Multi-file Course Files Upload Interface and Browsers Not Supporting NPAPI Plugins
Date Published: Mar 23,2017 Category: Product:Browsers_Learn; Version:X9_1 Article No.: 000073448
Date Published: Mar 23,2017 Category: Product:Browsers_Learn; Version:X9_1 Article No.: 000073448
Product: Blackboard Learn
Type:Support Bulletin
Bulletin/Advisory Information:
Users wanting to access the multi-file upload interface should use a browser that supports NPAPI and a Java runtime environment. Blackboard will continue to support this interface, but only on supported web browsers that support NPAPI plugins. Chrome and Edge will continue to be supported browsers, but the multi-file upload interface in Course Files and the Content Collection will not be supported on these browsers.
Another possible workaround is to use the the Multiple File Upload feature with in the Content Collection. Simply ZIP the needed files and then use the Upload Zip Package or Download Package function. Enter the Course > Click on Content Collection > Click on Course folder > Click on Upload > Select the function to upload the Zipped folder. One thing that's important to note for this workaround method is that HTML files will be converted to UTF-8 encoding, resulting in possible formatting issues for HTML files that were created using other encoding schemes. Refer to article 000039887 for more information.
Institutions with a Content Management license that have enabled WebDAV support can alternatively use a WebDAV client for uploading multiple files into the Content Collection.
For more information about Chrome’s end of NPAPI support, see these links:
https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/6213033?hl=en
https://www.chromium.org/developers/npapi-deprecation
Update (Published March 23, 2017)
Mozilla has removed Netscape Plugin Application Programming Interface (NPAPI) plugin support from Firefox beginning with version 52, which was released on March 7, 2017.
Original Bulletin (Published August 26, 2015)
In September 2015, Google Chrome will stop supporting NPAPI plugins. This includes the use of Java in the web browser. Before this date, it is possible to configure Chrome to allow this content; after this date, it will no longer be possible to use the multi-file drag-and-drop interface in Course Files or the Content Collection. The new Edge browser from Microsoft also does not support NPAPI plugins.Users wanting to access the multi-file upload interface should use a browser that supports NPAPI and a Java runtime environment. Blackboard will continue to support this interface, but only on supported web browsers that support NPAPI plugins. Chrome and Edge will continue to be supported browsers, but the multi-file upload interface in Course Files and the Content Collection will not be supported on these browsers.
Another possible workaround is to use the the Multiple File Upload feature with in the Content Collection. Simply ZIP the needed files and then use the Upload Zip Package or Download Package function. Enter the Course > Click on Content Collection > Click on Course folder > Click on Upload > Select the function to upload the Zipped folder. One thing that's important to note for this workaround method is that HTML files will be converted to UTF-8 encoding, resulting in possible formatting issues for HTML files that were created using other encoding schemes. Refer to article 000039887 for more information.
Institutions with a Content Management license that have enabled WebDAV support can alternatively use a WebDAV client for uploading multiple files into the Content Collection.
For more information about Chrome’s end of NPAPI support, see these links:
https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/6213033?hl=en
https://www.chromium.org/developers/npapi-deprecation