Where can I see all my uploads?
1. Click on your screen name and select My Library option from the drop-down menu.
2. You will be directed to your profile where you can view all your uploads.
Can I view an item or files history?
Yes, you can. You can view your item or files history by clicking on the item.
You will then see the item and the URL will change to https://archive.org/details/[itemname]
Replace the word details with history in the URL and you will be directed to a page showing you the history.
How long does it take before I or others can view my item?
The time it takes before your item is derived and ready for viewing can vary from a few seconds, hours or sometimes days. Why the large variation? There are a number of factors that have an impact such as the type and size of the files you are uploading.
Is there a limit to the number of files or the size of the file that I can upload?
Currently, there is no limit on the size of files nor the number of files. However, from a systems perspective, we do not recommend files larger than 50 GBs to be uploaded or more than 1000 files, per single page.
This is because items can “break” as well as take a very long time to derive and can often timeout and fail. Some users have managed to upload files larger than 50GB’s but there is always a risk that these files will cause problems.
What kind of formats do you want me to use or are there any specific ones I shouldn’t upload?
Most typical formats are acceptable but do not upload encrypted or executable files as these may be removed.
We also encourage you to please use high-quality formats as this will affect other users’ experience.
Any tips that will make bulk uploads quicker?
Absolutely, we recommend using our Internet Archive Command-Line Tool. It does, however, require that you are quite comfortable or familiar with Unix.
You can download the tool from GitHub located by clicking on this link: Internet Archive Command-Line Tool.
Can I use accented or special characters in my title or description?
You can use accented and other special characters in your item text and file titles, but you need to make sure you use the XML-safe code for those characters instead of typing them directly into the forms.
Typing accented characters directly into forms can break the xml for your item, making your files unavailable through the site. Instead, you’ll want to use a special code to represent those letters.
You can find a complete listing of these codes by clicking on this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_XML_and_HTML_character_entity_references
Can I add a file or files to an already existing item?
Yes, you can. There are two ways to do this.
1. Make sure you have located the file you want to edit. You should have selected the file and be on its details page.
2. Scroll down the page and select the Edit option.
3. Select the change the files in my item link.
4. Select the Classic Uploader button
5. The appearance of the button will change once it has been selected.
6. Select the file in the tree root structure below and then click on the Classic Uploader button.
7. You will be then be prompted to ask which file or files you want to upload. Select the file and click open.
8. You will see a notice indicating your files have been uploaded or changed.
9. Select the update item at the bottom of the page to start the new derive task.
10. You will see an indicator telling you the items are being updated.
11. On completion, there will be a window notifying you that the derive task will run on your updated items or you can cancel it. Click the start button.
12. Your items have now been updated.
Which license should I choose?
If you are uncertain which license you should choose, you can go to the Creative Commons free website. Their tool on the site will run you through certain questions that will help you choose the license that will suit your needs.
Their licenses will “help you share your work while keeping your copyright. Other people can copy and distribute your work, but only on certain conditions.” (from the Creative Commons Website)
You can associate the license to your work and it will be displayed on the details page.
You can go to the Creative Commons Website by clicking on this link: Creative Commons Website
What is the “Test Collection” or “Test Item” for?
This functionality allows you to test an item for uploading and viewing. The item will automatically be removed from the site after approximately 30 days.
Why do I encounter an error when uploading a meta.xml file?
This is because the architecture does not support the uploading of meta.xml files.