Resource

THL Toolbox > Workflow Issues > Sakai Collaborative Worksite Technology > Resource

Manual for Using Resources Folder in Collab for Upload/Download

Contributor(s): Steve Weinberger, THL Staff.

Overview

Resources allows you to upload resources to share with others. You can upload the following types of resources:

files of any type
URLs
Citations

Citations also allow you to use Google Scholar to find a reference and automatically import the corresponding citation.

There is also internal capaciity to create a HTML page, or create a Text document (no formatting) using the Resource section's own built-in editors.

Finally there is an option to "Collectus", which involves using a tool that takes selected resources and makes them into collections for further manipulation and use as a collection. However it appears to not work at present.

Downloading Resources

The Resources tool allows users to upload files to the Worksite as well as to then download those files. This thus provides an easy way to share files over the Web between users. These resources can be organized into folders and subfolders that you determine. The resultant resource can also be made available to the general public through a URL, even if they don't have access to the worksite itself. Functionally, this can also provide an alternative to email attachments, so that one can simply upload the file in question and send others the corresponding URL so that they can choose if and when they want to download it.

The uploaded file can of any type - an image, a PDF, a text, a zipped collection of files, etc. In addition, you can upload a URL for a give Web page, so that you can create a folder which essentially functions to present Web favorites. In addition, you can create a Web page within the tool and upload it - choosing "HTML" as the Item Type when you upload gives you access to an online HTML editor to create a Web page. Likewise, choosing "Simple Text Page" as the Item Type gives you a simple text input box.

Downloading a Resource

Click on "Resources" in the left hand menu of the Collab worksite provides you a list of all resources currently available. Clicking on the desired item will allow you to open it, or right clicking will give you the opportunity to save it on your hard drive in a specified location.

Uploading a Resource

To upload a resource, go the folder you want to add it to, and click on "Add". Then specify the item type of resource - "file" being the most common - and use the "browse" button to specify where it is on your hard drive, and then click the "add" button below to upload. If you want, you can also retitle it, or put in a description. In addition, you can specify under "access" whether it is available only to members of the worksite ("display to site"), or whether it can be accessed by anyone on the Web ("Display to non-members (publicly viewable)").

Using Folders and Subfolders

To create a folder or subfolder, you follow the same process as uploading a resource. However you specify the item as type as "folder" and provide it a name. If a folder contains items - either subfolders or resources - then it has a + or - sign within it. + signifies that clicking on it will expand it and thus show its contained resources, while - signifies that clicking on it will collapse it and thus hide its contained resources.

Making Resources available to others

In order to make resources available to others, you have three options. Firstly, members of the worksite can simply go to the Resources section and download. Secondly, you can easily link to items in the Resources section from the Collab Wiki. Thirdly, you can make the resource publically viewable and send people the corresponding URL.

Importing Resources from Another Worksite

You can import Resources from one worksite to another now. To import all of the Resources from one site to another, use Site Info | Import from Site. To copy selected resources from one site to another, go to the site that contains the resources, check the box next to those resources you want to copy, scroll to the top of the frame and click Copy Checked, then scroll down to the bottom of the page, choose Show Sites, then drill down into the Resources of the site in which you want to paste the copied resource(s).

Public Views of Resources

You can get a public URL to refer to the Resources folders for viewers from any browser outside of the worksites. When you go to "revise" for a given folder or file, one of the options is "access". By choosing "Display to non-members (publicly viewable)", a URL can be used by public users without authentication. The URL can be obtained at any point by clicking on "revise" to view the associated information about a given resource, which includes the URL.

Upload-Download Multiple Resources

If you need to upload or download multiple resources at one time, it is best to use the WebDav procedure so you can efficiently copy and paste things back and forth with your hard drive. You can get simple and clear instructions for both Mac (CyberDuck software is recommended) and Windows by clicking on the "WebDav Instructions" link at the top of the Resources page for any collab site. The following are instructions for doing this on Windows Vista.

Note: for Windows 7 use the BitKinex free software, available for download at external link: http://www.bitkinex.com/download.php

WebDAV stands for "Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning". It is a set of extensions to the HTTP protocol that lets users collaboratively edit and manage files on a remote web server. Before you set up WebDAV, at least one object (i.e., file or folder) must be in the destination Resources tool. For help, see Resources.

Saving files directly to WebDAV (i.e., from within an application, such as Word, Excel, or Internet Explorer) does not work reliably. For best results, save the file to your computer first, and then upload it to your site.

Filenames that include certain characters cannot be accepted. For a list of unsupported characters, see Unsupported characters. The disk quota for Resources is 1GB. This applies to Resources in My Workspace, as well as Resources in course sites, practice course sites, and project sites.

To add a shortcut to your Windows Vista computer that allows you to upload and access files in Resources using WebDAV, follow these steps:

From the desktop, click Computer off of the start menu.
Click Map Network Drive from the top row of tabs
On the Map Network Drive screen, click Connect to a Web site that you can use to store your documents and pictures, and then click Next.
Click Choose a custom network location, and then click Next.
In the "Internet or network address" field, enter a URL that points to the destination Resources tool, and then click Next.
When prompted, enter your Network ID username and passphrase (for Collab, this is your UVa email ID and password)
Give it a name that you will later remember – such as the name of the Collab worksite in question.
The folder will now appear as a folder on your “computer” accessible from the Windows Start menu.

You may now drag and drop folders between your computer and the sites to which you just connected. To delete an item, right-click it and select Delete.

Creating Web Pages

We still need to document how to create Web pages within the Resources interface.

Time Releasing Resources

Access the availability date settings for a file or folder when Adding or Revising a resource.

The default availability setting is to Show a Resource with an optional Beginning Date and Time. Enabling this option allows you to display the resource to other worksite participants at a later date that you specify in the Beginning Date and Time fields. Optionally, you can set an ending date that will hide the resource from other worksite participants at a specified Ending Date and Time.

The Hide option allows the person adding or revising a resource to hide it from others in the worksite. If the Hide option is set, the beginning and ending dates and times do not apply.

Reorder Resources

A Reorder link appears in the Actions column next to each folder in Resources as soon as 2 or more items are added to that folder.

To reorder items in a Resources folder,

Click Reorder next to the folder in which you want to reorder items.
On the Reorder page, move an item by clicking the up or down arrow next to it. Alternatively, you can use the drop-down list at the far right to change position numbers.
To save your changes, click Save.

Trouble shooting

If you have trouble uploading files, check for illegal characters in the filenames. Illegal characters include:

Back slash
/ Forward slash
? Question mark
* Asterisk
" Quotation mark
: Colon
< Less than
> Greater than
# Hash mark
% Percent sign

And possibly apostrophe's.