XF 2.3 Embed your content anywhere

This week, we're delighted to introduce a new feature in XenForo 2.3 that enhances the way you can share content on your forum. Plus, we'll show you how easy it is to share any content from your forum to other platforms using our new content embedding feature.

Rich previews for content​

If you're already familiar with URL unfurling, content embedding works similarly. In XenForo 2.2, when you post a link to content on your forum, we perform an HTTP request, download a portion of the content, and extract metadata such as the page title, description, and a logo. If you need a refresher on URL unfurling, you can find our original announcement from XenForo 2.1 here:

XF 2.1 - Unfurling URLs, Emoji enhancements and video uploads

Here we go! We're four HYS threads in already and you might be wondering just how many there are left. Well, I can't tell you 😉 But what I can tell you is - we're not even half way through yet! In case you've not yet seen the previous entries, you can check them out here. As ever, to ensure...

xenforo.com

While URL unfurling works well for content from other sources, for content already on your forum, we're introducing a new [EMBED] BB code. This fetches a rich preview directly, and is added to your content automatically on save if you paste a link (on its own line). This is what it looks like:

A minor inconvenience with the unfurl system when sharing content on your forum is that it sometimes misses the context. For example, if you link to a specific forum post, the unfurl system retrieves metadata from the thread instead of the post itself. With our new content embedding system, this issue is resolved. Now, when you want to feature a specific post, the system generates a rich preview of that post, preserving the context and enhancing the viewer's experience:

Of course threads and posts are not the only content supported. You can also embed profile posts:

Resources and resource updates:

And, of course, media items and albums which are mostly the same as they were previously with the existing [GALLERY] tag:

You might already be thinking about the possibilities this opens up for developers. As always, developers are welcome to add support for their own content types in the usual way.

We're eager to hear what you think about these updates. But don't go just yet; we've got more to share.

Embedding content anywhere​

In addition to improving how you highlight content on your forum, you can now also embed your content on other forums or even non-XF content management systems.

Included in XenForo is a new script named embed.php. This script allows your content to be rendered anywhere, as long as it's visible to guests. All you need is the content type and ID and an iframe:

<iframe src="https://xenforo.com/community/embed.php?content=thread-216767" frameborder="0" width="560"></iframe>

For a more accessible approach, you can find the embed code for a specific item under the share tooltip (where available):

This version of the embed code looks like this:

<div class="js-xf-embed" data-url="https://xenforo.com/community" data-content="thread-216767"></div>
<script defer src="https://xenforo.com/community/js/xf/external_embed.js?_v=ab87d886"></script>

This embed code does the same job as the iframe, but with a little extra magic to make sure the iframe sizes itself perfectly to fit the content.

This new ability to externally embed content means you can now implement a BB code media site in your XenForo forum to automatically embed content from other XenForo forums!

Furthermore, starting with XenForo 2.3, we're introducing a new oEmbed endpoint to our REST API. This endpoint doesn't require authentication and is always available. For example, a request to https://xenforo.com/community/api/oembed/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fxenforo.com%2Fcommunity%2Fthreads%2Fboosting-performance-in-xenforo-2-3.216767%2F will produce the output:

{
    "version": "1.0",
    "type": "rich",
    "provider_name": "XenForo community",
    "provider_url": "https://xf.deemit.site/community",
    "author_name": "Chris D",
    "author_url": "/community/members/chris-d.11388/",
    "html": "<div class=\"js-xf-embed\" data-url=\"https://xenforo.com/community\" data-content=\"thread-216767\"></div><script defer src=\"https://xenforo.com/community/js/xf/external_embed.js?_v=ab87d886\"></script>",
    "referrer": "",
    "cache_age": 3600
}

In addition to oEmbed making it easier to embed your content on other XenForo forums, it will also make it easier to post your content almost anywhere. For example, if you were to get your forum approved by Embed.ly, your content could end up being shared with rich previews on platforms such as Reddit, and many more!

That wraps up this week's HYS! We look forward to hearing your feedback and will be back with more next week.

 

[MaximilianKohler]

In my opinion, the blue background is better to clearly distinguish that it's embedded content.

does it get a button that can be added to the toolbar in post editor?

No

Any reason why not? It's always good to have a choice in the matter.

Nice. I disabled URL unfurling on my forum because I don't want it to be automatic (and I don't think there was any info telling you that it only does it when a link is on its own line). Even though this embed option isn't exactly the same, it seems like it should be the "manual URL unfurling" I've been wanting.

If I understand correctly, the limitation/difference is that the embed option only works for content on your forum, and looks a bit different?

 

[Chromaniac]

ok. so this is probably already answered in the thread. i went through the five pages but i didn't find anything relevant. i understand that external embedding would only work for publicly accessible content. but would internal embedding work for posts in private forums? would the embeds load at least for users who have access to those private forums? or would it fail for all? or work for all?

 

[Chris D]

Content would only be shown to users who have permission.

This is a test thread from our moderator forum:

https://xenforo.com/community/threads/test.218245/

Myself and other staff members can see it, but you guys won't.

