CANVAS SHOULD NOT automatically rename student files on download!

It should be an OPTION to have CANVAS override the (in my case, carefully specified) names of the students' submitted files, when I come to download them. (They are computer m-files; I need to run them through a program that depends on the naming convention). What should be a simple "download" becomes hours of additional programming and general messing around, to undo this. A simple email attachment down-loader does the job far better, but oh no, my organisation has bought into this second-rate ILE, and insists on its use. What a waste of time.

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Accepted answers

DanielWalker

Problem now solved, using email. (Amazing, isn't it, how email systems miraculously manage quietly to do their thing, and handle large numbers of file attachments without messing things up). I came here thinking this was Canvas Support. And 24 hours later, it does indeed seem to be the closest thing on Earth to that. Thanks to the two chaps who tried to help.

All comments

gnoack

Hi @DanielWalker

I assume you are referring to the bulk download from the assignment page, which downloads as a zip folder. If you think about it, it has to add a student name to each file, or how else would you be able to differentiate between student files within the folder? Not everyone requires students to use the same file naming conventions that you might. What if a student uploaded a file with an incorrect name, or another student's name? Canvas adding the student's name ensures integrity.

In Speedgrader, you can download files without the name change, but you have to do so one at a time on each student's grading page. That might save your some time.

You might also consider using a cloud storage folder such as a Google Drive, DropBox, or OneDrive. You could link to the folder on the assignment page and have students drop their files there.

You could also explore apps that rename files, such as https://www.den4b.com/products/renamer

I hope that helps.

SusanNiemeyer

Sorry, but your rant is a bit too much. A lot of the folks answering questions here are just fellow instructors who are volunteering their time and energy to lend a helping hand to colleagues. I'm just a community college instructor myself. If you're going to respond to a fellow instructor with another long rant about how much you hate Canvas, I doubt anyone is going to want to help you.

DanielWalker

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