Link path to a file in the folder structure

Question

Good morning, would anyone be able to shed a little light on the folder structure in Files?   The path to the file not include the folder in it when grabbing its link.   Is it at possible to target files by their folder structure when trying to retrieve them?

Example:  Below is an image of the folder structure in a Sandbox course.    To get a specific file in the "Uploaded Media" folder, I open the folder and find a specific file.

OLD FILES PAGE

NEW FILES PAGE

Yet, when I grab the link to the file, there is no reference to the folder in its path.

https://xxxxxxx.instructure.com/files/5672278/download?download_frd=1

Do I understand correctly that there really and truly is no folder structure in the Canvas LMS, and that the file above is simply number 5672278 among others in a large "bucket" associated with our University, and that the only true folder is that of our University?

If these aren't actual folders, then what are they?

Is there anything that may be done to narrow a search for a file by somehow incorporating the name of the folder, by owner?

Thank you in advance for any insights you may have to offer!

Warmest  regards,

Sharon Austin

saustin · Accepted Answer

Actually, please disregard the question above.   I found that I can right click on a folder to get a link to the folder, but also, that the file structure in Canvas is flat by design.   Thanks again, all!

lkonkol · Accepted Answer

I see that you have resolved your own question, but I thought it might be worth mentioning in case folks come across this later.

If you view the JSON for a given file (https://xxxxxxx.instructure.com/api/v1/files/672278), you'll see that the file has a "folder_id" which is similarly an instance-specific number. Handily, there are separate endpoints for /api/v1/courses/{course_id}/files, /api/v1/files/{file_id}, and /api/v1/courses/{course_id}/folders. There is not, however, anything for /api/v1/folders/{folder_id}.

Therefore, in terms of 'folder structure,' folders are more like tags than they are nested containers.