Agilix Backpack

If you lose your Agilix Backpack key, don’t worry.  It’s pretty easy to retrieve it.  Go to the Agilix Backpack website and click on the Support tab.  Then click the link that says “Request Key.”

Enter the email address you used when first downloading Backpack from Agilix into the space provided, and then click Submit.  The site will email your key to you.

There is a way to link content to the Blackboard server that causes the download from Blackboard to Backpack to fail. This method is called Xythos, which uses link ids called xlinks. This method probably allows the content to be linked and utilized in a more efficient manner by the server, overall. However, this new method does not work with Backpack, so if the school changes to this linking method then instead of seeing the content in Backpack you will see errors like this:

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Document Not Downloaded (Error)

Start (59.4 KB) was not downloaded because of the following server error: Moved Temporarily (Found)

To try to download it again now, click the “Download Now” button below.

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Unfortunately, when you click the Download Now button you simply end up in a cycle. The content never shows up.

You can tell if your school is using Xythos by looking at the links to content. If they use Xythos the links will and in xlink ids (something like “xlink_id=XXXX”).

The only solution to this problem at the moment is for the school not to use the new linking method.

Normally, the Configure Storage feature is available by clicking File > Configure Storage on the file menu. However, some users do not see the option for this feature on the list (as in this image below).

There are a couple of possible reasons why the Configure Storage feature might not appear on the File Menu.

First, this is an admin/administrator feature. If you are not logged in to a Windows administrator account then the feature will not appear. The only solution if this is the problem is to login to Windows using an administrator account.

Second, if you are using Windows Vista then the Configure Storage feature may not appear until you elevate your user privileges*. To get the Configure Storage option to appear, do the following:

1. Make sure Backpack is closed.
2. Right-click on the Backpack application icon on the Desktop and choose to “Run as administrator”.

The software will open. Click File on the file menu. You should now see the Configure Storage option.

*The API Agilix uses for this feature in the software code has the following documentation:

In Windows Vista, User Account Control (UAC) determines the privileges of a user. If you are a member of the Built-in Administrators group, you are assigned two run-time access tokens: a standard user access token and an administrator access token. By default, you are in the standard user role. When you attempt to perform a task that requires administrative privileges, you can dynamically elevate your role by using the Consent dialog box. The code that executes the IsInRole method does not display the Consent dialog box. The code returns false if you are in the standard user role, even if you are in the Built-in Administrators group.

Some of you may find when working in discussion boards that Backpack appears to lose the “read” status for previously read discussion board posts. Unfortunately, this is caused by a bug on some Blackboard servers. Some versions of Blackboard server ignore the read/unread status sent by Backpack.

I’m afraid there is not much you can do about this. Agilix has reported the problem to Blackboard, Inc., but it has not yet been resolved.

This is what happens (this all happens within 1-2 seconds):

1. You read a post in Backpack; Backpack marks it as “read”
2. When you sync with your Blackboard account, Backpack sends the “read” status to the server
3. The server accepts the status without returning an error to Backpack
4. The server then drops the status for some unknown reason (so it retains its “unread” status for the post)
5. Backpack immediately attempts to re-sync with the server, requesting updates for all statuses
6. The server sends the “unread” status back to Backpack (because it ignored the “read” status)
7. Backpack changes its “read” status back to “unread” because that is what the server told it to do

There is no fix and no work around for this bug. Backpack will always sync to match what the server shows. So, for instance, if you were to go online to read the posts, they would change to “read” online. Then, when you sync Backpack with the server again, the status will change from “unread” to “read” in Backpack to match the server.

Trust me – Agilix knows how frustrating this bug is. It is frustrating to them, too! Unfortunately, the fix must be made on the server side by Blackboard, Inc.

Backpack allows you to take a digital “print capture” of almost any document. A good rule of thumb is this: if you can print it to paper, you can print it to Backpack. Whether you want to print a web page, Word doc, PDF – whatever – simply print to the Backpack Capture printer and your document will be stored in annotatable format in your Backpack file database.

For example, find a document to print (in this case, a web page). Click File > Print in the document you want to print.

Select the Backpack Capture printer from you list of available printers and click Print/OK.

When the capture is completed, you might see a popup from the taskbar.

