Step-By-Step
Group File Exchange
(Text version)

1. Instructors and TAs have the option to allow groups to access to a file exchange function. If your instructor has created group pages and allowed the file exchange function for your group you can access that function by:

• Log into the Blackboard course site as usual.
• Click on Communications / Group Pages and click on the name of the group of which you are a member. Your instructor or TA should let you know which group they have given you access. This displays your group's Group page.
• Click on the "File Exchange" link. This displays the file exchange page for your group.
• Listed on this page will be all of the files that members of the group have posted for exchange. You can add a file to the group's file exchange by clicking on the "Add File" button located at the top of the page. This will display the file exchange dialogue page for your group. To upload a file to be shared by group first type in a title for the file in the box marked "Title".
• Next, click on the "Browse" button. This will display your computer's file locater dialogue. Using the dropdown box on the top of the file locator, locate the directory and folder that contains the file you want to share. Click on the name of the file then click on the "Open" button on the file locator. The locator dialogue box will disappear and the path to the file will be located in the box next to the "Browse" button.
• Next, click on the "submit" button on the bottom of the page. This will cause the Blackboard software to upload a copy of your file to the server and make it available for the rest of the group. A receipt will be displayed on the screen after the file is uploaded telling you that the file has successfully been uploaded. Click on the "ok" button. This will re-display the groups file exchange page but now your file will have been added.

2. You can upload any file type to the group's file exchange except an .EXE (Executive) file. When any member of the group clicks on the file name it can be downloaded and opened up on that person's computer. Remember, To view a file you have uploaded the person downloading the file must have the proper software installed on their computer to read the file. For instance, if you post a Word document, the down loader must have Microsoft Word installed on their computer to open and read the document. If you up load a PDF file, the down loader must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on their computer to read it.

3. Files can be downloaded from the Group's file exchange in 2 methods.

• First, a group member can click on the file name. The file will be downloaded and if the user has the proper software installed on their computer it will automatically open.
• Second, a group member can right-click the file name and choose to "Save Target As". This will allow the group member to download the file to some location on their computer and open the file from that location.

4. Each Blackboard course site has a large, but limited, amount of storage space on the Blackboard server. Do not upload files that are not needed by the group or have nothing to do with the course. At the end of the semester the student accounts are removed from each course site and any group files posted by a student are automatically deleted.

If you have any questions or comments regarding this Step-By-Step procedure contact the Tufts Blackboard Administrator at: nhirsig@tufts.edu