Dear all



Users of Safari web browser will not be able to use the Visual Text Box Editor as, as you say, message text dissapears upon message submission. They can either swith off the editor:



Login

Under 'Tools', select the 'Personal Information' link.

Select the 'Set visual text box editor options' link', then the 'Unavailable' radio button and then the 'Submit' button. The standard text box will now appear when adding text to any area of Blackoard, such as discussion boards.



and use standard text entry as HTML only, or use Firefox instead ((http://en.www.mozilla.com/products/download.html?product=firefox-2.0.0.1&os=osx&lang=en-GB) This is not a Blackboard bug as such but is due to a change to Safari since the release of the new visual text box editor. I did not realise there was a hotfix from Blackboard Inc though as they did not inform us of that option when we reported it last year.



I have just located the KB article for the hotfix see 181-2780



I hope this helps.



Simon



¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬

Simon Hassell

Learning Systems Assistant

Academic Technologies Group

IT Services

Frenchay Campus

Tel: 0117 32 85735







-----Original Message-----

From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Saima Akhtar

Sent: 06 February 2007 12:26

To: [log in to unmask]

Subject: Re: Discussion Board Postings using a Mac





Hi Steve



We are having similar problems here too only our issue is that when we tried using Blackboard on a Mac with Internet Explorer, we discovered that anything that was typed in the WYSUWYG editor appears in HTML only despite having selected the 'plain text' or 'smart text' options.  We are investigating which web browser is most suitable because we are hoping to start a pilot with the e-portfolio tool and there is no way that students will create their portfolio's by typing in HTML code. Unfortunately the lecturer running the pilot has access to a room full of Mac's so we will need to find some sort of fix!  Any ideas or

suggestions would be very welcome.    



In relation to your question, do you know whether or not the students

are using Firefox on their Mac's?   I'm sure I came across something

that said Firefox is a reliable browser to use on a Mac except for when you come to use the discussion forums because when a message is posted it will be displayed as a blank post.  This is going to be a problem for us too because the students will not only create and upload content but they will also take part in assessed discussion forums!



Best wishes

Saima



-----Original Message-----

From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Steve Hoole

Sent: 06 February 2007 12:11

To: [log in to unmask]

Subject: Discussion Board Postings using a Mac



Dear All,



has anyone else encountered problems posting to the discussion boards 

using a Mac? Some of our students have found they make postings but only



the thread title is posted and not what they have actually written as a 

reply.



We are using Blackboard Academic Suite, Release 7.1.324.28 



best wishes,



Steve Hoole

Blackboard Manager

Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College

01494 522141 ext 5332

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