Known Issues
Blackboard Inc. Is constantly developing new features and integrations. As a result, sometimes bugs will occur where things don't work as they should. This page contains a list of Known Issues that have been encountered in UA Blackboard Learn and their status.
The latest list of Known Issues from Blackboard for the version of Blackboard currently running at UAF can be downloaded below:
Latest SaaS Release - 3400.4.0
There is a known issues Google Group for email distribution of new known issues and
workarounds or fixes. Anyone in the domain should be able to go to Groups, search
for bblearn to find the list, or go directly to ua-bblearn-known-issues.
Have another question about UA Learn? Be sure to check out our LMS FAQs.
Issues Reported on UA Learn
Date Reported: 9 Nov 2018
Issue Description: There have been some cases where Assessment attempts do not save or Users receive an error when attempting to save.
Steps to Replicate: There are no exact replication steps, as the trigger for this issue is still unknown.
Expected Behavior: Assessments in progress save answers at regular intervals.
Observed Behavior: Assessment answers made not be saved. Some users receive an error when attempting to submit until using the "Save Answers" or "Save All Answers" button. However, some users do not receive this error, and answers that have not properly saved are missing from attempts.
Article No.: 000059750
Date Reported: 13 June 2018
Date Resolved: 25 May 2020, Blackboard Annotate replaces New Box View
Issue Description: When grading or viewing an Assignment in Box View, some highlights are not visible until you hover over them with the mouse.
Steps to Replicate:
- Log into Blackboard Learn as System Administrator
- Create and Quick Enroll in a Course
- Create an Assignment in any Content Area
- Enter Student Preview submit the Assignment with a document
- Exit Preview and Keep the preview user and all data
- Navigate to the Full Grade Center and view the Attempt
- Highlight some of the text, but do not add a comment at the same time
- Add a comment to the text seperately
- Repeat steps 7 & 8 several times throughout the document
- Refresh the page
Expected Behavior:
All of the highlights are visible all of the time
Observed Behavior:
Some of the highlights are not visible until the mouse is hovered over them
Article No.: 000048655
Date Reported: 9 Nov 2017
Issue Description: When previewing a Course Achievement, the Course Name does not display on the Certificate.
Date Reported: 14 Jan 2019
Date Resolved: Mar 2019 - Storage Migration/Upgrade
Issue Description: When creating a course copy (e.g. copying an old course into a new shell), some users are receiving copy notices that indicate the copy failed with errors. Normally, this message also includes an error log or description, but this is absent. When viewing the new course, normal content appears to have copied, but content collection items (e.g. PDFs) are not in the collection area, and are inaccessible to students due to fallback linking to the file in source course.
Steps to Replicate:
- Copy course into new course shell.
- If error is received, confirm partial copy with empty content collection.
Workaround: Short-term workaround is as follows:
- Access source course content collection area.
- Select all desired files to transfer to new shell using radio buttons, then use the "Download Package" button to create a zip archive of contents.
- Access new course shell content collection area.
- Upload the zip archive into content collection. (Note: be sure to use to upload zip option to ensure that Blackboard automatically unzips files into the course collection)
- Update content items with linked files to point to the local content file, instead of the source-course linked file.
Date Reported: 24 Jan 2019
Resolved: 10 May 2019 - Q4 2018 Upgrade
Issue Description: When menu items contain HTML tags, the breadcrumbs that display at the top of the course page incorrectly display the HTML tags. New course menu items created with HTML tags sometimes display the HTML tags in the breadcrumb or title. Module items display the tags in the breadcrumb and title. Content areas display the tag only in the breadcrumbs.
Steps to Replicate:
- Log into Blackboard Learn as an Instructor
- Create a Course
- Create a Menu Item called Getting Started
- Make the Menu Item bold by renaming it (b)Getting Started(/b)
- Click on the Menu Item
Expected Behavior: Breadcrumbs display at the top of page with appropriate HTML applied.
Observed Behavior: Breadcrumbs display with HTML tags (e.g. (b)Getting Started(/b)).
Article No.: 000042326
Date Reported: 16 Jan 2019
Resolved: 10 May 2019 - Q4 2018 Upgrade
Issue Description: When using the Bb Learn 2016 Theme, if the Coures Menu Style is set to use a white background, the drop-down list for the Add Menu Item button is not readable.
Steps to Replicate:
- Log into Blackboard Learn as a System Administrator
- Set the Default Brand to use the Bb Learn 2016 Theme
- Create and access a test Course
- Navigate to [Control Panel] Customization > Teaching Style
- For [SELECT MENU STYLE] Style:
- Background Color: White
- Text Color: any contrasting color
- Click Apply All Changes
- Click the Add Menu Item (⊕) button at the top of the Course Menu
Expected Behavior: The drop-down list is readable with contrasting text matching the Course Menu.
Workaround: Items in the list may be reach by hovering over them with the mouse. Additionally, clearing your browser cache may solve the issue.
Article No.: 000048711
Date Reported: 28 Aug 2018
Date Resolved: 10 May 2019 - Q4 2018 Upgrade
Issue Description: An error is displayed when attempting to view a Test attempt.
Expected Behavior: Access the selected text attempt for student test.
Observed Behavior: Error message is displayed. (e.g. Index: 4, Size: 4 For reference, the Error ID is XXXXX)
Article No.: 000049149
Date Reported: 14 Feb 2018
Date Resolved: 10 May 2019 - Q4 2018 Upgrade
Issue Description: Students and Observers cannot access the "My Grades" area of a course if they have an Assignment marked Exempt in Grade Center, and that assignment has a Quick Comment added.
Known-Issue Symptoms: Attempts to access the "My Grades" area will redirect users to an Error message page, reporting an error with "displayComment" in the Grade Center.
Affected Platforms: All.
Workaround: Removing Quick Comments from all exempt assignments associated with a user will correct the issue with My Grades access.
To remove a quick comment:
- Go Grade Center
- Locate the assignment(s) that are marked as exempt
- Using the action menu (chevron) next to the assignment, selected "Quick Comment"
- Remove all text from the quick comment, then submit.
Article No.: 000043555
Resolved: 21 Dec 2018 - Q2 2018 Upgrade
Date Reported: 1 Jan 2018
Issue Description: When a students adds a Kaltura video to a blog or discussion board the video is not visible.
Steps to Replicate: As a student add a Kaltura video to either a blog or discussion board and "Submit".
Expected Behavior: Kaltura video is visible.
Observed Behavior: The Kaltura video is not visible.
Resolution: Kaltura and Blackboard are aware of the issue and are working on a solution that is expected to be available by the end of October 2018.
Article No.: 000048342
Resolved: 21 Dec 2018 - Q2 2018 Upgrade
Date Reported: 9 April 2018
Issue Description: In Safari 11.1 users are unable to submit assignments.
Steps to Replicate: Using Safari 11.1:
- Log into Blackboard Learn
- Access any Course
- Navigate to assignment
- Select attachment for submission
- Click Submit
- Wait a short while - the submit button appears not to work
- The error appears at top of the screen: "Failed to submit Assignment. Please try again."
For a visual walkthrough of the behavior, see https://youtu.be/qKR-rio1hi8.
Expected Behavior:
The assignment should submit without issue.
Workaround: Use a different browser such as Chrome.
Other: Blackboard acknowledges that this issue was discovered last week in Safari 11.1 only, and is associated with support incident SI-03117298.
Article No.: 000048570
Resolved: 21 Dec 2018 - Q2 2018 Upgrade
Date Reported: 21 Mar 2018
Issue Description: Chrome v.64 has introduced some new security restrictions that result in microphone and webcam permissions not working in an iFrame, which is the dominant container for LTI-integrated Tools in Blackboard.
Steps to Replicate: Using Google Chrome:
1. Log into Blackboard Learn as an Instructor
2. Access any Course
3. Deploy an LTI Tool that uses the microphone (ex: Voicethread)
4. Open the Tool and attempt to use the microphone
Expected Behavior:
The microphone is usable from within the Tool's iFrame
Observed Behavior:
An error is displayed and the microphone cannot be used
Voicethread example:
It looks like you're on a website that doesn't allow access to your microphone. Please
open a new tab to record your audio or webcam comments.
Workaround: Use a different browser such as Firefox.
Article No.: 000048427
Resolved: 21 Dec 2018 - Q2 2018 Upgrade
Date Reported: 7 Feb 2018
Issue Description: Users are unable to delete the top-most listed announcement in their course.
Known Issue Symptoms: When attempting to delete the top-most listed announcement in courses, users encounter the following Oracale error: ”ORA-01407: cannot update (“BB_BB60″.”ANNOUNCEMENTS”.”ORDER_NUM”) to NULL”. "
Affected Platforms: All.
Workaround: This issue does has a simple workaround, as follows:
- Re-order the existing list of announcements, such that the announcement to be deleted is not in the topmost location.
- Delete the desired announcement.
For users who often do announcement add/removal, it is suggest that they make a dummy announcement that is unavailable to keep positioned in the topmost slot.
Resolved: 19 May 2018 - Q2 2017 CU7 applied
Date Reported: 17 Jan 2018
Issue Description: SafeAssign reports are not generating
Steps to Replicate:
1. Access a Course
2. Submit an Assignment via SafeAssign
Expected Behavior: The SafeAssign report is generated
Observed Behavior: The SafeAssign report is not generated
Target Release: Future Reference
Patch Available: No
Article No.: 000045766
Resolved: 30 June 2018 - Q2 2017 CU8 applied
Date Reported: 14 Oct 2017
Issue Description: During Course Imports, sometimes the Course Name is change to that of the Course where the Export was created.
Resolved: 21 Dec 2018 - Q2 2018 Upgrade
Date Reported: 14 October 2017
Issue Description: Once you go to the Course Menu of any Course and re-arrange the menu items, they revert back to the original position. Re-ordering the menu is not saving.
Steps to Replicate:
- Login to Blackboard Learn
- Enter a Course
- Drag any of the menu items
- Exit Course
- Return to Course
Observed Behavior: Note that most/many/all menu items have returned to a random organizational grouping
Article No.:000045965
Resolved: 4 Feb 2018 - Q2 2017 CU6 applied
Date Reported: 14 Oct 2017
Issue Description: Grade Center Quick Comments in Text Edit fails to save. The error message "Only POST methods are accepted for grade changes..." shows and doesn't save the text. You have to cancel to back out of the dialog and the Quick Comment/Feedback to students are not saved.
Steps to Replicate:
- Go to Grade Center
- Select the context menu of a grade column/ line where a grade has been entered
- Select Quick comment
- Select Text Editor
- Select Submit
Comment should be saved.
Observed Behavior:
Popup Error:
Only POST methods are accepted for grade changes, Course User id
Resolution/Workaround:
Use the none VTBE text box.
Article No.: 000043210
Resolved: 21 Dec 2018 - Q2 2018 Upgrade
Date Reported: 14 Oct 2017
Issue Description: When trying to move a content item by clicking and dragging it down the page, the items scrolls down the browser window well below the end of the content items extending the page.
Steps to Replicate:
- Ensure there are enough Content Items on the page to enable the browser scroll bar
- Single-Click a Content Item and attempt to drag it down the page
Observed Behavior:
The page and cursor jump a long way down and extend the page/scroll bar. The scroll
bar will show that the page is longer
Expected Behavior:
The item to move consistently with the cursor to where the user would like to place
the item
Note: This issue affects both Content Items and Course Menu items
Workaround: Use the up/down arrows in the top right of the nav menu or content list to move the items in the list.
Resolved: 21 Dec 2018 - Q2 2018 Upgrade
Date Reported: 14 Oct 2017
Issue: Media content items (video/audio) autoplay regardless of Auto-Play setting selected in content build. Affects all browsers.
This is a known issue, with a work-around solution.
Workaround: Embed the media as HTML5 [Audio/Video] into a normal course item.
Support Documentation:
Adding media files in the editor
Issues Reported on Collaborate and Collaborate Ultra
Please note that while Collaborate Original is still maintained by Blackboard, support and development for the tool is no longer available. As such, unresolved issues with Collaborate Original are unlikely to be resolved.
Date Reported: 2 Aug 2019
Issue Description: Collaborate Ultra users have reported that Ad Blockers can cause buttons such as the "Share Now" button to not appear.
Resolution/Workaround: Either disable your ad blocking extension for the Ultra session page you are participating in, or add the following Collaborate Ultra URLs to your ad blocker whitelist:
- us.bbcollab.com
- ca.bbcollab.com
- eu.bbcollab.com
- au.bbcollab.com
Article No.: 000050985
Date Reported: 28 Aug 2018
Issue Description: Users creating advanced scheduled Collaborate Original sessions cannot pre-stage their session with media content.
Steps to Replicate:
- Create a Blackboard Collaborate Original session with a future start date
- Edit the session
- Add/upload media or whiteboard files to the session
- Save the session
- Open the session or edit the session - content will not be available
Resolution/Workaround:
Upload files through the My Schedule Utility instead of the Files Utility. To do so, follow the steps below:
- Click My Schedule
- Click Schedule a Meeting
- Click Content Preloads
- Click File Upload
- Administrator File Upload Form appears
- Click Browse
- Select file for upload
- Click Open
- Click Upload
- Status message displays: Your upload is in progress, please wait
- Wait for upload to complete
- Upload confirmation appears: The file upload succeeded!
