Download The Blackboard Collaborate Launcher For Mac

This help topic documents the Blackboard Collaborate Launcher available in versions 4.4 and later of the Blackboard Collaborate Building Block.

These tools can help you get started with Collaborate on a Mac. Learn how to install the launcher, join a Collaborate session, and play session recordings.

Install the launcher on a Mac

This article provides instructions on installing and downloading the Blackboard Collaborate Launcher. The launcher offers Mac OS X 10.8.4 and later users an. Note: Blackboard Collaborate Launcher.zip is normally found in your Downloads folder. Right-Click on the Blackboard Collaborate Launcher.zip and select Get info from the drop-down menu. Note: If you don’t have right-click configured on your Mac, you can hold down the Control key to mimic an alternate click.

1. On the Room Details page, select Join Room or select a recording link from the Recordings table. Blackboard Collaborate prompts you to download the launcher installer.
   • If this is the first time you are using the launcher, select Download Launcher in the First time using Blackboard Collaborate? pop-up window.
   • If you already installed the launcher, your browser may not detect it, and you'll be prompted to download the launcher. This can happen if you cleared your cache and cookies last time you exited your browser, use secure or private browsing, or use a different browser. If this is the case, you do not need to re-download the installer again. Select Launch Blackboard Collaborate nowto bypass the download and then open your .collab file.
2. A pop-up window reminds you to install the launcher. Don't select OK yet. You will after you install the launcher.
3. Java may prompt you for permission to run. To avoid this step in the future, select Always run on this site.

4. When the installer file BlackboardCollaborateLauncher-Mac.zip is fully downloaded, unzip the file to install the launcher.

   • Safari automatically unzips the file and installs the launcher.
   • In Firefox and Chrome, open the ZIP file in your Downloads folder to unzip and install the launcher.

     Your browser may ask you which application to use to open the ZIP file. If so, select the Archive Utility in System/Library/CoreServices. If your browser also prompts you to open the .collab file, do not do so until you have installed the launcher.

   When you unzip the installer using the Archive Utility, you may see the error 'Unable to expand BlackboardCollaborateLauncher-Mac.zip into Downloads. (Error 2 - No such file or directory.)'. It means the download of the installer was incomplete. This will happen if you lost your connection during download. Download the installer ZIP file again.

   By default, the launcher resides in the Downloads folder. When you open your session or recording .collab file, Blackboard Collaborate gives you the option to move the launcher to your Applications folder.

   If you are having difficulty with the launcher installation process, see the Collaborate Knowledge Base article, Setting Mac OS X File Associations to open Blackboard Collaborate Launcher.zip files.

5. In the pop-up window reminder, select OK to confirm you installed the launcher.
6. Open meeting.collab to join your session or play.collab to play your recording. If you don't see a prompt to do so, open the file in your Downloads folder.

Join sessions or play a recording

1. To join a session, select Join Room on the Room Details page. To play a recording, select a link in the Recordings table.
2. Collaborate can prompt you to do different things if you're a new or returning user.
   • If this is your first time using the Blackboard Collaborate Launcher: Download and install the launcher.
   • If you installed Blackboard Collaborate Launcher: Open the meeting.collab file.
   • If you installed the launcher but Blackboard Collaborate prompts you to download it: Select Launch Blackboard Collaborate now.
3. Your browser prompts you to open the .collab file. How you open the file depends on which browser you are using.
   • Firefox asks you what to do with the .collab file. Select Open with and then Blackboard Collaborate Launcher from the drop-down list. If there is no drop-down list, select Choose and open your Downloads folder to select Blackboard Collaborate Launcher.
   • Internet Explorer asks you what to do with the .collab file. Select Open.
   • Chrome downloads the .collab file and presents it at the bottom of your browser window. Select the file name to open it.

     If you want future session files to open automatically, select Always open files of this type from the menu and then open the file.

4. If this is your first time using the launcher, your operating system prompts you to open it. Select Open.
5. Blackboard Collaborate prompts you to move the launcher to the Applications folder. Although this is not necessary, doing so will help keep your Downloads folder uncluttered.

   Select Do not show this message again so you will not see this dialog next time you launch Blackboard Collaborate.

The Blackboard Collaborate session opens.

Open .collab files automatically

To automatically open .collab files next time you launch Blackboard Collaborate, use Chrome as your browser.

When you download your .collab file, Chrome displays the file at the bottom of your browser window. Open the menu and select Always open files of this type and then open the .collab file name to launch your session or play your recording. The next time you download a .collab file, it automatically launches Blackboard Collaborate.

This article provides instructions on installing and downloading the Blackboard Collaborate Launcher. The launcher offers Mac OS X 10.8.4 and later users an easy way to join web conferencing sessions and play recordings by using a known and stable version of Java that is bundled within the launcher itself.Note: Use either Chrome or Safari to download the launcher and launch sessions and recordings. Firefox is currently not supported.How to Resolve/Troubleshoot:To install and download the Blackboard Collaborate Launcher, follow the steps below.Note: The instructions below explain how to launch sessions. Similar steps are used to launch recordings.1.

Click the session link. You will be prompted to download the Blackboard Collaborate Launcher. If this is the first time you are launching a session through this browser, you will be presented with the launcher Download pop-up (refer to Image 1). All subsequent times you launch a session through the same browser, you will bypass the launcher Download pop-up.

If you are the session owner, you are presented with the Launching Blackboard Collaborate page. If you are a guest user, you are presented with the Session Login page. Both of these pages give you the option to download the launcher.Note: Although you are asked if you want to download the launcher each time you attempt to launch web conferencing, you need to download the launcher only once.2. Click the Download button in either the Download pop-up or the Launching or Session Login page. You will see a Download Status pop-up.3.

(Chrome users only) Unzip the Blackboard Collaborate Launcher file in your downloads folder.Note: Safari will auto unzip the file and save it in your Downloads folder.4. When complete, click the click here link in the Download Status pop-up (refer to image 2 above).5. Double click on the.collab file in the Downloads folder to launch your session.6. An open Blackboard Collaborate Launcher.app confirmation dialog may be displayed when installing the Launcher for the first time. Click Open button to proceed (refer to image 3).7. A Security Warning message is displayed.