5.0 Beta
The JW Player version 5.0 beta
is currently available.
Click here for more details.
}}}
= JW Player for Flash =
The JW Player for Flash is the Internet’s most popular and flexible media player. It supports playback of any format the [http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/ Adobe Flash Player] can handle, as well as HTTP and RTMP streaming and various XML playlist formats. A wide range of settings (flashvars) can be set and an extensive javascript API is available. The player's skinning functionality allows you to completely customize its look and its plugin architecture allows you to easily extend the player with features such as sharing, analytics and adserving.
There's a separate overview page for the [wiki:SilverlightOverview JW Player for Silverlight].
== Documentation ==
=== General ===
Read these pages if you want to get started with the JW Player:
* [wiki:FlashOverview An overview] of the player structure and functionalities.
* [wiki:FlashVars All flashvars] for customizing the layout, behaviour and files to load:
* [wiki:FlashVars#Fileproperties File properties]
* [wiki:FlashVars#Layout Layout]
* [wiki:FlashVars#Behaviour Behaviour]
* [wiki:FlashVars#API API]
* [wiki:FlashVars#ConfigXML Config XML]
* [wiki:FlashFormats All file formats], streaming types and XML feeds you can play:
* [wiki:FlashFormats#SingleFiles Single Files]
* [wiki:FlashFormats#YoutubeVideos Youtube Videos]
* [wiki:FlashFormats#Livestream.com Livestream.com]
* [wiki:FlashFormats#HTTPStreaming HTTP Streaming]
* [wiki:FlashFormats#RTMPStreaming RTMP Streaming]
* [wiki:FlashFormats#XMLPlaylists XML Playlists]
* [wiki:FlashFormats#BitrateSwitching Bitrate Switching]
* [wiki:FlashFormats#JWPlayerNamespace JWPlayer Namespace]
* [wiki:FlashSecurity Crossdomain security] restrictions and solutions.
If you want to learn about embedding the player (or another Flash movie) on a website, the [http://code.google.com/p/swfobject/ swfobject wiki] is the place to go.
=== API ===
These pages are for javascript and actionscript developers that want to interact with the player:
* [wiki:FlashApi All API Calls] for javascript and actionscript:
* [wiki:FlashApi#Initialization Initialization]
* [wiki:FlashApi#Readingvariables Reading variables]
* [wiki:FlashApi#Sendingevents Sending events]
* [wiki:FlashApi#Settinglisteners Setting listeners]
* [wiki:FlashApi#Pluginmethods Plugin methods]
* [wiki:FlashEvents All events] that are broadcasted by the player:
* [wiki:FlashEvents#Controllerevents Controller events]
* [wiki:FlashEvents#Modelevents Model events]
* [wiki:FlashEvents#Viewevents View events]
Check out the plugins section (below) if you want to modify the player itself. Using plugins is preferred over building a custom player.
=== Skinning ===
These pages are for Flash designers that want to create custom skins for the player:
* [wiki:SkinningThePlayer How to skin the player] using Flash CS4.
* [wiki:FlashSkinning A skin reference] that contains the name and nesting of all elements.
A couple of high-quality skins (including .fla and fonts) are available [browser:skins as free download] in the source browser.
=== Plugins ===
These pages are for actionscript developers that want to extend the player's functionality:
* [wiki:PluginsBuilding Building plugins] to extend the player's functionality.
* [wiki:PluginsCompiling Compiling plugins] using the free, cross-platform Flex SDK.
We also have a handy [changeset:HEAD/trunk/sdk?old_path=/&format=zip plugin development SDK] you can use to quickly start building plugins. It contains a copy of the [/testing testing page] and some plugin templates.
'''Note:''' If you're looking to develop a plugin in order to serve ads in the JW Player, please [http://www.longtailvideo.com/about/contact-us contact us] beforehand. We have a special SDK for advertisers and advertising networks.
== Source code ==
The source code of each version of the player can be obtained through the [source:tags source code browser] (click the zip links at the bottom). Full changelogs for each version can be obtained through the [/query?group=resolution&milestone=Flash+4.4&order=type ticket browser]. Here's the direct links for the 4.x range so far:
* '''4.6''' ([/changeset/HEAD/tags/mediaplayer-4.6?old_path=%2F&format=zip download], [/query?groupdesc=1&group=type&order=priority&resolution=fixed&col=summary&milestone=Flash+4.6 changelog]): introduced [wiki:FlashOverview#BitrateSwitching bitrate switching].
