Files

Introduction: File

You can use the File object to make learning and working materials available to other users in any format (e.g., DOC, PDF, MP3, JPEG, etc.).

To do this, you create the File object using the Add New Object button. Optionally, you can specify a title and a description.
Each File object can contain one or more files.

The File object can manage multiple versions of a file. When you upload a new version, the previously entered information and settings remain, but the file itself is updated. You can choose whether the old file should be archived or deleted.

There are some easy-to-set-up didactic scenarios with files.

Uploading and copying files

Upload new file

You want to upload one or more new files.

Prerequisite: You can add new files at any point in the repository as long as you have the Add new file right there.

1. Navigate to the desired location in the repository of ILIAS.
2. Click on the Add new object button and select the File entry.
3. ILIAS opens a new page.
4. Select the files you want to add. You have two options to do this:
   - Use the mouse to drag one or more files from your computer into the framed box.
   - Or use the Select button files and select file by file on your computer. Confirm with Open.
5. ILIAS shows you all selected files in the Selected Files list. To determine the title of the files as well as to enter a description, click on the file in the Selected Files list. ILIAS opens a text field for the new title and a text field for the description of the file.
6. Click on the Upload Files button.
7. ILIAS uploads the files and returns them to the previous location in the repository. Your files are now ready for download.

Upload multiple files as a ZIP archive.

You want to upload multiple files as a ZIP archive. Read here what possibilities ZIP files offer you with many files.

Prerequisite: You can make new files available at any point in the repository, provided you have the Add new file right there.

1. Navigate to the desired location in the repository of ILIAS.
2. Click the Add new object button and select the File entry.
3. ILIAS opens a new page
4. Select the ZIP file(s) you want to use. You have two options to do this:
   - Drag and drop one or more ZIP files from your computer into the framed box.
   - Click on the button Select files. ILIAS displays the file directory of your computer. Select one or more ZIP files and click Open.
5. ILIAS displays all selected files in the Selected Files list. If you activate the link, Show all details, you have the option to unzip the ZIP files.
   - Activate the Unzip checkbox to create a separate file object in ILIAS for each file in the ZIP archive. This allows users to download the files individually. Otherwise, users can download the zip archive as a whole.
   - Activate the checkbox Adopt folder structure of the archive to additionally create the folder structure (subfolders etc.) contained in the ZIP archive as categories and folders in ILIAS. In this case, the file name of the ZIP archive will be used as the name for the top category or the first folder.
   - Additionally, you can change the title of the ZIP file and add a description.
6. Click on the Upload files button.
7. ILIAS uploads the files or the ZIP files and returns to the previous location in the repository.

Copy existing file

If a file has already been uploaded to ILIAS, you can copy it into the repository. For this, you need the right Copy. You can then use the new object file, and change or upload new versions independently of the old.

You want to copy an existing file within the repository.

1. Navigate to the location in ILIAS where you want to create the copy of the file object.
2. Click the Add New Object button and select the File entry.
3. ILIAS opens a new page.
4. At the bottom, select option 3: Copy file.
5. Under Title, enter a [could not resolve link target: il_6127_git_43] that appears in the title or description of the file you want to copy.
6. Click on the Next button.
7. ILIAS searches the repository and shows you a hit list.
8. Please select the desired file by selecting the radio button in front of it.
9. Click on the Copy file button.
10. ILIAS copies the file and reports "Object copied". The newly created file has the addition "Copy" in the title. You can change the title via the Edit tab.

Modify file name, description, and rating.

You want to change the title and description of an existing file or allow other users to rate this file.

1. Navigate to the repository where the file object you want to edit is located.
2. Click the arrow to the right of the file name and select Edit Content.
3. ILIAS opens the File object and the Edit tab:
   - Under Title, enter a new name.
   - If necessary, enter a text under Description that gives other users hints about the content and purpose of the file.
   - If necessary, check the Enable Rating checkbox to allow other users to rate the file using a simple star rating method.
4. Save your settings using the button above or below.
5. ILIAS will accept your entries.

Manage multiple versions of a file.

Provide a new version of an existing file.

You want to provide a new version of an already existing file. You can choose whether the old file should be deleted or archived as a previous version and still be displayed to the users.

1. Navigate to the file object you want to edit.
2. Select the arrow to the right of it and select the Edit Content entry.
3. ILIAS opens the Edit tab of the file object.
4. Select the new file version under File. You have two options to do this
   - Drag a file from your computer into the framed field.
   - Click Select file, select the file from your computer, and confirm with Open (or similar).
5. Select whether the old file should be replaced or kept by activating the radio button in front of it.
   - Activate Replace file to delete the old file and make only the new version available.
   - Activate Create a new version to keep the old file. Users can still download this.
6. Click the Save button.
7. ILIAS uploads the new file version.

View and download versions.

You want to view an overview of all previous versions of a file in the Versions tab unless they have been replaced.

1. Navigate to the location in the repository where the file object whose versions you want to view is located.
2. Select the arrow to the right of it and select the Versions entry.
3. ILIAS opens the Versions tab of the file object.

You will see the following information:

• What is the version number of the file? This number is a sequential number retained even after earlier versions are later deleted. ]
• When was this file version uploaded?
• Who uploaded it?
• What is the file name?
• What is the size of the file?
• Is it the original file, a new version, or have all previous versions been replaced?

You can download an old file version to your computer by clicking on the desired file in the File Name column.

Note: any of these older file versions can be downloaded by any user with the Read permission.

Making an earlier version of a file the current version

You want to make an earlier file version of the current version.

1. Navigate to the location in the repository where the file object whose versions you want to edit is located.
2. Select the arrow to the right of it and select the Versions entry.
3. ILIAS opens the Versions tab of the file object.
4. Select the action menu to the right of the desired version and select Make to a current version.
5. ILIAS makes the selected version the current version, gives it a new version number, and reports, "File version is now the current version."

