Getting started: drag and drop publishing

Introduction

Publishing in the CMR can be as simple as dragging and dropping existing files into place. Here's a five-minute guide to web publishing in the CMR.

Do you already have a folder for your course in the CMR? If not, you should contact the Learning Technology Team (e-mail: ltt).

You need access to the webserver across the network. To do this you should map a network drive - this is the only technical aspect of the process, and only needs to be done once. Please note, you will only be able to map a network drive if your computer is on campus.

Permissions

Is this your first time adding materials to the course? If so, please contact the Learning Technology Team, in order to be given permission to add materials. Details can be found on the getting started page.

Mapping a network drive

• Open Windows Explorer
• Choose Map Network Drive... from the Tools menu
  
• The Drive letter is normally R:, though if you already have this drive mapped then it is possible to use any free letter.
• The Folder field will depend on the first two letters of your module code. If you enter the module code into the handy tool below, it will give you the folder name you need. Note that you will still need to look within the mapped drive, in order to locate the folder that relates to your module code.
  

  Module Code

  eg. EE201

  Folder

  Please enter a valid module code into the box above.

  
  
• Ensure that the Reconnect at Logon checkbox is ticked.
• After you have done this, click on the OK button. After a few seconds the drive will be accessible from the Windows Explorer - look on the list of drives and your newly-mounted drive will be there (if you have chosen 'R:' it will appear somewhere below your M: drive in Windows Explorer).

Drag and drop

You can then use Windows Explorer or My Computer to drag files from your PC's hard disk into your space on the webserver. You can add Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other file formats in this way. For an example of how such a set of documents might appear, see the fictitious WA101 area (a very basic example) or the 'prettier' WA102 area. To adopt the more user-friendly presentation used in WA111, just contact the Learning Technology Team (e-mail: ltt).

Mac users can drag and drop files into their part of the CMR if they have mounted the CMR as a Mac volume.

For an explanation of the directory structure of the webserver (and an explanation of some of the odd-looking directory-names you might find), see: Organisation and structure of the CMR.

Naming files

Drag and drop publishing will only display files that are placed in the main module folder, or the restricted folder. If you create your own subfolders to put files in, they will not automatically appear.

If you opt to add existing files as described above, it helps users if you use meaningful filenames: 'lecturenotes_week1.doc' makes a lot more sense than 'lnw1.doc', for example.

Do not use any strange characters in your file names, (such as '&', '%', '$', quotation marks and apostrophes), as they can prevent users from opening your files.

Do not place extra full-stops in your file names.  A single full stop to separate the file name and the file extension is essential. However, additional full stops will prevent your file from appearing on the CMR.

Avoid placing spaces in your file names as they can occasionally prevent users from opening your files.  Use hyphens or underscore characters to separate words in a filename, for example 'lecture-one_slides.ppt'

The tool below can be used to check filenames for problems, simply paste the file name into the box and hit submit. Two example file names are:
Lecture_1-2_in_4SW-5-12.pdf
Lecture 1 & 2 in 4SW.5.12.pdf

File name

eg. summary.doc

Valid?

Please enter a file name in to the box above.

File types

The CMR recognises the following file types, and will list them automatically when using drag and drop publishing:

If you wish to put a file type on the CMR that is not in the above list, please do so by placing it in an archive such as ZIP. Contact the Learning Technology Team (email: ltt) if this is unsuitable.

Restricting Access

It's easy to restrict access to your online documents: any files placed in the folder called 'restricted' are automatically limited to members of the university. For more information on restricting access see Copyright issues and restricting access (campus only).

Common problems

I have mapped the R: drive, can see exiting files, but get an 'Access Denied' error when I try to copy my files to it.
Are you sure you have the permission to edit the materials in the module you are looking at? Look at the 'getting access to the CMR' section on the getting started page for instruction on how to get permission.

I have copied a file to the CMR ...
... but it does not appear as a link on the page.
... and now the whole page is broken!
... and a link appears, but I get a '404: page not found' error when I click on the link.
... and it is listed, but without a link.
These problems are mainly caused when there are invalid characters in the file name, or if the file is placed in a new folder. Consult the 'naming files' and 'file types' sections above for a guide on appropriate file names and types. If you are still having problems, please contact the Learning Technology Team for assistance (e-mail: ltt).

I have mapped the R: drive but I do not see a folder for my course?
You will need to contact the Learning Technology Team (e-mail: ltt) and ask for them to set up a new course folder for you.

I have a really ugly list of files, where has the Essex logo gone?
It sounds like you have deleted the default.asp (or default.aspx) file that is responsible for producing a formatted page. Please contact the Learning Technology Team (e-mail: ltt).

I teach in two departments, can I connect to the modules for both?
Yes. Simply follow the instructions for 'mapping a network drive' above, substituting the R: drive for another letter and taking into account the second course code.

My R: drive is mapped to SERNT34, is that correct?
SERNT34 was the old machine that housed the CMR. All drives should now be mapped to SERNT55.

Can I change the wording on the default.asp page?
The Web Support Unit (e-mail: wsu) can make slight wording alterations on your behalf. Anything more complex, we would request that you look at publishing via FrontPage.

Can I edit module materials from off-campus?
Yes, the Web Authors Group website has advice on how you can transfer files from off-campus.