Blackboard@UVM Known Issues and Updates http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb A UVM blog Fri, 22 Mar 2013 14:17:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 Reordering course list, grade center items in Firefox – overlapping items, items fly off screen http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2013/03/22/reordering-course-list-grade-center-items-in-firefox-overlapping-items-items-fly-off-screen/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2013/03/22/reordering-course-list-grade-center-items-in-firefox-overlapping-items-items-fly-off-screen/#comments Fri, 22 Mar 2013 14:17:35 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=136 Problem: Attempting to reorder items while managing the course list and grade center results in overlapping items, and/or the items do not appear to go where placed.

Solution:  This is a known bug in Bb, which we are waiting on a fix for.  In the meantime, you can use the reorder button (a grey box with an up/down arrow set, above the list) to manage list order.

 

re-order items in grade center

 

reorder button

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2013/03/22/reordering-course-list-grade-center-items-in-firefox-overlapping-items-items-fly-off-screen/feed/ 0 Emails sent from announcement tool may contain HTML tags in message body http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2013/01/24/emails-sent-from-announcement-tool-may-contain-html-tags-in-message-body/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2013/01/24/emails-sent-from-announcement-tool-may-contain-html-tags-in-message-body/#comments Thu, 24 Jan 2013 04:04:59 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=115 Problem:  When creating announcements and checking the “send email” box, the resulting email message body may contain HTML tags.  This has been confirmed to occur when using “Smart Text” with the text editor off, but may happen with the visual editor as well.

Solution: There is no solution available at this time, however Bb has indicated that this is resolved in a future release.  The workaround is currently to avoid using HTML formatting where possible when creating announcements that need to be sent as emails.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2013/01/24/emails-sent-from-announcement-tool-may-contain-html-tags-in-message-body/feed/ 0 Emails sent from grade center arrive without message body http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2013/01/23/emails-sent-from-grade-center-arrive-without-message-body/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2013/01/23/emails-sent-from-grade-center-arrive-without-message-body/#comments Thu, 24 Jan 2013 03:39:44 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=112 Problem:  When sending an email to selected students from the grade center, and including a BCC or CC address, the message body arrives empty.

Solution:  There is no resolution for this issue at this time. Blackboard has indicated that this is fixed in the next version of blackboard.  The workaround when sending email from the Grade Center is to turn the Text Editor OFF, and not use BCC option or Include list of recipients option.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2013/01/23/emails-sent-from-grade-center-arrive-without-message-body/feed/ 0 “Alignment” settings appearing in various areas of course http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2013/01/11/alignment-settings-appearing-in-various-areas-of-course/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2013/01/11/alignment-settings-appearing-in-various-areas-of-course/#comments Fri, 11 Jan 2013 16:14:56 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=103 Problem: Settings appear in tool creation and other areas (such as when creating a Discussion Board forum) that pertain to an “Alignments” function.  However, these alignments settings don’t do anything.

Solution: Fields referencing “Alignments” can be ignored – they are remnants of a Blackboard feature that is not currently being deployed (but which is being evaluated).  Their presence has been identified as a bug, which is fixed in the next release of Blackboard.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2013/01/11/alignment-settings-appearing-in-various-areas-of-course/feed/ 0 Linked text created in text areas is not underlined http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2013/01/11/linked-text-created-in-text-areas-is-not-underlined/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2013/01/11/linked-text-created-in-text-areas-is-not-underlined/#comments Fri, 11 Jan 2013 16:04:58 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=100 This has been resolved.  Please report any further problems to blackboard@uvm.edu.

Links created in the visual text box editor in Blackboard display with no underline and in some themes are not differentiated by color.  A patch is forthcoming from Blackboard, however a temporary fix is being pursued to address this in the short term.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2013/01/11/linked-text-created-in-text-areas-is-not-underlined/feed/ 0 Respondus connection issues http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2013/01/02/respondus-connection-issues/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2013/01/02/respondus-connection-issues/#comments Wed, 02 Jan 2013 22:49:46 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=91 Problem:  Respondus 4.x no longer connects to bb.uvm.edu.