Delete the old version of a file.

You want to delete one or more old file versions (s).

1. Navigate to the location in the repository of the file object whose versions you want to delete.
2. Select the arrow to the right of it and click on the Versions entry.
3. ILIAS opens the Versions tab of the file object.
4. Activate the checkbox in front of the desired file version(s).
5. Select the Delete entry from the drop-down menu at the top or bottom.
6. Click on the Execute button.
7. ILIAS asks you to confirm the deletion.
8. Click on the Confirm button.
9. ILIAS deletes the version and reports, "The selected file versions have been successfully deleted."

Didactic scenarios with files

Didactic scenarios with files

With the file object, you can design the following didactic scenarios:

• Editing a file together with several users
• A file mailbox in which users can upload files but cannot see what is still in it.
• Design a file exchange - edit your own and other people's files
• Uses for ZIP files

Edit a file together

You want to edit a file together with a group. Each group member should be able to download the last existing version and upload new versions.

Prerequisite: The object File already exists, and you are in the tab Rights. The rights settings have not yet been changed.

1. In the table, find the desired role (such as course member) whose owners should upload new file versions.    
   Note: This role should already have the rights to View and Read. If this is not the case, activate the corresponding checkboxes.
2. Select the Edit settings checkbox to allow members of this role to edit the file.
3. Click on the Save button.
4. ILIAS accepts your entries and reports, "The settings have been saved".

Note: Any user who can upload new versions can also replace the old file versions and thus delete them.

Didactic templates with files

The following application scenarios can use ready-made didactic templates.

Prerequisite: The administrator has imported and activated the templates on your platform. If the templates are unavailable, please click the Contact Administrator link at the bottom of the page. The administrator can download the templates from templates.ilias.de and import and activate them in the administration.

• File mailbox - drop it off and don't look in it: You want to allow course members to upload files to a folder. However, they should not have access to the files uploaded by other users. Instead, only tutors and administrators can view the files. Such a scenario is suitable, for example, for submitting homework. Submission via folders is more time-consuming for tutors than via the exercise object since you have to check whether everyone has submitted it by hand.
• File exchange - editing your own and other people's files: You want to allow course members to upload files to a folder to exchange them with others. All users should also have access to other users' files and be able to upload new versions. For example, such a scenario is suitable for collaborative work on a large project.

Setting up a file mailbox

You want to set up a file mailbox: You want to allow course members to upload files to a folder. However, course members should not have access to the files uploaded by other course members.
Instead, only tutors and administrators can view the files. Such a scenario is suitable for handing in assignments, for example. To set up the file mailbox, create a folder of the type 'File mailbox' or 'Post box'.

Prerequisite: The administrator has imported and activated the templates on your platform. If the templates are unavailable, please click the Contact Administrator link at the bottom of the page. The administrator can download the templates from templates.ilias.de and import and activate them in the administration.
Once the didactic template is activated, it will be available when creating folders.

You want to add a file mailbox in ILIAS. For this, you have to create a new folder.

1. Navigate to the course or group where you want the file mailbox to appear.
2. Click on the Add new object button.
3. ILIAS opens a drop-down menu with all the object types that can be created at this point.
4. Click on Folder.
5. ILIAS opens a new page that offers several options to add an object.
6. Select the first option, Create new [object].
7. Enter a title and, optionally, a description for the new object.
8. Under Type, select File mailbox or Post box.
9. Click the Create new folder button.
10. ILIAS creates a folder configured as a file mailbox, reports: "Folder created," and opens it for you in edit mode.

Folder for file exchange

You want to set up a file exchange folder: You want to allow course members to upload files to a folder to share with others. In doing so, all users should also have access to other users' files and be able to upload new versions. Such a scenario is suitable, for example, for joint work on an extensive project.

Prerequisite: The administrator has imported and activated the templates on your platform. If the templates are unavailable, please click the Contact Administrator link at the bottom of the page. The administrator can download the templates from templates.ilias.de and import and activate them in the administration.
As soon as the didactic template is activated, it will be available when you create folders.

You want to add a file exchange folder in ILIAS, so you need to create a new folder.

1. Navigate to the course or group where you want the file-sharing folder to appear.
2. Click on the Add new item button.
3. ILIAS opens a drop-down menu with all the object types that can be created at this point.
4. Click on Folder.
5. ILIAS opens a new page that offers several options to add an object.
6. Select the first option, Create a new folder.
7. Enter a title and, optionally, a description for the new object.
8. Under Type, select Data Exchange or Member Work Area.
9. Click the Create New Folder button.
10. ILIAS creates a folder configured for file exchange, reports: "Folder created," and opens it for you in edit mode.

Possible uses for ZIP files

ZIP archives contain compressed files. Compression speeds up uploading. In addition, a ZIP file can function as a collective container in which several files or entire directory trees are combined.

ILIAS offers several use cases for working with ZIP files:

• The quick exchange of multiple files: you upload a ZIP file, which is also downloaded again and compressed by other users. Only afterward, the file is unpacked on the computer of the downloading user. This is faster and more comfortable than downloading files individually.
• Provide many individual files in ILIAS with little effort: You upload a ZIP file, which ILIAS unpacks. Each contained file is automatically created as a single object and can be downloaded separately or updated as needed.
• Provide many files with little effort and map an existing directory tree in ILIAS: You upload a ZIP file, which ILIAS unpacks. For each file again, a separate file object is created. In addition, ILIAS creates a new (sub)category or a new (sub)folder in the repository for each folder contained in the ZIP archive. This way, you can map a folder structure from your PC into ILIAS with just a few mouse clicks.

To implement these use cases, follow the instructions for action "Upload multiple files as ZIP archive".