Allow No file preview - neither overlay nor inline

[hechla]

This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas

---

The new Canvas release for 3/20/2021 removed the ability to Disable Inline Preview of linked files and now forces Teachers/Designers to choose between an Inline Preview or Overlay Preview (with a download icon next to the link). We'd like the option to disable any preview of linked files. We'd also like the get rid of the download icon as it starts taking up too much space if there's a lot of files being linked.

[acampbell3]

I just discovered that we have no option for disabling the inline previewer. The preview version does not allow for animation in a PowerPoint presentation. It also does not allow for an interactive experience where a student can click an answer in PPT and be taken to a linked slide.  The previewer kills all animation.

It would be great to give instructors the option of removing that preview. Animated presentations do NOT work in the preview.

We can TELL students to open the file in PPT, but there's no guarantee that they will. Our students all have MS Office via the college, so they all have the PPT program.

Teachers spend a lot of time creating animated and interactive presentations that no longer work due to the in-line preview. Is there any way to disable this for animated presentations?

[mzhong]

The inability of displaying animation in PPT in inline Preview is problematic.  Having the option "Disable inline Preview" will solve that problem.  Please bring it back.  

[lettgo583]

The inconsistency mentioned by @and-hu is disconcerting to all.  When uploading a document from the computer, the default view is inline. However, when embedding a course document from the course files, the default is overlay.

Unless the instructor has taken the extra step to REVIEW and ADJUST the view option for EACH item, then when students click on the items, they never know which experience they'll get!  (There's nothing obvious to the faculty or students which viewing experience they'll have on the documents.) 

If there is a coming switch to change everything to overlay, please make that the default -- for uploaded AND embedded docs.  Thanks! 

[acampbell3]

Does anyone from Canvas ever respond these ideas? Or is this just a "deal with it" kind of issue?

[and-hu]

No, we’re still in just deal with it mode. Same with the keyboard shortcuts that have been broken in Chrome on touch Windows devices for over 2 months now. I can only hope these get fixed before I have to start building pages for the fall, but I’m not holding my breath. 

[acampbell3]

Fall semester is right around the corner and it looks like we still have no option to disable the inline viewer.  My animated and interactive notes are useless now. Canvas help told me to tell the students to download the presentation and open it in the program. I can *tell* them this all day long but this does not mean they will do it, especially when the inline viewer is right there (unfortunately, the inline viewer does not show them all of the content, as items are layered in the animation).

Why hasn't Canvas addressed this?

[jwr0015]

I place links to files that my students can download in the text of the assignment instructions. Automatic preview (inline or overlay) confuses my students. they want to download the document that might be a worksheet or a template but the overlay looks , to them, like a workspace for that document BUT they cannot edit it in the preview. They become confused, frustrated, and even angry. I get emails no matter which of these "mandatory fun" options I choose to use. I do not mind the emails so much but what I do mind is students dropping my class because of their problems in Canvas that I have no power to correct.

Please let me give my students the materials they need without making them open multiple windows and find hidden download controls.

Kill the preview. Anything that instructors want to be previewed can be embedded.

[dlyons]

Hello all!

First, apologies that this went so long without a comment from us. Second and more importantly, we are going to bring the "Disable Preview" option back to file links. I can't provide a specific release date at this time while other projects are in flight but Disable Preview will return.

[KristinL]

  Comments from Instructure

For more information, please read through the Canvas Deploy Notes (2022-08-17) .

[KristinL]

Comments from Instructure

For more information, please read through the Canvas Deploy Notes (2022-08-03)