D2L/Brightspace - File Uploading Restrictions

Introduction

This article provides details on restrictions related to uploading and accessing files in the D2L/Brightspace learning management system.

Details

1. Avoid Illegal Characters
   • Do not use illegal characters when naming files. While Windows computers typically block illegal characters from being saved, Apple/Mac computers allow them, which causes errors during upload.
   • Ensure file names do not contain any of the characters listed in the table below:

     Character Name	Symbol
     Backslash	\
     Forward slash	/
     Colon	:
     Asterisk	*
     Question mark	?
     Quotation mark	"
     Less than	<
     Greater than	>
     Pipe	|
     Tilde	~
     Pound/Hashtag	#
     Percent	%
     Ampersand	&
     Plus	+
     Curly brackets	{ }

2. Limit File Name Length
   • D2L/Brightspace enforces a strict 255-character maximum limit for file names.
   • The 255-character maximum limit applies to the following:
     1. Dropbox
     2. Discussions
     3. Course Files and Content
   • Example: C:\jsmith\My Documents\filename123.docx = 39 characters total
3. Restricted File Extensions
   • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​D2L/Brightspace courses typically only allow specific files to be uploaded within the system.
   • When submitting an assignment, you can check the Allowable filetypes​​​​​​​ section to see what can be uploaded.
     

Need Help?

For more information or assistance with D2L/Brightspace, please submit a D2L/Brightspace Support request.