[Course Import/Export] add a stop/cancel button for imports

A stop or cancel button on imports could be a lifesaver for all Canvas users. I see it being helpful in scenarios such as:

 

  • You start to import the wrong content
  • You accidentally selected "All content" when you intended to choose "Select specific content," or vice versa
  • You forgot to adjust or remove the dates
  • An import is stuck in queue, and you want to cancel it before starting another import (This would prevent the queued import from running at a later time and overwriting course content.)
28 Comments
biray
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni

Thank you for your submission, dicksonl​. This idea will be open for vote in the next voting cycle. Smiley Happy

biray
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni

This idea has moved to the next stage and will be open for voting among the Canvas Community, from Wed. January 6, 2016 - Wed. April 6, 2016.

Check out this doc for additional details about how the voting process works!

cwendt
Community Champion

Yes. One of my colleagues imported an entire course accidentally. Since I was the one who had to remove the extraneous stuff, this definitely gets my vote!

lalevesque
Community Contributor

I think this is a great idea that could potentially save some headaches.

It would be even more helpful if when an import is canceled, the changes made are undone; or at least the user is presented with a log of items that were changed. Either way, some information to aid in the removal of any content that was accidentally added.

Chris_Hofer
Community Coach
Community Coach

Interesting idea!  I voted for this.  Another thought that came to mind would be some kind of "confirmation" screen which allows you to do a final review of what will happen during the import.  There might be some kind of "Confirm" button that you want to carry out the import, and there would also be a button to return to the previous screen to make any needed changes.

This screen shot is from our previous LMS, Pearson eCollege's LearningStudio.  It's not a full picture, but the idea is that we had a final "preview" or "confirmation" screen before we told the system to carry out the course copy.  The items that were to be copied displayed below this message.

CopyContentItems.jpg

Beth_Young
Community Contributor

Oh yeah . . . I have accidentally imported the wrong course before. It wasn't pretty. Of course I realized what I had done the second I clicked OK but there was no way to stop it.

kedgecomb
Community Champion

Yes!  I have imported the incorrect items several times!  This would be such a great time-saver! 

Jeff_F
Community Champion

A confirmation screen should be plenty sufficient.

kmeeusen
Community Champion

Being a highly error-prone klutz at times, I could really use this, as could my faculty.

I voted this up, and I also like  @Chris_Hofer ​ suggestion!

KLM

isaac_piercy
Community Explorer

Yes! I frequently need to import just a few assignments between courses for instructors. I have to be extra, extra careful to select the right button so I don't automatically begin the doomsday process of importing the entire course I'm pulling from on top of the current course. If that ever were to happen, a cancel button would be a must!