Return to Backpack. You will see a screen appear that will allow you to manage your print capture. If you do not see the screen when you return to Backpack, look for a Backpack icon on the taskbar and double click it. From this screen you can edit the name of your print capture, choose where to send it in Backpack, preview the print capture and more. When you are finished, click Done.

Print captures are stored in the My Notes section of Backpack.

You can “print capture” the Blackboard course content you have downloaded to Backpack. This creates a version of the document that you can annotate. When you navigate to a piece of content you wish to capture for annotation, simply click the “Capture” button on the toolbar.

Your printer window may or may not appear depending on the type of content that you are trying to print. If it appears make sure the Backpack Capture printer is selected and click Print/OK.

You will then see a progress bar appear while the content is printing.

When the print capture has finished processing the progress bar will tell you the capture is complete. Click Close.

The software will automatically toggle you to the printed version of the document where you can make annotations by highlighting sections, typing text, circling important phrases, etc. You can use any of the tools that appear on the toolbar above the printed page.

Finally, if you hover your mouse near the top of the print capture you will see a toggle stip appear. Click the link in the strip and you will go back to the original document. There will now be a toggle strip on the original as well. To pin the toggle strip so that it always appears just click the pin to the right of the strip.

If you receive an error that says your key has been used the maximum number of times (below), don’t panic!

This does not happen often, but when it does it usually indicates that (1) there is a firewall blocking Backack’s ability to validate its license, or (2) there is confusion about how the key works.

Firewall. Make sure you add Agilix Backpack as an exception to your firewall software. Also, if you run your computer on a corporate network you may want to ask your IT group to permit Backpack’s attempt to reach the license server. The URL is: http://license.agilix.com/backpack/backpacklicense.asmx

How the key works. The license key can only be used to activate two storage locations.

This means that you can either activate on the hard drive of two machines, or on the hard drive of one machine and a USB drive, or on a network drive and a USB drive, or on two separate directories of the same hard drive, etc. Reformatting a computer will also cause the system to think it’s a new location. The total storage locations for the key can only be two.

WHAT TO DO NOW: Contact Agilix Support and ask them to reset your key. But remember to correct the underlying firewall issue first, or it will just happen again.

If you have the need to regularly use the software on different machines then you might try using the software with a USB flash drive for storage. In that case you would never activate the software on the hard drive of the machine(s) you are using – only activate on the USB. You can find more information about that option in the tutorials at the official Backpack site:

http://backpack.agilix.com/3.0Tutorials_USB.aspx

If you receive the invalid key error below when trying to activate the software, double check your key. Note that the Agilix Backpack key will not include any letter O’s (only number zero). Note that some letters and numbers may be difficult to distinguish, such as B/8, S/5, and G/6, so double check and try again.

This error will only appear if (1) you enter your key incorrectly, (2) your key was once valid, but has since been rendered invalid (if you received a refund, for example), or (3) you received a key from Handango, but it was not fully processed and enabled by Agilix (this is rare, but has happened).

If you double check your key, but still cannot get it to activate, contact Agilix for further assistance.

When you run Backpack after installing for the first time, you will see the following activation prompt appear (Note: it usually does not appear until the second time you launch the software). To continue in trial mode click Continue; otherwise, click Activate License to procede to activate the software:

There are two general methods for activating the Backpack software. One method is what Agilix calls the “silent activation” method. This really just means you don’t have to do anything except use Backpack. If your school has a site license to Backpack and they have opted for the “silent activation” method then all you need to do is connect Backpack to your Blackboard account and your software will automatically activate. If your school uses this method then click Go to Trial.

If you purchased a license (or if your school uses license keys for their site license) then you will use the key activation method, so click Enter Key.

Enter your activation key into the space provided and click Activate.

If you entered your key correctly, you should see a confirmation screen like this:

To connect Backpack to Blackboard click Download > Download a Course in Backpack.

When the wizard comes up, click the “Click Here to Begin” button.

Add your Blackboard login information into the spaces provided (Blackboard URL, user name, password) and click “Connect to Blackboard Now.” (the connection will only work if you are trying to connect to a compatible and enabled Blackboard server)

You will see this screen as the software tries to connect to your Blackboard account.

If the connection is successful, you will then see a list of courses available for download. Click the link to whichever course you wish to download (or click “Download all courses”).

You will see the status as the course downloads.

When the course has completely downloaded you can either click the “Click here to view the course” button to view the course, or click the link to the right to download another course.