[Rich Content Editor] Paste Images into Canvas

[blomas]

This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas

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I want the ability to paste images directly into Canvas from the clipboard. An example: I want to use Windows Snipping tool (or any other screenshot tool) to create an image. I then want to CTL-C to copy it and CTL-V to paste it into a quiz or assignment or content page in Canvas. Another example would be Copy-Pasting from a Word document into Canvas. This site is able to do it! I just did it below! Let's get this implemented in Canvas!

[tpavlic]

@mooremath1: Ah! I didn't realize that. I never use New Quizzes because of other issues that has made our Uni recommend that everyone continue to use classic Quizzes for a while longer. However, given that NQ was LTI, I thought it might work differently, and so I tested it one day. I got so far as the paste, but I didn't bother to try saving. I just assumed the paste working as an indication that the feature worked in NQ. I apparently spoke too soon. 

Well, the fact that it half works in NQ implies someone on the LTI development team has at least thought about it. Weird that things are so different across the two products. Of course, this should be fixed in both.

[tpavlic]

@mooremath1: I just learned from a colleague today that this is a major issue for students provided text responses on New Quizzes tests. If they paste images as part of their responses, those images appear to show up but are not saved on submission of their response (as you found).

This particular colleague was having students enter math in to their responses. The equation editor in New Quizzes apparently renders images that are sometimes unreadable in grade view (but the full equation code can be seen in the logs for the question). So the thought was that students could use LaTeX-iT (or similar applications) to type in their math and paste them in as copied images. But they discovered then that the students who did that lost their math on submit.

This could also be a problem if students upload images of their hand-written work or simply refer to figures/graphs in their responses. So this "half support" of pasted images in New Quizzes is a major problem that needs to be fixed! Either support pasting or don't -- nothing in between!

[cshive]

Looking forward to this becoming a reality!

[tpavlic]

I posted a video documenting how New Quizzes appears to allow pasted images in essay responses but then loses not only the images but everything typed after them. This is a major bug that has caused headaches and lost work for our students.

https://youtu.be/JbzYXXvNR6Y

[Luigi]

As I science instructor I have pictures that I have taken in my lab that I tried to add to the quizzes that I was creating in Canvas. I find I can not simply copy and paste my image directly into the question, as it would be if I was creating a Word document.  Yes, I can eventually get the image there after I load it into Canvas, but it would save me a LOT OF TIME if I could just copy and paste MY image(s) directly. 

[mbrunell]

I am so confused reading all of this, because cutting and pasting image files directly into the quiz rich-text editor appears to work perfectly for me.  Even pasting a YouTube link directly into the editor works.  I have tested it with students and all is well.  Am I missing something?

[tpavlic]

@mbrunell: The standard RCE (used in CLASSIC Quizzes) does not support pasting. The RCE for "New Quizzes" (which is LTI and thus a completely different piece of software) APPEARS to support pasting. However, when you save, the images rendered within the editor will not be rendered within the saved entry.

This is particularly problematic for students who paste images into essay-type answers. The images show up when the student is editing, but they disappear on save.

If you need an example, see the one I posted in this YouTube video that shows the problem in the RCE for "New Quizzes": https://youtu.be/JbzYXXvNR6Y

[jzaldivar]

I just started using Canvas this semester and I can´t believe you cannot paste images into Canvas' editor directly. Having to save to a file before? Come on! That's a usability nightmare. This feature was requested more than five years ago, there's five pages of comments... but only 19 votes and no action taken to implement this.

By the way, the voting interface in this forum also needs revising. I tried to vote, wasn´t recognized, so logged in and tried to vote again. The only feedback I received was that the stars changed from gray-blue to golden and the counter disappeared but, upon changing page, the stars changed back to gray-blue and the counter still shows 19. What should I do for my vote to hold?

[cshive]

Still waiting for this to be a reality

[DavidSchlater]

Yes, this is really needed. Can't believe it is not part of the base product yet....