Folder concept
Wherever files are stored in OpenOlat, folders look the same and work the same way. This page shows the different folders and how to work with files.
Different folder types
Personal folder
The personal folder can be found in the user tools in the personal menu, in the File Hub.
It offers the option of storing individual files independently of courses or resource folders.
The personal folder has a private and a public area. Files in the private folder are only visible to the respective person, while files in the public area can be read and downloaded by all users in the system via the visiting card.
Tip
To view the visiting cards of other OpenOlat users, select "Other users" in the personal menu and search for the desired person using the search mask.
See the details about the personal files >
See the details about the File Hub >
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Storage folder
In the storage folder of a course, you store the files you use in the course.
You open it in the course via Course > Administration > Files > Storage folder or via the File Hub under "Courses". Select the appropriate course there.
To the storage folder you upload, for example, files that you later link from a page in the course.
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Resource folder
If you use the same files in several courses, upload them to a resource folder. This way you edit them in one single place.
To use the resource folder in a course, integrate it in the course via Course > Administration > Settings > Tab "Options". You then find the folder "_sharedfolder" with the files of the resource folder in the storage folder of the course. One resource folder is possible per course.
The cross-course resource folder is a learning resource. It is therefore also listed in Authoring and can be edited there.
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Course element "Folder"
The course element "Folder" is a storage option within a course. Coaches and owners of the course can make files available for download there. Participants of the course can also be granted the upload right if required.
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Course element "Participant folder"
The course element "Participant folder" enables the exchange of files between individual participants and coaches. Two subfolders are available for this purpose. One is the "Participant Drop Box", which participants can use to submit files to coaches. The other is the "Coach Return Box", in which the coaches can return files to all participants simultaneously or individually.
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Folder in the course element "Task" or "Group task"
Within the workflow of a course element "Task" and "Group task", various documents are uploaded and downloaded by coaches or participants: assignment, submitted documents, returned documents, revised documents and sample solution. Folders are available for all files within the course element, which are only accessible within the course element.
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Folder for members of a group (group folder)
Within a group, group members can exchange documents in the shared group folder. Files can be uploaded, created and downloaded there. Further structuring with subfolders is also possible.
Group folders can also be accessed via the File Hub. The File Hub automatically recognizes whether you are a member of a group and which group folders are therefore displayed in the File Hub.
Access to a group folder is always linked to membership of the relevant group.
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Folder for coaches (Coach files)
A folder can be set up within a course that is only accessible to the coaches of this course. Documents can be exchanged there, for example, or files relating to the course that should not be accessible to participants can simply be stored there.
This folder is set up under Course > Administration > Settings > Tab "Options" > Section "Coach settings". A subfolder from the storage folder of the course can be used or a new folder can be created automatically (_coachdocuments).
The folder can then be opened under Course > Administration > Coach files. The folder can also be accessed via the File Hub by selecting the course.
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Course archive
If an entire course is archived or only a partial archive is created from some course elements, this archive is stored in the File Hub in the folder "Course archive".
See the details >
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Document pool
The document pool is also displayed in the File Hub as a folder in which different files are stored. However, metadata is added to the files here (e.g. taxonomy). It is therefore not a pure file storage in a file system, although files can be transferred to the document pool via WebDAV, for example.
See the details >
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View
Use the buttons "Folder" and "Files" above the list to switch between the hierarchical view with folders and the pure file view. In the file view, the filter tabs "From me" and "For me" are also available.
Tip
In the breadcrumb below the buttons, you can always see which folder you are currently in. Click on a section in the breadcrumb to jump directly to this level.
Search
The search function in folders searches for
- file names,
- description and
- creator
in the current folder and its subfolders. It is not a full-text search, i.e. no search within Word files, for example.
File status
Whether someone is currently editing a file or whether it is locked, you see in the column "File status". If the column is not visible, show it using the gear icon.
If someone is currently editing a file, it has the status "Currently being edited".
You set the status "Locked" in the metadata. You edit the metadata under the three dots at the end of a line.
A newly uploaded file first has the label "New". This way you find it again immediately, for example to move or copy it. Only the person who uploaded the file sees the label. It disappears as soon as this person has left the folder once.
Working with files
Actions via menu
To move, copy, download, pack (zip) or delete files, open the menu under the three dots at the end of a line (right-hand edge of a list).
Drag & Drop
You also drag files with the mouse onto a highlighted target field using Drag & Drop.
Multi-file upload
You can also select several files and drag them together onto the target field.
Mass actions
As soon as at least one checkbox is selected at the beginning of a line in a list, buttons with available options (download, move, etc.) appear above the list.
If you select the checkbox in the header, all list entries are selected and highlighted. This allows you to quickly edit several entries at the same time.
Opening HTML files
When you click an HTML file in a folder, OpenOlat opens it for editing or for viewing only, depending on your access in the folder:
- With write access, the file opens in the HTML editor in a new browser window.
- With read-only access, a preview of the file opens in a lightbox above the current page.
The preview in the lightbox delivers the file through a separate content domain, that is, a second web address next to the address under which you call up OpenOlat. HTML code and scripts from the file therefore have no access to the OpenOlat session of the person viewing the file.
The preview in the lightbox requires a content domain set up by administrators. Without a content domain, an HTML file opens in a new browser window even with read-only access. How to set up the content domain is described in the Installation guide.
Trash
The files in the trash can be deleted automatically after a certain period of time. The retention period in the trash and the automatic deletion are set up by administrators.
Note
Folders as described here are available in the following areas of OpenOlat:
- Resource folder (shared folder)
- Storage folder of the course
- Course archive
- Library
- Project
- Collaboration tools of the groups
- Taxonomy / Lost & Found
- Course element "Participant folder"
Further information
Mentioned on this page
Personal menu and general components >
User tools: File Hub >
Storage folder >
Resource folder >
Course Element "Folder" >
Course Element "Participant folder" >
Course Element "Task" >
Course Element "Group Task" >
Using Group Tools >
Course Settings - Tab Options >
Course administration - Archiving & Reports >
File Hub Concept >
General information on the search >
Installation guide >
Further reading
Coach files >
Which folders can I use to provide documents? >
Search in the File Hub >
Using WebDAV >