Solution:  Download and install the 4.0.5.04 Campus Wide patch.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2013/01/02/respondus-connection-issues/feed/ 0 Intermittent delays in page loads, application performance http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2012/02/01/intermittent-delays-in-page-loads-application-performance/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2012/02/01/intermittent-delays-in-page-loads-application-performance/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:05:19 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=85 This issue has been resolved.  If you continue to experience these symptoms, please contact blackboard@uvm.edu to report them.

Problem:  Users have reported sporadic delays in page loads.

Solution:  ETS has identified a possible cause for these performance issues and is working to apply a solution. Users who experience these problems should attempt to log out and then log back in again. There is no other workaround identified at this time.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2012/02/01/intermittent-delays-in-page-loads-application-performance/feed/ 0 Red error message on login http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2012/02/01/red-error-message-on-login/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2012/02/01/red-error-message-on-login/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:01:34 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=83 Problem: Some users have reported problems when logging in, noting that a large red error message is displayed. This has been documented as happening after logging into Bb from myUVM, then logging out of Bb from Bb. Attempting to log in via Bb directly produces the error.

Solution: Clearing the browser’s cookies and cache, then restarting the browser has been identified as a possible solution, as has logging in with another browser. Alternatively, going back to myUVM and logging in to Bb from within myUVM also works.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2012/02/01/red-error-message-on-login/feed/ 0 Students unable to see menu links to course tools such as Discussion Board, My Grades http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2012/01/30/students-unable-to-see-menu-links-to-course-tools-such-as-discussion-board-my-grades/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2012/01/30/students-unable-to-see-menu-links-to-course-tools-such-as-discussion-board-my-grades/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:49:06 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=79 This issue has been resolved.  Please contact blackboard@uvm.edu if the problem persists.

Problem:  Menu items for certain course tools do not appear for students, even when they are shown as available and visible to the instructor while edit mode is “Off”.

Solution:  We are waiting on a bug fix for this from Blackboard.  In the meantime, instructors can make sure these tools are available to students by following these steps:

  1. Click the green “+” button at the top of the course Menu, and select “Add tool link”
  2. Enter “Tools Area” in the name box, and select “Tools Area” from the list.  Click Submit.
  3. Click on the new Tools Area link on the course menu.
  4. If a tool is hidden, it will have “Show Link” next to it.  Click the “Show Sink” button next to it to ensure it’s available to students.

 

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2012/01/30/students-unable-to-see-menu-links-to-course-tools-such-as-discussion-board-my-grades/feed/ 0 Student name not appearing in Grade Center http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/10/31/student-name-not-appearing-in-grade-center/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/10/31/student-name-not-appearing-in-grade-center/#comments Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:56:31 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=77 Problem:  Increasing the font size in some versions of Firefox causes the last name in the Grade Center to disappear from view (the student is still in the course, just not visible in the Grade Center).

Solution:  This is resolved in a future version of Blackboard.  In the meantime reducing the font size or clicking on the “Screen reader” link above the Grade Center will reveal the hidden student.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/10/31/student-name-not-appearing-in-grade-center/feed/ 0 Wiki content does not copy over or import http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/09/19/wiki-content-does-not-copy-over-or-import/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/09/19/wiki-content-does-not-copy-over-or-import/#comments Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:15:36 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=73 Problem:  Wiki content copied or imported into a course will not appear after the copy/import process.

There is no solution for this issue. We are waiting on a fix from Blackboard. In the meantime, the workaround is to manually copy and paste the content into the new course.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/09/19/wiki-content-does-not-copy-over-or-import/feed/ 0 Problems deleting announcements http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/09/19/problems-deleting-announcements/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/09/19/problems-deleting-announcements/#comments Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:12:45 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=71 Problem:  Attempting to delete announcements imported from old courses results in an error similar to ” ORA-01407: cannot update (“BB_BB60″.”ANNOUNCEMENTS”.”ORDER_NUM”) to NULL”.

