User Experience

What You May Experience

A syllabus

What Students May Experience

Microsoft error message indicating that a file cannot be opened

Why this Matters

The older .doc, .ppt, and .xls formats use a binary file structure, which packages everything (text, formatting, images, embedded objects) into a single block of data. If even a tiny part of that block becomes damaged during saving, uploading, or transferring, the entire file can fail. This makes older formats far more prone to corruption.

The newer .docx, .pptx, and .xlsx formats are XML-based and organized like a zip archive. Each piece of the document (text, images, styles) is stored in its own compartment. This structure means that if one element becomes damaged, the rest of the file usually remains intact. For example, an image might fail to display, but the text content will still be accessible. This design makes modern formats not only smaller and faster but also much more resilient.

In short, relying on older formats increases the chance that your students will encounter a corrupted file they cannot open. By using modern formats, you greatly reduce the likelihood of students losing access to important course content.

How to Fix It

Fix with UDOIT: This issue cannot be fixed from the UDOIT interface. Whenever you come across an "Older File Format Detected" issue, select it and use the link below the issue title to download the file. Then, open it and go to File, then Save As, and save it in the modern, XML-based format. After converting, return to UDOIT, go to File Actions in the "Review Course Files" modal, and choose "Replace File with an Uploaded File" to upload the updated version.