File Manager - Windows Vista (WebDAV)

Upload files with WebDAV (Windows Vista)

Vista is not officially supported by ITS at this time, due to a number of incompatibilities with various services already in use on campus. However, we understand that many users must upgrade to this new Operating System. We have outlined the process of connecting your Vista machine to the Blackboard Manage Files area.

WebDAV allows you to connect to your course via the Network Drive under Computer and "drag and drop" files from your computer into your course File Manager.

Troubleshooting Tip: If you experience problems uploading or downloading files using WebDAV, try deleting your connection and then rebuilding it. If you continue to experience problems, try one of the other methods of managing files listed on this Web page.

• Login to your Blackboard Course
• Under the Build Tab, click on File Manager
• Click on the ActionLinks icon next to File Manager at the top center of your screen
• Select View WebDAV Info

• Press Ctrl-C to copy the WebDAV URL address displayed
  (Example: https://www.blackboard.uidaho.edu/webct/webdav/11111111/0000000001)
• Click OK to close the window 

• In Windows Vista, click on the Start Programs icon 
• Click on Computer (Windows Explorer)

• Click on Map network drive from the menu choices near the top of the window.

• In the resulting window, click on Connect to a Web site that you can use to store your documents and pictures

• Click Next
• Select Choose a custom network location and click Next
• Enter the WebDAV URL address you copied earlier into the box:
  (Example: https://www.blackboard.uidaho.edu/webct/webdav/11111111/0000000001)
• Uncheck the box that says Log on anonymously
• Enter your myUIdaho account and password and click Next
• Enter a Title for your course and click Finish
• Your course should now appear in Windows Explorer under Computer with the title you designated for it
• Double click on your course site folder to Open it. This will display the File Manager content inside of your Course Site > Build Tab > Manage Files area
• Now you may drag & drop files directly from the desktop into your course Manage Files area. Avoid using special characters ( @ # % & ; ) in file names.

  
   

• See the Learning Module or Course Content tutorial for further instruction on linking to your documents.

Microsoft Vista Patch

At the time this tutorial was written (11/14/07), Microsoft required a patch to allow WebDAV/Web Folders to function properly on Vista.

• Download and install the Patch from Microsoft

Visual Tutorials

• Tutorial - UW Green Bay
• Tutorial - UW
   

How to Link to your Files

Once files are uploaded into the File Manager, there are two primary ways to link to them for distribution to your students:

• Use a Course Content Folder as a container to display hyperlinks to uploaded files and Blackboard tools.
• Use a Learning Module as the container for links to uploaded files and Blackboard tools. The Learning Modules advantage is that student activity for these pages can be tracked.