WebCT/WebDAV

From ctowiki

This page refers to WebCT but is applicable to the Blackboard CE system known as eLearning and formerly called WebCT.

WebDAV (Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning) is a technology that permits file storage areas on a server to appear in a window on the desktop of your computer, just as if they were local disks. Using WebDAV, you can transfer files in both directions between eLearning and your computer by drag-and-drop. The eLearning system permits the use of WebDAV to transfer files to and from Content Manager and Course File Manager storage areas.

Contents 1 Connecting to eLearning with WebDAV 1.1 Windows 1.1.1 Open as Web Folder for IE 6 1.1.2 Network Places For IE 7 and other browsers 1.1.2.1 Get WebDAV Information 1.1.2.2 Create a Network Place 1.1.2.3 Opening the Network Place 1.1.3 Re-opening a file area as a network place 1.1.4 How do I drag and drop? 1.2 Macintosh

Connecting to eLearning with WebDAV

Windows

There are two methods for connecting to file areas via WebDAV: "Open as Web Folder", and "Network Places". The first method is simpler, but works only with Internet Explorer (and currently, only with IE6); the second is provided for IE 7 browser or other browsers in case the first doesn't work with your browser.

Open as Web Folder for IE 6

1. Log in to eLearning. Navigate to the file area to which you wish to connect (e.g., "My Files", or the "File Manager" area of a course).
2. Next to the name of the area, you will see an "action menu" icon (a down-arrow with a horizontal lines below it). Click on this icon to open the action menu. Select "Open as Web Folder".
3. A new browser window will open listing the contents of the file area. You can treat this window as if it were a folder on your local hard disk; for example, you can double-click to open a file, and drag files from it to a local window (or vice-versa).

Network Places For IE 7 and other browsers

You will get the WebDAV information for the file area, then create a Windows "Network Place" with that information . When you open the "Network Place", the WebCT file area is displayed as a Web Folder.

Get WebDAV Information

1. Log in to eLearning. Navigate to the file area to which you wish to connect (e.g., "My Files", or the "File Manager" area of a course).
2. Next to the name of the area, you will see an "action menu" icon.
   
3. Click on this icon to open the action menu.
   
4. Select "View WebDAV Info". A box will open displaying the "Folder Path" (beginning with "https://webct.wsu.edu...").
   
   The Folder path is automatically selected. Copy it (e.g., with CTRL-C). Click OK.

Create a Network Place

1. Click "Start" in the lower-left corner of the screen. The "Start" menu will open.
   
   
   
   Select "My Network Places". A window will open showing your previously-defined network places.
2. In the sidebar at the left side of the window, open "Network Tasks" if it is not already open by clicking on the downward-pointing double-arrow (1). Then click "Add a network place" (2).
   
   
   
   A wizard (box) will open.
3. Click "Next". "Where do you want to create this network place" is displayed. Click "Choose another network location." Click "Next".
4. "What is the address of this network place?" is displayed. In the "Internet or network address" box, paste the "folder path" you copied from the eLearning "WebDAV Info" box. Click "Next".
5. You will be asked for username and password. Use your WSU network ID and password. You may choose to have the username and password stored on the machine; this is probably not a good idea unless you are on a computer that you do not share with anyone. Click OK.
6. "What do you want to name this place?" is displayed. A numeric ID is inserted for you in the "Type a name for this network place" box. You will probably want to use a name that is meaningful to you, such as "My Files on eLearning" or "English 101 Sec 3". Click "Next".
7. "You have successfully created this network place" is displayed. If you leave the "Open this network place when I click Finish" box checked, and click "Finish", the Network Place is created and opened in a window as a Web folder.

Opening the Network Place

1. If you did not leave the "Open..." box checked, or if you close the window and later want to open it again: click on the "Start" button in the lower-left corner of the screen, then "My Network Places", then double-click on the Network Place you just created. The WebCT file area is opened in a window as a Web folder.

Re-opening a file area as a network place

Once you have created a network place, you can reopen it simply by clicking on the "Start" button in the lower-left corner of the screen to open the "Start" menu, selecting "My Network Places", and then double-clicking on the network place for the eLearning file area.

How do I drag and drop?

Once you have opened the eLearning file area (Content Manager or course File Manager) as a Web folder, you can copy files easily to and from the file area and your computer.

1. Leave the eLearning Web folder window open, and open another window on your local computer:
   1. click the "Start" button in the lower-left corner of the screen. The "Start Menu" opens.
   2. Click on "My Computer". A "local" window on your computer opens.
2. To upload files to eLearning:
   1. Navigate in the local window to the folder location of your files.
   2. Size and position the windows, the local window and the eLearning Web folder window, so you can see both windows.
   3. Put the mouse pointer over a file to copy and "drag" it by clicking on and holding the mouse button down while you move the pointer (and an image of the file icon) from the local window to the eLearning web folder window. Then let the mouse button go to "drop" the file into the eLearning window.
3. To download files, reverse the process, "dragging" files from the eLearning web folder window and "dropping" them in the local window.
4. You may also drag and drop a folder that contains many files.
5. To finish, close both windows by clicking the close X at the upper right corner of each window. Then return to the course content home page. In the menu at the left, select the file manager again to see the new files. This method also works for the Content Manager (My Files).

Macintosh

Although WebDAV is supported by the Mac OS X Finder, we have not been able to get it to work correctly with eLearning. Connections are made correctly and the file area appears as a Finder window, but uploads fail to complete correctly. We hope for a fix from Blackboard soon.