solved glitch when posting links to site media urls in comments/posts

I'm seeing this glitch happening now since my update from 5 to 6.

In any Comment or Post area of my site (including Group discussions, forum discussions, video comments, etc)...
If I use the tinymce 'link' icon (SEE SCREENSHOT for clarity) to post a link to the simple URL of a video or audio clip item located anywhere on my site, I get a malformed post.
The bad post or comment is not editable or delete-able by me since it won't even give me any hover icons for editing or deleting.

Here's an example I just created purposely in an old forum thread so I could show you here...see top of page:
http://fotmd.com/forums/forum/off-topic-discussions/7523/crock-pot-beer-chicken

Here are other examples on my site:
Here's a Group Comment wall comment by David Bennett: http://fotmd.com/dusty-turtle/group/52/little-dulcimers (-note that in a Group, this post will also then push the group's Members and Pages sections to the bottom of the page, when it should be in the right hand column of the page)
Here's another one at the BOTTOM of this Video page of comments:
http://fotmd.com/randy-adams/youtube/2408/

This occurs the same for YT or Vimeo vids, and for uploaded or Soundcloud audios.
It seems to happen only when a person is trying to put a simple link to one of my site's video or audio pages into their post by using the tinymce LINK icon.
It's an especial problem since I cannot then delete or fix the malformed post.


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015
updated by @strumelia: 05/02/17 01:48:27PM

looks related to the URL scanner system. Thanks for the detailed setup info, will try to reproduce now.

P.S. more details that might be helpful-
does NOT happen when I'm using the link icon button to embed a link to just a forum, etc...seems to happen with audio/video media links of any kind.
Oh, and I just tested again- the video/audio doesn't even have to be one 'from the site'- it did it just now when I added a link to a youtube URL that's not a video that's on my site.


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015

Think I can see whats happening here, when you use the 'link' button and insert a URL it puts the title of the link as the same URL as the actual link.

eg:
Then the Media URL Scanner is transforming one of those links into an actual link.

If you use a different title for the link than the link itself, I expect the issue doesnt occur.

eg:

Will look for a fix for this issue.

That would be great Michael. It is causing some problems now, I've had members telling me they can't delete or edit their post when it comes out screwed up like this. It also screws up the layout of a Group's main page when it occurs in the Group's Comment wall.
Thanks for your help.


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015

That's correct, I just tested it. If you use a different title that you create yourself, then the link forms properly.

One thing that contributes to it happening is: after pasting in the URL in the url input box, then the moment you click your cursor in the 'title' field, it immediately AUTO-FILLS in that very same url for you rather than even waiting for you to type in a title or descriptive text. So the system behaves in a way that makes the occurrence almost inevitable.


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015

Thinking the desired result when using the 'link' button is to just have the link behave as a link and not converted to a media URL card?

Questions in my head:
* does a link pasted into the editor behave the same as a link added to the location using the link button
A: Thinking no. Thinking they should behave differently. Thinking a plain URL should get turned into a card, but a link put there with the 'link' button should just be a flat link, not converted.

Does that feel right to you too?

Yes, using the 'link' button should just result in creating a simple live link taking you to a page that's somewhere else. I think that's generally standard online anyway.


I'm a little unclear about that latter part of your post.
'Pasted into the editor'...where, how? I also don't know what a 'card' is.
My members have been getting used to using the 'film strip icon' in the Editor to embed functioning media (YT vids, Soundcloud audio clips etc) into their posts. Learning that seems to be working for them. They also know how to use the 'attach' button for images.

I do know that using the editor's 'link' chainlink icon should simply result in a hotlink to another location online, I dont think it should embed and/or open videos or other media clips.

On the OTHER hand...if i don't use any button at all, but simply paste in a URL link in my discussion post of the url of one of my site videos or audios, (or a youtube video on YT maybe)... doing that should result in a 'mini view' (for want of a better term) with a PLAY button for members to play the site video or audio right there in my post. Is that what you mean by 'card'? If so, then yes. And that function is working great!


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015
updated by @strumelia: 01/10/17 04:28:55PM

if you didnt use the link button at all, Media URL scanner would convert that into a nice card for the link with info about where the link goes to and whats there. all that info, we're calling a 'card' or a 'media card'.

Like an index card of what is at where the link is pointed to.

like when you put a youtube link in and it converts it to a player.

Its the use of the button thats getting in the way in this situation. by using the button the clicker is adding extra HTML to the link that the system isnt expecting. The system is expecting the user to paste in html links, then expecting that other users will want to click on them, so the system is converting the links it finds into clickable links. but in this case there are 2 links and the systems clash. need to fix this.

