SafeAssign and the "Not Logged In" Error

If SafeAssign will not open for you (or your student) or if you (or your student) get a message saying that you are not logged in to SafeAssign, here are a few things to try:

1. Try a different web browser.  For instance, if using Safari 4 on the Mac, try installing Firefox. If using Firefox on the PC, try using Internet Explorer.
2. Make sure you are allowing pop-ups from mycourses.atsu.edu and mycourses9.atsu.edu in your web browser.
3. Make sure your web browser is set to accept 3rd-party cookies.

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How do I set my browser to accept 3rd-party cookies?

Setting your web browser to accept 3rd-party cookies can help with various software such as Bb CE8, Bb 9.1, Elluminate, SafeAssign and others.

These instructions are for a variety of web browsers.  If you cannot find the setting in your particular web browser, please contact the Helpdesk.

Enabling 3rd Party Cookies:

Safari (Mac)

1. Go to the Safari drop-down menu.
2. Select Preferences.
3. Click Security in the top panel.
4. Under 'Accept Cookies' select the option 'Always.'

Firefox 3.x (PC)

1. Click Tools > Options.
2. Click Privacy in the top panel.
3. Select the checkbox labeled 'Accept cookies from sites.'
4. Select the checkbox labeled 'Accept third-party cookies.'
5. Click OK.

Firefox 2.x (PC)

1. Click Tools > Options.
2. Click Privacy in the top panel.
3. Select the checkbox labeled 'Accept cookies from sites.'
4. Click OK.

Internet Explorer 7, 8, 9 (PC)

1. Click Start > Control Panel. (Note: with Windows XP Classic View, click the Windows Start button > Settings > Control Panel).
2. Double-click the Internet Options icon.
3. Click the Privacy tab.
4. Click the Advanced button.
5. Select the option 'Override automatic cookie handling' under the Cookies section in the Advanced Privacy Settings window.
6. Select the 'Accept' or 'Prompt' option under 'First-party Cookies.'
7. Select the 'Accept' or 'Prompt' option under 'Third-party Cookies.' (Note: if you select the 'Prompt' option, you'll be prompted to click OK every time a website attempts to send you a cookie.)
8. In the Internet Options window, click OK to exit.

IE 6 (PC)

1. Click Start > Control Panel. (Note: with Windows XP Classic View, click the Windows Start button > Settings > Control Panel).
2. Click the Advanced button.
3. Select the option 'Override Automatic Cookie Handling.'
4. Select the 'Accept' or 'Prompt' option under 'First-party Cookies.'
5. Select the 'Accept' or 'Prompt' option under 'Third-party Cookies.' (Note: if you select the 'Prompt' option, you'll be prompted to click OK every time a website attempts to send you a cookie.)
6. In the Internet Options window, click OK to exit.
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-Brent

Importing CE8 .BAK Files Fixed!

The issue reported Wednesday has been fixed. Sometimes, when a CE8 Section has been copied, and re-copied, and re-copied for years and years, errors crop-up in the .BAK files that prevent them from being able to be imported via the "Import Package" tool in Bb9.1.

So, if you receive the "com/icl/saxon/TransformerFactoryImpl" error when attempting to import your CE8 .BAK file into your new Bb9.1 course, please let me know and I will import it via the back-end for you.

Thank you for your patience! :)

Importing CE8 .BAK Files Is Broken In Bb9.1 SP5

Recently, a couple of Bb9.1 users discovered an error that occurs when they attempt to use the "Import Package" tool to import their CE8 .BAK file into a new Bb9.1 shell. The error says:

The operation has completed. The imported course or organization is now ready for access.

The results of the process are shown below.

Fatal: A fatal error has occurred. The reason for the error is:
com/icl/saxon/TransformerFactoryImpl

For more information, consult the detailed log.

Status: The operation import has completed.

Blackboard got back to me today and they have determined that this is a genuine new bug in the system that they are still trying to figure out, squash, then update everyone so that it works again. They say that it could be as long as 30 days before importing a course from the GUI will work again.

The good news is that I am still able to import courses via the back-end command-line import tool.

