YouTube™ Embedded Video Player: Extended API (C#)

Introduction

This extended version of embedded YouTube™ API demonstrates additional customization features, namely:

Setting the startup options
Selecting the item from the playlist
Setting the autoplay mode
Setting player's dimension (W/H)
Changing the border options
Starting the video at predefined time

Start-up options could be set by using Web Query; as an example, the following query sets the autoplay option and selected item index=2 (see the sample screenshot taken from the functional demo here).

Also, the start-up time for each item could be set programmatically. Notice two command buttons at the bottom of the sample screenshot in Figure 1; clicking on these buttons when the actual application is running will cause the playback to start at a certain predefined position (15 sec and 60 sec correspondingly).

Figure 1: Embedded YouTube™ player with item start-up time set programmatically

Background

This project extends the functionality of embedded YouTube Video Player API described in my previous article, published here (see the sample screenshot in Figure 2 related to the previous project).

Figure 2: Embedded YouTube™ Video Player, sample screenshot

You could also see the functional demo of Data-Bound YouTube™ API here.

Using the Code

Project includes:

Default Web page "Default.aspx" with corresponding code behind: both to be placed in Application root directory
Class module YouTubeScript.cs to be placed in App_Code application folder

Sample Web Page includes a Literal1 control, serving as a JavaScript container and a populated DropDownList control with two sample items, serving as a simple playlist:

<%@ Page Language="C#"
AutoEventWireup="true"
CodeFile="Default.aspx.cs"
Inherits="_DEMO" %>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN"
"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<%@ Register assembly="AjaxControlToolkit"
namespace="AjaxControlToolkit"
tagprefix="cc1" %>
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
    <head runat="server">
        <title>ASP.NET Embedded Video Player | YouTube DEMO</title>
    </head>
    <body>
        <form id="form1" runat="server">
        <asp:ScriptManager ID="ScriptManager1" runat="server" />
        <asp:UpdatePanel ID="UpdatePanel1" runat="server" updatemode="Conditional" >
            <ContentTemplate>
                <div>
                    <!-- ALL CONTENT IS SHOWN FOR DEMO PURPOSE ONLY-->
                    <asp:DropDownList ID="cmbPlaylist" 
			runat="server" AutoPostBack="True">
                        <asp:ListItem Value="x_4CNvG1Q_M">
                        Anastasia Volochkova dancing (Adiemus)
                        </asp:ListItem>

                        <asp:ListItem Value="raRaxt_KM9Q">
                        Sound Of Silence (Masters of Chant)
                        </asp:ListItem>
                    </asp:DropDownList>

                    <br /><br />
                    <asp:Literal ID="Literal1" runat="server"></asp:Literal>
                </div>
                <asp:Button ID="Button1" runat="server"
                Text="START AT 15 SEC" onclick="Button1_Click" />

                <asp:Button ID="Button2" runat="server"
                Text="START AT 60 SEC" onclick="Button2_Click" />

            </ContentTemplate>
          </asp:UpdatePanel>

          <hr />
          <h4>Sample Demo: Anastasia Volochkova,
		Russian prima ballerina is dancing "Adiemus"</h4>
          <h4>Initial settings: 640x505, autoplay=0</h4>
          <hr />
              More Demo available at: www.webinfocentral.com
          <hr />
        </form>
    </body>
</html>

Code Behind Page

//****************************************************************************
// Module           :   Default.aspx.cs
// Type             :   ASP.NET web page code behind
// Developer        :   Alexander Bell (Infosoft International Inc)
// Description      :   YouTube API for ASP.NET (DEMO)
//****************************************************************************
// DISCLAIMER: This Application is provide on AS IS basis without any warranty
//****************************************************************************

//****************************************************************************
// TERMS OF USE     :   ALL CONTENT IS SHOWN FOR DEMO PURPOSE ONLY
//****************************************************************************
using System;

public partial class _DEMO : System.Web.UI.Page
{
    #region init settings
    // player width
    private int _W = 640;

