FAQ: Content

How are the Manage Files, Manage Content, and View Content areas different?

All your course files are stored in the Manage Files area. Students cannot access your Manage Files area, however; you must create links on a Content Menu. You create and manage Content Menu links in the Manage Content areas, and you view the Content Menu in the View Content area.

Links on the Content Menu, which ICON calls Topics, are organized into folders called Content Modules. By default, ICON displays the word Unit before each Content Module name. For example:

• Unit First Module Name

  • Topic 1 (file)

  • Topic 2 (file)

  • Topic 3 (external web page)

• Unit Second Module Name

  • Topic 1 (file)

  • Topic 2 (file)

For an illustrated overview of how the Content tool works, see the Online Help section Posting Content Files in ICON – Overview.

May 6 2008

What's the best way to get my files into ICON?

That depends on how many files you’re planning to post.

If you’re posting only one file at a time, you can upload it from within the Manage Content area. ICON will create a link on the Content Menu and save the actual file in the Manage Files area. For instructions, see the Online Help section Uploading and Posting a Single File (“Topic”).

If you’re planning to post multiple files, you can upload them directly to your Manage Files area and then go to the Manage Content area and create the links on the Content Menu. This approach allows you to upload multiple files at once. It also allows you to create multiple links in the Content area with a single action. For instructions, see the Online Help section Uploading and Posting Multiple Files ("Topics").

If you plan to post many files over the course of the semester, you may wish to use a protocol called WebDAV to set up a direct link from your computer to your ICON course files. That way, you can drag and drop files into and out of your ICON Files area.

For instructions (except Windows Vista users), see the Online Help section Adding / Editing Files with WebDAV.

If you are a Windows Vista user, you will not be able to create a WebDAV folder by mapping a network drive, but you can use WebDAV through a third-party application such as Dreamweaver. See the Online Help section Setting up Dreamweaver 8 and WebDAV for Use with ICON. (Advanced users may be able to alter their registry editor to enable WebDAV in Vista, but this solution is not recommended for most users because altering the registry editor incorrectly can cause serious problems to the operating system. The Microsoft document Troubleshooting Web Folders describes how to enable WebDAV in Vista.)

Keep in mind that your files will not be available to students until you creaate a link in the Content Menu. For instructions, see Uploading and Posting Multiple Files ("Topics").

Important: If you plan to use custom javascript code in your html files, make sure that you have a backup copy of your files on your computer before opening them with ICON's built-in HTML editor. The editor will break and overwrite javascript code it does not understand.

25 April 2008

I have a lot of content files. What's the best way to display them?

If your course has many content files, you can make the Content area more user friendly by displaying the file links in the sidebar instead of in the main Content Menu. Not only will this save scrolling, but all the links for the module will be visible while the student is viewing files. For step-by-step instructions, see the Online Help section Adding and Formatting Content Modules

3 April 2007

I am posting only one file. Do I have to put it inside a Content Module?

Yes. ICON requires that all links in the Content Menu (which students use to access files) be posted inside Content Modules. So even if you post only one file, you’ll need to start by creating a Content Module to put the link in. For instructions on creating a Content Module, see the Online Help section Adding and Formatting Content Modules.

22 February 2007

Can I modify or eliminate the sidebar in the Content area?

Yes. Click Content in the NavBar and then click the Settings link at right. Make your changes and click Save.

25 April 2008

Why can't I open/download Content files?

If the filename is too long (more than 124 characters, counting the extension), or if there is a space at the beginning of the filename, or if the filename contains one of the following illegal characters, the file will not download from the Content Menu:

" * / : < > ? \ | ' & ; *

• Adobe Acrobat is not installed on your machine. Go to www.adobe.com and follow the instructions for downloading the latest free version.
• Microsoft Office is not installed on your machine. You can purchase a copy at the IMU for around $10.
• Your browser is not supported by ICON. Try one of the ICON-supported browsers: Mozilla or Netscape 7+ on a Mac; IE or Mozilla on a Windows machine.
• The File has downloaded to your workstation and must be opened from within a particular software program, such as Microsoft Word. Do a Search for the file on your workstation; then start up the relevant software and open the file from within it.
• Microsoft Office is not installed on your machine. You can purchase a copy at the IMU for around $10.
• A popup blocker is installed on your machine (Windows users). Change the setting to allow popup windows that are part of the icon.uiowa.edu site.
• The PowerPoint file format used is not downloadable. Call the ITS HelpDesk at 384-HELP.
• The cookies and temporary Internet settings are interfering and need to be deleted (Windows users). Open the Internet Options control panel and click the General tab.
• The file is too big for slow modems. Try another computer. The ITC’s on campus have fast connection.

You can fix this problem easily by editing the filename:

1. Click Content in the NavBar.
2. Click Manage Files at right.
3. Click the Rename icon.
4. Edit the filename in the popup window and click OK.

For further assistance, call the ITS HelpDesk at 384-HELP.

25 April 2008

How do I put library reserve materials in my ICON course?

You can post links to electronic library reserve materials in your course Content area. Upon request, selected reserve staff will add the files to your Manage Files area (which your students cannot see). Then you create links for students in your Content Menu.

For step-by-step instructions on allowing Reserve staff access and posting the links in the Content Menu, see the Online Help section Adding Library Reserve Materials.

28 March 2007

The Updates box on my homepage tells me I have 15 broken links. What can I do with this information?

Unfortunately, this Broken Links “tally” does not appear to be very useful. It does not include links that don’t work because you mis-typed the url or because the web address is no longer valid. And while you may wonder if it refers to Content links that were broken because you renamed a file in the File Manager or moved a file to a different directory, the answer is no. These actions do not break the links to the Content Menu.

So where does ICON get this Broken Links number? We’re not entirely sure. We know that ICON reports a broken link when a student or other user modifies the address in their url after they click on the link you provided. There may have been a time such information was helpful, but no longer.

If the Broken Links number is basically meaningless, how do you know you have any bad links? The only way you can tell is to open your Content and Links tools and check your urls.

28 March 2007

I converted a PowerPoint presentation to Articulate, and now some of my students can't access it. Why?

Some instructors convert PPT files to Articulate because Articulate works better on the web. But students must have the Flash Player to view these files. Students who don’t have Flash Player can download it from http://adobe.com.

28 March 2007

How can I add an RSS feed to my ICON course?

You can put RSS feed links in a Widget on your course homepage or on an HTML page in your Content Menu. For step-by-step instructions, see the Online Help section, Adding RSS Feeds.

28 March 2007