Fix "Copy to" Function Code

[richard_ireland]

The "copy to" or duplicate function in Canvas needs to be fixed. Let me share an email that I sent to my IT person (because Canvas doesn't let it's users have direct access to their help line) so that I can better explain the problem.

""Last year, I uploaded a quiz in Canvas that is 100 questions long. Due to the online learning environment, I needed to split this test into two parts. So I duplicated the test using the "copy to" tool in Canvas. This created ONE copy of the 100 question test. I then spent about two hours deleting half of the questions and rewriting [the rest] so that the kids couldn't find the answers (as quickly) using Google. I also renamed this test to "Practice Test 1: Part A." I then went to the original 100 question test and attempted to duplicated it again so that I could make "Practice Test 1: Part B" for the second set of questions. However, when I tried to duplicate the original 100 question test for the SECOND time, it REPLACED ALL OF THE WORK that I did for "Practice Test 1: Part A. "Yes, the file is still named" Practice Test 1: Part A," BUT all of my changes are GONE! In other words, when Canvas try to duplicate the original 100 question test for the second time, it tried to duplicated it to the SAME LOCATION as before. Consequently, "Practice Test 1: Part A" once again has 100 questions (even though I had already deleted 50 of them and rewrote most of the others) without any of the changes that I've made."

So my suggestion is that the "copy to" function shouldn't duplicate to the same file location. Instead it should make an ADDITIONAL copy of whatever you're trying to duplicate. For example, if I want to duplicate a file on my mac, it would look like this...

Original File Name
Original File Name 1    <----- This is the duplicated file....

Now, if I wanted to duplicate the original file AGAIN, this is what would happen.

Original File Name

Original File Name 1

Original File Name 2

In other words, it makes a second ADDITIONAL copy of the original file. This is what the Canvas "Copy to" function should do. It should NOT "copy to" the same exact location as the first duplicate file. I lost hours of time (and so did my IT person) trying to get the changes that I made back because the "copy to" function is broken. (BTW - Canvas wasn't able to recover any of the changes that I made...)

-Instructor 

[Stef_retired]

@richard_ireland  We think an abbreviated version of your idea description would fit well into the conversation currently underway, Add Clarifying Language to "Copy To" - Canvas Community. Please add your support to that idea and we'll archive this one to keep that conversation thread intact. 

Also, as we noted in a separate comment, Canvas has 24/7 phone, chat, and ticket support that is available to those institutions that have contracted for it. If your school doesn't provide that amenity and you would still like your case to be investigated by a member of Canvas Support, please ask the support team at your school if they would be willing to escalate it.