The video component

[Sparticuz]

I've got a few issues/suggestions for the video component. Maybe I'm overlooking some things, so if I am please inform me :)

I'm basically going to use the video component to show youtube how-to videos. Here's a screen shot of what I've got...
ScreenShot004.png
I've got the Title to show up in the modal dialog box by using {title} in the settings. Great!

BUT, I would like to be able to put some text below the videos. After many hours of tinkering, I finally got something to be able to be put in. Here's the code I used.This code is in the 'Open a Video Player component' on the 'Play' button, for the 'onShow' Window Javascript Event.

setTimeout("jQuery('#{Grid.ChildObject}_a5_video').append('{description}')",1000);

It's waiting one second. then appending the desc information to the a5_video div. The wait was required as the a5_video div wasn't created immediately.

This pops up my first issue. While I can use {title} above this in the Window title. I cannot use {description} here. (As you can see, it just puts in '{description}').

Next I tried to set description as an argument. So I go into my videocomponent.a5wcmp, go to the arguments, create a new 'description' argument. Click ok, save, open up the arguments pane again...Bam, gone....

So Alpha overwrites my argument that I tried to add. Guess that's issue no. two.

Finally, out of desperation, I tried to set 'description' as a session variable when the 'play' button is pressed. So I put went into the button and found where it lets me set session variables. Done.

I go back to the videocomponent.a5wcmp and open the 'onInitialRender' Server side event. Bingo, it has access to e.session. I add in e.html = e.html + "div" + e.session.description + "/div" Looks like I've found my answer! PUBLISH!!! OPEN COMPONENT!!!!

[COLOR=red]Fatal error: onInitialRender event not found.[/COLOR]

...Issue number three (this may actually be a bug, what do you think)

...So the if anyone has any experience with the video component, and has any answers or solutions to my problem, please chime in!

[swest]

Re: The video component

Just to let you know that I am having the same problem as your number 2. That is when I try to set up an argument it sets up fine, but when I save it, it goes away and back to the default setting. I am beginning to wonder if it is a bug in the component.

[Sparticuz]

Re: The video component

I bet it's more of a safeguard. The component will probably crash if those three arguments aren't present.

[Bob Moore]

Re: The video component

Hopefully this video will give you some ideas on how to add additional information when using the Video Component.

See : http://screencast.com/t/INFKIiwHn

[Sparticuz]

Re: The video component

Awesome, Works great! Thanks! This should be added to the list of videos.

[swest]

Re: The video component

Sparticuz, were you able to set arguments, like a variable to hold the url to play a video?

[Sparticuz]

Re: The video component

It's an argument in the way your thinking. Basically you are hooking into the global A5 javascript object in one object by creating a _vp child object inside it. Then reading the object you created in a different grid, specifically the video player.

[swest]

Re: The video component

Right, so you want the _vp object to equal the URL that is held in a database table, correct? I am still having trouble doing that, the code below
A5._vp.info = {grid.Object}.getValue('G','INFO',{Grid.RowNumber});
saids for the table INFO, what does G mean?

[Sparticuz]

Re: The video component

_vp is an object. You'd want to set the url in Alpha itself. I'd recommend watching all the VP videos again, IIRC it's explained in the first or second one.

.getValue is a javascript method used to get a value out of the object, in this case, 'G' is grid, 'S' is search, 'D' is detail.

//Read value in 'LASTNAME' field from the Grid part, row 4. Note that field name must be uppercase.
var lname = {grid.object}.getValue('G','LASTNAME',4);
//read value in 'LASTNAME' field from the Grid part, 'current row'. 
//Note that field name must be uppercase.
var lname = {grid.object}.getValue('G','LASTNAME',{grid.rowNumber});



//Read value in 'LASTNAME' field in the Search part.
var lname = {grid.object}._getValue('S','LASTNAME');

//read value in 'LASTNAME' field in the Detail View part.
var lname = {grid.object}._getValue('D','LASTNAME');



//Getting value of 'range' fields in the Search part. You can't use .getValue(). You have to use low level Javascript.
var val1 = $('{grid.componentname}.S.STARTDATE').value;
var val2 = $('{grid.componentname}.S._TO.STARTDATE').value;

^ Examples from A5v11

[swest]

Re: The video component

So there is no way using this code to get a value out of the database, in my case URL, and have that URL assigned to the video component so the video component plays that URL? I have try to set the URL to a variable in the Video component but when I try to save it, it sets it back to the default setting.

[Sparticuz]

Re: The video component

Re-watch the videos again, it's explained in the first or second video about how to get a youtube url from one grid to the video player.

[swest]

Re: The video component

Thanks for your help. I have watched the videos many times, I almost have them memorized! I am not pulling youtube url's, I am pulling mp4 url's and still cant figure out how to get those url's out of the database and have the video component play them.

[Sparticuz]

Re: The video component

I didn't do any mp4's, but it should be the exact same way as youtube urls. Create a grid with the mp4 urls and have the VP use that field as the url.

[swest]

Re: The video component

Yeah, thanks again. That is the issue I am having, a session variable that I try to set up, like he does in the videos, doesnt stay set, it reverts back to the default setting. If I could remedy that, I am almost certain that I could get it to work.

[Sparticuz]

Re: The video component

I don't recall using any session variables. In your grid with the mp4 url, Go to the button you created that opens the video player component. You want Argument bindings.
ScreenShot006.png
Now in that screen, just set video_url to the mp4 field in the parent grid. (click video_url, then click Set argument value)
ScreenShot007.png
That should link the parent grid and the video player using the mp4 link.