Possible to force download a file in New Quizzes rather than open in a new tab?

jliggett2

Hello!

In our courses, we have embedded links for students to download data files to use in order to answer certain questions. So, they download the file from within the quiz, use it in R/Python/etc. and then answer the question in the quiz in Canvas. We recently migrated over to New Quizzes and previously in Classic Quizzes, students would be able to just click the link and the file would download directly to their machines. Now, with New Quizzes, the file is opening in a new tab, which displays the data completely incorrectly. In order to get the file to download to their machines, they have to right click and "Save As."

Is there a way to get the file to download directly instead of having to right click and "Save As?"

I've also noticed that the icon that follows the link is the external link icon rather than the download icon. I've looked online and from what I understand, because New Quizzes is an LTI, it's creating a link to the file instead of a direct connection to the course files. So, I don't know if this is just how New Quizzes functions or if there is a workaround for this.

Thank you for any advice or insights on this!

JeffCampbell

I am not sure why this is happening to you. It should be downloading. I tried setting up a dummy New Quiz with a code file to download and it is downloading as expected. I am curious on two things.

First, can you go into the question, use the View Menu to view the HTML editor, and share the code around where you have the link? I have an idea to force a download by editing the link code itself but was curious what you see on your end (comparing against my test here).

<a href="https://your-lti-domain.com" download="RequestedFile.pdf">Download File</a>

Second, when I look at your question, the link reads nlsy_06-1.RData file, but the way the code reads, I'm wondering if your link has extraneous characters by accident. The external link icon is the clue. I suspect your actual file is nlsy_06-1.RData and the extra " file" is merely a result of the RCE accidentally treating it as part of the link as you typed. Maybe the extra characters are throwing something internally off. It should not since it is merely the front facing text for the link, but worth fixing in case that is the cause. I'm sure you know, teaching a coding class, how extra characters can produce unexpected results.