Uploaded Files Are Not Visible to Others
From ctowiki
In the event that you have uploaded files to the MyClass, MySite, or other SharePoint site, but but others can not see them, you may find this helpful in resolving the problem.
The "missing" files are a little-known consequence of three different SharePoint features: required fields, Explorer View, and check-in/check-out.
Required fields: A list or library owner or designer can specify that certain data must be present for every item in the list or library. For example, the field "Item" in the "Class Materials" library is set to require q value. If you click the "New" button, the form you fill out shows a red asterisk next to the "Item" field, showing that it is required. If you don't enter something, the form submission is not accepted.
However, the "New" button is not the only way to create an item in a library. You can also use the "Explorer View", which lets you drag and drop from your local computer to the library. Unfortunately, the protocol which supports drag-and-drop does _not_ support additional fields like the "Item" field. So there is no way to supply the required data.
SharePoint's approach to this is to perform the upload, but "check out" the file to the uploading user. Only that user can "see" the file until it is checked in -- and it can't be checked in until the required data is supplied.
Other ways of creating items in libraries include the "Upload" button and the "Upload Multiple Files" button. If you upload one file, you must fill out a form which is the same one presented by the "New" button, with the same required fields. You can fill out the form and click "Check In" to complete the process, or you can click "Cancel" on the form, in which case the upload is completed but the file is not "checked in", and so is invisible to everyone but the uploader. If you upload multiple files, no form is presented, and the situation is exactly the same as the Explorer view drag-and-drop scenario.
You can see which files are checked out by looking at the little icon on the left of the file's listing. If the icon shows a little green arrow pointing down-right, the file is checked out. Use "Edit Properties" in the item's drop-down menu to supply the required values, then use the "Check In" in the item's drop-down menu to check the item in and make it visible to others.
One way to avoid this problem in the future is to eliminate the "required" property of the column. Unfortunately, you can't just turn "required" off. If you have no need for the data in the column, you can simply delete the entire column. If you do need the data, you will need to create another "unrequired" column, copy the data from the "required" column to the unrequired column, then delete the required column. I can help you with either of these processes; they're harder to explain than to do. You may contact me by reply email or by phone (5-0438) to discuss a time to meet.
Originally these features were intended to make SharePoint effective in a wide range of business environments; we are still learning how to set up MyClass spaces for maximum effectiveness for instructors and students. Depending on what you are trying to accomplish, they may be valuable, or more trouble than they are worth.