SOLE Annotator

The SOLE Annotator tool provides document previews that can be annotated using the built-in commenting, highlighting, and drawing tools. The Annotator can be used by students to take notes on documents posted within Course Content while instructors can use it in congruence with the Detailed Grader to provide detailed annotations on submitted Assignments. 

The Annotator’s document viewer supports Word, Excel, PDF and PowerPoint file types. The maximum file size that will convert to a preview in the Annotator is 100 MB. Files larger than this cannot be previewed and must be downloaded to view.

Since the Annotator tool generates a preview of the document, a user must download the document for access to the file in its original format or use any embedded options such as links and audio.

Open a file in the Annotator preview

Use the Annotator to take notes on documents posted within Course Content. Annotations are unique to each user, meaning the annotations are only visible to the individual user and cannot be viewed by a course administrator or other users. Begin by clicking on the file you wish to view from the Course/Site Content left navigation pane. The Annotator will generate a preview of the document.

There are four options at the top of the screen:

• Full screen - This option will open the document preview in a new tab in a full screen window.

• Download - Download the original document file.

• Download Annotated PDF -  Download a copy of any annotations added to the document as a PDF.

• Save - saves the original file directly to your Google Drive account. The user will be prompted to login to your Google account if you are not already logged in. *Please note this is not supported on Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge.

Select a tool for your annotations

Once you have opened the Annotator’s preview of a file, you may begin annotating the document by simply selecting any of the tools you wish to use:

Highlight tools

Rectangle - Allows you to draw a Red Rectangle around a group of text. This Rectangle can be moved once drawn. To enable, click the Rectangle icon. When you are done using the Rectangle tool, click the Rectangle icon again to disable the tool. 

Highlight - Use to highlight text within the document. To enable, click the Highlight icon. When you have finished highlighting, click the Highlight icon again to disable the tool.

Strikeout - Use to indicate that text should be deleted. To enable click the Strikeout icon. Click and drag to strike out text within the file and a red line will appear indicating the text has been stricken out. When you are done using the Strikeout tool, click the Strikeout icon again to disable the tool.

Text tools

Text- Use to add text directly to a file. To enable, click the Text Icon. Click in the desired area of the file, then type your entry. You can select the text color and font size as well. When you are finished using the Text Tool, click the Text icon again to disable the tool.

Font Size tool- Allows you to pick the font size of the Text Tool.

Color Palette- Allows you to pick the Font Color of the Text Tool.

Note: Once you have finished typing and have pressed return or clicked out of the text box, you cannot edit your text. You will need to either delete your entry and retype it, or create another text box. The Comment Tool is recommended for taking longer notes.

Pen Tools

Pen - Used to make freehand drawings and annotations. To enable, click the Pen icon. You can change the color and size of your pen. When you are finished using the pen, click the Pen icon to end your drawings.

Pen Size – Select the thickness of your pen.

Color Palette - Allows you to pick the color of your Pen.

Comment, Zoom, Reset Tools

Comment - Use to add a comment to a file. To enable, click the Comment icon. Click the desired location of the comment, then type your entry. After you’ve made your comment, it will turn into a yellow Chat Bubble. You may click and drag this Chat Bubble to more accurately place the comment in the file.

Zoom - Used to magnify the document within the SOLE Annotator document viewer. Some browsers and devices may increase the text size so large that a scroll bar will appear. You may wish to use the Fullscreen option, as mentioned in the Viewing Content page.

Reset - The Reset button will clear and delete all annotations done within the file. You will be prompted with a confirmation box to ensure deletion. You may click "No" if you had pressed the Reset button by mistake. 

Move Annotations

1. You can move Comments, Rectangles, Text Boxes, as well as Drawings. To move, hover over the annotation then click and drag to the new location. Rectangles and Drawings cannot be resized, these must be deleted and redrawn if a different size is needed.

2. Highlighted sections and Strikeouts cannot be move, these must be deleted and redrawn. 
   
   

Delete Annotations

1. To delete a Comment you have made, click the comment box and then click the X that appears in the upper right corner. Alternatively, on the right hand side you will see the comment text with “EDIT” and “DELETE” options. Note: Only comments have the edit and delete option on the right, Text boxes and other annotations may need to be deleted and recreated.

2. To delete anything else you have made, click the appropriate object and click the X that appears in the upper right corner. 

Grade with annotator

SOLE Annotator’s grading works the same way annotations are made to documents in Content. For more information about using the annotator with grading, view Grade SOLE Assignments.