Your first answer answers my question. I know how it should be when its fixed now. thanks.

Micheal,
here's the thing- I LIKE it that when you simply paste a link to a site video or audio clip into the text editor (without using special buttons) that it creates a mini player right there in your post so folks can click and watch the vid right there. And i LIKE that I can also paste a link to say a group page or a forum discussion (or some random webpage online) there directly in my post (without using a button) and it will automatically produce a live link to that location.

So it makes sense to consider eliminating the 'link button' from the editor altogether. But I can't consider weliminating it for one important reason: there are many times when I'm making a response post in someone's item (maybe their video, audio clip, or their discussion)...where I want to insert a LINK to say a Youtube clip in order to make my point but I DON'T want to create a giant active clickable YT video in the middle of my post. Sometimes doing that is way too 'in yer face' and can feel obnoxious when making a comment on someone's video or being in a discussion someone else is conducting. Sometimes I want the option in my post of just placing a link to a YT or soundcloud item without waving that media right in everyone's faces and taking attention away from the original poster's item.
As it is now, there seems to be no way to insert a simple link to a media item without having it embed as a clickable player version in one's post. The 'link button' should be able to fill that function I would think, but when used for making links to media items it's producing these renegade posts that are malformed. I hope I've described this clearly.


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015
updated by @strumelia: 01/11/17 07:28:24AM

Imagine you have the WYSIWYG editor up and you just paste this:

https://www.jamroom.net

into the editor. I.e. you do NOT click the "link" button.


A "card" is what it's called when you the URL Scanner turns a "plain" URL into a little box that has an image and title for the URL.


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Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net
updated by @brian: 01/11/17 03:21:39PM

I just posted a URL to my timeline:

https://www.jamroom.net/brian/timeline

That "card" about Russel Wilson is a "card". That was created for me when I pasted this URL:

http://sports.mynorthwest.com/232636/seahawks-russell-wilson-glad-to-ditch-knee-brace-for-playoffs/

into my Timeline status update.




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Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net
updated by @brian: 01/11/17 03:23:23PM

Ok thanks I get it. And the 'card' is still a hotlink that will take you there. But if pasting into the editor an url that goes to a simple page of text somewhere online, I assume the 'card' will not have any image to display nor other fanciness... maybe just a text excerpt that's a hotlink?


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015

If the remote page has OG tags, then a card gets created, otherwise it is just a "plain" URL.

To be honest, the "card" ability we added in JR6 has been a bit rocky - there are WAY more corner cases then we ever uncovered in our beta testing, so it's been an ongoing process getting it "tight". Note that if you do NOT want the cards to show up on your site, you can go into Core -> Quota Config and uncheck the "Media URL Scanner" option from the Active Text Formatters - that will turn it off.

Let me know if that helps.


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Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net
updated by @brian: 01/11/17 03:32:39PM

Brian, I have no problem with the 'cards' when posting an url directly into my post in the editor. Actually I LIKE them, and they enable members to view the videos etc directly in a post. They seem to behave well enough too.
My problem is the malformed post that occurs when using the 'LINK' button in an attempt to place a plain hotlink to a location that has a YT, uploaded video, or Vimeo video, an uploaded audio, or SC clip. I just want to place a clickable link when using the Link button, but it creates these 'mutated creature' posts that we can't edit or delete, as per my first post.


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015

Is there any solution for this, to have the 'link' editor icon ONLY create 'plain' hotlinks? BUT I'd like to still RETAIN the 'card' creation ability when just pasting a link (like say a link to a youtube video url) straight into my comment in the editor ..(when just pasting it, not using the editor's 'link' button to insert a link) ?
I love the cards that automatically open a player right in the post and that is working fine... but apparently when using the editor's 'link' button with the intent to create a simple hotlink that doesn't 'do' anything other than function as a live link, the card-triggering feature creates a badly malformed post that cannot be deleted or edited when a card is created.
There are occasions when i want to insert a link to a YT url in my post in a discussion, but I don't necessarily want it to have a big 'in yer face' player/card video right there in my post.
Thanks if there's any help-
I like the cards overall, and it's handy to have a simple 'link' button too... but I need to prevent these malformed posts from messing up discussions and group pages.
Assuming I want to keeps cards when pasting directly into a post, so far the only solution I'm seeing is to remove the editor's 'Link' button altogether, but I'd hate to do that, I know of lot of my members and myself use it.
Can I get the Editor's Link button to stop making cards without disabling the Media URL scanner option altogether?


