How to Insert a YouTube Video into Your Web Page (www.imagination.gs)

imagination.gs
I was just asked by a visitor to thesitewizard.com how he could go about putting a YouTube video into his web page using either Nvu or KompoZer. Instead of answering the question only in terms of YouTube, I've decided to discuss in general how you can use Nvu or KompoZer to embed a video from any of the video sharing sites, including YouTube, using the code supplied by the video host.

For those already familiar with inserting ordinary HTML code in Nvu or in KompoZer, the procedure is identical.

Steps to Embedding a Video into Your Site Using the Supplied Embed Codes
Get the embed code
After you upload your video to a video sharing site like YouTube, find the page where you can get the embed code for the video. It can usually be found on the very page that the video is displayed. On YouTube, just go to your video page. The code looks something like this:


For those wondering, the above code comes from thesitewizard.com's feedback form script How-To video at http://www.thesitewizard.com/general/feedback-form-video.shtml

Leave the web browser open on this web page.

Start Up KompoZer or Nvu
Start up your either Nvu or KompoZer, depending on which you are using. The procedure for both web editors are identical. Load the web page where you wish to place your video and move your cursor to the portion of the page where the video should appear. You can do this by simply clicking the spot where you want to place the movie. Make sure that there is a blinking text cursor in that location before you go to the next step, otherwise click till you get it in the right spot.

Open the Insert HTML Dialog Box
Click the "Insert" menu followed by the "HTML..." menu item. A window should open. Switch to your web browser, and select the embed code. Click the right button on your mouse and select "Copy" (or its equivalent in your browser) from the menu that appears.

Return to Nvu or KompoZer, and click the right mouse button again. This time select "Paste" from the menu that appears. Click the "Insert" button to close the window.

Are You Getting a Blank Page or No Video?
If you use KompoZer, you should be able to see a rectangular video window in the place where the video will appear. The video itself will not appear, nor will there be any player controls. Nvu, on the other hand, will only show a blank space in the spot where the video window should appear.

In both cases, don't worry. If you inserted everything correctly, the actual code is on your page, even though Nvu and KompoZer do not display it correctly. When you upload it to your website and test it in a real browser, you will be able to see your video.

Upload / Publish Your Web Page
Upload or publish your web page, and load the page from your site with your browser.

That's it. You should now have a web page with your video inserted into it.
by Christopher Heng
imagination.gs