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Lightbox Effect with JW Wordpress Plugin


Sorry for my Noob question/confusion:

I am creating players and player/playlists using the JW Wordpress Plugin. I'd like very much to incorporate a "Lightbox" type effect with those players. Importantly, I'd really like to accomplish this effect in the most simplistic way -- preferably without any code or script creation or editing.

I have looked at JW Box, Shadowbox, Fancybox, SFV Plugin and a couple others. And, I've searched the forum quite extensively for some guidance. I just can't get a handle on which of these options might be the easiest to deploy for players and playlists generated by the JW Wordpress Plugin.

1. Does anyone have any experience with these "Lightbox" type Wordpress plugins (or any others that I might not have mentioned) as they relate to the JW Wordpress Plugin?

2. Is there a consensus regarding which of these "Lightbox" type plugins might be the absolute easiest to deploy?

3. I understand a new version of the JW Wordpress Plugin might be in the works. Is it possible this new version might include some of the JW Box functionality?

4. Lastly, I know this is an unpopular question, but can you provide even a general idea of when the next iteration of the JW Wordpress Plugin might be surfacing?

Thanks very much for your assistance.

34 Community Answers

JW Player

User  
0 rated :


The essence of a "lightbox" effect is three layers:

1) all HTML content (can be multiple layers),

2) a semi-opaque layer,

3) the Flash content (JW Player or any other Flash).

Simple scripting can make the semi-opaque layer visible when the player is instantiated and make the semi-opaque layer hidden when the player is removed.

See this Test Page:

*http://willswonders.myip.org:8074/player5/MikeS.html*

The last two examples show a "lightbox" effect.

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

Thanks for your response Craterscore.

However, what I am really needing to know is:

Which "Lightbox type" solution is the best and easiest to deploy for simple flash videos -- and flash videos with playlists -- that have been created solely with the JW Wordpress Plugin?

In other words -- no scripting.

Thanks





JW Player

User  
0 rated :


All of the lightbox/shadowbox applications use JavaScript.

You will have to use some JavaScript; there is no other way to achieve the "box" effect.

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

Ok......

Once again:

I'm using Wordpress and the JW Wordpress Plugin.


And once again, my question is:

Which "Lightbox type" solution is the best and easiest to deploy for simple flash videos -- and flash videos with playlists -- that have been created solely with the JW Wordpress Plugin?

Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

@blafarm, if you are using the JW Wordpress plugin, you are going to have to do some coding to get the lightbox to work with it. However, the SFV plugin for Wordpress gives you a lightbox effect by default, check it out here – http://www.simplethoughtproductions.com/sfv-plugin/

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

Thanks Ethan.

It seems that plugin doesn't support playlists -- and I'm guessing any playlists created with the JW Wordpress plugin would obviously not be compatible with that plugin.

Is that correct?

Is there any chance that Lightbox functionality will make it into the JW Wordpress Plugin -- or is it simply impossible to say at this time.

Thanks

Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

@blafarm – that plugin will support playlists, but you will need to create them manually. See – http://www.longtailvideo.com/support/jw-player/24/create-a-playlist-with-the-jw-player, so you are correct that it will not work with plugins created by the JW Wordpress plugin.

Right now there is no Lightbox functionality in the JW Wordpress plugin, unless you add the code yourself to do so. But it is good suggestion for a future version.

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

Thank you Craterscore -- and thank you Ethan for the assistance.

Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

Np :)

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

I used the Shadowbox.JS plugin for Wordpress. Real easy to use and I my videos are displaying in the Lightbox format. I just have to work on getting the plugin to recognize my licensed player.

http://sivel.net/wordpress/shadowbox-js/

Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

@stephen jackson – Where are you running this?

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

I for one would love to see the JW Player have LightBox capability for the WordPress Plugin.

Of course for those that are "code" challenged (like 99% of my clients) and need SIMPLE as possible the plugin needs to allow them to add videos to a page or post.

Hopefully this is something that will be available soon.

Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

@Roy – This plugin adds a lightbox by default – http://www.simplethoughtproductions.com/2008/07/09/simple-flash-video-plugin-15/

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

I am in desperate need of a plugin solution for a lightbox that works with the JW Player. I am not a coder either, which is the reason I use the JW Player for WordPress Plugin.

The Simple Flash Plugin is no longer supported. I am also looking at the Shadowbox JS plugin for WordPress, but it seems to require some code also. This would be an excellent upgrade to the JW Player WordPress plugin. Still looking for a current solution.

Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

We will have to add this functionality into an update to the WP plugin to be able to easily enable this sort of feature.

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

Jason - I was able to install the latest ShadowBox plugin and get it to play MP4 videos using JW Player, all with no code changes.

One thing that seems to be missing from the above is the 'player' variable that must be added to make it work.

<a href="http://s3.website.com/filename.mp4" rel="shadowbox;player=flv;width=800;height=600">S3 MP4 video</a>

Also, many MP4s are encoded so that the header information is stored at the end of the video. This can cause a problem during web playback because the entire video has to load before it starts playing. My ISP is Dreamhost and I was having a problem playing back locally hosted files (not S3 hosted - they worked fine) until I found the following tool:

http://www.datagoround.com/lab/index.html

I ran it on my MP4 file and then re-uploaded it to my server. After that, the locally hosted file worked fine and started right away.

Hope this helps

Paul

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

Paul I have a paid version of JWPlayer installed on wordpress and installed the Shadowbox plugin how do I add the player variable to make it work? That way I can use the player I bought from longtail?

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

Does anyone have any tips on getting the jw player to display in a lightbox when using shortcode hardcoded into the template?