So, after I import your CE8 .BAK file for you, and I let you know that it is completed, you may still use the "Copy Course" tool from the Control Panel in your newly-imported course to create new clones, as needed.

To re-iterate: At this time, any new imports from CE8 will have to be done by me for the next month or so, so please request them via the ATSU Helpdesk.

Thank you for your patience!

-Brent

HP812 begins, and the Create Course Wizard in 9.1

First of all, I would like to welcome our first real course in Bb9.1 - HP812! Joy Levine is teaching this course. If you have any questions about 9.1, please contact the ATSU Helpdesk and specify that you are asking a Blackboard 9.1 question and I'll do my very best to assist you in a timely fashion.

Secondly, due to the fact that we have Students in 9.1 now, I removed the "Course Creation Wizard" from the front page. So, if you need to have a test course created, please place a Ticket with the ATSU Helpdesk. Specify that this is for Blackboard 9.1, the Course Title, and the Course Number that you wish. Also let me know who is going to be the Instructor of the course.

Thanks!

Bb9.1 Training - Grade Center

Hi All,

I will be conducting Blackboard 9.1 training today, Thursday, June 9, 2011 on the Grade Center. This will be a basic overview of the Grade Center, with a focus on basic grading tools and techniques.

The training will be at 12:00 noon, Mountain Standard Time (AZ), and at 3:00 pm MST(AZ) in Saguaro B on the Mesa campus.

Below are the links that you will need to join the Blackboard 9.1 "Grade Center" training via Elluminate. The links will only be active within 30 minutes of the start time of each session. The same material will be presented at both sessions, so you can pick the one that works best for you.

June 9, 2011
12:00 noon MST(AZ) (2:00 central. 3:00 eastern)
http://goo.gl/9wQd3

June 9, 2011
3:00 pm MST(AZ) (5:00 central. 6:00 eastern)
http://goo.gl/6RZl5

See you there! :)

Denying Access To Students In Bb9.1

In Blackboard CE8, Section Instructors had the ability to "Deny Access" to a single student in their class. In Blackboard 9.1, Instructors still have this ability, but it is called "Availability". Here's how to use it:

1. Log in to your course, then click "Users and Groups >  Users".
2. Locate the student you wish to deny access to.
3. In the drop-down ActionLionks menu next to the student's username, select "Change User's Availability in Course".
4. In the "Available (this course only)" option drop-down, select "No".
5. Click the Submit button.

To allow access later, select "Yes", then click Submit.

Blackboard CE8 And The "Save All Answers" Button

Sometimes, when you are taking a quiz in Blackboard CE8, if you do not save each answer as you finish it, then attempt to use the "Save All Answers" button, you can lose all of your answers and be forced to re-take the test.

This happens because the CE8 system "times out". It isn't seeing any "activity". Typing in a text box is not considered "activity" and is basically invisible to CE8.

Unfortunately, there is no way to retrieve those lost answers.

The reason why this happens is because you are (probably) using Internet Explorer, and you have never "tuned up" IE so that it works correctly with Blackboard CE8. IE and Bb CE8 do not play well together unless you "tune up" your browser.

However, the BEST way to cure this problem is to switch to the latest version of Mozilla Firefox (http://mozilla.com) and use it instead of IE for when you are in Blackboard.

So, you can approach this on two fronts:

1. Either tune up IE, or switch to Firefox (see step-by-step procedure below.) This MUST be done. Doing nothing is not an option, otherwise you will continue to experience this strange behavior.
2. Ask your Instructor to edit each quiz's Properties so that in the "Question Delivery" section of the properties the "Deliver questions one at a time and allow questions to be revisited" option is check-marked instead of the default "Deliver questions all at once" option. Forcing each question to be displayed alone should keep this from happening, even in IE web browsers that have not been tuned up properly.

Also, you need to SAVE every question every time, right away. Do not wait until the end to save. Save immediately after choosing the answer. The sequence should ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS be: Choose answer > click Save button. Don't be lazy about this. The "Save All Answers" button is a great idea, but it depends very heavily on the individual user's browser settings - which we cannot control.