Issue displaying HTML file in Modules – Blank page

[AdminCanvasIC]

Hello, I'm experiencing an issue when trying to display an HTML file in a Canvas Module. I uploaded a .zip file to the Files section and selected the main HTML file as the content for a module item. However, when I try to open it from the Module, the page appears completely blank.

I have already tried the following without success:

• Using different browsers and devices

• Clearing browser cache

• Uploading the file individually and as a .zip

• Checking file permissions

• Testing in incognito/private mode

This exact HTML package was used in a course last year and worked perfectly at the time. I went back to that course to test it again, and it now also shows a blank page, which suggests there may have been a recent change or issue affecting HTML file rendering in Modules.

I would appreciate your assistance in checking whether any recent updates to the Canvas platform may be affecting this functionality.

Thank you in advance.

[chriscas · Accepted solution]

Hi @AdminCanvasIC,

I feel like serving up raw html documents via the Canvas files area has always been somewhat of a gray area in terms of functional support for it.  We've been a Canvas institution for about 12 years now, and my recollection is that uploading html content into files used to work better back in the early days, though I don't believe I've ever come across anything official from Instructure saying they designed the files system to serve up html files in that way.  As web security standards have tightened over the years and Instructure has made changes to the back end storage system, I think the odds of having html files served up in your intended fashion have gotten lower and lower...

Various users have posted workarounds/hacks to get this working over the years, but even if you get things to work today I feel like things could break again anytime.  The most supported route is to put content into Canvas pages.  If you could copy your html and paste it into a Canvas page (in html mode), that would for sure work.  If you have scripts/css as part of your content, that wouldn't work in pages though (part of the security issues I mentioned earlier), and you'd need to revise the content to work with Instructure styles or simplify it.

You could contact Canvas support to inquire about this as well, though still keeping in mind the gray area this basically falls in.

I hope this helps a bit, even though it's probably not the response you hoped to get.  Perhaps others will chime in with a different opinion from mine though!

-Chris

[chriscas · Accepted solution]

Hi @AdminCanvasIC,

I feel like serving up raw html documents via the Canvas files area has always been somewhat of a gray area in terms of functional support for it.  We've been a Canvas institution for about 12 years now, and my recollection is that uploading html content into files used to work better back in the early days, though I don't believe I've ever come across anything official from Instructure saying they designed the files system to serve up html files in that way.  As web security standards have tightened over the years and Instructure has made changes to the back end storage system, I think the odds of having html files served up in your intended fashion have gotten lower and lower...

Various users have posted workarounds/hacks to get this working over the years, but even if you get things to work today I feel like things could break again anytime.  The most supported route is to put content into Canvas pages.  If you could copy your html and paste it into a Canvas page (in html mode), that would for sure work.  If you have scripts/css as part of your content, that wouldn't work in pages though (part of the security issues I mentioned earlier), and you'd need to revise the content to work with Instructure styles or simplify it.

You could contact Canvas support to inquire about this as well, though still keeping in mind the gray area this basically falls in.

I hope this helps a bit, even though it's probably not the response you hoped to get.  Perhaps others will chime in with a different opinion from mine though!

-Chris

[dbrace · Accepted solution]

I agree with what @chriscas said.

While I understand the desire to (using whatever means you have) create an HTML file and associated components from outside of Canvas and then upload it into Canvas. Doing that can be easier to do because of your experience with how the HTML file is created or because that overall design process may have provided more (or easier to use) features/functionality.

Depending on what type of content you are trying to provide for your students, the Canvas Rich Content Editor (RCE) in a Canvas Page should be able to accomplish what you are trying to do. For more intermediate or advanced HTML design elements that you can do in Canvas with the RCE, you can check out https://www.howtocanvas.com from @DrNufer.

If that is not enough for you or you are looking for something that is more "official" or that comes with technical support, one of the most common add-ons to Canvas for course design is DesignPLUS by Cidi Labs.

Another (without mentioning any specific platforms) option to consider is creating content in authoring tools that have the ability to export as SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model - Wikipedia) files that can be imported into Canvas (if the free tool is enabled in Canvas) as pages or graded assignments or ungraded assignments.

I know that these were not specific answers to your question but they are examples of how you could proceed moving forward.

-Doug