For me it is just outputting the shortcode as text when i use either:

bc.. <?php echo get_post_meta(get_the_ID(), 'custom_field_containing_shortcode', true); ?>


or

bc.. <?php echo do_shortcode('[jwplayer config="Default Player" mediaid="545"]'); ?>


thanks!

ps i'm using the lightbox plus plugin to trigger the lightbox via an 'inline lightbox':

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/lightbox-plus/

Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

@rw1 – we have our own lightbox that you can use – http://www.longtailvideo.com/support/jw-player/jw-player-for-flash-v4/21/jw-box-the-jw-player-lightbox

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

Thanks Ethan.

Just thought i would post the following incase anyone was already using the Lightbox Plus Plugin and wanted to incorporate its functionality with the JW Player Plugin.

This solution is for using the Lightbox Plus Plugin (http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/lightbox-plus/) with the JW Player Plugin so that clicking on a text link opens a video in a lightbox.

First you will have to add an 'Inline Lightbox' in the Lightbox Plus Plugin settings, change the 'Link Class' and 'Content ID' of this inline lightbox to whatever value you would like eg 'your-inline-style', then reference it in your code with:

bc.. <a class="your-inline-style" href="#">Text Link</a>
<div style="display:none">
<div id="your-inline-style" style="background: #000000">

<div id="container1"></div>

<script type="text/javascript">
jwplayer("container1").setup({
file: "your-video.flv",
flashplayer: "http://www.your-site.com/wp-content/uploads/jw-player-plugin-for-wordpress/player/player.swf",
height: 527,
width: 702,
autostart: true,
controlbar: "none",
volume: 80,
icons: "true",
stretching: "fill",
});
</script>

</div>
</div>


You will then have to play around with the width and height of the inline lightbox in the plugins settings and the width and height defined in the code above to get a perfect fit.

Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

Thanks for the Solution :), this will help others looking to achieve Lightbox functionality int the JW Player for Wordpress Plugin.

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

Okay, anyone want to get a lightbox working on my player for a fee? I have given up trying to get it work as a non-coder and have exhausted many options.

Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

Where are you trying to run this?

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

Hi,

I'm running the JW Player plugin in Wordpress and have bought the licence and the Modieus skin. The plugin is working fine, but I need to add a lightbox function to play some videos at a larger size while conserving screen space for other content.

I'm using mp4 format on an rtmpe streaming video server.

How can I get the JW Player Lightbox working in this scenario?

As I say I have all the streaming set up and working in the plugin and have customised the Modieus skin slighty to match the rest of the site, and I'd like the Lightbox to use these settings, ie the same settings as the config="MTO Stream" element that appears in the JWPlayer plugin code eg [jwplayer config="MTO Stream" mediaid="249"]

Sorry if this isn't making sense. My brain is fried!

Really I just need to get an MP4 streaming video file playing my licenced version of JW Player with my customised skin in a light box, without too much hassle. I can use full embed code in a html/php 'leaf' (I'm using Headway theme for Wordpress) if that's any help.

Thanks for any pointers.

Cheers,

Tracy

Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

You will need to customize the plugin itself to add a lightbox functionality.

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

Longtail 2011-01-30above: "@rw1 - we have our own lightbox that you can use"

This lightbox is discontinued. Any ideas if and when you could possibly this functionality to JW Player WP plugin? It would be great!

Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

There are no current plans to add this into the WP plugin, sorry.

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

As the author of this thread (1-1/2 years ago!) -- I have successfully integrated the WordPress Shadowbox plugin into my WordPress installation. And it obviously works great with the WordPress JW Player Plugin using shortcode.

However I use a couple of WordPress products that don't support shortcode (like Gravity Forms) -- and I a limited to using "<a href=" links.

The good news it that I have made this work -- and Shadowbox launches the video using the its internal installation of the JW Player. I know this because I am a licensed owner of the JW Player -- and when I use this technique the player has the JW Player bug.

The bad news is that I can't launch a playlist using a "a href=" link. Can anyone suggest a modification of my syntax that will allow that?


Here is what works:

<a href="my_domain/video.mp4" rel="shadowbox;width=768;height=432;player=flv">Play Video</a>



Here is what DOESN'T work:

<a href="my_domain/video.mp4" rel="shadowbox;width=1000;height=432;player=flv" playlistsize="390" playlist="right" playlistfile="my_domain/my_playlist.xml">Play Video</a>



And, this DOESN'T work either:

<a href="my_domain/video.mp4" rel="shadowbox;width=1000;height=432;player=flv;playlistsize=390;playlist=right;playlistfile=my_domain/my_playlist.xml">Play Video</a>


Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

Can you provide a link so we can see what you did and check out what is not working?

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

Hey Ethan,

You addressed this issue the other day as part of my support contract.

And, you indicated that what I wanted -- was impossible.

Thanks for your response, though.

Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

Np.

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

i tried to install lightboxplugin + jw wp plugin the light box is comin but the video is not playing. Please somebody help me
www.italiancornerstore.com

JW Player

User  
0 rated :

Hi its me again i have successfully installed lightboxplus plugin to show the jwplayer in lightbox but again i am facing some problems
1. the navigation bar of the jwplayer is not showing up in lightbox
2. the image is not showing up ie the img src is not working


$script .= " <a class="mystyle" href="#"><img src=" . $this->fvars["image"] . " alt="jwplayerlightbox" width="250" height="250" /></a>";

this path is not working. the image is not showing up.


Christy

Ethan Feldman

JW Player Support Agent  
0 rated :

Can you provide a specific link to a post that is using this LightBox? Thanks.

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