Allow folders in Pages

[hasti]

The Files section of Canvas allows folders for organizing files. Pages does not. Why the awful inconsistency in the user interface? I currently have 30+ pages that I've created in - all in flat directory structure. I'd like to be able to organize them, you know, like Files and stuff I have on my computer.

Comments from Instructure

Please refer to the update from the product team here. 

[amcanar]

Thank you for resubmitting this idea!

[sshoup1]

I agree completely!   I too have dozens of pages that need a secondary organizational structure.  Please??

[abbittjt]

This is much needed!

[hasti]

So I see that 3 people have downvoted this idea. I'm curious/puzzled as to why. If the ability to create folders within Pages existed, you could choose not to make any folders and still have the current set-up. Why would you not want anyone else to have the ability to create folders?

[kmeeusen]

I voted down Beck, and primarily because Modules are my folders for organizing pages and the only one I need since I don't give students access to Pages. Also because folders are not particularly accessible for students using screen-reader tech, and folders lead to subfolders, leading to sub-subfolders ad infinum, and that isn't good for anybody.

KLM

[amcanar]

Boo!  I agree with Beck--if you have a different organization system you can still use it.  Why vote down something that will help those of us who use Canvas differently?

[hasti]

Thanks for replying, Kelley! I don't give students access to Pages either - the folder organization if for my benefit! I was not aware of the issue with screen readers - thanks for pointing that out.

However, I have to disagree that a folder hierarchy is bad - I use folder hierarchies extensively on my desktop computer to keep materials organized (and archived) both across the classes I teach and within each class and it would be impossible for me to find anything if I did not.

[laurakgibbs]

The lack of folders, tagging, searching, etc. makes Canvas Pages useless for serious content management. Folders would be a big improvement, especially if that folder system could provide some navigation help (currently nonexistent). The lack of such options compared to the Files area is very strange.

By way of comparison, PBWorks (widely used by educators; it offers a free educational version) has a handy system where you can organize pages by folders and subfolders, and it then creates a navigational system based on those folders and subfolders. That might be something to look at as a model, especially given PBWorks' popularity with educators. I use PBWorks to house the assignment instructions and support materials for my classes; you can see the folder structure in the "navigator" sidebar item on the right in the screenshot below. 

http://onlinecourselady.pbworks.com/ 

I should note also that PBWorks, unlike Canvas Pages, trusts page authors to insert javascript widgets. I use a javascript on the homepage to feature a student project at random each time the page loads. 🙂

[laurakgibbs]

For those of us who don't use Modules (which presupposes a linear content presentation model; does not apply to all content), that Modules solution is not very congenial. So, rather than assuming that everybody will / should organize their Pages in Modules, those of us who are taking a different approach to content need a better Pages space. 

Just speaking for myself, I'm finding it incredibly frustrating to develop pages in the Canvas spaces I'm using for support materials: Widget Warehouse and Twitter4Canvas. In particular, having to add a separate Redirect app for every darn navigation item OR having to maintain a totally manual navigation system is driving me crazy. Those of us who take Pages seriously as a content development space need some help! The tools should be at least as good as in the Files area IMO. See my comment below about folders for navigation.

[williams_r]

This idea sounds like a very good one and would greatly help with organizing up the Pages section. I've seen so many classes with dozens of pages and it would be nice to be able to organize them according to what topic or module they go into for the course.

The only thing I'd like to add is if this feature was made, for it to have an Expand All and Collapse All option as well. I work with instructors on their courses and at different times I need to go through the pages button to access different pages in their courses. With them all in folders, and if the instructor didn't place a page into the correct folder, or not in the obvious location folder, it'd be nice to expand all and do a quick scan of all the pages to find what I'm looking for, or do a Ctrl+F for part of the title of that page. So that people won't have to expand each folder, and possible sub-folders, one by one to find a specific page.

[laurakgibbs]

Agreed! Again, the Pages claim to be a wiki, so looking at a real wiki to get an idea of how real wikis work is helpful, and real wikis have just the kinds of features Rekedda is describing. There are lots of different wiki systems out there, and just as one example I'll share the folders view for wiki owners in PBWorks. There's the "all pages" view which Rekedda is describing (which you can sort by name, date last edited); you can browse by folders (folder tree on left); you can see items NOT in folders; you can search, etc.. I really can't even imagine trying to do serious content development inside Canvas (I just use blogs and wikis instead), but if people want to try to do that, they need to have the tools to support them.

Here's the screenshot:

[coulter_m]

And add a "search" that can search the current folder and in sub-folders also!  

[harrispa1]

This would be soooo helpful. I have at least 100 pages and finding them when I want to link in a Content or Assignment page is difficult. I've tried to come up with a common naming system so I can find them when I want to, but I'm having to scroll through so many pages. 

[shane_dehorney]

We use modules to organize content for students. But having the ability to add folders to organize pages would make it easier to find them when scrolling through the long list of pages to add to a module. Right now, the course my department supports has more than 150 pages and it can take a while for all the pages to load on the pages list, in the 'Add content list' and when adding content to modules. 

The ability to add folders would decrease the amount time needed to redevelop modules. 

[shane_dehorney]

If the idea is in a special archived group that instructors need to get special permission to see, won't that reduce the likelyhood of access to it and votes for it?

[hasti]

Archived stuff won't get voted on (or if you do vote on it, the vote doesn't matter because they've already determined that the idea doesn't meet the threshold). That's why you have to make a brand new idea (like I did) even if it is the exact same idea that was proposed before.

[shane_dehorney]

Yeah, I understand that. However, the post from Renee says to reference the 'Folder Organization for pages'  but it's behind a special archived group that I had to request special permission to view. In the meantime, I can't post a reference to this idea in the other since it's blocked from view. 

Update: I have access now, but some instructors aren't going to have the extra time to come back and revisit a blocked page. 

[Renee_Carney]

Hi  @shane_dehorney ‌

Individuals that are voting on this idea do not need to reference the previous (archived) idea.  It is only there as an FYI for those that want to know a little more of the idea history.  

[gmartin]

I like the idea of having folders instead of just pages; makes it easier to find what you are looking for

[hasti]

I see that the status of this has changed from "open for voting" to "on hold". What does the status "on hold" mean?