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015

We have a fix that will work for your situation strumelia. During testing we found a way to cause it to break even with the new system. Hoping to find a way to fix that issue, then release.

Thank you so much Michael! Looking forward to it! :D


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015

Try that now. Brian's the one who's been working hard on figuring this one out. update from the marketplace and you should be good now.

Michael- I applied the update.
Now, when using the 'link' icon in the editor to post a link to for example a Youtube video URL, it creates a simple hotlink url...which is good!
BUT- when pasting that same URL straight into my post without using any buttons, it no longer creates a 'card' of a player in the post where folks can watch the video right there in the post. Not only that, but it won't even make the url a hot link...just the non-clickable text of the URL....at least that's how the update is working for me...that's not good I'm afraid.
I think absolutely everyone will want to keep the feature whereas a link to a video or audio clip pasted straight into a sentence in a post will create a playable clip right there in the post- it's very cool. It's only the link button that was doing the wacky stuff. Now the link button works normally but the direct paste of a link without using buttons no longer makes a card for media and no longer makes a hotlink either.
I know the two things are connected to each other in some ways - likely hard to fix one without effecting the other, right? I really do appreciate the work going into this. I might be nearing PITA status I fear.


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015
updated by @strumelia: 01/21/17 03:40:18PM

what you're explaining is exactly how we've built it to work. That is expected functionality:

If the link is added via the [ link ] icon from the editor, then its just a link, nothing else.

If the link is just pasted into the body of the text and the "Media URL Scanner" module is active it gets converted. The purpose of the "Media URL Scanner" module is to scan media for URL's and turn them into the version at the destination of the link.

Seams correct.

Sounds like you're wanting the URL to remain even after its been converted. That could be done with an alteration of the card templates. (if thats what you after, not 100%)

That's now working right. It's just a hotlink, even if it's to a YT video url etc.


It's no longer getting converted now. At least in my first tests. I paste a youtube url into a post now (without using any 'buttons') and it's just a plain text non-clickable text of the URL.

No, I wouldn't need the url to remain if people can just click the video player right in the post and watch the video right there.

So sorry- I must go out for a few hours now- will return later... thank you!!


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015
updated by @strumelia: 01/21/17 04:01:05PM

can you show me a page please?

michael: If the link is added via the [ link ] icon from the editor, then its just a link, nothing else.
strumelia:That's now working right. It's just a hotlink, even if it's to a YT video url etc.

Thats expected. if you want the video to be there, dont use the [ link ] button and the Media URL Scanner will turn it into its video etc.

1) using the 'link' button in the editor is working fine now- for example if I post an url for a YT video by using the Link button, it will give a simple hotlink to the YT page- but won't convert to a card in the post- that's GOOD.

2) (when NOT using the link button, but just pasting an url right into the editor in the middle of a post)- It's no longer getting converted now. For example I paste a youtube url into a post now (without using any editor 'buttons') and it's just a plain text non-clickable text of the URL. Does not create a live link AND does not convert a media url into a 'card'.
You can see it happening in a Group discussion here- various members are posting urls to YT videos, uploaded vids, and on-site Soundcloud files...and getting frustrated because they are not even live links. They are not using the link button, just pasting their urls into their posts as is:
http://fotmd.com/strumelia/group_discuss/2024/middle-school-student-needs-cw-era-music

(-note- I posted in that thread for members to use the 'link button' if they want hotlinks for now- and member Greg Gunner just did that in order to create hotlinks to the YT videos he was tyring to get people to look at in his earlier posts)

I should mention that this was not like this previously- a card would be created properly and play the media in the post. And urls to non-media pages would simply be hotlinks.


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015
updated by @strumelia: 01/29/17 10:39:45AM

That should be working. Will check it out.

can see this happening, appears to be an issue with the module and how it works when the comments editor is on. Will look into it.

Theres an update in the marketplace now for the Media URL Scanner.

the issue was that when the editor does its thing, the formatting around the url made it invisible to the Media URL Scanner module. Now it can see plain urls added by the editor.

Should be good.

Michael, I just tested the new update fix in comment walls, in Group discussions, and in Forum discussions.
I tested using the 'link button' and also just pasting the urls directly into the editor, in my posts, without using any buttons.
I tested plain urls to webpages without media on them, tested complete Youtube urls, and also tested using the Youtube "share' link.
All seems to be working great. 'Cards' are being nicely created for audio and video urls when they're supposed to be, and links are plain hotlinks when they are supposed to be.

Thanks so much- great fix job! :D


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015

Fantastic. Thanks for that Strumelia. Great to hear its working nicely now.