Java

Problems still occur when Blackboard users have more than one version of Java installed. The best solution for most Java problems is to be sure only one version is installed. Our testing indicates that Blackboard is now compliant with the newest version of Java, e.g., Java 1.6.0_03. We still recommend to all users of Blackboard that if you have more than one version installed, you remove ALL versions of Java, go to http://www.java.com/ and install the latest.

We also recommend that once you have a single version of Java installed, you turn off the Java auto updates. Sun Java doesn't "update" when a new version is released, instead it installs a completely new version which is how Blackboard users end up with multiple versions installed…which cause various features in Blackboard to malfunction.

If You Need to Uninstall Multiple Versions of Java

If you have updated to a version of Java beyond update 6 and are having problems, you can uninstall all versions of Java by following the instructions at http://students.jccc.edu/documents/javauninstall.htm. Then you can go to http://www.java.com/ and install the latest version of Java.

How to Disable Automatic Update Notification in the Java Control Panel

Java will continually prompt you to update to the latest version unless you turn off the automatic update feature. Here’s how to turn it off.

1. Click the Start button, then select Settings, and then Control Panel.
2. Double-click on the Java Control Panel icon to open it.
3. Select the Update tab.
4. Uncheck the check box that says Check for Updates Automatically.
5. Click the OK button at the bottom of the window and the Java Control Panel will close.

Current List of Blackboard CE 6.1.1 Bugs

Periodically I try to alert you to problems we’ve encountered with Blackboard CE so you’ll know it’s the system and not user error. This list is not complete but at least covers most of the more common and problematic issues we have open with Blackboard Support. By the way, for JCCC faculty members, if you have major issues not listed here, please alert your Ed Tech Center Designer.

We have experienced:

1. Cases where course content from one semester fails to copy successfully to the next semester’s course shell.
2. Unexpected System Exception errors that occur for a variety of reasons (opening a course, switching between tabs, and so on), none of which are clearly indicated in the server logs or displayed on the screen for the user’s benefit.
3. Problems for end users with:
   a. multiple versions of Java installed,
   b. recent versions of Java installed (you should be using version 1.5 with updates 6 or 7 installed, but not Java 1.6)
   c. Internet Explorer 7 or latest version of Mac Safari installed
   d. Windows Vista installed.
4. Search tool failures with incorrect or no results reported.
5. Failure of the Banner XML file to import Summer Non-Credit Courses.
6. Failure of the garbage collection routines to work so the database gets more and more bloated, which we believe contributes to slower access times.
7. Failure of the Media Library/Glossary tool if a single image is attached to an entry in one of the tool’s collections.
8. Crash with an exception error if a Learning Module has more than 20 headings or entries included.
9. Lose of embedded images in assessments when the assessment is exported and then imported into another course shell.
10. Calendar tool entries entered by an instructor for a specific course being displayed as institutional entries in all courses; which is very confusing for students.
11. A limit on the number of characters allowed (1333) when an instructor grades and adds comments to an assignment.
12. Failure of the mail forwarding feature to work when a student or an instructor wants email received in Blackboard CE to be forwarded to their external email accounts.
13. Confusion when the Submitted and Not Submitted tabs in the Assignment tool show the reverse information.
14. WebLinks that do not import when a Learning Module is exported and then imported into another course shell.
15. Course names that are truncated (so as to be indecipherable) or are not in alphabetical order throughout the application (e.g. when setting calendar dates, publishing content from Respondus, importing or copying content from another course and when setting the order of courses displayed or hidden on the My Blackboard screen).
16. No ability for the instructor to edit Assignment Drop Box comments posted for students after they are posted.

We know there are many more bugs, we currently have about 70 cases open with Blackboard support, but these seem to be the major items that effect students and instructors.

Blackboard and Windows Vista

Many computer manufacturers are now delivering new computer systems with Windows Vista pre-installed, so you may be wondering if Blackboard CE is compatible with Windows Vista. Here’s what Blackboard support has indicated:

Blackboard has been conducting ongoing tests with Beta versions of the MS Vista product as part of the MS Beta program for some time now. However, there are often substantial differences between Beta software packages from Microsoft and their final versions. ...Microsoft's own early certification program kicked off only 3 weeks ago with the intention of getting their partners (Blackboard included) certified within 90 days of the release of Vista. Bb is not alone in this program as Apple, Adobe, SAP, and other vendors are all still working to certify and update their applications to accommodate the Vista OS.

