Prerequisites

1. Log in as admin and go to Site administration > Plugins > Repositories > Common repository settings.
2. Enable Legacy course files in new courses  (legacyfilesinnewcourses) checkbox and Save changes.
3. Go to the course settings, set Legacy course files setting to Yes and save changes.
4. In the course that you enabled 'Legacy course files,' go to 'Administration > Course administration > Legacy course files' and upload files here.
5. Add several files to your private files area, course legacy files, and a folder activity, including images.
6. Create an activity module, insert into the description images from pre-requisite #4 as alias/shortcuts by selecting Link to the file.
7. Create a new folder resource and add files from pre-requisite #3 as alias/shortcuts by selecting Link to the file.

How to make sure that the file is a reference:

• If the file is in filearea (i.e., file/folder resource), when you edit the filearea, the "shortcut" icon is displayed near the file. When you click on the file, the information window shows the source location. If the file is an embedded image, see below.
• If you edit the filearea that has the source file (user private files or course legacy files), the source file has the "link" icon. When you click on the file, the information window shows the list of aliases/shortcuts in the system.
• (double check) If you edit the filearea with the source and upload another file with the same name as the source and choose to overwrite, all alias/shortcuts will now show the new file (don't forget to save changes before checking!)

Duplicating activities in the same course

1. Duplicate activities and resources created in pre-requisites #5 and #6.
2. Make sure that all files are still references.

Recovering activities in the same course

1. Backup the activities and resources created in pre-requisites #5 and #6.
2. Remove the activities and resources.
3. Restore from the backup into the same course.
4. Make sure that all files are still references.

Restoring into another course

1. Backup the activities and resources created in pre-requisites #5 and #6.
2. Restore from the backup into another course.
3. Make sure that all files are still references.

Restoring as a second user

1. Backup the activities and resources created in pre-requisites #5 and #6.
2. Log in as another user (teacher/admin).
3. Restore from the backup into the same course.
4. Make sure that all files are still references.

Restoring after source files are deleted

1. Backup the activities and resources created in pre-requisites #5 and #6.
2. Remove sources in private files and course legacy files.
3. Restore from the backup.
4. Verify that you receive warnings about unreachable sources and you can see the human-readable description of where the source was originally located.
5. Verify that the referencing files are not present anymore in file areas. References to images/video from inside the text editor become broken links.

Restoring after source files are updated

1. Backup the activities and resources created in pre-requisites #5 and #6.
2. Replace sources in private files and course legacy files with new versions (content must be different).
3. Restore activities/resources from the backup.
4. Make sure files are present and are valid references to the new files.