Blackboard: Known Issues

What are "known issues"?
All software comes with kinks and oddities that users need to know about. Sometimes these kinks pop up in one version of the software but not in the previous or the next, so it is important to keep up with the known issues. Every time we edit this file we'll change the date on link you clicked to get here, so you'll know when we've made edits.

"This MS Word File doesn't open when I click on it in Bb!" |
Assessments | Browsers | Drop Box File Names | Word 2007

"This MS Word File doesn't open when I click on it in Bb!"

Documents created in Word 2007 or Word 2008 do not open when users click on them in Bb. So if your student or instructor submits a document with the telltale .docx file extension follow these steps to open it:

• Right-click to open the context menu and save the document to your computer.
• Open the document by clicking on it or by opening Word and browsing for it.
• If you don't have Word 2007 on your computer follow the instructions in the Word 2007 section below to obtain the free compatilibility software

Instructors who don't want to receive documents in Word 2007 format should make this clear at the beginning of the course. Students, for your part you should be aware of the document formats your instructors will accept; if it is not written out in the syllabus it's best to ask your instructor before you submit yoiur first paper.

Finally, please remember that Word 2007 users can retro-save documents to the '97-2003 format using the Save As feature.

Assessments

The Blackboard assessment tool can be a little picky. See the roster below in order to avoid test-taking problems.

• Use one the two web browsers: MS Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox, http://www.mozilla.com. Both are free.
• Turn off any of the following for the duration of the test:
• Anti-virus software
• Firewalls
• Pop-up blockers (present on both browsers and Toolbars offered by Yahoo!, Google, etc.).
• Avoid being logged out by your browser by staying active -- if you have to think to answer a question clcik the Space bar every three minutes or so.
• Follow the test instructions to the letter. If you log off a test it is unlikely you'll be able to log back on.

Browsers

Blackboard tends to work better with some browsers than others.

• Best: Mozilla Firefox, http://www.mozzilla.com (free)
• Very good: MS Internet Explorer Comes with the Windows operating system
• Use with caution: Safari Macintosh
• Not recommended: AOL Browser

Digital Drop Box

Digital Drop Box filenames must be composed of alphanumeric characters. Special characters -- !@#$%^&*()_+ -- in filenames will not work. So so faculty will not be able to open a file titled:

assigntment#1.doc

but will be able to open a file titled:

assignment1.doc

Word 2007

Many of us now have Word 2007, but not everyone does. In a move worthy of Microsoft Word 2007 is not backwards compatible with the '97-2003 versions of Word, and this can cause some conflict between sets of people using different versions of the tool. Here are some strategies to help you navigate this problem:

• Word 2007 documents can be identified by the file exension: .docx
• Both faculty and students can allay problems by retro-saving documents. Select Save As and under Filetype select Word '97-2003 document. The file will bear the extension .doc and everyone will be able to read it.
• Microsoft Corp. offers a free compatibility pack. When you install it on you'll be able to open and read Word 2007 documents:
  http://tinyurl.com/2xp8e3
• Faculty who would like Word 2007 installed on their campus computers can contact the Help Desk: help@wpunj.edu or 973.720.help

Write for help or to suggest other anomalies:
harrisr@wpunj.edu