VideoFlow

 Instructions sections

1. Requirements
2. Joomla Installation
3. Facebook Installation
4. Seyret Plugin Installation
5. Assistance

1. Requirements:

• PHP 5.0 or higher: Don't even try to install VideoFlow on a lower version of PHP. It simply won't work.
• Joomla 1.0 or 1.5 (legacy mode): You can enable the Joomla 1.5 Legacy Mode by selecting "Plugins" under "Extensions" in the Joomla backend.
• If you choose to install the optional JW Media Player, you will need:
  (i) Version 4.2 or higher for use on your Joomla site, and
  (ii) Optionally, version 3.16 for use in your Facebook application (The newer versions of JW player may not function very well on some Facebook pages). See further details below.

2. Joomla Installation:

2.1 Install

• Download latest version of the component from here.
• Install as a component.

2.2 Initialise

• Upload your media files to the VideoFlow media directory ("videoflow" in the Joomla root directory by default). You may use ftp, Joomla's media upload system, or a third party component to upload your files.
• Click on VideoFlow's "Manage Media" menu. Your media files will automatically be added to the VideoFlow database. If you wish, you may add extra information such as description and tags.
  Tip: VideoFlow generates the media title from your file name. If your file name is "My Coolest Video.flv", the title will be "My Coolest Video". To use a preview image, give the image file the same name ("My Coolest Video.jpg" and place it in the "_thumbs" folder of the VideoFlow media directory. The preview image must be a jpeg.
  
• Simply clicking on "Manage Files" automatically adds new files to the database. You don't need to do anything else.
  
• It is possible to add files hosted on a remote server. Just select "new" under "Manage Media" and fill in the details.
  Note: You must provide the full URL of the remote file to be played, including the file extension. For YouTube videos, the normal video URL will work, if the optional JW player is installed.
• Add VideoFlow to your Joomla frontend menus. If you are running it as a plugin, it is not necessary to add it to your Joomla menu.
• You are done! Switch to the frontend and play your media files.

2.3 Customise

• VideoFlow provides a whole range of configuration options to tweak appearance, perfomance and features. Click on VideoFlow's "Configure" menu in backend. The various options are self-explanatory. Here are a few highlights:
  - System Mode: Determines whether you are running VideoFlow in plugin mode or not. If in plugin mode, VideoFlow only serves as a Facebook application for your Joomla media component, such as Seyret.
  - Templates: There is a limited choice of templates at this time, but more are being developed. Note that some templates will only work with the PRO version.
  - Media Player: You have the choice of the completely free Neolao player, or the somewhat free JW player. Be sure to read the comparison table between the two players. If you switch from the default Neolao media player to the JW media player, you must download the JW player from LongTail Video and copy it to the com_videoflow/player directory as "player.swf". You should also copy the file "yt.swf" found in the JW Player download package into the com_videoflow/player directory. The recommended version of the player for Joomla is 4.2 or higher. Make sure you read and accept their terms and conditions before installing the player.
  - Show Pro features: By default, the Pro features are shown even on the standard version, but they don't work. You can hide them by selecting "No". Be sure to read the comparison table between pro and standard versions.
• To update to PRO, click on VideoFlow's "Pro Upgrade" and follow the simple instructions.

3. Facebook Installation:

This part is only necessary if you want to set up VideoFlow as your Facebook application. Setting up VideFlow as a Facebook application enables Facebook users to add your media content to their profiles, their Facebook pages, to share it, and to create personal playlists. VideoFlow automatically pulls your content from Joomla and delivers it to Facebook.
Setting up VideoFlow as your Facebook application is a two step process:

3.1 Facebook setup

• Go to http://www.facebook.com/developers/ and sign up for a developer's account, if you don't have one yet.
• Click on "Set up a new application" to acquire an API Key, Application Secret, and Application ID for your application. Provide an application name (whatever you want, perhaps the name of your Joomla site). Save and take note of the API key, secret and id, you will need them later.
• Click on "edit settings" to the right to provide the rest of the required information. 
• Under the "Basic Information" tab, provide the following information:
  (i) Callback URL: http://www.yoursite.com/index2.php?option=com_videoflow&no_html=1
  (ii) Description of your application
  - The other fields are optional
• Under Authentication tab: Who can use your application? Select both "Users" and "Facebook Pages"
• Under User Profiles tab, provide the following:
  (i) Profile Tab
  - Tab name = Your application name
  - Tab url = http://apps.facebook.com/myapplication/&task=latest  
  (ii) Profile Box
  - Default column - select "Wide".
  - The other fields are optional.
• Under the Pages tab: provide the following:
  - Post-Add redirect URL: Your canvas url
• Under Canvas tab, enter the following:
  (i) Canvas URL: The address of your application on Facebook. It must be in the form "http://apps.facebook.com/myapplication/ (Note: Your canvas url is different from your callback url. The canvas url is where users find your application on Facebook. It must be unique. Typically, the last part of the url is the same as your application name, but it can be something else. You will want something that Facebook users can easily remember. Numbers and capital letters are not permitted in the canvas URL).
  (ii) Bookmark URL: same as your canvas url
  (iii) Canvas settings: select "FBML" for Render Method and "Full width" for Canvas Width.
  
  Your Facebook set up is complete. All the remaining fields are option. Only fill them if you know what you are doing. Now to the second step, your Joomla setup.

 3.2 Joomla setup

• Go to VideoFlow configuration panel
• Copy the API Key, Application Secret and Application ID obtained in 3.1 above to the relevant fields
• Enter the Application Name and Canvas URL (with a trailing slash) as set up on Facebook under section 3.1 above.
• Save configuration.
• You are done! Go to your application (normally at http://apps.facebook.com/myapplication/

4. Seyret Plugin Installation:

Setting up VideoFlow as a plugin means that the content on your Joomla website will continue to be managed by Seyret. VideoFlow will simply render your Seyret content on Facebook. To set up VideoFlow as a Seyret plugin:

• Follow all the instructions listed above (1 - 3).
• Under the VideoFlow configuration panel, select "Seyret" for System Mode.
• That's it. You Seyret content is now available in Facebook.
  
  Note: Decide early on whether you want to set up VideoFlow as a plugin or not. If you switch from one mode to another, Facebook users will lose access to their old playlists. For example if you switch from Seyret mode to VideoFlow more, videos saved by users under Seyret mode will become inaccessible, and vice-versa. But switching back will restore access.

5. Assistance

 If you run into difficults, see help in the VideoFlow forums at www.fidsoft.com or www.videoflow.tv