Solution:  Re-ordering the announcement before deleting it should allow it to be deleted.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/09/19/problems-deleting-announcements/feed/ 0 Opening a PDF shows a “missing plugin” error http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/09/02/opening-a-pdf-shows-a-missing-plugin-error/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/09/02/opening-a-pdf-shows-a-missing-plugin-error/#comments Fri, 02 Sep 2011 19:40:01 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=64 Update:  This will still show an error, however users will now see a link at the top of the page that allows them to download the PDF:

Opening an embedded PDF in Firefox - click on the link at the top.

Problem: Students clicking on a PDF that has been added to a course using the File command (see image) are presented with a grey screen and an error message that refers to a “missing plugin”. This has been reported on various browsers on Apple computers, including Firefox and Safari.

Solution

Faculty: Here’s how to make sure your PDF’s are accessible to your students.

  1. Click the grey chevron drop-down menu button next to the file name and choose Edit (you must be in “edit mode” to do this).
  2. Scroll to the option to “Open in New Window” and click Yes.
  3. Submit.

Students: If you are experiencing this problem, click on the link at the top of the page to download the PDF and open it on your computer.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/09/02/opening-a-pdf-shows-a-missing-plugin-error/feed/ 0 Guests cannot access uploaded files (401 error) http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/07/19/guests-cannot-access-uploaded-files-401-error/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/07/19/guests-cannot-access-uploaded-files-401-error/#comments Tue, 19 Jul 2011 17:11:49 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=59 Problem: Guests cannot access files in a course, and are prompted with a login box followed by 401 “forbidden” error after trying to access the files. This occurs for files that have been uploaded to a course after May 22nd 2011.

Solution: To make a file available to guests,

  1. Click on the grey chevron button next to the file name, and choose “Edit”.
  2. Click on “Select a Different File”. (see image)
  3. Click on “Browse Course”. (see image)
  4. Check the “Also assign Public permission to this file” box. (see image)
  5. Select the file from the list, and click on “Submit”.
  6. Click on “Submit” to complete the process.

To prevent this from happening with newly uploaded files,

  1. Upload a file to the “Files” area before putting it in a content area
  2. Then add the file to the content area by choosing Build -> File, not Build -> Item
  3. Be sure to select Browse Course, and check the “Also assign Public permission to this file” box when selecting the file.

This is an identified bug that is fixed in the next version of Blackboard. There is no patch available for the current version.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/07/19/guests-cannot-access-uploaded-files-401-error/feed/ 0 Domain administrators cannot enroll NetID accounts outside of their domain http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/05/30/domain-administrators-cannot-enroll-netid-accounts-outside-of-their-domain/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/05/30/domain-administrators-cannot-enroll-netid-accounts-outside-of-their-domain/#comments Mon, 30 May 2011 15:49:43 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=49 Domain administrators can no longer enroll users into a course in a domain that doesn’t include those users in it’s collection. hen entering the NetID to enroll, an error is displayed:

courseenrol.validate.user.not.in.domain

This is being escalated to Blackboard, and we are waiting on a solution.  In the meantime, please contact blackboard@uvm.edu if you need to enroll users in a domain-based course or organization.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/05/30/domain-administrators-cannot-enroll-netid-accounts-outside-of-their-domain/feed/ 0 “My Calendar” module has been turned off http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/05/30/my-calendar-module-has-been-turned-off/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/05/30/my-calendar-module-has-been-turned-off/#comments Mon, 30 May 2011 15:49:21 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=52 This has been resolved, and the Calendar tool has once again been made available.

Due to a critical bug in the Calendar module, this tool has been turned off.  A fix for the bug is expected in the next release of Blackboard, but a timeline is not available for when this will be patched.