    // player height
    private int _H = 505;

    // autoplay disabled
    bool auto = false;
    #endregion

    #region Page Load event
    protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {

        if (!IsPostBack)
        {
            #region Start mode customization via Web Query String
            int idx = 0;
            string qry = "";

            // Web Query to set autoplay option
            try {
                qry = "auto";
                qry = (Request.QueryString[qry] == null) ? 
				"" : Request.QueryString[qry];
                if (qry != "") { auto = Boolean.Parse(qry); }
            } catch { }

            // Web Query to set item index
            try {
                qry = "item";
                qry = (Request.QueryString[qry] == null) ? 
				"" : Request.QueryString[qry];
                if (qry != "") { idx = int.Parse(qry); }
            } catch { }
            #endregion

            // set selected index
            cmbPlaylist.SelectedIndex = idx;

            // generate script on page load
            Literal1.Text = YouTubeScript.Get
		(cmbPlaylist.SelectedValue, auto, _W, _H);
        }
        else
        {
            // generate script on page postback
            Literal1.Text = YouTubeScript.Get
		(cmbPlaylist.SelectedValue, false, _W, _H);
        }
    }
    #endregion

    #region User events
    /// <summary>
    /// Script to start video at predefined time, change border color
    /// </summary>
    protected void Button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
       // set start time = 15 sec, change border colors
        Literal1.Text =
        YouTubeScript.Get(cmbPlaylist.SelectedValue, true,
        _W, _H, true, "maroon", "", 15);
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Script to start video at predefined time, remove border
    /// </summary>
    protected void Button2_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        // set start time = 60 sec, remove border
        Literal1.Text =
        YouTubeScript.Get(cmbPlaylist.SelectedValue, true,
        _W, _H, false, "", "", 60);
    }
    #endregion
}

Note: try-catch blocks in Page_Load event procedure are inserted for future development.

Class Module

//******************************************************************************
// Module           :   YouTubeScript.cs
// Author           :   Alexander Bell
// Copyright        :   2009 Infosoft International Inc
// Description      :   YouTube Player Javascript generator

//******************************************************************************
// DISCLAIMER: This Application is provide on AS IS basis without any warranty
//******************************************************************************

//******************************************************************************
// TERMS OF USE     :   This module is copyrighted.
//                  :   You can use it at your sole risk provided that you keep
//                  :   the original copyright note.
//******************************************************************************

using System;
using System.Text;

///*****************************************************************************
/// <summary>
/// Generate Javascript to embed YouTube Video Player in ASP.NET web page
/// </summary>
public static class YouTubeScript
{
    #region YouTube Player default script: no autoplay, 320x240
    /// <summary>
    /// YouTube Player default script: no autoplay, 320x240
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="id">id</param>
    /// <param name="auto">int</param>
    /// <returns>string</returns>
    public static string Get(string id)
    { return Get(id, false, 320, 240); }
    #endregion

    #region YouTube Player script w/autoplay option (320x240)
    /// <summary>
    /// YouTube Player script w/autoplay option (320x240)
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="id">id</param>
    /// <param name="auto">bool</param>
    /// <returns>string</returns>
    public static string Get(string id, bool auto)
    { return Get(id, auto, 320, 240); }
    #endregion

    #region YouTube Player script w/autoplay option (320x240)
    /// <summary>
    /// YouTube Player script w/autoplay option (320x240)
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="id">id</param>
    /// <param name="auto">int</param>
    /// <returns>string</returns>
    public static string Get(string id, int auto)
    { return Get(id, ((auto == 1) ? true : false), 320, 240); }
    #endregion

    #region YouTube Player script w/selectable: autoplay and W/H
    /// <summary>
    /// YouTube Player script w/selectable: autoplay and W/H options
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="id">id</param>
    /// <param name="auto">bool</param>
    /// <param name="W">int</param>
    /// <param name="H">int</param>
    /// <returns>string</returns>
    public static string Get(string id, bool auto, int W, int H)
    { return Get(id, auto, W, H, true); }
    #endregion

