of each file are displayed. You can specify whether to hide or display any of this information by selecting the appropriate checkboxes and then clicking Update.