 

[Chris D]

You guys will just see a link. I see:

 

[Chromaniac]

Perfect. Thanks! Link is better than non working embed box!

 

[Kirby]

You guys will just see a link.

Hmm .. I don't get a link, I get

?

Edit: Ignore this post
I didn't notice that the discussion was about internal embedding.

 

[Chromaniac]

I am getting this lol.

 

[Kirby]

Furthermore, starting with XenForo 2.3, we're introducing a new oEmbed endpoint to our REST API. This endpoint doesn't require authentication and is always available.

The API response seems to be missing required fields width and height, I've reposted this as a bug.

K

Thread 'oembed API response is not fully compatible with the spec'

Dec 16, 2023

https://xenforo.com/community/api/oembed/?url=https://xenforo.com/community/threads/boosting-performance-in-xenforo-2-3.216767/ returns the following response:

{
    "version": "1.0",
    "type": "rich",
    "provider_name": "XenForo community",
    "provider_url": "https://xenforo.com/community",
    "author_name": "Chris D",
    "author_url": "/community/members/chris-d.11388/",
    "html": "<div class=\"js-xf-embed\" data-url=\"https://xenforo.com/community\" data-content=\"thread-216767\"></div><script defer...

• Kirby
• Replies: 1
• Forum: Bug reports

 

[gib]

Is there any way to share a post with an image in XF 2.3 to Facebook or Twitter or LinkedIn ?

LinkedIn appears to pick up the OpenGraph image, but Twitter and Facebook don't

 

[Suzanne O]

Is there any way to share a post with an image in XF 2.3 to Facebook or Twitter or LinkedIn ?

LinkedIn appears to pick up the OpenGraph image, but Twitter and Facebook don't

Webhooks do this. @Russ showed us all how to use it in the beta 1 thread of 2.3

 

[cwe]

Link?

 

[James]

Link?

XF 2.3 Thread 'XenForo 2.3 Beta 1 now available. What's next? What's new?'

Mar 19, 2024

It's finally here! Today we are pleased to mark the next major milestone towards a stable release of XenForo 2.3 and this time we need your help!

As per the announcement XenForo 2.3 Beta 1 is now available to all licensed self-hosted customers. We'd very much appreciate your thoughts, your feedback, and your uncanny ability to break things in ways we can't even imagine. But, as ever, please do not even contemplate installing it on your live forum at this point. There will be bugs; some of which we know about and are yet to be fixed, and others which are yet to be discovered. No...

• Chris D
• Replies: 104
• Forum: Have you seen...?

• 
• 

There's the thread. Find the comment.

 

[cwe]

So I skimmed the whole thread and assume this is the purported post:

XF 2.3 Post in thread 'XenForo 2.3 Beta 1 now available. What's next? What's new?'

Mar 20, 2024

@Russ do you plan on releasing updates for the Beta on your themes, or just final? I would give this a go on my live site, but the theme would be my only hold up.

https://xenforo.com/community/threads/bolt-paid.210848/post-1672409

That will be sooo nice, once Bob updates AMS and UBS to add XF webhook support. Once a new "Announcement Article" is posted, send email update.

Do they have a limit to the number of webhooks created, or just the 30/second limit?

Not entirely sure. I only know of the actual operation limits per plan (free = 1000)

Posting to Twitter...

• Russ

• 

However, he's talking about using a webhook to autopost to twitter. There is no mention or claim pertaining to Twitter rendering an image.

 

[James]

I think the og:image on social media has been an issue since 2.1/2.2.

 

[gib]

I think the og:image on social media has been an issue since 2.1/2.2.

I used Joyfreaks nice add-on, but that doesn't seem to work yet on 2.3, hopefully it will come along.

Sharing is a basic functionality that should be possible without having to revert to embed codes.

 

[Bob]

Outstanding Job XF Team! So easy to implement custom embed resolvers! Also so easy to get embeds resolving within custom content type displays thanks to the EmbedRendererTrait

Would be nice to see how easy / customizable the embeds will be!

Beyond easy as each Embed Resolver has its own unique template.

Don't like what the output looks like for posts, edit the embed_resolver_post template and customize it to how you want it to look.

Don't like what the output looks like for threads, edit the embed_resolver_thread template and customize it to how you want it to look.

Don't like what the output looks like for resources, edit the embed_resolver_resource template and customize it to how you want it to look.

Don't like what the output looks like for media items, edit the embed_resolver_xfmg_media template and customize it to how you want it to look.

Filter the templates list by 'embed_resolver' and you will see all of the templates for XF (and XFRM and XFMG if you have those addons installed).

Any Content Type can implement an Embed Resolver, so if you have for example, Showcase installed, it includes 5 Embed Resolvers (Items, Item Updates, Item Pages, Item Reviews and Series), each with their own embed resolver template.

I implemented 40+ Embed Resolvers over the weekend and its so nice that you can design the output to the content vs being forced to display all content via a generic BLAH output.

 

[sniper756]

Hello，How can I control the number of words in the preview?