Top Issue #1:
Cannot download courses to Backpack.

When you try to download your courses you see an error that says:

This error could be caused by one of several things:

1. Your school’s Blackboard server may not be compatible with Backpack synchronization.

The school must be using Blackboard server 7.x for the synchronization to be available.  The school’s Blackboard administrator has the option of turning this feature off, but it is enabled by default and if the administrator has turned off the feature then you would see an error message indicating that the feature has been disabled.  If your school is using an earlier version of Blackboard then in most cases it will not be compatible.  The only exception is when the school is using Blackboard server version 6.x Enterprise Edition AND has the Mobilizer for Blackboard building block installed.

2. Your user name may not be entered into Backpack with the correct capitalization (even it you think it is).

Your user name must be entered into Backpack with the same capitalization as it is entered into your school’s Blackboard system database.  Please make sure the user name you have entered into Backpack is entered with the correct capitalization.  For example, if the user name is supposed to be johnsmith, but you have entered it as JohnSmith, this will cause the download to fail.  You would need to make sure the user name is entered as johnsmith.
NOTE: The initial connection in Backpack will succeed regardless of the capitalization of the user name, so this can be deceiving.  You must make sure that the user name is entered into Backpack in exactly the way it is stored in your school’s Blackboard system database.

Double check that your user name is entered with the proper case by doing the following:

1. On the file menu, click Download | Manage Blackboard accounts
2. Re-type your user name making sure the capitalization matches the way they have it in the Blackboard system database; click the Test button
3. When the Testing Connection box says "Connected!" click the Close button
4. Click the OK button on the Manage Accounts screen to save the credentials

If that does not solve the problem, then it is most likely a more complicated problem.

3. Possible server error problem.

Identifying the server error requires access to the course with your account.  If we had your login credentials we could check this for you, but since we do not, you will need to help us capture the error(s) by following the steps below.  Please use the instructions based on whether you previously used Backpack 2.5.  If you did use Backpack 2.5 to download courses previously (or attempt to download courses) then use the first set of instructions.  If you never used Backpack 2.5 and have only used Backpack 3.0 then use the second set of instructions:

If your courses are not downloading due to this kind of server error then unfortunately the problem lies with the Blackboard server at your school rather than with the Backpack software you are using.  Please make sure you send us the error along with your school name and Blackboard URL so we can escalate this information to Blackboard server support.  They will then work on resolving the issue with your school's Blackboard administrator.

Even though this is a server error, there is a short term solution for you.  The short term solution is to have you use Backpack 2.5.

This kind of error on the Blackboard server is in the discussion board payload.  The server is sending an error to Backpack 3.0 (which supports discussion boards and therefore asks for the payload).  When Backpack 3.0 receives the error from the server it aborts the download/update process.

Using Backpack 2.5 will avoid this error because Backpack 2.5 does not support discussion boards and therefore does not ask the server for the failing payload.  Because Backpack 2.5 does not ask for the failing payload, it does not receive the error, and therefore will not abort the download/update process.

There are pros and cons to moving to Backpack 2.5.  If you use Backpack 2.5 you will no longer be able to download Discussion Board items from any course, because that feature is not supported by Backpack 2.5.  However, you will be able to download the course documents, announcements, and other non-discussion board material from the course.  If you stay with Backpack 3.0 you will not be able to download the course where the error occurs, but you will be able to download the other courses (assuming the error is not found in those courses), including discussion boards.  You will need to make sure, however, that you change your failing course to “Completed” or “Archived” in Backpack so that it will skip that course when trying to download.

To change the failing course to “Completed” or “Archived” click Download | Manage Courses on the file menu in Backpack.  Select the course and then click either Complete Course or Archive Course.  The difference between these two options is that Completed courses will still appear on the tab list in Backpack while Archived courses will not.

If you decide to use Backpack 2.5 then you can download the Backpack 2.5 version here:

http://update.agilix.com/downloads/support/backpack-2.5-2809.exe

Follow the steps below EXACTLY to make sure everything works properly:

1. Close Backpack 3.0
2. Uninstall Backpack 3.0 Using Add or Remove Programs
3. Download and Save the Backpack 2.5 installer from the link above
4. Once saved to your Desktop, run the Backpack 2.5 installer
5. Open Backpack 2.5 (you may be prompted to enter your activation key)
6. Enter your key and click Activate; click Start using Backpack! (if you have to enter your key and it says that it was used the maximum number of times let us know and we’ll reset your key)
7. On the file menu, click Download | Manage Blackboard accounts
8. If you see an account already listed, re-type your password in the space provided and click the Test button; when the Testing Connection box says "Connected!" click the Close button; click the OK button on the Manage Accounts screen; now click Download | Update Courses on the file menu or click any Update Courses button
9. If you do not see an account already listed, click Cancel; on the file menu, click Download | Download a Course and use the wizard to configure your login credentials and download your courses

The courses should now be downloading/updating properly again.

