[SpeedGrader] Allow greater zoom out

Problem statement:

In SpeedGrader, if a PDF file is submitted with a very large page size, then SpeedGrader is not able to zoom out far enough to see the entire page. The "-" zoom button becomes grayed out before the whole page is visible. It's then necessary to scroll around the page, but it's a problem to not be able to see a whole page at once. Downloading the files and viewing in a desktop PDF program is a workaround, but not convenient if you are also trying to add comments or grading markup to the submission (which I frequently need to do, as my students are submitting design drawings like floor plans.) This idea is based on a Canvas Forum question: https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Question-Forum/SpeedGrader-can-t-zoom-out-with-large-PDF-p...

Proposed solution:

Allow zooming out further in SpeedGrader so the grader can view the entire submission and make annotations more easily.

User role(s):

instructor,designer

2 Comments
JamesKCOS
Community Explorer
Problem statement:

PDFs do not properly scale to the window in Speed Grader. Limited zoom levels means that some PDFs cannot viewed with full page width.

Proposed solution:

Fix Speed Grader so there aren't limits on zoom levels. At least set the default zoom to the width of the page. I don't want to have to police the way that my students turn their assignments into PDFs. Apple Notes used to produce reasonably sized PDFs, but recently they've been far too big to view on Speed Grader.

User role(s):

instructor

ryzor
Community Member
Problem statement:

Canvas SpeedGrader currently lacks adequate PDF zoom functionality, which has become a pressing issue for educators. Other community members have highlighted the difficulty of managing large PDF page sizes in SpeedGrader. The inability to fully zoom out results in excessive scrolling and difficulty in viewing entire pages, which complicates the grading process. The zoom levels are hard-coded, which requires manual adjustment for each submission, adding unnecessary steps to our workflow as educators. See past posts here, which have incorrectly been marked "Solved": https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Question-Forum/SpeedGrader-can-t-zoom-out-with-large-PDF-p... https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Question-Forum/zoom-out-more-in-quick-grader/m-p/615082#M2... https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Archived-Questions/Zoom-in-out-in-Speedgrader/td-p/431528

Proposed solution:

Implement "Zoom to Fit" as the default viewing option for PDFs in Canvas SpeedGrader, aligning the PDF viewing experience with that of images, to eliminate the necessity of manual zoom adjustments. Additionally, the existing zoom-in and zoom-out features should be enhanced to overcome the limitations of hard-coded pixel sizes, allowing more flexible and customizable zoom levels. These changes would streamline the grading process, making SpeedGrader more efficient and user-friendly by enabling educators to focus on student evaluation without technical hindrances.

User role(s):

admin,instructor,ta