WebCT File Manager

Introduction

A WebCT course consists of files (including HTML, text and graphic files) which are kept in a central storage area called the File Manager. You will typically prepare files for your assignments and presentations on your computer. You must then transfer these files from your computer to the File Manager. Once the files are moved to the File Manager, they can be hyperlinked to various areas in your course.

The method for transferring files to WebCT differs from that used by the Windows and Macintosh operating systems. You cannot “drag and drop” files and folders to WebCT. You must move files from your computer to the File Manager by uploading them.

You will use the File Manager in WebCT when carrying out the following operations:

Uploading your files to the WebCT server
Downloading files to your computer
Zipping and unzipping files on the WebCT server
Copying, deleting, editing, renaming and moving files
Creating new directories

Browsing for Files

As you progress through your WebCT course, you will occasionally encounter a Browse button. Clicking this button will open the WebCT Browser screen. The WebCT Browser lets you upload files and select files from your WebCT folders for use in WebCT tools such as Student Presentations and Student Assignments.

The folders and files related to your course are listed in the lower portion of the Manage Files screen.

To view the contents of a folder, click the blue arrow next to it.

To preview a file, click the file name.
To choose a file, select its option button and click Pick. You can only select one file at the time.
To choose a file from your personal computer, click Upload.

Uploading Files

Uploading a file involves transferring it from your personal computer to the remote server hosting your WebCT course. If you want to upload multiple files, zip them first.

Choose a destination folder by selecting the checkbox next to the folder’s name. Folders are listed under the Folders and Files heading in the bottom half of the Manage Files screen.
Under File Options, select the Upload File option.
Click Go. The Upload File screeen appears.
Click Browse to locate the file to upload. The name cannot contain spaces, tabs, line feeds, carriage returns, or characters other than letters and numbers.
Click Upload. The Manage Files screen reappears.

Downloading Files

Downloading a file involves transferring it from the server to your personal computer. If you want to download multiple files at once, zip them first.

Select the checkbox next to the file you want to download. Files are listed under the Folders and Files heading in the bottom half of the Manage Files screen.
Select Download in the list box under the File Options header.
Click Go. The Download File screen appears.
Click Download. A browser window will open.
Choose a location to download the file. On completion of the download, the Manage Files screen reappears.

Zipping Folders

The Zip option compresses the contents of a folder into one file. This feature is particularly useful if you want to download the entire folder.

Click Student Presentations. The Student Presentations screen appears with a list of all the groups in the class. An Edit Files link appears beside the name of your group.
To open the File Manager, click the Edit Files link. The Manage Files screen appears.
Select the check box next to the folder you want to zip.
Select Zip in the list box under Folder Options.
Click Go. The Zip Files in Folder screen appears.
Enter a name for the zip file and choose a destination folder from the list box. The name cannot contain spaces, tabs, line feeds, carriage returns, or characters other than letters and numbers.
Click Zip. The Manage Files screen reappears.

Zipping Files

The Zip feature compresses several files into one file. This feature is particularly useful if you want to download more than one file at a time.

Select the checkboxes next to the files you want to zip. Files are listed under the Folders and Files heading in the bottom half of the Manage Files screen.
Select Zip in the list box next to the Folder Options header.
Click Go. The Zip Files screen appears.
The files that you selected appear on the left side of the screen. If you decide not to zip a file, clear its checkbox. Select a destination folder from the list box on the right and type a name for the new file in the File Name text box. The name cannot contain spaces, tabs, line feeds, carriage returns, or characters other than letters and numbers.
Click Zip. The Manage Files screen reappears.
Once you download the zip file to your local computer, you can unzip the file with WinZip (PC), Zipit (Mac), or another file compression application.

Unzipping Files

This operation allows you to unzip the contents of a zipped file. A zipped file can be identified by the .zip extension.

Select the checkbox next to the file you want to unzip. Files are listed under the Folders and Files heading in the bottom half of the Manage Files screen.
Select Unzip in the list box under the Folder Options header.
Click Go. The Unzip File screen appears.
Select a destination folder for the unzipped files from the list box and then click Unzip. The Manage Files screen reappears.

Editing Files

Occasionally you may want to edit files in WebCT. The Edit option enables you to make changes to the text and codes in your .txt and .html files in File Manager.

Select the checkbox next to the file you want to edit. Files are listed under Folders and Files in the bottom half of the Manage Files screen.
Select Edit in the list box under the File Options header.
Click Go. The Edit File screen appears.
If desired, edit the name of the file in the Filename text box. The name cannot contain spaces, tabs, line feeds, carriage returns, or characters other than letters and numbers.
Edit the content of the file by typing in the File Content text box. For easier viewing, you can resize this text box by adjusting the width and height controls. Adjusting the size of the text box has no effect on the file’s content.
Click Save when you have finished entering the file content. The Manage Files screen reappears.

