Form overlay cannot be filled or submitted on already existing video.js video element

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02-09-2024

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Form Overlay Issues with video.js: A Troubleshooting Guide

This article delves into a common problem faced by developers: form overlays not functioning properly when used with the video.js library. We'll analyze the issue presented by a user on Stack Overflow (original post: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/76305388/form-overlay-cannot-be-filled-or-submitted-on-already-existing-video-js-video-element), provide solutions, and offer best practices for interacting with video.js.

Understanding the Problem:

The user aims to create a Chrome extension that enables time-stamping and jump-to-time functionality for videos. While it works flawlessly on YouTube and Spotify, it breaks down when encountering video.js. The core issue: video.js modifies the video element in a way that makes it inaccessible to the extension, preventing form input and submission.

Analyzing the Code:

The user's code attempts to access the video element using various methods:

• document.getElementById('player'): This assumes a specific ID for the video element, which might not be consistent across video.js implementations.
• document.getElementsByTagName('video')[0]: This selects the first video element on the page. However, video.js may wrap the video element within other containers, making this method unreliable.
• videojs.getPlayers() and videojs.players.thevid: These methods are used to retrieve and access video.js players, but they fail to identify the player.

Troubleshooting and Solutions:

1. Correctly Accessing the video.js Player:

   • Use videojs('player'): This is the most reliable way to interact with the video.js player, provided you know its ID ("player" in this case).
   • Avoid Direct DOM Manipulation: video.js often introduces its own DOM structure, making direct element access unreliable. Use its API instead.

2. Integrating with video.js API:

   • videojs.getPlayer('player').currentTime: To directly set the video's current time, use the currentTime property of the video.js player object.

3. Event Handling:

   • videojs.getPlayer('player').on('timeupdate', function(){...}): Use the timeupdate event to capture changes in the video's current time. This allows you to update your overlay or take other actions based on the video's progress.

Modified Code Example:

// ... your existing code ...

// Accessing the video.js player
const videoPlayer = videojs('player');

// ... other functions ...

function manageTime(e) {
  // ... existing code ...
  
  // Setting the video's currentTime using video.js API
  videoPlayer.currentTime(totalSeconds);

  // ... other code ...
}

// ... your existing code ...

Additional Considerations:

• Version Compatibility: Ensure that your extension code is compatible with the specific version of video.js used on the website.
• Third-Party Libraries: If the website is using third-party libraries alongside video.js, potential conflicts might arise. Thorough testing is essential.
• Best Practices: Use video.js's built-in API for interacting with the video player. Avoid direct DOM manipulation, as it can lead to inconsistencies and unexpected behavior.

Conclusion:

Form overlays and video.js can work harmoniously with a bit of knowledge and the right approach. By understanding the video.js API and integrating it seamlessly with your extension, you can achieve the desired time-stamping and jump-to-time functionality. Remember, proper testing and a focus on using the official API will lead to a more reliable and robust solution.