View source for Working with files

{{Managing content}}
*Moodle provides an easy way for a teacher to present materials to their students. These materials may take the form of files such as word-processed documents or slideshow presentations. The materials can be displayed on the page either as individual items or bundled together inside folders. One teacher might for instance wish to share a single research document in pdf format; another might have a folder of sample past examination papers for students to download.
*Most types of files can be uploaded and accessed through Moodle but the student needs to have the correct software to be able to open them.

==Adding files==
*To add files or folders, a teacher needs to have the editing turned on in their course and then select either [[File]] or [[Folder]] from the activity chooser (or "Add a resource" drop down menu).

{|
| [[File:filefolder23.png|thumb|Selecting a file or folder in the activity chooser]]
| [[File:Workingwithfiles.png|thumb|The "Add a resource" drop down menu]]
|}

*The screen for uploading and displaying a file (or folder of files) includes an "add" button. Clicking on this button takes you to the [[File picker]] which is the name given to the file storage and access area within Moodle. Find out more about the places you can upload or add files from in the [[File picker]] page.
{{New features}}*There is also a block (with an arrow) into which you can drag and drop a file straight from your desktop into Moodle. (Note that this currently doesn't work with Internet Explorer.) 

{|
| [[File:newdraganddrop.png|thumb|Area for dragging and dropping files into]]
|}

==Viewing uploaded files==

{{New features}}* Once uploaded, files appear as thumbnails in the file manager for easy recognition.
* Files view can be easily toggled between icons view or a table view with sizes and dates, or a hierarchical list view. 

{|
| [[File:truthumbnailsiconsview.png|thumb|File picker icon view]]
| [[File:tableview.png|thumb|File picker table view]]
| [[File:hierarchicallistview.png|thumb|File picker hierarchical list view]]
|}

==Editing or updating uploaded files==

*Clicking on the  name of an uploaded file opens up a pop up dialogue box which allows file details quickly to be altered.

{|
| [[File:popupdialogue.png|thumb|File info popup dialogue]]
|}

==Creating an alias/shortcut==

{{New features}}*When an uploaded file (or a file from the Box.net, file system or EQUELLA repositories) is re-used elsewhere on Moodle, the teacher has the option to make a copy (a new, unconnected version) or to create a shortcut or ''alias''.
*If an alias is created, then when the original file is updated, it will change in all instances of the alias. So a teacher might add course notes to their private files for example, and then add them into a number of courses. When the teacher makes an alteration in the file in their private files, this alteration will be reflected in all instances of the course notes.
*An alias can be recognised by its thumbnail. See the difference in the screenshot below between the original file (left) and the alias (right):

{|
| [[File:alias.png|thumb|Creating an alias]]
| [[File:shortcut1.png|frame]]
|}

===Areas in which aliases cannot be made===

An alias cannot be made in the following areas of Moodle:

* an assignment submission
* a forum post attachment
* a workshop submission
* a quiz essay
* a database activity file field

This is to prevent cases such as a student uploading an item for assessment and then subsequently changing the original in their private files. When a student uses a file from their private files in one of these instances, they do not see the options to "copy" or "create an alias". Below is an example of a file added to an assignment:

{|
| [[File:aliasassignment.png|thumb|Assignment submission with no option to create an alias]]
|}

==See also==
*How to share a single file with students: [[File]]
*How to share a folder of files with students: [[Folder]]
*Questions about the file picker: [[File picker FAQ]]
* [[Restoring file aliases]]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrOKxYRJvGU How teachers upload files in Moodle 2 video]

[[de:Arbeiten mit Dateien und Verzeichnissen]]
[[fr:Utilisation de fichiers]]