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{{Working with files and folders}}
{{Managing content}}
<p class="note">'''Please refer to [[Talk:Working_with_files_and_folders|page comments]] before editing this page.'''</p>
*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.


For the user who wants to add or find files, the file picker will be the tool they will use.  The file picker comes up within a context (any time you want to work with any kind of file).
==Adding files==
*To add files or folders, a teacher needs to have editing turned on in their course, and then select either [[File]] or [[Folder]] from either the Activity chooser, or from the "Add a resource" drop-down menu.


==Accessing the File Picker==
{|
From Moodle 2.0 onwards, access to the File Picker can be found in many places. For example in the the Add A Resource menu most options will use it, the [[HTML editor]](add a picture or a link), or by updating any existing file.
| [[File:filefolder23.png|thumb|Selecting a file or folder in the activity chooser]]
| [[File:Workingwithfiles.png|thumb|The "Add a resource" drop down menu]]
|}


==Orientation within the File Picker==
*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 does not work with Internet Explorer.)


On YouTube, an [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3DeIrip8Co|short animated tour of the File Picker].
{|
| [[File:newdraganddrop.png|thumb|Area for dragging and dropping files into]]
|}


In the image below, we have selected the Server Files repository at demo.moodle.org and the English Moodle Features Demo course. Because we have logged in as the teacher, this displays the file structure for the context of the course.
==Viewing uploaded files==


[[File:File picker demo moodle server files.png|thumb|center|300px|Moodle Feature Demo's Server files]]
{{New features}}* Once uploaded, files appear as thumbnails in the file manager for easy recognition.
The major parts shown are:
* Files view can be easily toggled between icons view, table view with sizes and dates, or a hierarchical list view.
# The repository column
# The file picker column
# Upload a file repository link - for this [[Context]]
# [[Server files]] - those files you have permission to access
#[[Working with files and folders#Folder structure and paths|Folders]] in System/English/Moodle Features Demo - these contain files
# [[Repositories]] - for example, Dropbox, Google, Flickr, Wikimedia


==Uploading a file==
{|
| [[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]]
|}


The following instructions explain how to upload and display a single file in a section of your area's front page.
==Editing or updating uploaded files==


#Go to the course area where you want the file to be available and Turn Editing On.
*Clicking on the name of an uploaded file opens up a pop up dialogue box which allows file details to be quickly altered.
#Go to the relevant section on its front page
#Select the Add A Resource menu
#Select File; this loads the Adding A New File To... screen
#Give your file a brief, meaningful name (displays as the text of the link) and a brief description (displays in the index of resources)
#Select the Add button; this loads the File Picker
#From the left column, select Upload A File
#Select the Browse Button; this loads your computer's file management system, allowing you to select the file you need.
#Select the file you need; this returns you to the File Picker.
#Change the remaining settings as appropriate:
##If you want to change the name of the file, enter the new name in the Save As field
##If you want to indicate the author of the file, enter their name in the Author field
##If you want to apply different copyright licence, select it from the Choose License menu
#Then click the Upload This File button; this returns you to the Adding A New File To... screen
#We'll look at the other settings elsewhere; for now, scroll down and click Save And Return To Course
#A link to your file should appear in place.


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


''Tip:'' First it is useful to determine the context for uploading files. For example, in the File Picker window above, we can see that this course has a folder resource called "A directory (folder)".  If you look in the Resource section of Moodle Features Demo, you will see a link called "A directory".  There are also folders with "(file)" in their names and you can find those links in the course as well.  Each course context will create a folder subfolders within the server file structure.
==Creating an alias/shortcut==


==Uploading a several files at once==
{{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):


This is a way to avoid repetitive process of uploading file by file. It is also a good way to upload a small web site i.e. a collection of interrelated files with a strict structure and a start page.
{|
| [[File:alias.png|thumb|Creating an alias]]
| [[File:shortcut1.png|frame]]
|}


Your organisation may offer alternative ways to upload several files at once, including WebDAV or FTP. Otherwise to upload a several files at once you need to 'zip' (compress and bundle) them first, to get Moodle to treat them as a single upload. The following instructions explain how to create and upload a zip file, unzip it, and display on your area's front page.
===Areas in which aliases cannot be made===


Please note, the details may vary depending on what software your computer is running.
An alias cannot be made in the following areas of Moodle:


===First, on your computer, create your zip file===
* an assignment submission
* a forum post attachment
* a workshop submission
* a quiz essay
* a database activity file field


#Open your file management software (e.g. My Computer or the Finder) and go to the place on your local or networked filespace where your files are stored
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:
#Ensure the files are organised into the folder structure you want to display when you upload. N.b. the only limit on the number of files here is the file size limit per upload set by your Moodle Administrator and (if lower) your own course area.
#Ensure the start page is at the top level of the structure, and clearly named
#Select all the folders and files you want to upload. To do this:
##on a PC running Windows, hold down the Ctrl key and click on each file
##on a Mac, hold down the Command (aka Apple) key and click on each file
##on Linux
##if all the files are contiguous, you can click on the top one, hold down the Shift key and click on the bottom one; all the intervening files will then be selected
#Next, zip them together to make learn.gold treat them as a single file for the purposes of uploading. To do this:
##on a PC, right-click on your selection and choose Send To > Compressed (zipped) folder, or similar
##on a Mac, use Archive or see http://www.apple.com/pro/tips/zip.html
##on Linux
#Note the name of the new zipped file.


