Add Files to Course Files

You can add files and folders to Course Files in multiple ways, including when you create course content.

Student files aren't saved in Course Files, and they can't upload items here. When they participate in a course, they can only browse for and attach files from their computers.

You can upload a single file, multiple files, or one or more folders to Course Files. The contents of folders will be uploaded and appear individually in the upload list. After you upload, you can move them to other folders as needed.

To select multiple files and folders in a list on a Windows machine, press the Shift key and select the first and last items. To select files and folders out of sequence, press the Ctrl key and select each item. If you're using a Mac, use the Command key instead of the Ctrl key.

Add files

You can add content in four ways:

• Upload files and folders into Course Files with the drag-and-drop or the browse functions.
• Upload files from your computer when you create content with Browse My Computer.
• Create HTML objects in Course Files and upload files.
• Use WebDAV for direct upload, editing, and management of files in Course Files from your computer desktop or through WebDAV capable applications.

More on the best practices for attaching files

Drag files to upload

1. In the Course Files folder where you want to upload the files, point to Upload and select Upload Files.
2. On your computer, open the folder that contains the files and folders to upload.
3. Drag files from your computer to the "hot spot" in the Attach Files area. If your browser allows, you can also drag a folder of files. The files will upload individually.
4. You can use the file name or provide another name for the file.
5. Select Do not attach in the row of any files you don't want to upload.
6. Select Submit.

You won’t be able to drag files to upload if your institution uses an older version of Blackboard Learn.

Browse for files

1. In the Course Files folder where you want to upload the files, point to Upload and select Upload Files.
2. On the Upload Files page, select Browse and open the folder on your computer with the files and folders to upload. Select the files.
3. The files and folders appear in the upload box. To delete a file in the list, select the X in the Remove column. The contents of folders appear individually in the upload list, but after they are uploaded, they are contained in their parent folders.
4. Select Submit. A status bar displays the progress of the upload.

Upload local files while creating content

When you create content in your course, you can browse for a file on your computer and link to it. Files you upload with the Browse My Computer function are saved in the top-level folder in Course Files. You don't have the option to select a different folder when you upload a file. By default, all enrolled users are granted read permission for files you upload to your course this way.

If you upload a file with the same name as a file already in the top-level folder, the new file is saved with a number appended to the name. For example, Project Guidelines.pdf becomes Project Guidelines(1).pdf.

Some files uploaded to your course are not saved in Course Files, such as when creating wiki pages. For a complete list, see About Files Added Automatically to Course Files.

1. In the Attachments section on the Create Item page, select Browse My Computer to search for a file.
2. Type a Link Title. This text is what students see as the link to the file. Select Do not attach to remove the selected file.
3. Select Submit when you're finished creating the item.

The file uploaded to the content item appears as a link in the content area and is saved in Course Files in the top-level folder. You can move the file to a different folder in Course Files and the link in your course won't break.

Attach files with the editor

You can also use the editor functions to create links to files. Files you upload with the editor are saved in Course Files in the top-level folder.

Creating a link to a file with the editor offers more control over where a file's link appears in relationship to other text. Alternative text appears when a user moves the mouse pointer over a link and it is read by screen readers.

To add a file and create a link in the editor, select the Add Content icon. A new window appears for you to add your content.

Upload a zip package to Course Files

When you upload a zip package to Course Files, you have two options:

• Unzip its contents, keeping the folder structure and links intact—the Upload Zip Package option.
• Keep the file zipped—the Upload Files option.

Unzip the file upon upload

You can create a collection of files or an entire lesson, including cascading style sheets (CSS), zip it into a package, and upload it into Course Files from your computer.

Example: You may want to use this option if you prefer to create a lesson with several interrelated pages with navigation, images, web links, and documents. You can compress the contents into a zip package and upload it into Course Files with the Upload Zip Package option. When you upload a zipped file in this way, the system unzips its contents. When you create content in your course, you can create a link to the unzipped package you uploaded by selecting a starting page. In your course, students select the starting page link and view the lesson you uploaded.

Create a folder in Course Files for the contents of the unzipped package, if needed. When unzipping a package with many files and folders, it can be helpful to contain the contents in a folder.

Advantage: You can edit any part of the lesson's content and overwrite just the edited file or files without removing and uploading a new zipped file. All links remain intact in your course.

More on how to overwrite a file in Course Files

1. In Course Files, go to the folder where you want to add the zip package.
2. Select Upload > Upload Zip Package.
3. Browse for the file and select the encoding type, if applicable.
4. Select Submit.
5. Go to the course area where you want to add the file. In the Build Content list, select File.
6. Use the Browse Course function to search for the start page for the unzipped content.

Students select the link for the lesson's start page and can view the lesson contents in order with all links intact. You can rename the start page link and manage permissions for the files and folders in the unzipped package.

If a description or instructions are necessary and a title can't convey that meaning, you can create an item content type instead of a file. When creating an item, use the Insert File function in the content editor to select the starting page so that you can select the Open in New Window option.

Keep the file intact upon upload

You may want to keep a compressed folder intact when you upload it to your course. For example, if you want to include several images for students to use in a presentation.

Use the Upload Files option, not Upload Zip Package, to upload the zipped package to Course Files. The file remains zipped. When you create content in your course, you can create a link to the zipped file. In your course, students select the link to the zipped file, download it to their computers, unzip the package, and are able to use the contents.