The normal course calendar tools should work as expected.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/05/30/my-calendar-module-has-been-turned-off/feed/ 0 Pronto contacts not listed http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/05/30/pronto-contacts-not-listed/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/05/30/pronto-contacts-not-listed/#comments Mon, 30 May 2011 15:36:06 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=47 Some users have reported that when signing into the Pronto chat application on their computer, they don’t see contacts listed for classes that are using Pronto.

Below are some steps that have been identified as a possible workaround to this issue.

  • Sign into Blackboard
  • Go to the course
  • Click on the Pronto Chat Tool menu item (if this is not there, contact your instructor)
  • Then click on the Go to Pronto link (it may open up a new browser window)
  • Choose I already have pronto account (or, if this is your first time, create a Pronto account)
  • Sign in with your pronto ID
  • Unfold the list of courses you are taking so you can see the course listed there.
  • Start up Pronto on your computer

 

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/05/30/pronto-contacts-not-listed/feed/ 0 Importing a course package larger than 250MB fails http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/04/20/importing-a-course-package-larger-than-250mb-fails/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/04/20/importing-a-course-package-larger-than-250mb-fails/#comments Wed, 20 Apr 2011 15:17:41 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=43 When trying to import an archive or export file, an error is displayed and the process fails if the file is larger than 250MB.  This is a known bug that is resolved in 9.1.  In the meantime, contact blackboard@uvm.edu to request the file be restored manually by an administrator.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2011/04/20/importing-a-course-package-larger-than-250mb-fails/feed/ 0 Students with the same First and Last name are indistinguishable http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/12/students-with-the-same-first-and-last-name-are-indistinguishable/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/12/students-with-the-same-first-and-last-name-are-indistinguishable/#comments Tue, 12 Oct 2010 17:38:35 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=35 Students with the same first and last names within a course are indistinguishable in areas such as the discussion board, groups management, messages, and email.  This is a long standing bug in Blackboard, for which we are awaiting a resolution.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/12/students-with-the-same-first-and-last-name-are-indistinguishable/feed/ 0 Problems downloading attachements from blog/journal entries http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/12/problems-downloading-attachements-from-blogjournal-entries/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/12/problems-downloading-attachements-from-blogjournal-entries/#comments Tue, 12 Oct 2010 17:35:26 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=33 Problem: There is an identified bug that prevents downloading attached files from a blog/journal post.  This only happens if the file has a title with special (non-alphanumeric) characters in it.

Solution:  The author of the post can rename the file so it only contains letters and numbers, and then re-attach (re-upload) the file.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/12/problems-downloading-attachements-from-blogjournal-entries/feed/ 0 Occasional disappearing menu items http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/hello-world/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/hello-world/#comments Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:18:16 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=1 This has been resolved.  If you continue to encounter this problem, please contact blackboard@uvm.edu.

We have received reports of inconsistent course menu behavior where links on the menu will simply disappear and reappear. We (and other institutions) have submitted this problem to Blackboard. They are aware of the problem, and are researching the cause and a solution. In the meantime, a work-around that has been effective is switching to “Folder View” for the course menu. See a screenshot and directions.

This is a most troublesome (and elusive) issue and we are trying to provide Blackboard with additional information regarding this problem. If you are experiencing this issue with your course menu, please fill out this brief form.

Please include the following information:

  • The 5-Digit CRN of the course you are seeing the issue happening in
  • Date and time of the occurrence.
]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/hello-world/feed/ 0 Tools or buttons are missing or unavailable http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/tools-or-buttons-are-missing-or-unavailable/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/tools-or-buttons-are-missing-or-unavailable/#comments Fri, 01 Oct 2010 20:13:24 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=28 Problem: Tools or buttons (e.g. the “Build” button in a Course Materials area) in a course appear to be missing or non-existent.