You may want to continue to use Backpack 2.5 until the problem on the Blackboard server is fixed.

Top Issue #2:
Cannot install Backpack – you are receiving an error message related to .NET Framework 2.0.

Backpack requires Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 in order to work properly.  If you are receiving an error that indicates you are missing .NET or “dotnetfx.exe” then Backpack may be discovering that Microsoft .NET 2.0 (dotnetfx.exe) is missing from your computer.  If Backpack can't find this on your machine before it installs it will try to send you out to get it from the Microsoft web site.  Sometimes when you try to get this file, it results in a "Setup initialization error" or similar message.  Most computers have this component already, so it's usually not a problem.

Here are the recommended system requirements for Backpack:

Windows XP SP2 or Windows Vista
Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0
Microsoft.Ink.dll CLR2.0 Update (KB900722) (for Tablet PCs)
1Ghz processor
512MB RAM
200MB Hard Disk
 
Here is a link to the Microsoft .NET 2.0 component you may need:
 
Microsoft .NET 2.0
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0856EACB-4362-4B0D-8EDD-AAB15C5E04F5&displaylang=en
 
You should be able to save this file to your desktop and install it.  Then install Backpack.

Once you have the required .NET Framework 2.0 component installed, you should be able to install and run Backpack.

Top Issue #3:
Cannot download Discussion Board items from your Blackboard account to Backpack.

If you are able to download your course content, but you do not see a section for Discussion Boards then it may be due to one of two causes:

1. Your version of Backpack.

Only Backpack 3.0 will support discussion board synchronization.  If you are using an earlier version of Backpack than Backpack 3.0 then you will not be able to download discussion boards.  Only Backpack 3.0.3201 or later will support discussion board synchronization.  Please upgrade to the latest version of Backpack:

2. Your school’s Blackboard server version is too old.

Only Blackboard server versions 7.2.330.25 to 8.0 will support the synchronization of discussion boards.  If your school’s Blackboard version is earlier than 7.2.330.25 then you will not be able to download discussion boards.

In order to download discussion boards you will need to make sure that you have Backpack 3.0.3201 or later and that you school has Blackboard server version 7.2.330.25 to 8.0

Top Issue #4:
Backpack will not open after it is installed.

If you installed Backpack and then found that it would not open (usually the second time you try to use it) then you may have a firewall blocking Backpack from working properly.  The firewall could be a software firewall on your machine, or a corporate / network firewall on the network you are using.

Unfortunately, we are not able to adjust the settings of your firewall program for you to keep it from preventing Backpack from working properly.

However, it may be helpful for you to know that:

1. Backpack periodically sends an HTTP request to a license server to validate that you are using a licensed copy of the software and not a pirated copy.  The URL it makes the request to is:

http://license.agilix.com/backpack/backpacklicense.asmx

2. Backpack uses its own internal web server and continually uses the 127.0.0.1 localhost loopback address.

Please make sure your firewall does not prevent the above two processes from happening in order to make sure Backpack works properly.

If you are using Windows Firewall (or any other firewall program) then please make sure you have added Backpack as an Exception.  Go to Start | Control Panel | Windows Firewall, select the Exceptions tab and then click Add Program.  Find and select Agilix Backpack and add it as an exception.

Top Issue #5:
Windows VISTA Issues.

If you are using Backpack under the Windows Vista operating system then you may be noticing the following issues::

Configure Storage … option does not show on the file menu.

This is due to the way Vista handles privileges.  The API we use for this feature in our 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.

You can elevate your privileges before you execute the code by right-clicking the application icon and indicating that you want to run as an administrator.

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 and choose to "Run as administrator".

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

Images do not appear in print captures.

This is a known problem with the Microsoft Vista OS.  For some reason images are not displaying in print captures under the final release of Vista OS.  Unfortunately, we have not determined the exact cause of the problem, yet, but we are looking into it and hope to find a solution soon.

What versions of Microsoft Windows are compatible with Backpack?
Backpack requires a version of Windows XP with SP2 or higher to run. Agilix Backpack 3.0 can also be installed on and is compatible with Windows Vista which already includes the .NET Framework 2.0. The install for Backpack checks to make sure that Windows XP or higher is present at the beginning of the install process. Backpack is not compatible with Windows 98 or Windows 2000.

What version of Blackboard Learning System is required to support Agilix Backpack?
Agilix Backpack is compatible with the following versions of the Blackboard LMS:

• Release 6 Enterprise edition IF the Mobilizer for Blackboard Building Block is installed
• Release 7 Basic edition (no extra Building Block required)
• Release 7 Enterprise edition (no extra Building Block required)
• Blackboard version 7.2 with Hot Fix 1 to version 8.0 is required for full functionality of Agilix Backpack 3.0

You will need to contact your Blackboard administrator on campus to find out which version of the Blackboard server they are using and whether they have the Backpack compatibility features installed or enabled (depending on the version of Blackboard they are running).

