About using this resource
- Use the menu on the left-hand side to jump to a particular page (1), or
- Use the arrows in the top right-hand side corner of the resource to navigate to the next page within the resource (2).
- Use the information button in the top right-hand side corner to get more information about navigation and accessibility of the resource. In addition, you can print the resource as a PDF via the Alternative Formats tab (3).
Screenshot of navigation options and print optionWhy do I need to back up my Forge resources?
Forge was developed to give you full ownership over the resources and content you create.
Backing up content is important for several reasons:
- Once you are done developing a resource, you can back up the resource and delete it from Forge to keep your My Projects area in Forge nice an tidy. You can import backup resources back into Forge at any time if you need to make changes.
- At the moment, you cannot collaborate with colleagues on a Forge resource. The only way this is possible is by backing up the resource and sending the backup file to your colleague. Your colleague can then import the resource into their own My Projects area in Forge and can make any additions or changes necessary.
- Backing up resources is also important thinking to the future. If you have created a resource for a module/unit/course which may be taken over by a colleague in a future Academic Year, having a backup file handy will help them update the resources where necessary.
How do I back up my Forge resources?
Below you will find information about the backup process for your Forge resources.
You will find out how to...
- ... download the project backup;
- ... store the backup;
- ... import the backup back into Forge to make edits.
To download a backup file of a Forge resource, locate the resource in your Forge My Projects area.
Next click on the download button in the navigation bar (Figure 1).
This will open an Export Options pop-up window. You can now choose to download your resource has an HTML 5 resource, Content only (Brightspace pages) or the Project backup.
Click on Project backup and select Download Project backup (Figure 2).
When the Export ready pop-up window appears, click the Download button (Figure 3).
The backup of your Forge resource has now been saved in your computer's download folder (Figure 4).
There, you can rename the backup file and could move it to a different folder on your computer.
Any backup files stored in Brightspace can easily be copied into the Brightspace shells for future semesters when you copy over the content. More information about copying between Brightspace shells can be found in this guide.
Continue reading below to find out how to upload your backup files into Brightspace.
Forge backup files should be stored in the Manage Files area in Brightspace. This area is like a folder on your computer which exists in the background and stores any content your students access via the Brightspace Content area but can also store content students cannot see.
To access the Manage Files area, open the Course Tools drop-down menu and select Course Admin (Figure 5).
Once you are in the Course Admin area, find the link to the Manage Files area and click on it (Figure 6).
Once you are in the Manage Files area, we would recommend that you create a new folder to house your Forge resource backups.
To do so, click on New Folder in the navigation bar at the top of the Manage Files area (Figure 7).
Give the new folder an appropriate name, for instance "Forge backups" (Figure 8).
Now that you have created the new folder, click on the folder to upload your Forge backup. Click on Upload in the navigation bar at the top of the Manage Files area (Figure 9).
A pop-up window will open. Drag and drop the backup file in or use the Upload button to add the back-up file. When you are done, click the blue Save button (Figure 10).
You do not need to upload multiple resources one by one, but can add them all in this step by dragging and dropping multiple files in or uploading multiple files via the Upload button to add them all at once.
Once the backup files are uploaded, they are safely stored in the Brightspace module/unit/course.
If you need to edit the resources, you can download them by selecting them and clicking on the download button at the top of the list (Figure 11).
As mentioned in the previous step, you can download uploaded backup resources by selecting them and clicking on the download button at the top of the list (Figure 12).
After downloading the back-up file, you can import it back into Forge. To do so, go to the Forge My Projects area and select Import existing project at the top of the page (Figure 13).
A pop-up window will open. You can now either drag and drop the backup resource in or select it from a folder on your computer via the Choose File button. Next, click Import and you will find the resource in your Forge My Projects list (Figure 14).
Please ensure that you do not still have an old version of the resource in your My Projects area or a resource with the same name. Any such resource will be replaced by the project backup your are importing once it has been uploaded.