Solution: Go to Control Panel -> Customization -> Tool Availability, and make sure checkboxes are checked for the tool in question. Submit the form.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/tools-or-buttons-are-missing-or-unavailable/feed/ 0 Discussion board text overlaps when viewing threads in “maximized view” http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/discussion-board-text-overlaps-when-viewing-threads-in-maximized-view/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/discussion-board-text-overlaps-when-viewing-threads-in-maximized-view/#comments Fri, 01 Oct 2010 20:12:21 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=25 When viewing a discussion board thread with a significant number of entries, the text overlaps with the entry listing, causing the entry to be difficult or impossible to read.

This is an identified bug. A resolution has not been identified yet for a future release. To prevent this from happening in the meantime, switch out of “maximize” view when viewing threaded discussions. This can be achieved by clicking the “minimize” button to the upper right of the discussion thread:

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/discussion-board-text-overlaps-when-viewing-threads-in-maximized-view/feed/ 0 Problems editing or creating Grade Center Smart Views when groups in course exist with special characters in their titles http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/problems-editing-or-creating-grade-center-smart-views-when-groups-in-course-exist-with-special-characters-in-their-titles/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/problems-editing-or-creating-grade-center-smart-views-when-groups-in-course-exist-with-special-characters-in-their-titles/#comments Fri, 01 Oct 2010 20:10:15 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=23 This is a known issue – a fix is expected in the next release. In the meantime, the workaround is to edit group titles so that they only contain alpha numeric characters (letters, spaces, and numbers).

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/problems-editing-or-creating-grade-center-smart-views-when-groups-in-course-exist-with-special-characters-in-their-titles/feed/ 0 “Not Implemented” error appearing after instructor enters a course http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/not-implemented-error-appearing-after-instructor-enters-a-course/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/not-implemented-error-appearing-after-instructor-enters-a-course/#comments Fri, 01 Oct 2010 20:09:34 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=21 This is a known issue – a fix is expected in the next release. The error is related to the Course Groups feature and begins when an instructor (or anyone) is listed in more than 10 groups.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/not-implemented-error-appearing-after-instructor-enters-a-course/feed/ 0 Problems downloading assignments from the Grade Center http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/problems-downloading-assignments-from-the-grade-center/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/problems-downloading-assignments-from-the-grade-center/#comments Fri, 01 Oct 2010 20:08:43 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=19 Instructors have reported problems downloading assignment files from the grade center. This problem will occurr if the assignment has a title with special (non-alphanumeric) characters in it.

Solution: To resolve this error, rename the assignment so that it has no characters other than letters and numbers (i.e. no #’s, &’s, etc). As always when making changes to your course, please remember to save a backup first.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/problems-downloading-assignments-from-the-grade-center/feed/ 0 Students being logged out of Blackboard prematurely; errors during exams http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/students-being-logged-out-of-blackboard-prematurely-errors-during-exams-resolved/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/students-being-logged-out-of-blackboard-prematurely-errors-during-exams-resolved/#comments Fri, 01 Oct 2010 20:07:14 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=17 UPDATE: A fix has been put in place to address a Blackboard bug that caused users to be prematurely logged out of the system. Additionally, a fix has been applied to prevent Blackboard from logging a user out when their myUVM session ends. If you are experiencing these problems and it has not been resolved after 24 hours, please contact blackboard support at blackboard@uvm.edu, and include the information described below.

Errors encountered during tests and quizzes might include messages when saving answers indicating that the answer could not be saved, or a warning when submitting an exam which erroneously suggests that a number of questions had not been answered.

Blackboard has also suggested that for longer exams (i.e. around 50 questions or more), the exam be delivered one question at a time, and to uncheck the “Force Completion” setting in the test options. This is to prevent the application from being overloaded, and to prevent user’s sessions from timing out.

