Restricted files and filenames on myCourses

myCourses file type restrictions

myCourses restricts certain mime-types for files across myCourse for system security. Those mime-types are outlined in the vendor's documentation at the link below. These are primarily program and programming related file-types.

If you need to submit a file of this type you will have to compress the file into a ZIP archive before making the submission.

• https://documentation.brightspace.com/EN/brightspace/requirements/all/restricted_mime_types.htm

Turnitin Restrictions

If an Assignment is using the Turnitin integration there will be additional restrictions on accepted file submissions. Turnitin only accepts a limited number of file types for evaluation and has additional size and document length restrictions by default.

• https://help.turnitin.com/feedback-studio/lti/student/submitting-a-paper/file-types-and-size.htm

Instructors can turn change the settings on an Assignment to allow the submission of filetypes which cannot be evaluated to use Grademark for all documents.

• Allowing Grademark for all documents

Restricted characters for Filenames

As a web application there are certain characters that should not be used when naming files.. The presence of just one of these characters in your filenames will cause errors and unexpected
problems in the system.

• Students naming a file to upload for course Assignments or Discussions must not use illegal characters in the filename.
• Instructors naming a file to upload in a course for Assignment, Discussions, Course Files, or Content area must not use illegal characters in the filename.

The restricted characters are:

\ / : * ? " < > | ~ # % & + { }

It is also important to be aware that spaces in filenames at the beginning or end can cause errors as well. These may be "invisible" when you go to look at the filename in the computer as it is not obvious there are spaces at the beginning and/or end of the filename. Renaming the file and using the arrow keys to step through the characters may reveal the extra spaces.

Most Windows computers and Android devices will not allow filenames to include these restricted characters.

Most MacOS computers and iOS devices will allow filenames containing these characters. myCourses may allow “illegally” named files to be uploaded. However, instructors must be aware that trying to access that file will throw an error.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Any file whose name contains illegal characters, attached to a Discussion, will produce an error whenever that particular topic/thread is accessed.
• Any file whose name contains illegal characters, uploaded to Assignments, will produce an error whenever that file is accessed.
• Instructors should be especially aware that the use of illegal characters in the Course Files or Course Content areas will cause similar errors and problems.

File size restrictions

The system limit for a single file size is 1GB.

In testing at RIT our recommendation is to keep single file sizes to 250MB or less for reliable transfers and reasonable transfer times with users spread across the world using a variety of internet access options.

There are no overall quotas on course storage on myCourses itself.

Filename and path length restrictions

We recommend keeping file names under 100 characters in length.

There is a 255 (maximum) character limit for filenames. This includes the total number of characters in the file’s path, plus all the characters in the file’s name. Because the path on the system may vary we recommend keeping filenames under 100 characters in length.