Course Import and data-api-endpoint issues?

[dslusser]

Hello,

I noticed some different behavior recently in canvas when an image or link to a file is imported from a course. I'm not sure when it started, but I know that it must be in the past few months because this was not the behavior that I have seen in the past.

Upon course import of content into the recipient course, the recipient course no longer rewrites the data-api-endpoint attribute of images or files, but the actual source of the file or image does get rewritten.

I haven't done enough testing to see if this is an issue or not, but I would imagine that if canvas looks at this data-api-endpoint attribute instead of the actual source, it could return images/files that aren't associated with the recipient course.

For example, the newly noticed behavior looks like the following code upon import (notice the data-api-endpoints do not match the source)

Example 1:

<div class="ds_ga"><iframe src="/courses/4130/files/3244108/download" width="100%" height="0" data-api-endpoint="https://abc123.instructure.com/api/v1/courses/4118/files/2984567" data-api-returntype="File"></iframe></div>

OR

Example 2:

<img style="margin: 15px auto; display: block; width: 100%; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%;" src="/courses/4130/files/2974818/preview" alt="Poster" width="800" height="400" data-api-endpoint="https://abc123.instructure.com/api/v1/courses/2865/files/2589234" data-api-returntype="File" />

I would assume that the code should look like the following examples (notice the data-api-endpoints match the source)

Example 1:

<div class="ds_ga"><iframe src="/courses/4130/files/3244108/download" width="100%" height="0" data-api-endpoint="https://abc123.instructure.com/api/v1/courses/4130/files/3244108" data-api-returntype="File"></iframe></div>

OR

Example 2:

<img style="margin: 15px auto; display: block; width: 100%; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%;" src="/courses/4130/files/2974818/preview" alt="Poster" width="800" height="400" data-api-endpoint="https://abc123.instructure.com/api/v1/courses/4130/files/2974818" data-api-returntype="File" />

Has anyone else noticed this behavior? Should I be concerned that my files and images aren't being correctly served to my students? Should I be concerned about any kind of external tool using the data-api-endpoint? Something tells me this has cascading implications.

[kda106]

I also just found this as well. The endpoint URLs are now coming up as broken links since they are pointing to a different course. Have you heard any additional information about this?

[dslusser]

Sorry Kate, just saw this...Haven't heard anything yet ‍♂

[Nancy_Webb_CCSF]

And we are also experiencing this issue after course import.  The data-api-endpoint URL is pointing to a different course.  Since this api-endpoint URL is used for API calls, does this mean the mobile apps use api calls to display images?

[dslusser]

I'm about to do all of my course imports for our fall courses. I'm going to keep an eye on this to see if I notice any patterns.

[hechla]

I'm seeing the same issue. I can only assume that since this is the data-api-endpoint reference that the analytics would probably be skewed as a result. Maybe all of the clicks on the links will get "registered" in the analytics as the original course and not as the recipient/destination course? 

[hechla]

Also, I've tried removing the data-api-endpoint reference and then saving, hoping that Canvas would rewrite it but that's not happening as I test this morning. The code just has no data-api-endpoint reference after I remove it and save the page. I've even re-added a graphic and re-linked it to a page and that still didn't rebuild the data-api-endpoint reference. 

[hechla]

I submitted this as an issue with Canvas Support. After some back and forth and sending them screenshots of what I was experiencing, I got an email this morning from Support stating "Our Product & Engineering team has reviewed this issue and determined it is functioning correctly: The text/data that was added to the syllabus links for this content does not appear to have been added by any Canvas functions, as these do not exist anywhere within our code. Adding this sort of data to the links will cause them not to work correctly."

Pretty strange since we certainly didn't add that code to our pages/syllabus/etc. 

[dmundorff]

I am seeing the same thing... was hoping there an explanation or at least reassurance it won't cause any issues. I certainly didn't add a data-api-endpoint to any image links, but in searching through the course files I found several pointing to different course sites after importing content. I can delete them and the page appears to look the same, but the value does not seem to get rewritten by Canvas.

[racheleve_davis]

We are seeing this with content migrated between two instances of Canvas. Has anyone found what this extra text does, or if it will affect anything?

[nalexandrowicz]

I don't know my coding very well, but I believe were having a similar issue. Sometimes the code is simple, with reference to the course and image number - like when the image is first added to the page. But when the course is copied or exported, the line of code looks different, referring to https... , api data...., and duplicating the course and image numbers.