TO: 	Faculty Using Blackboard Learning Management System

FROM:	Instructional Advisory Committee on Computing (IACC)
	Information Technology Services (ITS)

RE:	Blackboard Assignments and Dropbox


WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT TO ME?

Files that students submit into Blackboardâs Assignment Tool or Dropbox may not
be viewable.

FILE NAMING ISSUES

The new Bb system 6.3.2 (installed Spring Break) is very picky about file names
(termpaper.doc). If you find that some Assignments or Dropbox files will
download, but when you opened the file it is blank·the file wasnât named
correct for a Linux (Unix) server and most likely got mixed up when the student
downloaded it.  

If you are trying to download all the Assignments via the Gradebook, you may
need to download them individually to get the ones with out file name issues
and ask the students whoâs file didnât download to resend with the correct file
name (tutorials below).  

Instructions for file naming have been on the Bb Support Site within the
Student and Faculty FAQ for years
(http://blackboardsupport.calpoly.edu/content/students/main_faq.html) &
(http://blackboardsupport.calpoly.edu/content/faculty/main_faq.html). Although
this new version of Blackboard and our Linux server is behaving extra picky so
you may have not ran into this issue before. You will also find that the amount
of charters in the file name cannot exceed 14 (including the file extension
[.doc]).

In your next assignment, please inform the students....

When placing files into Blackboard as a Discussion Board attachment, Email
attachment, Course Materials attachment, Assignment attachment or as an
attachment in the Digital Dropbox, it is important to name the files properly
before attaching them. Below are a few file-naming conventions that should be
followed. Make sure that the file name is not longer than 

CORRECT

    * name.doc
    * name_name.doc
    * NameName.doc
    * name1.doc

INCORRECT

    * name name.doc
    * name-name.doc
    * name&name.doc
    * name#1.doc
    * name/name.doc
    * name.name.doc

For tips and tricks on how to create assignments in Blackboard please review
our support site
(http://blackboardsupport.calpoly.edu/content/faculty/tips_electronicxp.html) &
(http://blackboardsupport.calpoly.edu/content/faculty/tips_electronicmac.html).


TUTORIALS

Assignments
From the Control Panel:

1. Click on the Gradebook link in the Assessment section.
2. Click on the ã!ä under the Assignment item.
3. Click on the View button on the right.
4. Click on the Clear Attempt button under the Assignment Option (1).

Assignments
From the Control Panel:

1. Click on the Digital Drop Box link in the Course Tools section.
2. Click on the Remove button on the right.

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Tonia Malone
Instructional Designer / Blackboard Administrator
Building 14, room 102
(805) 756-6336
Technology & Learning Services, California Polytechnic State University, SLO
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