FAQs

Embedding a YouTube video into a page requires the same steps as placing inline images, only the Media comes from a different source. The workflow consists of the following two steps:

1. Find the long-format URL of the video of choice
2. Create a media entity from the video URL, insert and save

Find the Long-Format Video URL

Head to YouTube and find the video you want to embed. We need the full URL to the video in order to create the Media entity in Drupal. Depending upon if you are viewing a channel (like http://www.youtube.com/portlandstateu) or a single video at YouTube, the URL in the address bar may not be of the correct format to identify the video. So, first look in the address bar and see if the URL is of the form

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v={VIDEO_ID}

Here, {VIDEO_ID} is a string of letters, numbers, and symbols that identify the video. For example, the video we are using for this FAQ is found at the URL

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3Tuxi5wu_w

Here, {VIDEO_ID} is P3Tuxi5wu_w, and the URL is in video-ID format. If the URL is in video-ID format, you have what you need. Copy the URL from the address bar and paste it to a text editor, and skip down to the Create Media Entity section.  If the URL is not in that format, then follow the steps in the subsection below to get the correct URL.

Get Proper URL From YouTube

While you are viewing the video at YouTube, [1] click Share, then [2] show options:

Now [1] select Long link, and [2] the long-format URL will appear in the Link field:

Copy the full URL from the field and paste in into a text editor for the next step.

Create Media Entity

Now, head to the page you want to insert the video into, then click the edit tab:

In edit mode, [1] place your cursor where you want to insert the video, and [2] click insert Media:

On the dialog that pops up, [1] select the Web tab, paste the long-format URL into the text field, [3] optionally change the Media folder, and [4] click Submit:

You will be returned to the editor, where you will see the video in editor. Save the page and examine the result, you should see something like the following: 

[ view real result ›› ]

Refresh the page, and the update notification message will disappear. Allow an hour or so for the content update to be current for non-logged in users, and you are done.

If you encounter problems inserting the video, or have other questions, please send a message to ucomm-support@pdx.edu. Your feedback is welcomed and encouraged.