CD-ROM Tool Implementation

 

About CD-ROM | Top

The CD-ROM tool allows you to provide students access to multimedia files from a course Content Module. Instead of uploading the files to your course, you provide your students with a CD that contains copies of the multimedia files. When students click a link in the Content Module, the CD-ROM tool reads the file from the student's local CD-ROM drive. Important: To view media files, both you and your students require the appropriate media-playing software or browser plug-in. To learn more about common plug-ins, as well as to download plug-ins you may require, go to WebCT's Browser Tune-Up. This information is provided in student help, but providing your students with specific media-playing requirements would be very helpful.

Setting up CD-ROM involves these steps:

  1. Add the CD-ROM tool to your course. For instructions, see Add Page or Tool.
  2. Create a directory structure for the CD-ROM files in Manage Files.
  3. Configure the CD-ROM tool. Note: Students must also configure the CD-ROM tool to read from their computer's local CD-ROM drive.
  4. Add HTML links to the CD files on pages in the Content Module.
  5. Test your setup of CD-ROM. Note: From the CD-ROM Designer View, you cannot view the files on the CD; you must log in to your course as a student to test your set up of CD-ROM.

What do you want to do? | Top

CD-ROM Tool Implementation | Top

In order for the CD-ROM tool to find files on students' local CD-ROM drives, you must create a "dummy" directory structure, a folder and file structure with no content, in Manage Files . The directory structure you create in Manage Files must exactly replicate the directory structure of the CD distributed to your class. The directory structure you create need only contain the file path to those files you wish to use in the Content Module. To view the directory structure of your CD, open the CD using your computer's file browser.

Create a folder under My-Files that will contain the CD directory structure:

Note: You must create a My-Files subfolder that will contain the CD directory structure. Do not place your CD directory structure in the My-Files folder, or in the same folder as your content pages, as CD-ROM will not be able to locate the files.

  1. From the Control Panel, click Manage Files. The Folders and Files screen appears.
  2. Under Name, select My-Files.
  3. Under Options: Folders, click Create folder. The Create Folder screen appears.
  4. In the Create a folder named text box, enter a name for the folder. Note: Do not use spaces or underlines. The name of this folder does not have to replicate the CD.
  5. From the Within the folder drop-down list, verify that My-Files is selected.
  6. Click Create. The Folders and Files screen appears and the new folder is created.

Create the dummy directory structure for your CD:

Since the CD-ROM tool reads the CD files you specify from students' local CD-ROM drives, you do not have to upload the CD files to Manage Files. Instead, create a dummy directory structure for those files you wish to use:

Note: Be sure to name folders and files exactly as they are named on the CD, or CD-ROM will not be able to locate the files. Folder and file names are case sensitive. Do not use spaces or underlines. If your CD contains folders or files with spaces in their names, use %20 in place of the space.

  1. Select the folder you just created and then, starting from the root level of your CD, begin creating empty folders and files that are identical to the folder and file structure on your CD:
    • To create folders:
      1. Under Options: Folders, click Create folder. The Create Folder screen appears.
      2. In the Create a folder named text box, enter the name of the folder exactly as it appears on the CD.
      3. From the Within the folder drop-down list, verify that the folder selected is correct. Note: If you are creating a folder that is at the root level of your CD, be sure to place it within the folder you just created in Steps 2 - 6 above. If you are creating a subfolder, ensure that you place it within the correct parent folder, as you must create a file path that is identical to your CD. For example, if your CD contains a folder called "Movies", you must create a dummy folder called "Movies" in Manage Files.
      4. Click Create. The Folders and Files screen appears and the new folder is created.
    • To create files:
      1. Select the folder for the file. Note: If you are creating a file that is at the root level of your CD, be sure to place it within the folder you created in Steps 2 - 6. Be sure to place files within the correct folder, as the file path must be identical to your CD.
      2. Under Options: Files, click Create file. The Create File screen appears.
      3. In the Filename text box, enter the name of the file exactly as it appears on your CD, including the file extension. Leave the File Content text box blank.
      4. Click Save. The Folders and Files screen appears and the new file is created.
  2. Continue creating dummy folders and files until you have mirrored the file path to every file on your CD that you want to use in the Content Module.

