Course import is not copying the graphics

[anne_marenco]

I am trying to import my class for winter and it’s not taking the jpgs/pngs that I have. Anyone else having this problem?

[ProfessorBeyrer]

Are you copying those over from course to course on the same instance of Canvas? I wonder what you see in the destination course on those pages where the images do not appear. 

Can you upload a screenshot?

[anne_marenco]

Yes, same instance of Canvas.
As you can see in this screenshot, my fall course is on the left with the blue graphic and winter is on the right with the graphic showing broken.
Also weird is that I can't seem to find where all of the graphics are housed in the Fall class. They are not in the Files.

I copy this course over every semester and never have this problem.  I asked two professors at my college to give it a try and they are not having the problem. 

Thanks for any help you can suggest.
Anne

[JeffCampbell]

Out of curiosity, what method are you using to copy the course? 

• Copy To menu option on Modules/Pages/Assignments/ETC screens
• Import Course Content -- Copy a Course
• Import Course Content -- Canvas Course Export Package
• Import from Commons
• Something Else

When copying an entire course, I've used options 2 and 3 above. Option 1 if it is just a single item. Identifying the method could help identify if a particular feature is not working correctly.

[anne_marenco]

I go to Setting, Import Course Content, Content Type: Copy a Canvas Course, and then select last semester's class.  this is how I always do it and have never had this issue.  Check out this screen shot with the source course on the left and the target course on the right.  It's not copying the source code, but it has done so every other semester.

[anne_marenco]

And another faculty member said to try export and import, but that doesn't work either.

[JeffCampbell]

I see it is setting a weird code for the image at the top for "Canvas Course Reference". I also see that the course # code in the right image matches the course # in the left image, but not the # in the right image's URL. When copying, it should have copied the files and updated URL references to reflect the correct course #. This definitely does not match the expected behavior. You mentioned in another comment that images are missing in the files for your Fall class. I wonder if that might be contributing to the issue. I'd suggest reaching out to Canvas Support (not this community forum) with that screenshot and relevant information and see if they might have a suggestion. The code on Line 1 of both images definitely reveals something is not copying correctly. To do this, click on "Help" from any spot on Canvas and select Report a Problem. 

Out of curiousity, do you have an older course with that same content (click on Courses and then All Courses at the bottom of the list. Then scroll down to find older courses)? If you have one, check to see if the images are in that course's files. If they are, try copying from THAT course instead and see if that might address the issue. Even with this, I would still suggest reaching out to Support.

[anne_marenco]

The course from two semesters back looks just like these do. thank you so much for trying to help me.  I have reached out to Canvas Support. 

[JeffCampbell]

That stinks. I was hoping an older version would show images in the files.

If you get an answer that solves the problem from Canvas Support, please post on here. I'm curious as to what is causing this problem for you. Good luck.

[anne_marenco]

No reason/solution from Canvas yet, but my tech guy exported/imported the course and now I only have 73 issues.  I can deal with that.  Thanks for your help and support Jeff.

Anne

[JimFoscue]

We are having a similar issue also.  Just out of curiosity where did you reach out to Canvas support at?  I'd like to follow along for a resolution.

[anne_marenco]

Hi Jim,
I am sorry you have the same issue, but glad that it's happing to someone else, perhaps Canvas will find the solution.  I reached out via the Support Chat/Help? Canvas menu item. Choose Faculty Support (2nd choice), then Contact Support in the upper right, Then Yes, Contact Support, Then Chat on the left. 

I had over 1,000 issues upon import
Reset the course
Tried Export/Import instead and same number of issues
After communicating with Canvas Support and no solution; they could not duplicate it, I asked, my tech guy to import my class; same number of issues, so the he did via export/import and now I only have 72 issues.  So now I only have to upload and reinsert 72 graphics

BUT, Canvas still doesn't know why it's happening.  More people reporting will get them to figure it out.  
Anne

[ProfessorBeyrer]

Thank you @anne_marenco for including those screenshots @JeffCampbell for your help. I wonder if there is a third-party tool you are using to create the blue graphic and the problem is with that tool and not directly Canvas. I say this because there is another image on that page and it copied over, as it should since you used Canvas's process to copy within the same instance. Can you share if you are using a third-party tool to style your course?

[anne_marenco]

I just checked some of the missing images and not all of them were created by me using Canva, that blue graphic was.  Some are figures from our OER textbook and some were created by our Online Ed office and some are open source images.

[anne_marenco]

It has only taken a month, but here is the workaround solution from Canvas.  Still don't know what caused this.

Thank you so much for following up with us on this case. When adding these files to a new folder, you won't have to search for each file individually. My recommendation would be to search for a term like "png" or "jpg" and then select and drag them into a new folder. You can find a screen recording of how to do this here: https://aivie.instructuremedia.com/embed/18b52017-14b9-4be5-a303-c4c128ed6db0

When selecting and dragging these files, I would do this in batches to avoid any potential problems with not all files copying over.