So until we can complete certification by going through a full QA test cycle with the final version of MS Vista we can’t say that MS Vista is certified or compatible to use when running any version of Blackboard Academic Suite. Once Bb has certified this new operating system, a Support Bulletin will be issued on Behind the Blackboard and the associated end user documentation will be updated.

In some preliminary testing by Ed Tech Center staff, we found the following problems when using Windows Vista and Blackboard CE 6. We suspect there will be additional issues discovered as we test further.

For the testing we used Windows Vista Enterprise with Aero scheme, both Internet Explorer 7 with Java 1.5.0_06 and Firefox 2.0.0.1 with Java 1.5.0._06.

The following is a summary and each item and with the exception of number 6, the issues should be obvious and reproducible. Overall, we didn’t experience problems doing typical “user” activities, such as using the Mail tool, the Calendar tool, viewing content, and so on.

1. WebDAV does not work.
2. Webfolders do not work.
3. Get Files (to upload files) displays only one line of files in IE7 with Java 1.5.0_06. However, it works when using Firefox.
4. The Windows Vista Aero screen mode changes to Vista Basic View after logging in to Blackboard CE.
5. PowerPoint slideshows display in PowerPoint 2007 (when installed) but not within the Blackboard browser window.
6. There are intermittent buggy screen displays such as when the left menu completely covers the screen from left to right.

more information becomes available, we’ll pass it on.

Which Browser Version & Version of Java to Use?

For Windows users who experience problems using the File Manager, posting to the Mail tool, posting to the Discussions tool, or trying to attach files, please read on.

After continued testing of various combinations of Internet Explorer 6 and 7 and Java updates 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 (and taking into consideration Banner and use of MyJCCC/Luminus) here’s our best recommendation:

Stick with Internet Explorer version 6 and Java update 6 or
FireFox 1.5 and Java update 6

If you want to know more about this recommendation, please read on.

We have tested using Firefox 1.5, Firefox 2.0, IE 6 and IE 7. These products work in certain configurations. We’ve tested (primarily) Java 5, 6, 9 and 10 and they sometimes work. The typical problems include:

• The Get Files button works in the File Manager initially, but after repeated use (such as attaching a file or uploading a file) the browser freezes after a 2nd or 3rd use.
• When using the File Manager and selecting the Get Files button, the list of files available (when selecting the My Files or Class Files icon) is so vertically narrow that only 1-2 file names can be displayed.

If You Need to Roll Back to Java Update 6
If you have updated to a version of Java beyond update 6 and are having problems, you can uninstall all versions of Java by following the instructions at http://students.jccc.edu/documents/javauninstall.htm. Then you can follow the instructions at http://students.jccc.edu/documents/javainstall.htm which include a link to the Java Update version 6 installer. Read the instructions for both actions carefully!

The Check Browser Link Prompts You to Install Update 5
By the way, if you uninstall all versions of Java, reboot your system, go to http://online.jccc.edu and select the Check Browser link, the Browser Checker will find that you do not have Java installed. Just below the Java Check icon you’ll see a link to fix this problem. The link takes you to a Sun Microsystems web site that installs Java 1.5.0_05 (update 5). That version of Java works okay too.

How to Disable Automatic Update Notification in the Java Control Panel
Java will continually prompt you to update to the latest version unless you turn off the automatic update feature. Here’s how to turn it off.

1. Click the Start button, then select Settings, and then Control Panel.
2. Double-click on the Java Control Panel icon to open it.
3. Select the Update tab (see below).
4. Uncheck the check box that says Check for Updates Automatically.
5. Click the OK button at the bottom of the window and the Java Control Panel will close.

If You Need to Roll Back to IE 6
If you have updated to IE 7, you can remove that version from your computer using these steps:

1. Click Start, and then select the Control Panel.
2. Click Add or Remove Programs.
3. Scroll down to Windows Internet Explorer 7, click it, and then click Change/Remove.
4. Follow prompts to remove Windows Internet Explorer 7.

After you uninstall IE 7, your computer will automatically roll back to IE 6…assuming you had IE 6 installed and upgraded to IE 7.