* '''4.5''' ([/changeset/HEAD/tags/mediaplayer-4.5?old_path=%2F&format=zip download], [/query?groupdesc=1&group=type&order=priority&resolution=fixed&col=summary&milestone=Flash+4.5 changelog]): introduced [wiki:FlashOverview#Thedock the dock].
* '''4.4''' ([/changeset/HEAD/tags/mediaplayer-4.4?old_path=%2F&format=zip download], [/query?groupdesc=1&group=type&order=priority&resolution=fixed&col=summary&milestone=Flash+4.4 changelog]): introduced the [wiki:FlashFormats#JWPlayerNamespace jwplayer namespace] for XML feeds.
* '''4.3''' ([/changeset/HEAD/tags/mediaplayer-4.3?old_path=%2F&format=zip download], [/query?groupdesc=1&group=type&order=priority&resolution=fixed&col=summary&milestone=Flash+4.3 changelog]): introduced [wiki:FlashOverview#Resizing screen space claiming] by plugins.
* '''4.2''' ([/changeset/HEAD/tags/mediaplayer-4.2?old_path=%2F&format=zip download], [/query?groupdesc=1&group=type&order=priority&resolution=fixed&col=summary&milestone=Flash+4.2 changelog]): introduced multiple [wiki:FlashVars#Fileproperties flashvars per playlistentry].
* '''4.1''' ([/changeset/HEAD/tags/mediaplayer-4.1?old_path=%2F&format=zip download], [/query?groupdesc=1&group=type&order=priority&resolution=fixed&col=summary&milestone=Flash+4.1 changelog]): introduced [wiki:PluginsBuilding the plugin API].
* '''4.0''' ([/changeset/HEAD/tags/mediaplayer-4.0?old_path=%2F&format=zip download], [/query?groupdesc=1&group=type&order=priority&resolution=fixed&col=summary&milestone=Flash+4.0 changelog]): introduced [wiki:SkinningThePlayer SWF skinning].
Version 4.0 to 4.5 can be compiled with Flash CS3 or CS4. '''Version 4.6 can only be compiled with Flash CS4'''. The compiled player itself is fully Flash Player 9 compliant.
The absolute latest (unstable!) version can be checked out through [http://subversion.tigris.org/ Subversion]:
{{{
svn co http://developer.longtailvideo.com/svn/trunk/as3
}}}
If you don't have a Subversion client, check out [http://tortoisesvn.tigris.org/ Tortoise] (Windows) or [http://scplugin.tigris.org/ SC Plugin] (MAC).
== Plugins ==
In the [http://www.longtailvideo.com/addons addons section] of our public site, a lot of plugins are available for use with the JW Player. Here's the documentation of the plugins we built ourselves:
* [wiki:PluginsAgeGate Age Gate]
* [wiki:PluginsAudiodescription Audiodescription]
* [wiki:PluginsAutostarter Autostarter]
* [wiki:PluginsCaptions Captions]
* [wiki:PluginsClickproxy Clickproxy]
* [wiki:PluginsHd HD]
* [wiki:PluginsInfobox Infobox]
* [wiki:PluginsLivestream Livestream]
* [wiki:PluginsLogobox Logobox]
* [wiki:PluginsMetaviewer Metaviewer]
* [wiki:PluginsQualitymonitor Qualitymonitor]
* [wiki:PluginsRevolt Revolt]
* [wiki:PluginsSearchbar Searchbar]
* [wiki:PluginsSharing Sharing]
* [wiki:PluginsSnapshot Snapshot]
The [wiki:PluginsCompiling compilation tutorial] explains how you can compile the source code of these plugins yourself.
If you want to build your own plugins, also read the [wiki:PluginsBuilding plugin building tutorial] and download our handy [changeset:HEAD/trunk/sdk?old_path=/&format=zip plugin development SDK]. It contains a copy of the [/testing testing page] and some plugin templates.