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Desire2Learn 8.3

Managing Course Files

Desire2Learn provides a central location for managing your course files, referred to as the File Management console. You can use this area to organize the files that make up your course content. Organizing your files will make them easier to locate when creating modules and topics. Navigation in this area is similar to Windows Explorer; you can create folders, upload files, delete files, and change their location.

return to topAccessing the File Management Console

The File Management console is similar to Windows Explorer. The left frame consists of a folder hierarchy with plus (+) signs signifying the existence of subfolders within that folder. Clicking the plus (+) sign expands the folder listing, showing these subfolders. You can navigate through the folder hierarchy to locate desired folders and subfolders. Clicking on a folder displays its contents in the right frame. For more detailed information on navigating, refer to File Management Navigation.

  1. From the Course Home page, on the Navigation bar, click EDIT CONTENT
    The Course Admin Tools pane appears.

  2. From the Tools list, click MANAGE FILES
    The File Management console appears.
    Course Management Console

return to topFile Management Tools

Button Function
Up One Folder button Navigates up one level in the folder hierarchy
Cut Selected Items button Cuts selected items to the clipboard
Copy Selected Items button Copies selected items to the clipboard
Paste Items button Pastes items from the clipboard into the current location
Delete Selected Items button Deletes selected items
New Folder button Creates a new folder in the current location
Upload File button Opens the Upload File dialog box, in which you can locate and upload files from your computer
Zip Files button Compresses selected file(s) into a .zip file
Create Topics button Creates topics for selected files
Help button Opens Desire2Learn's File Management Help feature
Manage Content button Returns you to the Manage Content pane

return to topFile Management Navigation

As you work with the File Management console, you will have to move from folder to folder. Folders with a grayed-out plus sign (+) contain no subfolders; folders with a black plus sign (+) have the subfolders list collapsed; folders with a minus sign (-) have the subfolders list expanded.

Course Management Counsole Folders

Displaying the Contents of a Folder

  1. From the Folders list, select the appropriate folder name
    The contents of the folder are displayed in the Contents list.

Moving to a Subfolder

  1. If the subfolder is not displayed, from the Folders list, next to the parent folder, click the plus sign (+)
    The plus sign (+) becomes a minus sign (-) and the subfolders appear.

  2. Click the desired subfolder
    The contents of the subfolder are displayed in the Contents list.

return to topCreating Folders

Folders help to organize course files. Before uploading files, you should create a folder in the appropriate location to contain the file. When creating subfolders, keep in mind that the Course Content area can only access files from folders up to three levels deep.

  1. Using the Folders list, navigate to the location in which you want to create the folder

  2. Click CREATE NEW FOLDERNew Folder button
    The Explorer User Prompt dialog box appears.
    Explored User Prompt dialog box

  3. In the text box, type the name for the new folder

  4. Click OK
    The new folder appears in the Contents list.

return to topUploading a File

Files, such as videos or other multimedia, can be uploaded to complement your course content. You can also upload multiple files at once through the use of a .zip file. For more information, refer to Working with the Compressed Folders.

  1. Access the File Management Console

  2. Navigate to the folder where you want the new file to be located

  3. Click UPLOADUpload File button
    The Upload File dialog box appears.
    Upload File dialog box

  4. In the text box, type the file location
    OR
    To select the file,
    1. Click BROWSE...
      The Choose file dialog box appears.
    2. Navigate to and select the desired file

    3. Click OPEN

  5. Click UPLOAD
    The uploaded file appears in the Contents list.

return to topDownloading Files

When you want to make extensive edits to files, it may be easier to download them and work with them in the application that created them (e.g., Word) rather than using the editing tools in D2L.

Downloading Files: Right Click Option

  1. Access the File Management Console

  2. Navigate to the file you want to download

  3. Right click on the file » select Save Target As...
    The Save As dialog box appears.

  4. From the Save in pull-down menu, navigate to where you want the file saved

  5. In the File name text box, type a name for the file

  6. Click SAVE
    The file will download.

  7. Click CLOSE

Downloading Files: Zip Files Option

  1. Access the Course Management Console

  2. Navigate to the folder containing the files you want to download as a zip file

  3. Select the file(s)
    HINT: An item is selected if a checkmark appears before it.

  4. Click ZIP FILESZip Files button
    The File Download dialog box appears.

  5. Click SAVE
    The Save As dialog box appears.

  6. From the Save in pull-down menu, navigate to where you want the file saved

  7. In the File name text box, type a name for the file

  8. In the Save as type pull-down menu, make sure WinZip File is selected

  9. Click SAVE
    The file will download.

  10. Click CLOSE
    For more information on extracting files from the zip file, refer to Working with the Compressed Folders.

return to topMoving Files and Folders

As you reorganize course content, it is a good idea to also reorganize your files and folders.

  1. Access the File Management Console

  2. Select the file(s) and folder(s) that you wish to put in a different folder
    NOTE: An item is selected if a checkmark appears next to it and is highlighted with a blue background.

  3. Click CUTCut button
    The file is added to the clipboard.

  4. Navigate to the folder in which you want the file to appear

  5. Click PASTEPaste button
    The file is moved.

return to topChanging File and Folder Names

You are able to change the name of a file or folder. When changing a file or folder name, remember that you can not use spaces, hyphens, apostrophes, periods, or forward slashes. Also, it is a good idea to keep the names short but meaningful.

  1. Access the File Management Console

  2. Select the file or folder that you wish to rename

  3. Click RENAMERename button
    The Explorer User Prompt dialog box appears.
    Explorer User Prompt dialog box

  4. In the text box, type the new name

  5. Click OK
    The name change appears in the Contents section.

return to topDeleting Files and Folders

WARNING: For files linked one level deep, a red T indicates a file that is used as a topic and linked to Course Content.

  1. Access the File Management Console

  2. Select the file(s) and folder(s) you want to delete
    NOTE: An item is selected if a checkmark appears next to it and is highlighted with a blue background.

  3. Click DELETE Delete button
    A confirmation dialog box appears.

  4. Click OK
    The content is deleted.

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