Carroll Community College

Troubleshooting: Bb Issues

• Unable to view quizzes/exams
• Unable to view clock for quizzes and tests
• My Instructor can not open my file in the Digital Drop Box 
• My instructor did not recieve the file I added to the Digital Drop Box
• I don't have a place to type text when using IE7 in Windows Vista
• I don't have a place to type text when using IE7 in Windows XP
• Instructors/students unable to open documents created by others using Office 2007
• Instructors/students unable to open Office 2007 documents within Blackboard when using IE7
• PowerPoint presentation opens to a blank slide when using IE7

Problem: Unable to view quizzes/exams

You may need to change some security levels on your computer

1. Open new IE7 browser window
2. Click on Tools in the top menu
3. Click on Internet Options from the drop down menu
4. Click on the Security tab
5. Click on Internet Zone
6. Click on Custom Level
7. Look for Scripting
8. Make sure Allow programmatic Clipboard Access is enabled

Problem: Unable to view clock for quizzes and tests

First try to change your browser settings:

Internet Explorer 7:

1. Open a browser window
2. Click on Tools from the top menu
3. Click on Internet Options
4. Click on the Security tab
5. Look for the Internet zone and click on Custom Level button
6. Locate Scripting section and enable Allow Status Bar Updates via Script
7. Click on the OK button twice

Firefox:

1. Open a browser window
2. Click on Tools in the top menu
3. Click on Options from the drop down menu
4. Click on Web Features (or Content)
5. Click on Advanced button
6. Under Allow scripts to: checkmark Change Status Bar Text
7. Click on OK twice

If changing your browser options doesn't help, then try one of these ways to see a clock with a quiz or test:

1. The count down clock can be seen with a new window in Internet Explorer (IE).
   (This option may not work for you if your Internet Security software blocks pop-up windows.) Any link can be seen in a new window by:
   • Positioning the mouse arrow over the hyperlink, right click on the mouse
   • Click on the Open in New Window option
   • The link (or quiz/test) should open in a new window with the count down clock appearing in a bottom corner
2. You can also see a clock on your taskbar all the time to keep track of the time yourself:
   • Position the mouse arrow in the task bar usually at the bottom of the screen (beside the Start button)
   • Right click on the mouse
   • Click on Properties at the bottom
   • A new window will open and near the bottom:
   • Click in the box for Show the Clock
   • Click on OK
   • The clock should appear in the taskbar and you can manually check your time on a quiz or test

Problem: My Instructor cannot open my file in the Digital Drop Box

Don't include # or any other symbol in the file name if you plan to send it to your instructor via the Bb dropbox or from an assignment.Your instructor will not be able to open the file. For example, DON'T save file names "assignment #1." Save it without a symbol (for example: "assignment 1") before you upload into the dropbox.

Problem: My instructor did not recieve the file I added to the Digital Drop Box

Only Sent files are viewable to the instructor.  Save in either .rtf or .doc format to ensure your instructor will be able to open . When you're ready to send a file that you added/saved in the Digital Drop Box follow these steps.

1. Click on Send File
2. Select your saved file in the Select drop down menu
3. Enter the file title
4. Click Submit (You will receive a notice that the file has been sent.)

Problem: I don't have a place to type text when using IE7 in Windows Vista

You  need to disable the Visual Text Box editor, which is incompatible with Windows Vista, and enable the Text Box Editor

1. Click on the MyCarroll tab to navigate to the opening (Welcome) Carroll Web page
2. Click on Personal Information in the Tools box on the left side of the page
3. Click on Set Text Box Editor Options
4. Select Availablity to Unavailable
5. Click on Submit button and OK

You should also check the school's Blackboard server (carrollcc.edu) is added to your list of trusted sites (follow steps in next problem).

Problem: I don't have a place to type text when using IE7 in Windows XP

You may need to add the Bb website to your list of trusted sites (The following information is available from Blackboard on using Internet Explorer 7. )

Login to the Blackboard Academic Suite, and navigate to a page that uses the Visual Text Box Editor (discussion board reply textbox). Check the Status bar (bottom of browser window), if a Restricted Site icon (red circle) or Internet (a globe icon) appears, the Blackboard Academic Suite server must be added to the list of Trusted Sites.

Follow these steps to add the Blackboard Academic Suite server to the list of trusted sites.

1. Double-click the Status Bar where the Restricted Sites or the Internet icon appears. The Internet Security Properties box will open.
2. Click on the Trusted Sites icon under the Select a zone to view or change security settings heading.Click Sites to open the Trusted Sites box.
3. The URL for the Blackboard Academic Suite server should appear in the Add this Web Site to the zone field. If not, enter the Blackboard Academic Suite's URL the in the field.
4. If the URL for the Blackboard Academic Suite does not use SSL security, uncheck the Require Server Verification (https:) for all sites in this zone option. If the URL for the Blackboard Academic Suite uses SSL security the URL will begin with https://, otherwise the URL will begin with http://. 
5. Click Add.
6. Click Close.
7. Click OK on the Internet Security Properties box.
8. Refresh the page.
   A message will appear in the Internet Explorer Information Bar: "This website wants to run the following add-on: 'Microsoft (R) Dynamic HTML Editing Control' from 'Microsoft Corporation'. If you trust the website and the add-on and want to allow it to run, click here ..."
9. Click the message and select Run ActiveX Control from the context menu.
10. Click Run in the Security Warning box.
    

Problem: Instructors/students unable to open documents created by others using Office 2007.

Microsoft Office 2007 saves documents with different extensions (for example Word documents are saved as .docx instead of .doc).

1. Either download a free converter or save file as a previous version of Office Download free converter for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 files from this link.
2. Save file as a previous version of Office: Instead of using Save from the Office button in Office 2007, use Save As. Choose Word 97-2003 Document instead of Word Document (using similar options for Excel and PowerPoint):
   Information from Northern Arizona University
   

Problem: Instructors/students unable to open Office 2007 documents within Blackboard when using IE7

1. Use a different browser e.g. Firefox. Firefox can be downloaded for free.
2. Attach or upload files in 2003 Microsoft Office format so there will not be a compatibilty problem (see topic above).

Problem: PowerPoint presentation opens to a blank slide when using IE7

1. Close the blank PowerPoint
2. Right click on the file name
3. Click Save Target As
4. Save to your computer/portable drive
5. Click Open once you see Download Successful

We are investigating a possible fixed in the 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) update.