    #region YouTube Player script w/selectable: autoplay, W/H and default border
    /// <summary>
    /// YouTube Player script w/selectable: autoplay, W/H, default border color
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="id">id</param>
    /// <param name="auto">bool</param>
    /// <param name="W">int</param>
    /// <param name="H">int</param>
    /// <param name="Border">bool</param>
    /// <returns>string</returns>
    public static string Get(string id, bool auto, int W, int H, bool Border)
    { return Get(id, auto, W, H, Border, "0x2b405b", "0x6b8ab6",0 ); }
    #endregion

    #region YouTube Player script w/selectable: autoplay, W/H and border color
    /// <summary>
    /// YouTube Player script w/selectable: autoplay, W/H and border color
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="id">id</param>
    /// <param name="auto">bool</param>
    /// <param name="W">int</param>
    /// <param name="H">int</param>
    /// <param name="Border">bool</param>
    /// <param name="C1">string</param>
    /// <param name="C2">string</param>
    /// <returns>string</returns>
    public static string Get
            (string id,
            bool auto,
            int W,
            int H,
            string C1,
            string C2)
   { return Get(id, auto, W, H, true, C1,C2, 0); }
    #endregion

    #region YouTube Player script w/selectable: autoplay, W/H and border color
    /// <summary>
    /// YouTube Player script w/selectable: autoplay, W/H and border color
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="id">id</param>
    /// <param name="auto">bool</param>
    /// <param name="W">int</param>
    /// <param name="H">int</param>
    /// <param name="Border">bool</param>
    /// <param name="C1">string</param>
    /// <param name="C2">string</param>
    /// <returns>string</returns>
    public static string Get
            (string id,
            bool auto,
            int W,
            int H,
            bool Border,
            string C1,
            string C2,
            int Start)
    {
        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
        sb.Append(@"<embed src='http://www.youtube.com/v/");

        // select the youTube item to play
        sb.Append(id);

        // set autoplay options (indicates number of plays)
        if (auto) sb.Append("&autoplay=1");

        // no related items to display
        sb.Append("&rel=0");

        // set border color 1 and 2
        if (Border)
        {
            sb.Append("&border=1");
            sb.Append("&color1=" + @C1);
            sb.Append("&color2=" + @C2);
        }

        // start position
        if (Start>0) sb.Append("&start=" + Start.ToString());

        // allow full screen
        sb.Append("&fs=1");

        // closing single quote after parameter list
        sb.Append("' ");


        sb.Append("type='application/x-shockwave-flash' ");

        // add id
        sb.Append("id='youTubePlayer" + DateTime.Now.Millisecond.ToString() + "' ");
        sb.Append("allowscriptaccess='never' enableJavascript ='false' ");

        // set parameters: allowfullscreen
        sb.Append("allowfullscreen='true' ");

        // set width
        sb.Append("width='" + W.ToString() + "' ");

        // set height
        sb.Append("height='" + H.ToString() + "' ");

        sb.Append(@"></embed>");

        // get final script
        string scr = sb.ToString();

        sb = null;
        return scr;
    }
    #endregion
}
///************************************************************************************

Points of Interest

This technique has been tested against 4 major browsers:

Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0+
Mozilla Firefox
Google Chrome
Apple Safari

History

Article was published on 09/15/2009

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Microsoft Public License (Ms-PL)

About the Author

DrABELL

Chief Technology Officer
Infosoft Int'l

United States

Member

Dr. A. Bell (aka DrABELL), hi-tech consultant living in the US, has more than 20 years of software and electronic engineering experience. He published more than 100 technical articles and authored 37 inventions. Dr. Bell is the Windows/Internet technologies veteran, currently focused on: .NET,Mobile,Java,C#,SQL,HTML5,CSS3. He developed the most popular Silverlight Media Player (#1 Goog) and 3 Fractions Calculator (also #1 on Google/Bing/Yahoo). Sample online projects: