For those who are used to working with web sites and uploading images, they will find it pretty easy to do this with OLab. We use a pretty standard approach.
But for some faculty, a bit of guidance about what is appropriate and allowed, so we created a how-to case: http://demo.openlabyrinth.ca/renderLabyrinth/index/499 – ‘Picture this’ – this case has been updated for OLab4 and can be found on those servers as well, using the same title. There are some pointers about copyright law, workarounds and how to effectively include images into your pages. Worth working through.
Some of its specific technical directions relate to the older OLab version 3 interface but much of the information still applies. We are updating for OLab4 as we go.
Step-by-step on including a File
- Login to the OLab4 Design using your author credentials.
- Select on Objects | Files on the top menu
- Click on [ADD NEW FILE] button or Search for the name of the File to edit
We apologize that this Files Editor interface needs some cleanup. Ignore the first 4 fields. - Provide a name for your file that is meaningful to you.
- The Description field is optional
- Copyright field is optional but we recommend that you use Creative Commons for your own images. Insert existing copyright restrictions from the source image site.
- Click on [SELECT FILE] button and choose the file from your computer.
- Select the Scope Level — this is almost always ‘Maps’
- Click in the Object Name field then search for the number or name of the Map you are currently editing.
- Click the [CREATE] button at the top to save your changes.
You can now insert this File object in any Node on your Map. Use the Object Picker on the main Designer canvas to do this, just as you would for any type of Object (files, questions, counters, constants).
One chief difference in OLab4 is Scoped Objects. As with OLab3, we can attach media files (images, documents etc) directly to a map and store them on the OLab server. These included files provide some small assurance that the file will be available, rather than depending on an externally linked object. For more info about Scoped Objects, check our user guide: https://olab4.gitbook.io/help/basic-topics/objects
What file types are supported?
As with most web content, OLab4 will support a wide range of file types:
- Images: PNG, JPG, GIF, animated GIFs.
- Audio: WAV, MP3
- Documents: DOCX, PPTX, XLSX, PDF
Images and audio are simply played in place. Documents may be displayed or downloaded – this depends on the web-browser, rather than our setup.
Videos
You can link to existing videos on other sites. We do not allow included video files.
Please do NOT do this with video files – these quickly bog down our server capacity. Videos should always be hosted on an external service such as YouTube, Vimeo etc. Or you can use our CURIOS service to add curated segments of YouTube videos to your cases. See CURIOS video mashup service fixed
Linked vs Included Images
Whether to use Linked or Included files and images can be summarized:
| Issue | Included | Linked |
| Copyright | Important | Easy |
| Permanence | Easy | Unreliable |
| Resizing | Image editor | Node editor |
Copyright: materials that exist on another site, that you link to (without crossing a paywall), are usually allowed under copyright law. (See ‘Picture this’ map for more info.) If you include files in your map then make sure this is allowed. Beware of cartoons, which are a common pitfall.
Permanence: included files remain with your map and you have control over the persistence. Broken links are a common nuisance on the interwebs.
Resizing: in the Node Editor in OLab4 Designer, it is easy resize an image. WYSIWYG. An included image, referred to with a shortcode, is displayed in its native size. You have to edit the image file itself to change how it is sized.