[Pages] ALL links when Page name changes

[anthonem]

This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas

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Here's a common scenario:

An instructor makes a page, let's say a module overview page, and then links to this page from a custom Home page. While developing the course, the instructor changes the name of the module overview page. This breaks the homepage link because the page URL contains the page name.

Please create a system to avoid this common problem.

[christopher_fra]

Hi 873179959‌, 

When I utilized the URL of pages from the modules view, navigation gets "screwed up" in the canvas student app. What I mean, is that if I am on a page and click on a link to another page (or item) whose URL has been copied from the modules view, the canvas app navigates randomly to the modules view without going to anything specific.

Screenrecording of Navigating when Hyperlinks are created using URLs from the Pages:

Navigation works when using URL from pages - YouTube 

Screenrecording of Navigating when Hyperlinks are created using URLs from the Modules View:

Navigation issues when using modules URL - YouTube 

[Renee_Carney]

The Radar idea stage has been removed from the Feature Idea Process.  You can read more about why in the blog post Adaptation: Feature Idea Process Changes.

This change will only impact the stage sort of this idea and will not change how it is voted on or how it is considered during prioritization activities.  This change will streamline the list of ideas 'open for voting', making it easier for you to see the true top voted ideas in one sort, here.

[anthony_sales1]

I have to say the fact that Canvas doesn't update existing internal links to a page when you change the name is a really bad design flaw - coming from Moodle - if I changed a page name - it automatically updated all of the links - hey presto. I am trying to design a default template course for our college and the idea is all of the menus and pages will be created by default we just have to change the names of the units and pages to match the content - this means it will be a massive task - when it could have been a very simple process - really can't see why anyone wouldn't want this feature let alone object to it - this is pretty basic for any web-based content if you update the name of an object e.g. a page it should change it through-out surely????

[anthonem]

[60640769]

I would like to know the thinking behind not giving pages a unique identifier, especially when every other item type (file, module item, assignment, discussion, announcement) has one.

What is the status on this? It's been over three years since the original idea was created.

[anthony_sales1]

It seems difficult to get a critical mass of votes for things which would appear to be pretty basic/essential....

[laurakgibbs]

That's also my impression,  @anthony_sales1 ‌: votes can help, they don't hurt, but ultimately the engineering agenda is something we don't have access to and there are a lot of different factors in play. I learned that lesson when the one issue from Project Khaki that I really cared about (search) got indefinitely postponed, despite having been voted up not just at the Community here but also through the Project Khaki process. There are no guarantees of anything... but I still keep on voting for the things that look useful. 🙂

[anthony_sales1]

Yep I understand that they can't take on board every suggestion and some things that might seem simple might require a major rewrite or rethink of code - I have managed coding projects myself. But I just think the current voting system can be used as an excuse to not even consider stuff that I think most online content developers would see as absolutely basic or essential - it is very difficult to get enough votes because most of us don't have time to be sifting through all of the ideas people have - all of which are just as important to them as mine is to me - and even if it gets enough votes that only guarantees that is will be considered not adopted. This is one of the major downsides to proprietary software, you can't just go and write a plugin yourself - although many things can be achieved using HTML, but most of our staff don't have the confidence to edit HTML code let alone write it - and the bottom line is we have paid so much for the licence and we haven't even got some basic features available in free open-source platforms. From what other people have said they seem to be focused primarily on the back end and the data management - there seems to be little interest in the front end or the content management - and if that doesn't deliver then there won't be any data coming out of the back end...

[laurakgibbs]

Yes, content is the most neglected area of Canvas for sure... although I've always developed my content OUTSIDE the LMS anyway. Always have, and I guess I always will... but I know some faculty do not have that same freedom of choice, so I really hope that with the new Gradebook and Quizzes deployed, maybe content will finally get some love here at Canvas! 🙂

[ronmarx]

How about relational navigation? https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/8612