help-student-no-course Opening Files in Internet Explorer

 

Opening documents and links in Internet Explorer 7 or 8
When attempting to download documents, users will see a message above the Blackboard frameset stating:

To help protect your security, Internet Explorer has blocked this site from downloading files to your computer. Click here for options."

Windows Security Prompt

Click the link "Click here for options." Choose "Download file..." You will then get the standard Windows file download dialog box.

You can also add Blackboard to your trusted sites and set the trusted sites zone security setting to medium low, as per instructions below.

  1. Select Tools, then Internet Options
  2. Select the Security tab, then Trusted Sites and then select the Sites button
  3. Type https://courses.smu.edu in the add this website to the zone field and select Add
  4. Select Close
  5. Under the Security level for this zone field, drag the bar until it shows as medium - low.

If after doing the above you are still having problems, you can try changing the Custom Level for Trusted Sites as follows:

  1. Select the Custom Level button
  2. Scroll down to Downloads and select the radio button next to Enable for Automatic prompting for file downloads
  3. Select the OK button.
There is an issue with MS Windows Vista, IE, and Office. The problem does not occur when using any other browser on either Mac or Windows.

This is not a Bb problem. This "working as designed" issue will happen across the board, i.e. downloading your bank statement in Excel format, downloading files from Bb, SMU Locker, MS SharePoint, and so on.  Any place you download an Office file.  Here is what a users are experiencing and an explanation from Microsoft

Blackboard forum:

http://discussions.blackboard.com/forums/p/48864/149358.aspx
Here is the Microsoft's official word on the problem experienced when downloading Office documents in Windows 7.
Persistent cookies are not shared between Internet Explorer 7 and Office applications in Windows Vista
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932118