Disable automatic inline previews of YouTube Videos

[sooterg]

In the old Rich Content Editor it was possible to insert a simple hyperlink to a YouTube video. Now the inline preview is force inserted. Even if you go into the html editor when you save the inline preview is forced in. This option need to be reinstated. If I am listing multiple videos on a page I don't want previews and pop out viewers to appear. 

This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas

For more information, please read through the Canvas Deploy Notes (2020-08-26)

[allen-sondej]

I have to admit I am not particularly impressed with Canvas. 

[mwolfenstein]

I spend a fair amount of time in HTML and this was a quick fix for me, but I'm basically a hybrid faculty/instructional designer/program manager. Although I want my online faculty to become more comfortable with HTML, it can't be required.

I think more importantly, the inline preview on YouTube videos is accessible but ugly and that's not a compromise that needs to exist. Unlike some of the features that get requested on here we're talking about something that should have a very low overhead in development cost. It already recognizes YouTube links and does the work of forcing them into inline preview. Enabling and disabling inline preview already exists for documents. Just close the loop on this by adding that checkbox when you click options to enable/disable inline preview.

[kdickso]

 @mwolfenstein ‌,

Ouch. When you put it that way it really does seem kind of odd and deliberate that they eliminated the checkbox. I'd love to know the reasoning behind it.

I think that I would be better with parsing the HTML (and I am interested in Instructional Design, but my role is purely as a faculty member in this instance), if I had a workable plugin for Canvas that would help me scan code more easily when I'm parsing it.

Ironically, I use color coding to highlight sentences that I am parsing with Latin students, but haven't been able to make a plugin work with Canvas to allow me to do it yet. But, to be honest, I haven't tried in the last few months because that is kind of low on my priority list for things that need to be done.

In any case, thanks for your thorough and cogent response!

Katrina

[sooterg]

I've gone into the HTML editor and removed the preview code and when I saved the document the new RCE reinserted it. How did you disable the preview in HTML?

[kdickso]

 @sooterg ‌, you have to manually add "class=inline_disabled" to the hyperlink.

This thread has two solutions (including what I just said):

1. Use a shortened link.

2. Edit the HTML using  @kwennstrom ‌'s solution (in the thread).

• Kira Wennstrom explains how to do it and gives a picture of the altered HTML.
• There's also a link in that thread to a video made by  @ProfessorBeyrer ‌ that shows the process Wennstrom describes.

I apologize if you have already done that and are having a different issue!!!

Best,

Katrina

[sooterg]

Thanks for the heads up. I tried it out and it seems to be working.

I appreciate all of the effort the users are putting in to overcome the difficulties imposed by the company. The fact that the community on here is so willing to help each other out is amazing. 

I do, however, disagree that this thread has two solutions. What you've listed are work arounds. The solution is for Canvas to re-enable the option.

[kdickso]

Hey  @sooterg ‌

Point taken. You are absolutely right that these are workarounds, not solutions.

My continual frustration with items in the new RCE is that things take longer to do (more clicks/movements) OR they have removed abilities like this that make for cleaner pages—neither of which makes sense to me from the point of viewer of end-user experience or design.

I guess we will just have to wait and see. I totally agree with you on the user community. I'd be much more continually frustrated with items if I could not search here for solutions.

[Stef_retired]

Comments from Instructure

YouTube links are no longer embedded by default. This change allows users to decide if a YouTube video should be linked or embedded.

For more information, please read through the Canvas Deploy Notes (2020-08-26)

[havard_pedersen]

This is not working well. It no longer embeds by default if you use the link-button on the toolbar, which is fine. But if you paste a link directly into the editor it generates an embed link for you. 😞 And there is no way to edit the link to make it non-embed unless you use the code view.