Whether you use Vista to teach online classes or use it as an accessory to face to face classes, Blackboard Vista allows for the uploading and organizing of any files you have for your students. This guide covers the following topics:

• Getting Help
• Logging Into Bb Vista
• Uploading a Syllabus
• Uploading Files
• Creating Files
• Updating Files
• Folders
• Learning Modules
• Page Options
• The File Manager

To upload your syllabus:

1. In the Build tab, click the Add Content link button at the top of the screen.



2. Choose Syllabus and then click Select File.



3. Click the My Computer icon.



4. Navigate to the file you would like to use and double-click it.
5. An icon will be added for the syllabus.
6. See instructions below for Updating Files if you need to re-upload an updated copy of your syllabus.

To upload a file that you have created outside of Blackboard:

1. In the Build tab, click the Add File ActionLink menu.



2. Click Browse for Files.



3. Click the My Computer icon.



4. Browse to the location of your file and double-click it.
5. The file will be uploaded and and icon for it placed on the page.
   

To create an HTML file:

1. In the Build tab, click the Add File ActionLink menu.



2. Choose Create File.



3. Enter a Title to be used as the text next to the file icon.
4. If you would like to use the HTML Creator to format your file, click the Enable HTML Creator button.
5. Enter the content in the Content field.
   • If you are using the HTML Creator, you can format your file using the toolbar at the top of the window.
6. Enter the name of the file in the File Name field.
7. Click the Save button.
   • Alternatively, if you would like to create another file, you can click Save and Add Another.
8. The file will be created and an icon for it placed on the page.

To update a Word, PowerPoint, PDF, etc. file after you have already uploaded it into your course:

1. Open the original file from your hard drive, flash drive, etc. and make the necessary changes in the program you originally used to create the file. (Word, PowerPoint, etc.) Make your changes and save the file.
2. Log in to eLearning and enter your section.
3. From the Build tab, click the File Manager link under the Designer tools menu.



4. You should see the files you have uploaded into your section, including the file you intend to update/replace.
5. Click the Get Files button at the top of the file list.



6. Click the My Computer icon and browse to the location of the file you updated in step 1. Double-click the file.
7. When prompted, choose the option to replace the existing file and click OK.



8. The file will be replaced with your updated copy and any links you have to this file in your course will now point to this new version. This will only work if the file you are uploading has the same name as the file you originally uploaded.

To update an HTML file created inside Blackboard:

1. From the Build tab, navigate to the icon for the file you want to change.
2. Click the ActionLink icon next to the name of the icon and choose Edit Properties.



3. You will be taken in to the Edit File options where you can make changes to the file. You will need to click the Enable HTML Creator button to edit the file within the HTML editor.
4. Be sure to click Save when done making your changes.

To create a folder (formerly called an Organizer Page in WebCT Vista 3):

1. In the Build tab, click the Create Folder ActionLink menu.



2. Enter a Title to be used as the name of the folder.
3. Optionally, enter a description to appear next to the folder icon.
4. Click the Save button.
   

To create a Learning Module:

1. In the Build tab, click the Learning Modules link in the Course Tools menu.



2. Click the Create Learning Module button.



3. Enter a Title and a brief description (optional) in the appropriate fields.
4. In the Table of Contents section, click the drop down icon next to the Numbering field to select how you would like the numbering to appear in your table of contents.
5. For the First Page of the Learning Module Should Be setting, you can choose if you would like your Table of Contents or the first page of content to be the first page of the Learning Module. Select the option you prefer from the displayed list.
6. If you have created Goals that you would like to associate with this Learning Module, click the Select Goals button, check the box next to the Goal that you would like to add, and click the Add Selected Goals button.
7. Click the Save button.
   

To add files to a Learning Module:

1. In the Build tab, click the Learning Modules link in the Course Tools menu.



2. Click the link for the Learning Module to which you would like to add content.



3. Click the Add File ActionLink menu



4. Click Browse for Files.



5. Click the My Computer icon.



6. Browse to the location of your file and double-click it.

To add content to a Learning Module:

1. In the Build tab, click the Learning Modules link in the Course Tools menu.



2. Click the link for the Learning Module to which you would like to add content.



3. On the page for your selected Learning Module, click the Add Content Link ActionLink menu.

   

   • A drop down menu will appear listing the various types of content available to you.
4. Click the content type that you would like to add.
   • An interface will appear where you can choose to add an item that you have previously created or create a new item.
5. To create a new piece of content, click on the Create button.
6. To add an item that you have previously created, select the item from the list.
7. Click the Add Selected button.
   

To change the layout of your pages:

1. On the Build tab, click the Page Options ActionLink menu on the right side of the screen.



2. From the drop down menu that appears, select Customize Page Display.



3. You will be presented with a number of Layout Templates. Click the radio button next to a template to see a sample of the template in the Layout Preview window. You may also create a layout by clicking the Custom Layout button.
4. If you would like to change all of your current folders to the selected layout, click the Change all existing folders to these settings checkbox.
5. If you would like folders you create in the future to use the selected layout, click the Set default to these settings for all new folders checkbox.
6. Click the Apply button to save your changes.

To add a background image to your pages:

1. On the Build tab, click the Page Options ActionLink menu on the right side of the screen.



2. From the drop down menu that appears, select Customize Page Display.



3. In the Background Image section, click the Browse button.



4. Locate and select the desired file.
5. Click OK or Open. The file name will now appear in the Background Image dialog box.
6. If the image is smaller than the screen size, the image will only be displayed once, with the rest of the screen displaying the background color. If you would like the image to be displayed repeatedly, click the Tile the image check box.
7. If you would like to remove the background image, click the Remove Background Image button.
8. Click the Apply button to save your changes.

To change the background color of your pages:

1. On the Build tab, click the Page Options ActionLink menu on the right side of the screen.



2. From the drop down menu that appears, select Customize Page Display.



3. In the Background Color section, click Select Color. A collection of color swatches will appear.



4. Click the color you would like to use for you background.
5. Click the Select button to save your choice.
6. Click the Apply button to save your changes.

To create a folder in the File Manager:

1. From the Build tab, click File Manager from the Designer Tools menu.



2. Click the Create Folder button.



3. Enter a Title for the folder.
4. Click OK.
5. Click the name of the folder to navigate into the folder.

To upload a file in the File Manager:

1. From the Build tab, click File Manager from the Designer Tools menu.



2. To navigate to a folder, click the name of the folder.
3. Click the Get Files button.



4. Click the My Computer icon.



5. Browse to the location of your file and double-click it.
6. The file will be uploaded.

Author:

Jason Polubinsky, 2007

Contributor:

Mandi Witkovsky, 2007

Editors:

Han Fei, 2007
Scott Vitz, 2007
Mandi Witkovsky, 2007

Last Updated:

July 24, 2008