Course Exported as a .zip file, but to import the course I need an IMSCC file.

[JenniferWatson]

Can I convert a zip file to an imscc? 

The course I exported has been deleted, so I can't just start over. 

[Chris_Hofer]

Hi @JenniferWatson ...

It sounds like you want to export a Canvas course and then import that export file into another course.  Does that sound right?  If so, are you using these Guides?

• How do I export a Canvas course?
• How do I import a Canvas course export package?

Also, if you are wanting to copy/import the course from one to another in the same Canvas environment, there is a simpler way to do this...rather than using both of those Guides.  Instead, try this:

• How do I copy content from another Canvas course using the Course Import tool?

Hoping to hear back from you soon!  Take care...be well.

[JenniferWatson]

Hi Chris!

The course I'm trying to import has been deleted since I exported it. I exported the course following the directions on the guide you linked and cannot import the course because the course was exported as a .zip, not an IMSCC.

[Chris_Hofer]

@JenniferWatson ...

Give this a try...  Change the file extension on the *.zip file to *.imscc, and then try importing the file using the second link I provided in my earlier reply.

Hope this will work for you!

[JenniferWatson]

I have tried this and it is unfortunately not working.

[Chris_Hofer]

@JenniferWatson ...

Hmmm...so, just to confirm...  when you initially exported the course from Canvas, you followed the instructions in this Guide?

How do I export a Canvas course?

I tried exporting my own sandbox course in Canvas, and as you can see, it is downloading it as a *.imscc file...not a *.zip file.

I would then be able to take that file into a brand new, blank course...and upload that via the Course Import Tool using this Guide:

How do I import a Canvas course export package?

[JenniferWatson]

To the best of my recollection I followed the guide on how to export the course.

I tried it on a brand new course and had no success, so I guess I'll just recreate the course from memory and the documents in the zip file.

Thanks!

[Chris_Hofer · Accepted solution]

@JenniferWatson ...

Before you go through all that trouble, you might want to check with your Canvas administrator at your school.  If the course had been deleted, there *might* be a chance that you could recover the course.  This is a Canvas Guide that admins can use to recover an entire course:

How do I restore a deleted course in an account?

If you are unable to find the Course ID number (in the URL), you might be able to see if the Canvas Help Desk folks could help you determine what that number was.

How do I contact Canvas Support? - Instructure Community

Then, you could use this Guide (assuming you would be enrolled in that course and your current course):

How do I copy content from another Canvas course using the Course Import tool?

Hope this helps!

[meichelberger]

Jennifer,

Hi, I have the same situation... apparently the size of the file made it download as a zip. Only one of my courses exported this way. Did you happen to find a solution?

thanks

Michelle

[AmandaGabriele]

I am running in to the exact same problem. I am not sure why this has been marked as "solved" since the solution provided does not actually help

[Chris_Hofer]

@AmandaGabriele ...

Can you please describe the steps you are taking?  What error messages (if any) are you seeing?  Are you trying to import a course into an existing, empty course shell?  Or, are you trying to export a course and then import it into a different course?  Any additional details (and maybe even a screenshot or two ... making sure to hide student names) would be helpful.  Thanks!

[rodney_yoder]

I am having the same issue, too.  For some reason my packages are exporting right now as .zip rather than .imscc files.  I do have an older .imscc file that downloaded successfully and that one can be imported to other courses... but apparently this is not working this time.

I clicked "Export course content"; the file prepares and starts downloading, but it downloads as a .zip.  I am using MacOS Ventura 13.7.5 with Firefox.

I have tried to change the extension from .zip to .imscc, as advised.  When I proceed with the import, the result is "Failed" due to "Unsupported content package."

My suspicion is that something in my OS is converting the imscc to zip and losing some kind of important format information in the file wrapper.  Is this some kind of known issue on Mac?

Rodney