Next, configure the CD-ROM tool:

  1. From the Course Menu, click CD-ROM. The CD-ROM List screen appears.
  2. Click the Designer Options tab, if it is not already selected.
  3. Under Options: CD-ROM Tools, click Create entry to CD-ROM. The Create Entry to CD-ROM screen appears.
  4. In the CD-ROM title text box, enter a name that students will recognize for your CD. Note: Students must select the CD when configuring their CD-ROM.
  5. From the CD-ROM course folder drop-down list, select the folder you created in Manage Files that contains the directory structure for your CD.
  6. Click Add. The CD-ROM List screen appears with a table displaying the CD title and course folder. CD-ROM is configured.

    Note: Students must also configure CD-ROM to read from their computer's local CD-ROM drive.

Next, create HTML links to the CD files from pages in the Content Module:

  1. From the Course Menu, click Content Module. The Table of Contents screen appears.
  2. Click the Designer Options tab, if it is not already selected.
  3. From the Table of Contents screen, click the name of the page in which you want to add a link to a CD-ROM file. The Content Page Settings screen appears.
  4. Under File Options, click Edit file. The Edit file screen appears.
  5. In the Content text box, enter the HTML code that will point to the file on students' local CD-ROM drives. You must include the file path and filename. Sample HTML codes are listed below:
    • To create a link that opens the CD file in a new browser window, use the <a href> tag:
      • Example: <a href="CDROMfolder/Folder1/Folder2/Filename.MOV">Link Text</a>
      • In this example, CDROMfolder was created in Steps 2 - 6, and the CD contains two sub-directories called Folder1 and Folder2 that lead to the file you want students to see.
    • To create a link that embeds the CD file in the page of content, use the <embed src> tag. Be sure to specify parameters for the media player, such as size, controls, and autostart:
      • Example: <embed src="CDROMfolder/Folder1/Folder2/Filename.MOV" width=300 height=300 showcontrols=true showcontrols=1 autostart=true autostart=1>
      • This example shows the same file path as the <a href> example, with extra code telling the media player how big it is, to display the media player controls, and that the file should automatically begin playing. Note: Some browsers require specific HTML tags for certain media files. In this example, "true" and "1" mean the same thing, but some browsers recognize "true" while others recognize "1" (false = 0).
  6. Once you have finished entering the HTML code, click Save. The Content Page Settings screen appears.
  7. Click Update Student View. The Update Student View of Content Pages screen appears.
  8. Select the type of update and click Update. The student view is updated.

Note: To view media files, both you and your students require the appropriate media-playing software or browser plug-in. See http://wp.netscape.com/plugins/ to learn more about common plug-ins, as well as to download any plug-in you may require.

Test your configuration of CD-ROM:

Note: From the CD-ROM Designer View, you cannot view the files on the CD; you must log in to your course as a student and follow the steps below.

  1. Log in as a student and open the course in which you have added and configured the CD-ROM tool.
  2. Insert the compact disc in your computer's CD-ROM drive.
  3. From the Course Menu, click the CD-ROM tool. The CD-ROM Selection screen appears.
  4. From the Current CD-ROM in your machine drop-down list, select the CD that corresponds to the media files you wish to view from the Content Module.
  5. In the Path/Drive to the CD-ROM text box, enter the location of your computer's CD-ROM drive. For example, if your computer's CD-ROM is mapped to the D drive, enter "D:". Note: Macintosh users should enter the volume label, or name of the CD. Mac OS X users need to enter "Volumes" and the volume label. For example, if the name of the CD was "videos", Mac OS 9 and prior users would enter videos and Mac OS X users would enter Volumes/videos in the Path/Drive to the CD-ROM text box.
  6. Click Update. CD-ROM is configured.
  7. Enter the Content Module, and from the Table of Contents, click a page containing a link to a CD file. The content page opens, and the linked file is read from the CD inserted in your computer's local CD-ROM drive.