How do I get Backpack to work with Blackboard? 
To mobilize your Blackboard courses, your campus must use a special piece of software that allows you to connect to the Blackboard server. This software is called Agilix Mobilizer for Blackboard and works with Blackboard Learning System Release 6 and above. If your school uses Blackboard, mobilizing your courses automatically is a huge benefit. Make sure you send a message to your Blackboard support team on campus and tell them you want to use Backpack with Blackboard and direct them to Campus Wide Licensing to learn more. You can also send us an e-mail at support@agilix.com, and we'll make sure you know when your campus supports Backpack.

Will Backpack work with WebCT?
If your university uses WebCT and you're interested in this solution, please e-mail us at sales@agilix.com so we can add you in the number of students at your university that wants to use Backpack with WebCT.

How much does Backpack cost?
Retail price for Backpack is $49.95 for students.

What is Backpack's Satisfaction Money Back Guarantee?
The purchase of Backpack comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. If, within 30 days of purchase of Backpack, you are unsatisfied with the software for any reason, you can return it by contacting our customer service department with your receipt and order number, removing the software from your computer, and destroying any record of the license key.

Is there a Mac version of Backpack?
Backpack currently works for Windows only. If you are a Mac user, please visit our feedback page and let us know.

How does I keep track of assignments turned in on Agilix Backpack?
When you select a specific assignment, a new page displays in the right panel showing the status of the assignment. When the assignment has been turned in, there will be a second section labeled Assignment Material, which will show the student’s comments and submitted assignment file. When the instructor has graded the assignment, a third section will show up labeled Feedback From Instructor, with the grade, the instructor’s comments, and any attachments that might have come back from the instructor.

When I make a post to a discussion board when I'm offline, what time will it show as posted?
Agilix Backpack doesn’t assign a time when the post is created offline. Instead the time is created at the time the post is synched to the server. When the post is first created offline, it will display “Upload Pending.” When the post is uploaded, then the time will be displayed. By posting it at sync time, the new post will appear at the bottom of the thread on the server, and will appear below already-read messages.

Can I edit discussion posts with attachments?
We do not recommend editing discussion posts with attachments. Doing so will cause the attachment to be discarded. Adding a new post or comment is the recommended alternative.

When does Agilix Backpack sync discussion board posts and assignments back to the Blackboard server?
Backpack auto-sends posts and assignments immediately if the user is connected. However, it does not sync the whole course at that time. The auto-sync for the whole course still happens on it's normal schedule. This is to be friendly to Blackboard servers and laptop batteries.

Is it safe to put all my stuff in Backpack?
Yes. Backpack is optimized for digital ink, text, and images. Backpack has been used by thousands of other users. It's designed to grow to support gigabytes of data -- that's a lot of stuff. The safety of your information is of paramount importance to Agilix.

Can I import a calendar from Blackboard?
Yes. You can also import your syllabus, assignments, course materials, and contacts from Blackboard to Backpack through the Agilix Mobilizer for Blackboard. The Agilix Mobilizer for Blackboard requires campus support.

Are there any updates for Backpack? How do I find out?
Backpack includes an automatic update system that lets you know when a newer version of Backpack is available. If you're not certain of the version or update you have, you can always "Check For Updates" from the Help menu in Backpack. This will send a request to our update system to let you know if you have the latest and greatest.

Can I use Backpack on more than one computer?
The Backpack license agreement allows you to use Backpack on two (2) unique computers that you may use. However, the license also specifies that you may not use the machines at the same time. For additional licenses, please visit the Buy section of the Backpack web site

By default, Backpack stores your learning library on the hard drive. However, you can opt to back up your information on a portable drive such as a USB drive, an SD card, or any other removable media. A specific path can also be configured to a network drive using a student login for storage on a school network. You can access alternate storage options throuh the menu. Select File | Configure Storage to bring up the dialog box.

What's different about Backpack on a Tablet PC?
When you use Backpack on a Tablet PC, you get the added benefit of digital ink. Digital ink is a special file type that is only available on a Tablet. Digital ink is recognized by a special engine that lets Backpack search for words and convert your handwriting to text. Without a Tablet PC, you can not convert ink to text

Backpack crashed and prompts me to send an e-mail message? Why?
By all means, we apologize for any crash you may encounter. However, we want to make sure we catch all these crashes so we can analyze them, and as needed, send out a fix in a future release. Please send the information on to us so we can take a look at it.

Do I have to be a student to use Backpack?
No. Backpack is very useful for students, teachers, administrators, educators, and any one else using the Blackboard learning system. People have found many uses for the Backpack software. We're happy to hear about new uses you discover for Backpack.