- Click Close
- Refresh screen
- Click down arrow next to Preload Content or Multimedia Preload
- Select file for attachment
Article No.: 000039729
Date Reported: 28 Aug 2018
Issue Description: Users engaging the zoom accessibility feature on macOS are unable to launch Collaborate with the Original experience sessions.
Steps to Replicate:
- Click the Apple menu and choose System Preferences.
- Select Accessibility.
- Select Zoom.
- Enable the zoom feature via keyboard shortcuts and / or scroll gesture.
- Engage the zoom feature using one of the options in the previous step.
- Attempt to launch a Collaborate with the Original experience session.
Resolution/Workaround: To work around this issue, disengage the zoom feature prior to launching a Collaborate with the Original experience session. Once the session has successfully launched, the zoom feature may be re-engaged without issue
Article No.: 000049290
Date Reported: 28 Aug 2018
Issue Description: macOS systems running v1.4 of the launcher are not prompting users to upgrade to the latest version as expected when launching sessions or recordings.
Resolution/Workaround: Users can open the launcher, access the 'Advanced' tab, and select 'Check for Updates' to manually check and update versions.
Alternatively, users can get the most recent release version of the Collaborate Launcher here.
Article No.: 000049357
Date Reported: 28 Aug 2018
Issue Description: Text boxes are out of alignment in the MP4 conversion however are in place in the native recording.
Workaround Options:
- Use the drawing tool on the whiteboard instead of text box tool.
- Use the text label tool instead of the text box tool.
- AppShare text file (e.g. Word, TextEdit) for typing requirements.
Resolution: There is no planned fix for this issue.
Article No.: 000049193
Date Reported: 17 Jan 2018
Issue Description: Collaborate Original users unable to upload PowerPoint files in Collaborate Classic on Mac OS High Sierra.
Known Issue Symptoms:
Upon trying to upload a PowerPoint file into a Collaborate Original session, user gets an error message: "Failure calling PPT to process"
Affected Platforms:
MacOS High Sierra (version 10.13)
Workaround
- Convert the PowerPoint slides to image files (jpeg format) and upload them into your Collaborate Original session.
- Use Oracle Java instead of launcher:
- You will need to change the file type association for the .collab file to direct it to open with Oracle Java
- Right Click on .Collab File > Get Info > Expand the Opens With section.
- Finder opens
- Click Always Open With
- Select Macintosh HD from drop down once finder opens.
- Select Enable: All Applications
- Navigate to /System/Library/CoreServices/Java Web Start.app
- Select Java Web Start.app
Article No.: 000048047
Resolved: 8 September 2018 - Firefox v. 62+ releases
Date Reported: 10 July 2018
Issues Description: Collaborate Ultra session attendees using Firefox version 61 and above cannot be heard by other session attendees.
Steps to Replicate:
- Join a Blackboard Collaborate Ultra session using Firefox version 61 or above.
- Activate the microphone in-session and begin speaking.
Expected result: the Firefox user is heard by others in the session.
Actual result: the Firefox user is not heard by others in the session.
Workaround: Using an earlier release version of Firefox, or use an alternate web browser (e.g. Chrome).
Resolved: # characters are not supported for the Name field. Resolution details below.
Date Reported: 28 Aug 2018
Issue Description: Users joining a Collaborate Ultra session/course room with a # in the title will receive a J05 error message.
Steps to Replicate: Join a Collaborate Ultra session or room with a # in the title, received a J05 error message.
Resolution: Instructor will need to remove the # from the session/course title to allow access to the session. The user may need to clear their cache before relaunching.
Resolved: 14 June 2018 - Resolutio notes below
Date Reported: 28 May 2018
Issue Description: Users intermittently get an error message stating "Unable to Launch Application" when launching Collaborate Original sessions. Opening error details shows that connection timed out.
Affected Platforms: The issue is sporadic and has been observed on Windows 7 and Windows 10.
Resolution: This issue was resolved on Thursday, June 14, 2018 by redirecting NA-Downloads traffic to NA-AUX-Downloads. When launching a Collaborate Original session, users will still see a dialog box labeled Starting Application containing the text "Location: https://na-downloads.elluminate.com." The request will then be redirected on the back end to NA-AUX-Downloads for processing.