Helping students get started | Top

Student requirements for the CD-ROM tool include the following:

  • a copy of the CD you use in your course
  • a CD-ROM drive on their computer
  • the appropriate media-playing software or browser plug-in

Students must follow the steps below to configure their CD-ROM tool. If they do not configure CD-ROM correctly, the CD files will not be located. These steps are also described in the online help for students.

  1. Insert the compact disc distributed to your class into your computer's CD-ROM drive.
  2. From the Course Menu, click the CD-ROM tool . The CD-ROM Selection screen appears.
  3. From the Current CD-ROM in your machine drop-down list, select the CD that is in your computer's CD-ROM drive.
  4. In the Path/Drive to the CD-ROM text box, enter the location of your computer's CD-ROM drive. For example, if your computer's CD-ROM is mapped to the D drive, enter "D:". Note: Macintosh users should enter the volume label, or name of the CD. Mac OS X users need to enter "Volumes" and the volume label. For example, if the name of the CD was "videos", Mac OS 9 and prior users would enter videos and Mac OS X users would enter Volumes/videos in the Path/Drive to the CD-ROM text box.
  5. Click Update. CD-ROM is configured, and will now read the CD file links from your computer's local CD-ROM drive.

Uploading files from a CD | Top

Since the CD-ROM tool reads the files you specify from students' copies of your course CD, there is no need to upload the CD files to the WebCT server. If you wish to upload certain files from your course CD anyway, then you should link to these files using the Audio and Video tools from the Action Menu in the Content Module. Or you can write an HTML link to the uploaded file from within a page of content.

For instructions on uploading files, see File Manager - File Options

Using the Audio and Video tools

  • The Audio and Video tools allow you to specify sub-directories in Manage Files as part of the file path, so you do not have to move the file if you have already uploaded it into a CD directory structure.
  • You do not need to know HTML to use the Audio and Video tools.
  • For instructions, see Audio and Video clips

Create an HTML link to the uploaded file from within a page of content

  1. From Manage Files, ensure that your uploaded file is saved in the same directory as the page of content to which you will add the link. For example, if your page of content is saved in My-Files, your uploaded file must also be saved in My-Files.
  2. From the Course Menu, click Content Module. The Table of Contents screen appears.
  3. Click the Designer Options tab, if it is not already selected.
  4. From the Table of Contents screen, click the name of the page in which you want to add a link to an uploaded file. The Content Page Settings screen appears.
  5. Under File Options, click Edit file. The Edit file screen appears.
  6. In the Content text box, enter the HTML code that will point to the uploaded file in Manage Files. Sample HTML codes are listed below:
    • To create a link that opens the file in a new browser window, use the <a href> tag:
      • Example: <a href="Filename.MOV">Link Text</a>
      • Since the content page and the uploaded file are in the same directory, you do not need to specify the file path.
    • To create a link that embeds the file in the page of content, use the <embed src> tag. Be sure to specify parameters for the media player, such as size, controls, and autostart:
      • Example: <embed src="Filename.MOV" width=300 height=300 showcontrols=true showcontrols=1 autostart=true autostart=1>
      • This example shows the same file path as the <a href> example, with extra code telling the media player how big it is, to display the media player controls, and that the file should automatically begin playing. Note: Some browsers require specific HTML tags for certain media files. In this example, "true" and "1" mean the same thing, but some browsers recognize "true" while others recognize "1" (false = 0).
  7. Once you have finished entering the HTML code, click Save. The Content Page Settings screen appears.
  8. Click Update Student View. The Update Student View of Content Pages screen appears.
  9. Select the type of update and click Update. The student view is updated.


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