If you continue to see this problem, please contact blackboard@uvm.edu with the following information:

  • The NetID of the student that experienced the problem
  • Specific description of the behavior that was encountered
  • Any error messages the student might have seen while experiencing the problem (in as much detail as possible)
  • The date and time that the problem/error occurred (as specific as possible)
]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/students-being-logged-out-of-blackboard-prematurely-errors-during-exams-resolved/feed/ 0 Inconsistent Font Formatting Problems in Bb Text Boxes http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/inconsistent-font-formatting-problems-in-bb-text-boxes/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/inconsistent-font-formatting-problems-in-bb-text-boxes/#comments Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:57:15 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=12 Update: You can now place content copied from word using the “Paste From Word” Mashup.  Find out how.

Sometimes, when text is copied from MSWord into a Bb text box, e.g., a content item, it may have uneven formatting. For instance, paragraph text or spacing may be at different sizes and difficult to reformat.

This is because the text from MS Word contains hidden formatting code that often conflicts with Bb. (While this also happened with the previous version of Bb, it seems to be occurring more frequently in Bb9.)

There are a couple of solutions to controlling the text format.

The most simple solution is to skip MSWord, altogether. Instead, type your text in a plain text editor such as NotePad (in Windows) or TextEdit (in Mac) with no formatting. Then, paste this into the Bb text box and format it with the Bb formatting tools, such as bold, italics, and bullets, seen in image below.

If you have to use MSWord, just know that if you paste that text directly into Bb, you may have formatting problems. The only way to fix them is to “clean” your text of its hidden formatting code (see below) and then re-format it again using the Bb format tools.

The Method for “Cleaning” Text is different for Windows and Mac Users

Windows Users:
Open the program, Notepad. (This is installed on all Windows computers) Copy the desired text from your MSWord document (.doc or .docx) and paste it into Notepad. Notepad doesn’t retain that hidden formatting code, so it’s essentially “cleaned.” Now, highlight and copy the text from Notepad and paste it into your Bb text box. Use the Bb formatting tools to create a finished page.
Mac Users:
Open the program, TextEdit. (This is installed on all Mac computers, found in Applications.) Before anything else, you’ll need to change one of the TextEdit preferences.Follow these steps (shown in this illustration)
1) Click Preferences   2) Choose Plain Text    3) Close Preferences

Now, copy the desired text from your MSWord document (.doc or .docx) and paste it into TextEdit. This effectively “cleans” the text of the unwanted, hidden code. Then, highlight and copy the text from TextEdit and paste it into your Bb text box. Use the Bb formatting tools to create a finished page.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/inconsistent-font-formatting-problems-in-bb-text-boxes/feed/ 0 Unable to download student tracking reports from performance dashboard http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/unable-to-download-student-tracking-reports-from-performance-dashboard/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/unable-to-download-student-tracking-reports-from-performance-dashboard/#comments Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:52:42 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=10 This should be resolved at this time. Please contact blackboard@uvm.edu if you experience this problem.

]]> http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/unable-to-download-student-tracking-reports-from-performance-dashboard/feed/ 0 Assessments become inaccessible after end date if no start date was specified http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/assessments-become-inaccessible-after-end-date-if-no-start-date-was-specified-resolved/ http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/2010/10/01/assessments-become-inaccessible-after-end-date-if-no-start-date-was-specified-resolved/#comments Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:48:24 +0000 jhenry http://blog.uvm.edu/ctl-bb/?p=8 Instructors are prevented from re-opening their tests after the end date has passed, if they didn’t originally check the start date box. Blackboard now recognizes this as a bug, and software fix (a “patch”) may be available soon.

UPDATE: A fix has been put in place at the system level to correct this problem as it occurs. If you are experiencing this problem and it has not been resolved after 24 hours, please contact blackboard support at blackboard@uvm.edu, and include the 5-digit CRN of the course containing the assessment.

Important: If you are using a date restriction on the test availability (such as the “Display Until” feature), you must have BOTH the “Display After” and the “Display Until” boxes checked. The error seems to happen when only an end date (Display Until) is checked, but the start date (Display After) is not.

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