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Create content guide

Overview of the popular resource types that you can create to present content to students.

About folders

Folders are a resource type to organise related content on the module page. A folder may contain sub-folders. Moodle automatically orders files in folders alphabetically.

There are a number of limitations to Folder. For modules not using Grid format, subsections may provide a more appropriate mechanism for organising content on a module page.

Create a Folder options

If you already have a folder of files saved on your computer that you would like to display on your module, there are two methods to upload these to Moodle.

  1. Upload a zip and display files within a Folder (Requires you to create a zip folder on your computer)
  2. Upload multiple files and display as a Folder.

Create a Folder

  1. To upload a folder of files from your computer to Moodle, you must first zip the folder. The method of doing this will depend on your computer and operating system.
  1. Resize your file explorer screen and the Moodle module so that you can see both screens.
  2. Turn Edit mode on.
  3. Open the relevant section of the module.
  4. Drag and drop the zip folder from your computer into the open section where you'd like it to display.

  1. Choose Unzip files and create folder and select Upload.

  1. If necessary, edit the title of the Folder by selecting the pencil icon alongside the Folder and selecting Enter on your keyboard.
  2. Open the folder resource and select the Edit button to add/delete files.

 

  1. Turn Edit mode on.
  2. Open the section where you want your folder to display.
  3. Select the plus symbol at the end of the section, select Activity or resource. The Activity chooser opens. Select Folder from the Resources tab.
    • To add the folder between existing content, hover your mouse until the plus symbol displays. Select Activity or resource and choose the resource from the Activity chooser.
  4. Give your Folder a meaningful Name.
  5. Add a Description to provide some information on what the Folder contains. You have the option of displaying this Description on the module homepage via the checkbox.
  1. Scroll down to the Content settings. 
  2. Select the plus icon to select and upload your file.

File general settings with title and description added

  1. Select Upload a file.
  2. Select Browse. This opens up Windows Explorer.
  3. Navigate to where you have saved the file. Select the file and select Open.
  4. Select Upload this file.
  5. Repeat steps 7-12 for each file that will be displayed in the Folder.
  6. Choose a Display folder contents option:
    • On a separate page: Select this option if you want to display the link to the folder on the module homepage.
    • Inline on a course page: Select this option if you want to display the content of the folder on the module homepage. If you want to generate logs for inline files remember to check the Show download folder button.
  7.  Show subfolders expanded setting: Tick the checkbox if you want to display the content of any subfolder. Leave unchecked if you want any subfolder to be clicked by users to expand
  8. Show download folder button: If checked, a button will be displayed allowing the contents of the folder to be downloaded as a zip file.
  9. Force download of files: Controls of certain file types (images, HTML) are displayed in the browser rather than downloaded.
  10. Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Save and display.
  1. Turn Edit mode on.
  2. Open the section where you want your folder to display.
  3. Select the plus symbol at the end of the section, select Activity or resource. The Activity chooser opens. Select Folder from the Resources tab.
    • To add the folder between existing content, hover your mouse until the plus symbol displays. Select Activity or resource and choose the resource from the Activity chooser.
  4. Give your Folder a meaningful Name.
  5. Add a Description to provide some information on what the Folder contains. You have the option of displaying this Description on the module homepage via the checkbox.
  6. Scroll down to the Content settings. 
  7. Select the folder icon to create subfolders if required.
  8. A dialog box opens. Give your subfolder a title. Select Create folder.
  9. Complete these steps for each sub-folder you want to create.

    Folder icon highlighted and dialog box to name new subfolder opened

  10. Open the subfolder where you want to locate the content
  11. Open Windows Explorer (Right mouse click on Start and select Windows Explorer) in your Windows PC or Finder for Mac.
  12. Resize the explorer/finder window, so that the Moodle module on the browser is visible
  13. Navigate to the folder on your computer that contains the files you want to add.
  14. Select the files. You can do this is a number of ways on a Windows computer:
    • CTRL + A to select all files.
    • Click and drag a box around the files by holding the left mouse button as you do this
    • Click the first file then while holding Shift, click the last file or folder.
    • When you want to choose specific files, hold the CTRL key and use the mouse to select the different files
    • Once selected drag and drop the file selection into the Content area. The files display alphabetically and the order of these cannot be changed.
  15. Choose a Display folder contents option:
    • On a separate page: Select this option if you want to display the link to the folder on the module homepage.
    • Inline on a course page: Select this option if you want to display the content of the folder on the module homepage. If you want to generate logs for inline files remember to check the Show download folder button.
  16. Show subfolders expanded setting: Tick the checkbox if you want to display the content of any subfolder. Leave unchecked if you want any subfolder to be clicked by users to expand
  17. Show download folder button: If checked, a button will be displayed allowing the contents of the folder to be downloaded as a zip file.
  18. Force download of files: Controls of certain file types (images, HTML) are displayed in the browser rather than downloaded.
  19. Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Save and display.

Disable alternative formats

You may wish to consider disabling the alternative format for a specific file if:

  • the alternative format(s) is known to be incorrect.
  • reviewing the content in a different format may reveal the answer to an activity that students are required to undertake while studying the content.
  1. Alternative format icon highlighted alongside fileSelect the alternative formats icon alongside the accessibility score indicator that appears next to the file resource. 
  2. Select the down arrow that appears on the Download alternative formats overlay window. Select Disable alternative formats for this file.

  3. Select the x icon on the top right of the overlay to return to the module page.
  4. Repeat steps 1-3 for any other files for which you want to disable alternative formats.

When students select the alternative format icon to download the content in a different format they will receive a message that The alternative formats for this file have been disabled.

Re-enable alternative formats for a file

You can re-enable alternative formats if required.

  1. Select the alternative formats icon alongside the file.
  2. An overlay will display. Select the Enable for this file button.

  3. The alternative formats will display. Select the x in the top right to close the overlay and return to the module page.
  4. Repeat steps 1-3 for each file where you want to re-enable alternative formats.
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