Blackboard Known Issues

Unable to Download Documents in Internet Explorer

A "Blocked Popup" bar appearsacross the top of Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) when a Microsoft document (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, etc.) is clicked for download.  Once the download (Right Click on pop-up bar and select "Download File") is "allowed", Blackboard will take you back to the entry point of the course.  Once you return to the same download, it will download appropriately.

Cause:

The Download mechanism used by Blackboard causes IE8 to treat the download as a pop-up that IE8 automatically blocks.

Resolution/Workaround:

Work Around #1:

1) Right-Click on document.

2) Select "Save Target As...".

This avoids the pop-up from occuring but will have to be done each time.  Work Around #2 provides a one-time solution.

Work Around #2:

1) Open Internet Explorer

2) Go to the "Tools" Menu

3) Click "Pop-up Blocker"

4) Click "Pop-up Blocker Settings" (Sub-menu of the "Pop-up Blocker")

5) In the "Name of website to allow" box type: bb7.liberty.edu and click the "Add" button.

6) Click the "Close" button to close the window and return to IE8.  You should now be able to open documents.

SafeAssign Feedback Attachments

Problem Description:

At this time, Professors and Instructors are only able to attach a single document in feedback to student's SafeAssign submission. 

Solution:

To attach more than a single item in your feedback, you must create a .zip folder containing the documents. The steps to create a .zip folder are as follows:

Windows XP: 

1. Create a new folder by right-clicking on the desktop and selecting New> Folder. Place all documents and items in this folder

2. Right-click a blank area on the desktop or in an open folder, point to New, and then click Compressed (zipped) Folder.

3. Type a name for the new compressed folder, and then press ENTER. Your new compressed folder is displayed as a folder icon with a zipper. Depending on your preferences, a .zip file name extension may also appear.

---

Windows Vista/7:

1. Select the file to be compressed.  

2. Right click the file and scroll down to Send to, choose Compressed (zipped) folder.

3. The new zip file will be created in the same directory as the original file.

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Mac OS X:

1. Right-click on a file, folder, or files you want to zip.

2. Select “Compress Items”

3. Find the newly created .zip archive in the same directory

Note: If a single file is being zipped, the zip archive will maintain the standard file name but append the .zip extension. If more than one file is being zipped, the archive will be named “Archive.zip”, and if multiple archives are created, they will be named successively “Archive 2.zip” and so on.

Duplicate Gradecenter Columns

Problem Description:

Default Total and Weighted Total Columns are created in all new Blackboard Shells. When content is copied from a previous course or the LUO Master course into a new course these columns are duplicated in the Grade Center.

Solution/Work Around:

The "empty" default columns are listed first in your Grade Center. These can be hidden by clicking the arrows to the right of that column heading and click Hide Column. See Handout for step by step directions.

Unable to Download all Assignments

Symptoms/Cause:

If any special character is included when naming items that automatically create columns in the Grade Center (e.g., Test, Survey, Assignments), users won't be able to download all the files from the Grade Center at once.

Resolution/Workaround:

First, remove the special character in the Assignment name first. Then remove the character from the Grade Center column for that Assignment.

It is common practice NOT to use special characters when naming items or files.

Special characters include but are not limited to: !  @  #  $  %  ^  &  *  (  ) ? / \ [ ]

** Currently professors are unable to download all assignments from the grade center if the assignment is a SafeAssignment.  Papers are most easily downloaded by going to Course Tools > SafeAssign > SafeAssignments > and then clicking the green down arrow beside the students names.

SafeAssignment Feedback Attachments

Problem Description:

At this time, Professors and Instructors are only able to attach a single document in feedback to student's SafeAssign submission. 

Solution:

To attach more than a single item in your feedback, you must create a .zip folder containing the documents. The steps to create a .zip folder are as follows:

Windows XP: 

1. Create a new folder by right-clicking on the desktop and selecting New> Folder. Place all documents and items in this folder

2. Right-click a blank area on the desktop or in an open folder, point to New, and then click Compressed (zipped) Folder.

3. Type a name for the new compressed folder, and then press ENTER. Your new compressed folder is displayed as a folder icon with a zipper. Depending on your preferences, a .zip file name extension may also appear.

---

Windows Vista/7:

1. Select the file to be compressed.  

2. Right click the file and scroll down to Send to, choose Compressed (zipped) folder.

3. The new zip file will be created in the same directory as the original file.

---

Mac OS X:

1. Right-click on a file, folder, or files you want to zip.

2. Select “Compress Items”

3. Find the newly created .zip archive in the same directory

Note: If a single file is being zipped, the zip archive will maintain the standard file name but append the .zip extension. If more than one file is being zipped, the archive will be named “Archive.zip”, and if multiple archives are created, they will be named successively “Archive 2.zip” and so on.

Partial Discussion Board Posts

Problem Description:

Discussion Boards do not display the entire post (only the first paragraph) when viewed in Internet Explorer.  The error occurs even though the post was properly submitted.

Solution/Work Around:

Discussion Boards display properly in Firefox.  Please use Firefox 3.5 or higher.

Scroll Bars Do Not Display in Gradecenter

Symptoms/Cause:

Vertical Scroll bars do not display properly in Grade Center


Resolution #1: Use the Firefox Browser.

This problem has not been encountered in Firefox.
 

Resolution #2:  Change Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) Compatibility Mode.

1) Click on the compatibility mode button in IE8 (looks like a "Torn" sheet of paper to the right of the address bar).

2) Enable Compatibility Mode.

3) Choose Internet Explorer 7.

Timer Missing on Quizzes and Tests opened using Internet Explorer (IE)

Problem Description:

When students use Internet Explorer to take a Test or Quiz in Blackboard, the Timer does not appear.

Solution/Work Around:

We are working to find a solution for this issue, until we do, using the Mozilla Firefox Browser or the Google Chrome browser will ensure that the timer will display properly.

Missing Assignments in "My Grades" tool

Problem Description:

When columns are rearranged or hidden in the instructor view of the grade center, the students "my grades" view will also be affected.

Solution/Work Around:

Do not hide assignment columns in the grade center.

Cannot delete announcement - work around

Symptoms/Cause:  When trying to delete announcements you may receive a red error message. 

Resolution/Workaround:  Reorder that announcement to a different position in the list of announcements by dragging it by the arrows on the left, then delete.

Red Banner Message when Accessing LU Webmail

Problem Description:

When accessing LU Webmail from a course menu, users receive a message which reads: “The Content below is outside of the Blackboard Learn environment.”

Solution/Work Around:

This message is benign and does not affect functionality. It merely informs the user that the viewable content has not been produced from the Blackboard.

Guest Access Error

When you log into your course you recieve the message “Guests are not allowed.”

Resolution/Workaround: Please clear the cache of your browser, clear all cookies, and restart your browser.  You should now be able to log in to your course.

Course Copy Tool Disabled

The Course Copy tool is not working and is causing numerous problems.  Course files from the originating course are not copying over to the destination course.  They are just creating a link back to the originating course files area.  Because students in the destination course do not have access to the originating course an error is thrown and the file cannot be downloaded or accessed.

For this reason we have removed the ability to Course Copy for all Instructor and TA level users in Blackboard.

Resolution/Workaround:

Export or Archive and Import is the preferred method of moving content from one course to another.

Please use the link below and find the Export - Import instructions half way down the General Blackboard Tutorials list.

http://www.liberty.edu/academics/cafe/index.cfm?PID=19485