===Next, upload your zip to your Moodle area, unzip, and display===
{|
| [[File:aliasassignment.png|thumb|Assignment submission with no option to create an alias]]
|}


#Go to the course area where you want the files to be available and Turn Editing On
==See also==
#Go to the relevant section on its front page
*How to share a single file with students: [[File]]
#Select the Add A Resource menu
*How to share a folder of files with students: [[Folder]]
#Select File; this loads the Adding A New File screen
*Questions about the file picker: [[File picker FAQ]]
#Enter a brief, meaningful name (displays as the text of the link) and a brief description (displays in the index of resources)
* [[Restoring file aliases]]
#Select the Add Button; this loads the File Picker
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrOKxYRJvGU How teachers upload files in Moodle 2 video]
#Select Upload A File
#Select the Browse Button; this loads your computer's file management system, allowing you to select the file you need.
#Select the zip file you made; this returns you to the File Picker, where your zip file's name is displaying.
#Change the remaining settings as appropriate
#Select Upload This File; this returns you to the Adding A New File screen, where your zip file's name is now displaying
#Select the settings icon adjacent to your zip file; this loads a menu
#Select Unzip; this unpacks its contents
#You now need to tell Moodle which page from the collection to open first; find the start page among the unpacked folders and/or files and click its adjacent settings icon; from the menu that loads select Set Main File; it title will then display bold
#You don't need the zip file any more, so select its settings icon and delete it
#Scroll down and click Save And Return To Course; this loads your area's front page with the link to your collection's start page displaying in place.


Note that these instructions above only generate a link to one of the files in your unzipped upload - unless that file contains links to the others, they will remain inaccessible to learners until you create dedicated links to them.
[[de:Arbeiten mit Dateien und Verzeichnissen]]
 
[[fr:Utilisation de fichiers]]
To link to any of those other files, open the File Picker from any of your other contexts (e.g. a different section or course area) and browse to the relevant file (a search function is planned for a future release).
 
==Uploading and displaying a folder==
 
(Your organisation may offer alternative ways to upload a folder of files, including WebDAV or FTP. If you have a large collection, you may want to consider setting up a repository.)
 
Otherwise first prepare your zipped folder following the instructions for creating a zip file above - but ensuring that you have organised the files you're uploading inside a single folder before you zip.
 
Then upload and unpack your zipped folder as follows:
 
#Go to the course area where you want the file to be available and Turn Editing On
#Go to the relevant section on its front page
#Select the Add A Resource menu
#Select Folder; this loads the Adding A New Folder screen
#Give your Folder a brief, meaningful name (displays as the text of the link) and a brief description (displays in the index of resources)
#Select the Add Button; this loads the File Picker
#Select Upload A File
#Select the Browse Button; this loads your computer's file management system, allowing you to select the file you need.
#Select the zip file you made; this returns you to the File Picker, where your zip file's name is displaying.
#Change the remaining settings as appropriate
#Select Upload This File; this returns you to the Adding A New Folder screen, where your zip file's name is now displaying
#Select the settings icon adjacent to your zip file; this loads a menu
#Select Unzip; this unpacks your folder its name will display
#You don't need the zip file any more so select its settings icon and delete it
#Scroll down and click Save And Return To Course; this loads your area's front page with the link to your folder displaying in place
#Selecting the link to your folder will display a tree menu of its contents, with links to each.
 
==Displaying existing files from different contexts in a single folder==
 
The following instructions explain how to gather together files already uploaded to various different contexts and display them together within a folder on your area's front page.
 
==Folder structure and paths==
<includenly>Once a repository has been selected with a click, File picker will show a breadcrumb path with links at the top and any folders or files under it.
 
In the example below, we were in Moodle Features Demo and as a teacher wanted to add a file resource.  We started in the [[Context]] of the course.  We then drilled down by clicking on the folders until we got to the folder that contained images we used in a [[Lesson]] context.
 
[[File:File Picker demo moodle legacy files.png|thumb|400px|center|Using the Server files repository, we drilled down]]
 
If we click on the "English" link in the breadcrumb path, we will see the folders for each course(context) in the English category (context) of courses (this is the first screenshot on this page). <includeonly>

Latest revision as of 15:10, 9 April 2013

  • 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 editing turned on in their course, and then select either File or Folder from either the Activity chooser, or from the "Add a resource" drop-down menu.
Selecting a file or folder in the activity chooser
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 feature
in Moodle 2.3!

  • 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 does not work with Internet Explorer.)
Area for dragging and dropping files into

Viewing uploaded files

New feature
in Moodle 2.3!

  • Once uploaded, files appear as thumbnails in the file manager for easy recognition.
  • Files view can be easily toggled between icons view, table view with sizes and dates, or a hierarchical list view.
File picker icon view
File picker table view
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 to be quickly altered.
File info popup dialogue

Creating an alias/shortcut

New feature
in Moodle 2.3!

  • 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):
Creating an alias
shortcut1.png

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:

Assignment submission with no option to create an alias

See also

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