How to Clean Up Course Files

Blackboard course packages can only be exported or copied successfully when they are under 1GB, but hidden course files in the Content Collection often cause course packages to go over the 1GB limit. The Content Collection houses all files added or uploaded to a course, so the course files can become too large very quickly. This is especially true if course copies have been performed on the course or there have been multiple imported content packages. Course copies and imports often lead to duplicated and unnecessary files in the course Content Collection. The steps below show you how to clean up your course files in the Content Collection.

• How to Clean Up Course Files
• Check Course Package Size

Step-by-Step Guide

How to Clean Up Course Files

1. Access the Content Collection for your course. There are two options to do so:
   1. Enter your course and scroll down to the Control Panel. Select Content Collection and click on your Course ID.
      
       
   2. Select the Content Collection tab at the top of your Blackboard home page. Click the drop-down arrow next to Course Content and select your Course ID.
      
       
2. Review the list of course files, looking for outdated, unnecessary, and duplicated files/folders.
   
    
   Please Note:  In the photo above, notice the three identical Imported Content folders at the top of the list. Two of them are the same size and were uploaded on the same day, so these are duplicates and at least one can be deleted. Also, the fifth item in the list has a (1) at the end of the file name. This means there are two files with the same name, so a (1) was added to the duplicate file. The file with the largest number in parentheses is usually the most recent and/or up-to-date version of the file, so you can delete all previous versions.
3. Once you identify files or folders that can be deleted, you can choose to download them to your computer first if you don’t want to lose the file.  Select the check box next to the items you wish to download and click the Download Package button at the top of the list. This will download a .zip file with all of your selected content.
   
    
4. When you are ready to delete a file or folder, select the check box next to the items' names and click the Delete button at the top of the list.
   
    
5. Continue this process until all unnecessary files have been deleted. Then, check the course package size to see if it’s under 1GB.

Check Course Package Size

1. Enter the course that you want to check the size of.
    
2. Select Packages and Utilities > Export/Archive Course.
   
    
3. Click Export Package at the top of the page.
   
4. Select the second two options under File Attachments and click Calculate Size. If the size is 1GB or less, you’ve successfully cleaned up your course files. If it is larger than 1GB, return to the steps above and continue removing files.
   
    
5. Click Cancel to exit Export Course.

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