Externally open files in mobile app

[MelGolz]

In the PC version if a file is posted you can click on it and open it externally.
This allows the user to print, email, download, whatever they need.

In the mobile version when you tap a file it is only displayed within the app.
This means that the functions you actually want to do cannot be done in the app.
As a student who's printer only connects to her phone, this is annoying.

Please allow files to be externally opened from the app.

[KristinL]

Hi @MelGolz -

When your students are working on their phones, how are items being accessed? I am able to Open In... a variety of places from my iPad when I click the "share sheet" (the square with upward arrow) in the top right. 

I am able to then do a variety of actions from Canvas. What are your students hoping to do? Are they using the Canvas Student app or are they using a mobile browser?

[MelGolz]

@KristinL 
I am a student and am using the Canvas Student app.

When I open a file on the app I am only given an image of it, with no options to interact in any way.

What I want is to print my documents without emailing them to myself.

This is a problem because my printer can find my phone but not my PC

[KristinL]

HI @MelGolz - I'm sorry I didn't catch your role!

Is the file within Files or is it linked within another course activity or module?

Are you using Canvas Student on an iOS or Android phone? On either platform, you should be able to open/print/share from the app. Could you be willing to take a screenshot of your course?

[KristinL]

I thought I should share that Canvas Student 6.10 was released yesterday. See if the update helps!

[MelGolz]

Canvas Student 6.10 must be for iOS only. The last update for Android was Jan 15th, what I use.
I even tried uninstalling and reinstalling. Nothing has changed.

None of my instructors use a Files tab, they put everything under Modules.

The screen shots show how the file links are shown in the Module and what I see when I open them.

FileModule

[KristinL]

Hi @MelGolz -

On my Pixel 3, I'm able to click the "share" icon.

If the file is located right in a module, I click the title and then get an option to either open or to download. I then see the screen below. If the item is located within a page's content, I see a preview window automatically and can see the same screen below.

Are you able to get to the preview option?

[MelGolz]

I appreciate that you are trying to help, but you can see from my screenshots that I have none of these options that you do. Most likely this is a difference between the student and staff versions.

If these options existed for me I'm pretty sure Support would have pointed me to them, instead of telling me to request this feature here. I probably should have given that detail in the original to avoid wasting your time.

[Stef_retired]

@MelGolz 

Thanks for working with us on this. Kristin has tested this using the Canvas Student app for Android (there aren't "student and staff versions" of the student app). 

While we recognize that a support agent sent you here to request this, we still need to confirm that it should be moved forward as a request for new functionality within the app—yet so far, Kristin's testing indicates that what you are requesting is already possible using existing functionality. Since you've already had a support interaction about this, would you please provide the case number?

Thanks.

[MelGolz]

Thank you for your recent Canvas Case - 07320744.

Please take our one-question survey to rate how satisfied you are with our support:
https://www.getfeedback.com/r/FK5LTw0i?CaseID=5002G00000uv8rb

Here was what your case was about: Printing

Device: samsung SAMSUNG-SM-G930A
OS Version: Android 7.0
Version Number: Student v6.10.0 (225)
Install Date: 13 Aug 2020

-------------------------

There is no option to print from the app
My printer can find my phone, but not my computer. So I will need to email the documents to myself.

Hello Melissa,

Thank you for contacting Canvas Support. I'd be happy to help you out today. Yes, on the computer you are allowed to download the file and print it. Definitely I will pass this over as a future request to make it easier for the user!

If there is anything else we could help you out with, feel free to email us back!

Warm Regards,
Paulina A. - Canvas Support
support@instructure.com
YesNo
Golz, Melissa
Tue 2/9/2021 3:17 PM
Hi Regan,

On the computer version I at least have the option of opening the file externally, which allows me to print the document.

Implementing this on the mobile version would be possible, and would be an appreciated feature for a future update.

Thank you,

Melissa Golz
Instructure Support <support@instructure.com>
Tue 2/9/2021 3:13 PM
Hello,

I see that you were looking to print from the Canvas app. As we are intended to be an online service, there is not a direct option for printing in Canvas at all.

As you have mentioned, you will need to either send the files to your self, or open Canvas in a browser to print.

Let us know if you have any other questions,
Regan F
Canvas Support
support@instructure.com

ref:_00DA0Ibsk._5002Guv8rb:ref

[KristinL]

Hi! I made a video with the steps on my Pixel. I hope it helps!

[Stef_retired]

@MelGolz  Thanks for providing the case number and the details of the interactions with Canvas Support. They've reopened your case and by now you should have received a direct response from them. Please continue to work with support to resolve the issue.