Overview
The Blackboard Learning System recognizes several file types that can be attached to
content items and opened in the page or directly in an associated application. It is important to remember that any type of file can be uploaded to a content item and made available to Students. If the file is not of a type recognized by the Blackboard
Learning System, users can always download the file and open it locally.
Administrators can make the Blackboard Learning System recognize additional file types and associated applications by adding MIME extensions to an XML file in the file system. This should only be done by an experienced System Administrator.
Add a MIME extension
To add a MIME extension that associates a file type with an application, edit the following XML file. The XML file includes a few sample extensions that can be used as a blueprint for creating additional MIME extensions.
Windows:
C:\blackboard\webapps\content\WEB-INF\web.xml UNIX:
/usr/local/blackboard/webapps/content/WEB-INF/web.xml
Recognized content attachments
The Content Attachments section of the Add Content Item page (available to
Instructors through the Course Control Panel) includes options to create a link, display a media file, or unpackage a file. If Display a media file within the page is chosen the attached file must be a format recognizable by the Blackboard Learning System. If it is not, the Blackboard Learning System will automatically create a link to the file. If a link to the file is created users may open the file in the appropriate application by clicking on the link assuming that the file type is recognized by the Blackboard
Learning System. For file types that are not recognized by the Blackboard Learning
System, users must first download the file and then open it.
The following file types are the file types recognized by the Blackboard Learning
System.
Extension File Type Programs associates with the file type .aam Multimedia Macromedia® Authorware® plug-in
.aiff Audio Audio program
.asf Multimedia Microsoft® .NET™ Show
.au Audio Real Audio Player™
.avi Video Video player (not Macintosh® compatible)
© 2004 Blackboard Inc. Proprietary and Confidential Page 97
.jif Image Graphics program or Web browser
.mpe Audio/Video
.mpg, .mpeg Image Graphics program or Web browser
.moov Movie
.mov, .movie Video Movie or media player
.pdf Text Adobe® Acrobat® Reader®
.ppt, .pps Slide show Microsoft® PowerPoint® and PowerPoint Player®
.qt Movie QuickTime®
.ra Audio Real Audio Player™
.ram Video Real Audio Movie™
.swa Audio Macromedia® Shockwave® plug-in
.swv, .swf Multimedia Macromedia® Shockwave® plug-in
.tiff Image Graphics program or Web browser
.txt Text Text or HTML editor, word processor
.wav Audio Audio program
.wma Audio
.wmf Graphic Microsoft® Windows®
.wmv Media/Audio Microsoft® Windows®
.wpd Text WordPerfect® or other word processor
Chapter 4—Course Configuration Options
Overview
This chapter reviews the features that determine the appearance and behavior of all courses.
In this chapter
Chapter 4—Course Configuration Options includes the following topics.
Topic Description
Course Settings This topic covers the Settings page. This is a menu page that includes links to several features for configuring the default properties and appearance of each course.
Set Default Course Properties This topic covers the Set Default Course Properties page. Administrators can define the initial properties of each course from this page. Set Default Course Design This topic covers the Set Default Course Design
page. Administrators can define the initial appearance of the Course Menu from this page. Set Default Course Menu This topic covers the Set Default Course Menu
page. Administrators can define the content, tools, and links that appear in each course’s Course Menu from this page.
Add New Area—Content Area This topic covers the Add New Area—Content Area page. Administrators can create a new content area to appear in each course’s Course Menu from this page.
Add New Area—Tool Area This topic covers the Add New Area—Tool Area page. Administrators can assign a tool to appear in each course’s Course Menu from this page.
Add New Area—Link Area This topic covers the Add New Area—Link Area page. Administrators can create a new link to appear in each course’s Course Menu from this page.
Course Tools This topic covers the Course Tools page. Administrators can set the initial availability of tools within all courses from this page.
Enable/Disable Course Creation This topic covers the Enable/Disable Course Creation page. Administrators determine how courses can be created from this page. Course Role Rename This topic covers the Course Role Rename
page. The names of the Course Roles can be changed from this page.
Course Disk Quotas This topic covers the Course Disk Quotas page. Disk space limits can be placed on all courses from this page.
© 2004 Blackboard Inc. Proprietary and Confidential Page 99 Select Icon Theme This topic covers the Select Icon Theme page.
Administrators determine the appearance of the icons in all courses by selecting an icon them from this page.