FLV Media Player

This is a wrapper module for the JW FLV Media Player, distributed by Longtail Video. It allows you to store configured presets for the player in "Profiles". Profiles can be assigned to specific Content Types.

Installation

1. Download the SWF Object API module, unpack it, and copy it to your [example.com]/sites/all/modules directory. This is a wrapper module for the third-party <swfobject> JavaScript library.
2. Download <swfobject> JavaScript library and unpack the files to a temporary location.
3. Copy the swfobject.js and expressinstall.swf files from your temporary location to [example.com]/sites/all/modules/swfobject_api
4. Download the JW FLV Media Player and unpack the files to a temporary location. This is the actual player that will run your FLV files.
5. Rename the file player.swf to mediaplayer.swf. We do this because the FLV Media Player module expects the player to have this filename.
6. Download the FLV Media Player module, unpack it, and copy it to your [example.com]/sites/all/modules directory.
7. Copy the mediaplayer.swf and swfobject.js files from your temporary location to [example.com]/sites/all/modules/flvmediaplayer
8. Visit [example.com]/admin/build/modules and enable both the SWFObject API and FLV Media Player modules. Also ensure that the Core Upload module is enabled, so that you can attach your FLV files to nodes.

Configuration

1. Visit [example.com]/admin/settings/flvmediaplayer and select Profiles. Give your Profile a name and click Create.
2. Review the specific settings for this Profile. All of the settings seen here are options and parameters available for the JW FLV Media Player. Adjust these defaults to your liking and click Save.
3. Select the tab FLV Media Player Settings. In the Player enabled select box, choose the Content Type you would like to have the FLV Media Player appear in, and click Save configuration.
4. A new field group for that Content Type will appear near the bottom of the page. For Select profile, choose the Profile you created in Step 1. (If it is your only Profile, it will be the only one in the select list.) Check the Allow settings override checkbox. This will allow the FLV Media Player options you set in the Profile to be overridden when you create each node. This is important because one of the parameters you will need to override is the URL of the FLV file you want to play in each node. Click Save configuration.
5. If you want your flash videos to automatically appear in the node, return to Site Configuration --->FLV Media Player--->Click on the user profile you're planning on using to edit its settings. You will then see four checkboxes under the category Display Options. Select all of them to have your media display.
7. Visit [example.com]/admin/content/types and find the Content Type you want to have FLV files played in. Under the Operations column, select edit.
8. Near the bottom of the page, find the fieldgroup labled Workflow settings and expand it. Make sure that the Attachments option is set to Enabled. This setting allows you to upload an FLV file, store it in the file system, and "attach" that file back to the node. When you are finished, click Save content type.

Usage

1. Click Create content and select the Content Type you have allowed the FLV Media Player to appear in.
2. Give your new node a Title.
3. Expand the File attachments fieldgroup, and under the Attach new file section click Browse.... Select an FLV file from your local machine, then click Attach. This will upload the file to [example.com]/sites/[default or yourmultisitedomain.com]/files directory.
4. When the upload completes, you will see the FLV file listed in this fieldgroup. In the Description column, beneath the textbox, the full URL to the file is shown in small, grayed-out text. Highlight this URL and copy it. You'll need it in the next step.
5. The fieldgroup Flash player settings should be expanded and the Allow settings override should be checked by default. In the File settings fieldgroup, find the File location textbox and paste the FLV file URL there. By doing so, we're manually telling the JW FLV Media Player which file to play in this node.
6. At the bottom of the page, click Save to store your node and View it. Your node will render the player with the options you selected, and play the attached FLV file.

Options

• Rather than manually passing the File location parameter to the player, you can install the XSPF Playlist module instead. It builds a playlist from all of the files you upload and attach to the node. The playlist is in XSPF format, an XML-style list that the JW FLV Media Player recognizes. (See the XSPF Playlist module handbook for more information.) Once you install the module, return to FLV Media Player settings and select the tab that has your Profile name. In the File settings fieldgroup, leave the File location field blank. Then in the Media file list, select XSPF Playlist for each node.
• If you wish to hide the listed file attachment displayed in each node, simply edit the node, find the File attachments fieldgroup, and uncheck the List checkbox for that FLV file. The file itself will still be attached to the node and available to other functions like XSPF Playlist, but it won't be listed in the node body.