Anki Import Guide

Anki Import Guide

Last Updated: 2026-10-09 | For: Teachers and researchers

This is the canonical Anki workflow page. It covers import, upload, assignment, and QA in one place.

What This Does

The wizard converts an Anki .apkg deck into a MoFaCTS package (.zip) containing:

1. TDF file(s)
2. stimulus JSON file(s)
3. referenced media files

You can then download the package or upload it directly into MoFaCTS.

Before You Start

• use the Content Manager page
• keep the deck file local
• ensure the deck has stable prompt and response fields
• prefer embedded media references over remote links

Default Workflow

Open Content Manager -> Import from Anki (.apkg) -> Configure Anki Import.

Step 1: Upload

Select a .apkg file. The wizard reads legacy exports with collection.anki21 or collection.anki2, and modern Anki exports with compressed collection.anki21b plus compressed media maps.

Step 2: Setup

Review:

• deck/model name
• note/card/media counts
• detected field types
• sample previews

For each generated TDF:

1. set the TDF name
2. select the prompt field
3. select the response field
4. optionally limit the source notes with zero-based ranges like 0-999 or 0-499 1000-1499
5. make sure prompt and response are different fields

Step 3: Edit Draft

The wizard opens the generated draft in a workspace with:

• TDF tab for lesson parameters and structure
• Content tab for generated stimuli content
• Reset to generated defaults
• Save and Continue

The draft Content tab uses a windowed cluster editor so large imports stay responsive. The full draft remains in memory, but only a small cluster range is rendered at one time.

Step 4: Package and Upload

Generate the package, then either:

• download the package for manual handling
• upload it to MoFaCTS immediately

MoFaCTS assigns new lesson IDs to new imports. Updating existing content requires the IDs in its downloaded package; matching a filename alone does not identify an update.

Step 5: Assign to a Class

After import:

1. assign the lesson to the target class or section
2. verify with a student account that it appears
3. run a short student-flow test
4. confirm early rows appear in export data

Use Class Setup and Assignment Workflow if you need the assignment details.

Data Handling and Limits

• wizard analysis and conversion run client-side in the browser
• final upload goes through the standard package pipeline
• the wizard reads .apkg locally; persistent package storage accepts only the generated MoFaCTS .zip
• non-teacher/admin users can be constrained by quota and size policies
• very large drafts are edited through a windowed cluster view instead of rendering every generated item at once
• large decks can be split during setup by applying note-range filters per generated TDF

Media Handling Rules

Converter resolves media from:

• <img src="...">
• [sound:filename]

It maps Anki media index keys to filenames when possible. Missing media references can cause cards to be skipped.

Why Cards May Be Skipped

Skipped counts can include:

• empty prompt
• empty response
• missing prompt media
• missing response media

Always review skipped-card warnings before publishing imported lessons.

Output Structure

Single-config generation typically produces:

• <Name>_TDF.json
• <Name>_stims.json
• referenced media files

Multi-config generation bundles multiple such pairs into one package zip.

QA Checklist

1. open the imported lesson in Content Manager
2. spot-check prompt/response mapping for at least 10 cards
3. verify image/audio assets render in practice mode
4. confirm assignment was saved to the intended class or section
5. confirm no unintended overwrite occurred
6. run a short student-flow test from login to completion
7. confirm one export row appears for the test run

Troubleshooting

• No collection database found in .apkg file: the export is incomplete or has an unsupported APKG archive layout
• Unsupported APKG format or a compression error: the archive's collection and media formats do not agree. Export a complete deck again from Anki; do not rename database entries or combine files from different exports.
• many skipped cards: the selected mapping likely includes empties or missing media refs
• upload succeeds but content looks wrong: re-run mapping with different prompt/response fields
• an update confirmation appears: check the lesson IDs and proposed changes; cancel if you intended a new import