Category: Media

Problems adding embedded content via iFrame for some URLs

Problem: Due to security concerns, instructors may encounter difficulty adding embedded content from some sites via iframe. Pasting iframe embed code into the HTML box in the content editor may not save as expected for some sites.

Solution: If you are attempting to embed material from an external site and encountering trouble doing so, please contact blackboard@uvm.edu and include the steps you are taking to embed, as well as the embed code and url you are using.

Embedding files from the content collection: As a side effect of the security changes, the process for embedding files has changed. To embed one of these files, the iframe src must use a relative “permanent” link for the file:

  1. Find the file in the content collection, click on the grey chevron to the right of the file name, then select “360˚ View”. Image showing selection of 360 view.
  2. Copy only the relative path of the Permanent URL (i.e. /bbcswebdav/xid-43414430_1 ). Don’t include https://bb.uvm.edu. Image showing how to embed the permanent URL fragment
  3. When embedding the iFrame (i.e. using the HTML button on an item in a course), use that relative path as the src for the iframe, i.e. <iframe src="/bbcswebdav/xid-43414430_1"

YouTube Mashups and Video Everywhere not embedding/displaying properly.

Problem:  Attempting to embed YouTube videos using the Mashups tool and/or the Video Everywhere tool does not work.

Solution:  This is an identified bug that Blackboard has identified as fixed in the next release, which is expected to be applied in December.  The current workarounds are to embed the video by clicking the html button in the text editor and pasting the embed code; post a link to the video along with the description; or to use UVM Streaming Media tool.

Youtube posts display “Device Support” error video

Problem: When posting a video to a Bb course using the Video Everywhere or YouTube mashup tools, an error video is presented after posting, indicating that YouTube is not supported on this “device.

Solution:  Bb has indicated that this is a known issue and has provided the following workaround:

  1. After recording the video, click continue, this will save it in youtube.com
  2. Log into youtube.com, click on the video you have just recorded.
  3. Copy the url
  4. Go back to the editor on Bb environment
  5. Click on Insert/Edit Embedded media
  6. Paste the url into the File/URL
  7. Change Type to Embedded Audio
  8. Insert
  9. Submit

Alternatively, anyone wishing to post media to their course should consider using UVM Streaming Media.

YouTube embedded videos (and other embedded content) not appearing

Problem: Embedded YouTube videos and similar content are not displaying in some browsers.  This is due to a change in how browsers display non-encrypted content (http) inside of an encrypted environment (https).

Solution: Here is a description for students (and instructors) for how to temporarily view embedded files that appear blank in Firefox:

  1. If upon entering a course or content area that appears to have a blank video, look in the browser’s address bar for a grey “shield” icon.
  2. Click that icon, bringing up a dialog box.
  3. Click on the down arrow next to the “Keep Blocking” button, and select “Disable Protection on This Page”.

This is a short term solution.  Here are some steps on how to make sure that students have access to the videos, both in the short term and the long term.

  1. Edit the embed code so that all links in the code start with “https://”, and not “http://”.
  2. Post the URL as a link to the video’s YouTube page in addition to the embedded video.  By always providing a link to the original video in addition to embedding it, there’s a better chance that any students having connection or browser issues (i.e. attempting to load the videos in various unsupported mobile browsers) will be able to access the video directly. This also provides some context, so instead of just seeing the blank area where the video will be, the students will see that a) it’s a video link, and b) where to go to try to launch it in a different environment.
  3. If the videos are owned by you (i.e. the instructor) or UVM, consider using the UVM supported Streaming Media tool. This will make things a bit easier to support, and will be more likely to retain some stability and support over time.
  4. Newer browsers may not support older embed code. Try re-embedding the video by going to the YouTube page for the video and copying the code under the embed option, then pasting it back into your course item.