docx File Preview

Paul Richard.V.5364

I don't understand why I cannot view in Preview mode from Assignments, student work saved as a docx file. Why does Brightspace change the formatting from a submitted docx file. Things like spacing, paragraphs, pagination, etc. is ALL different most of the time. I shouldn't have to download and use my hard disk resources to view a student file. I simply want to see it in Assignments, as saved by the student.

Johnny.B.962

@Paul Richard.V.5364,

In Brightspace, to display documents inline we utilize a Document Conversion Service so that they can be displayed within your web browser. This takes the files and converts them into a PDF prior to displaying. The conversion process isn't perfect and can have trouble with certain formatting that a file may be using, we see this issue commonly with Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx) files and occasionally with Microsoft Word (.docx) documents. To see the document in the native format that your student submitted it, you will have to download it. Alternatively, if your students save their file as a PDF and submitted that, then those will not go through this conversion process and will likely display better.

For more details on the various file types that the Document Conversion Service may effect, see What types of files can I use for course content?

Hope that helps!

-Johnny
D2L LAM