Copying Files

The Copy option allows one or more files to be copied from the current folder to another. Copies of the file will exist in two folders.

Select the checkbox(es) next to the file(s) you want to copy. Files are listed under the Folders and Files heading in the bottom half of the Manage Files screen.
Select Copy in the list box under the the Folder Options header.
Click Go. The Copy Files screen appears.
The file(s) that you selected to copy appear on the left side of the screen. If you decide not to copy a file, clear its checkbox. Select a destination folder from the list box on the right.
Click Copy. The Manage Files screen reappears.

Renaming Files

Select the checkbox next to the file you want to rename. Files are listed under the Folders and Files heading in the bottom half of the Manage Files screen.
Select Rename in the list box under the File Options header.
Click Go. The Rename File screen appears.
Type a name for the file in the New Name text box. The name cannot contain spaces, tabs, line feeds, carriage returns, or characters other than letters and numbers.
Click Rename. The Manage Files screen reappears.

Changing Case

WebCT enables you to change the case of many file names at once with the Upper Case and Lower Case features.

Select the checkboxes next to the file you want to change. Files are listed under the Folders and Files heading in the bottom half of the Manage Files screen.
Select Upper Case or Lower Case in the list box next to Folder Options and then click Go.
The files that you selected appear on the left side of the screen. If you decide not to change a file name, clear its checkbox.
Click Convert. The Manage Files screen reappears.

Moving Files

The Move option allows one or more files to be moved from the current folder to another folder. When a file is moved, it will no longer exist in the original folder.

Select the checkbox(es) next to the file(s) you want to move. Files are listed under the Folders and Files heading in the bottom half of the Manage Files screen.
Select Move in the list box under the Folders Options header.
Click Go. The Move Files screen appears.
The file(s) that you selected appear on the left side of the screen. If you decide not to move a file, clear its checkbox. Select a destination folder from the list box on the right.
Click Move. The Manage Files screen reappears.

Creating New Files

Using File Manager, you can create new text and HTML files in the folder of your choice. Folders are listed under the Folders and Files heading in the bottom half of the Manage Files screen.

Choose the destination folder by selecting the check box next to the folder’s name.
Under File Options, select the Create New File option.
Click Go. The Create New File screen appears.
Type a name for the new file in the Filename text box. The name cannot contain spaces, tabs, line feeds, carriage returns, or characters other than letters and numbers.
Create the content for your new file by typing in the File Content text box. For easier viewing, you can resize this text box by adjusting the width and height controls. Adjusting the size of the text box has no effect on the file’s content.
Click Save when you have finished entering the file content. The Manage Files screen reappears.

Deleting Files

Select the checkbox(es) next to the file(s) you want to delete. Files are listed under the Folders and Files heading in the bottom half of the Manage Files screen.
Select Delete in the list box under the Folder Options header.
Click Go. The Delete Files screen appears.
The file(s) that you selected appear on the left side of the screen. If you decide not to delete a file, clear its checkbox.
Click Delete. The Manage Files screen reappears.

Renaming Folders

Click Student Presentations. The Student Presentations screen appears with a list of all the groups in the class. An Edit Files link appears beside the name of your group.
To open the File Manager, click the Edit Files link. The Manage Files screen appears.
Select the check box next to the folder you want to rename.
Select Rename in the list box under Folder Options.
Click GO. The Rename Folder screen appears.
Type the new file name and click Rename. The Manage Files screen reappears.

Creating New Folders

Click Student Presentations. The Student Presentations screen appears with a list of all the groups in the class. An Edit Files link appears beside the name of your group.
To open the File Manager, click the Edit Files link. The Manage Files screen appears.
Select the check box beside the destination folder of your choice. Select Create New in the list box under Folder Options.
Click Go. The Create Folder screen appears.
In the Create a folder named text box, enter a name for the new folder. You can also change the destination folder after creating the new one. Folder names cannot contain spaces, tabs, line feeds, carriage returns, or any characters other than letters and numbers.
Click Create. The Manage Files screen reappears and displays the newly created file.

Deleting Folders

Click Student Presentations. The Student Presentations screen appears with a list of all the groups in the class. An Edit Files link appears beside the name of your group.
To open the File Manager, click the Edit Files link. The Manage Files screen appears.
Select the check box next to the folder you want to delete.
Select Delete in the list box under Folder Options.
Click Go. A confirmation screen appears.
Click Delete to return to the Manage Files screen.