[ARCHIVED] Validating Links in Content Does Not Work!!

[Jean1]

Even after following those steps numerous times, the Links I have uploaded to my Canvas course and have published, and have validated and revalidated STILL do not allow access to my students. Why????

[gnoack]

Hi @Jean1 

It may depend on what you are linking.  Can you give more detail?  

You mentioned in your other post that the students get a message that the files are restricted.  Make sure the links are actually to files in the same course.  If you copied and pasted the links from a different course, the hyperlinks may be trying to open files from the course the text was copied from, which students in your current course would not have access to open.  You would, which is why they work for you. 

[Jean1]

Hello back.  Your question is fair, but for that very reason is why, when I created this new course, I did not just copy and paste files from one to the next. I went back to where I store those originals, or in some cases created new files, and uploaded them to the new course. Even with doing that, and validating them time after time, my students are unable to open them. I see the message that says "Links to other courses in this resource may not be accessible by the students in this course", but I am not trying to link them to another course. Does this mean I have to go back and rename each and every file I wanted to link within this new course, just b/c this program cannot understand? 

[Chris_Hofer]

Hi there, @Jean1 ...

In addition to the great information that you've been getting from @gnoack, could you try something for me?

1. In the course where the link(s) are not working, click on your "Home" page, and take note of the Course ID number in the URL in your browser's address bar.  It would look something like:
   
   https://SchoolName.instructure.com/courses/12345
   
2. Go to one of your course pages (in non-editing mode) where you would click on a link to the file that doesn't seem to work.  Rather than clicking on a link to that file, keep your mouse hovered over the linked file, and then look at the bottom of your browser window.  You'll probably see a pathname to the file...which might look something like this:
   
   https://SchoolName.instructure.com/courses/12345/files/67890/download?wrap=1

The two numbers I've highlighted in bold lettering should be identical.  If the Course ID number listed in blue does not match the Course ID number listed in orange (as in my examples), then this tells me that the link is pointing to another course...as Greg has previously mentioned.  But, from what I've read of your postings, it sounds like you are doing everything right...though I just want to confirm that things are looking good on your end...to be absolutely sure.

Keep us posted...thanks!

[Jean1]

Yes - that is exactly where the issue is. The two course ID numbers are different.  I suspected that as I have only these two courses in Canvas at present.  Canvas seems to want to direct my present students to the 2020 course links instead of to the 2021 course. I have spent too much time already trying to validate links, so my solution was to go back to my original files stored outside of this LMS, rework them in some cases, definitely rename them, and upload them to the present course. This is not very time efficient, but it is the only way I could find to make things work. Thank goodness this is not a full online course or the student and instructor frustration would be over the top by now. Thank you for the information.

[Chris_Hofer · Accepted solution]

Good morning, @Jean1 ...

I'm glad that you were able to determine that the two Course ID numbers were, in fact, different.  That confirms to me that you do need to re-link those files (which you've uploaded to your "Files" area of the course) on your content pages.  That is the only way that you'll be able to ensure the files are opening properly for you and your students.  Here is a Guide with more information: How do I create hyperlinks to course, group, and user files in the Rich Content Editor as an instruc...

Let Community members know if you have any other questions about this...thanks!

[gnoack]

@Jean1 

I should have mentioned a couple of solutions.

One, is to re-insert the hyperlinks on the page in the new course.

Anther option would be to copy the page the links are on from the original course.  That should also update the hyperlinks during the copy. 

How do I copy a page to another course? - Instructure Community (canvaslms.com)

[gnoack]

HI @Jean1 

Have you tried to view an access the files using the student view?  What happens?

I would suggest you have someone else review your course settings and the permissions, perhaps there is something you missed in the process.  

Can you send a couple of screen shots of your files?

And to be clear, in my previous comment, I meant copy/paste the text of a page from a previous course.  It's good that you uploaded the files to the new course. But if you copied the text of the page from a previous course, the links might be pointing to a different course. I'm not sure if the link validator would catch this or not. Try relinking them on the page to see what happens. (but perhaps you have done that already). 

Finally, I don't leave the file link available for students in the course menu.  If you hid it, you no longer need to mess with file permissions. If you don't have need for students to go into your files because you have linked to them in your course, you could try hiding the Files link in the course navigation.