mediacms/moodle-plugins/filter_mediacmslti

MediaCMS LTI Filter for Moodle 5

A Moodle filter plugin that automatically converts MediaCMS video URLs into LTI-authenticated embedded video players. Users can simply paste MediaCMS URLs into any Moodle content area (course descriptions, page content, etc.) and the videos will be embedded with transparent LTI authentication.

Features

• Automatic URL Detection: Detects MediaCMS video URLs and converts them to embedded iframes
• Transparent LTI Authentication: Automatically initiates LTI 1.3 authentication flow without user interaction
• Seamless Integration: Works in any Moodle text area (Pages, Activities, Descriptions, etc.)
• Configurable: Admin can set MediaCMS URL, LTI tool, and iframe dimensions
• Moodle 5 Compatible: Built specifically for Moodle 5.0+

How It Works

1. User pastes a MediaCMS URL (e.g., https://deic.mediacms.io/view?m=KmITliaUC)
2. Filter detects the URL and extracts the video token
3. Generates an iframe with an auto-submitting form that initiates LTI authentication
4. Form includes:
   • Current user's Moodle ID as login_hint
   • LTI platform issuer (ISS)
   • LTI client ID
   • Target video via custom parameters
5. Video loads in iframe with proper LTI authentication

Prerequisites

Before installing this filter, you must have:

1. MediaCMS with LTI Support: Your MediaCMS instance must have LTI 1.3 integration enabled
2. LTI External Tool Configured: An LTI External Tool must be configured in Moodle that connects to MediaCMS
3. Moodle 5.0 or later

Installation

Method 1: Via Moodle Plugin Directory (Recommended)

1. Download the plugin ZIP file
2. Log in as Moodle admin
3. Go to Site administration → Plugins → Install plugins
4. Upload the ZIP file
5. Click "Install plugin from the ZIP file"
6. Follow the on-screen prompts

Method 2: Manual Installation

1. Copy the filter_mediacmslti directory to your Moodle installation:

   cp -r filter_mediacmslti /path/to/moodle/filter/
   

2. Set proper permissions:

   cd /path/to/moodle
   chown -R www-data:www-data filter/filter_mediacmslti
   

3. Log in as Moodle admin and go to Site administration → Notifications

4. Moodle will detect the new plugin and prompt you to upgrade

5. Click "Upgrade Moodle database now"

Configuration

Step 1: Configure LTI External Tool (if not already done)

1. Go to Site administration → Plugins → Activity modules → External tool → Manage tools
2. Click "Configure a tool manually"
3. Enter the following details:
   • Tool name: MediaCMS
   • Tool URL: https://deic.mediacms.io/lti/launch/
   • LTI version: LTI 1.3
   • Public key type: Keyset URL
   • Public keyset: https://deic.mediacms.io/lti/jwks/
   • Initiate login URL: https://deic.mediacms.io/lti/oidc/login/
   • Redirection URI(s): https://deic.mediacms.io/lti/launch/
4. Enable:
   • Deep Linking (Content-Item Message)
   • Share launcher's name with tool
   • Share launcher's email with tool
5. Click "Save changes"
6. Note the Tool ID (you'll need this for the filter configuration)

Step 2: Configure Filter Settings

1. Go to Site administration → Plugins → Filters → MediaCMS LTI Filter

2. Configure the following settings:

   • MediaCMS URL: Enter your MediaCMS instance URL

     • Example: https://deic.mediacms.io
     • Do NOT include trailing slash

   • LTI External Tool: Select the MediaCMS tool you configured in Step 1

     • Choose from the dropdown of available LTI tools

   • Iframe Width: Default width in pixels (default: 960)

   • Iframe Height: Default height in pixels (default: 540)

3. Click "Save changes"

Step 3: Enable the Filter

1. Go to Site administration → Plugins → Filters → Manage filters
2. Find "MediaCMS LTI Embed" in the list
3. Change the setting from "Disabled" to "On"
   • Alternatively, use "Off, but available" to allow course-level control
4. Adjust the filter order if needed (higher = runs earlier)
5. Click "Save changes"

Usage

For Content Creators

Once the filter is enabled, simply paste MediaCMS URLs into any Moodle content area:

Example 1: In a Page Resource

1. Create or edit a Page resource
2. In the content editor, paste the MediaCMS URL:

   https://deic.mediacms.io/view?m=KmITliaUC
   

3. Save the page
4. The URL will automatically be replaced with an embedded video player

Example 2: In Course Description

1. Edit course settings
2. In the "Course description" field, paste:

   Watch this introduction video: https://deic.mediacms.io/view?m=KmITliaUC
   

3. Save
4. The video will be embedded directly in the course summary

Example 3: In Activity Description

1. Create any activity (Forum, Assignment, etc.)
2. In the description field, paste MediaCMS URLs
3. Students will see embedded videos when viewing the activity

Supported URL Formats

The filter recognizes these URL patterns:

• https://deic.mediacms.io/view?m=TOKEN
• https://deic.mediacms.io/embed?m=TOKEN
• http:// versions (if your MediaCMS uses HTTP)

For End Users (Students/Teachers)

No action required! When viewing content with MediaCMS URLs:

1. Page loads normally
2. Video player appears in an iframe
3. LTI authentication happens transparently in the background
4. Video starts playing (if user has permission)

Note: Users must be logged into Moodle. Guest users will see the original URL without embedding.

Troubleshooting

URLs are not being converted

Check:

1. Filter is enabled: Site admin → Plugins → Filters → Manage filters
2. MediaCMS URL in settings matches the URLs you're pasting
3. LTI tool is selected in filter settings
4. User is logged in (not guest)

Video shows "Access Denied" error

Possible causes:

1. LTI tool not configured correctly
2. MediaCMS not receiving proper authentication
3. User doesn't have permission to view the video in MediaCMS

Debug:

• Check Moodle logs: Site admin → Reports → Logs
• Check MediaCMS LTI logs on the MediaCMS admin panel
• Verify LTI tool configuration (client_id, issuer, etc.)

Iframe shows blank or loading forever

Check:

1. MediaCMS URL is accessible from your network
2. Browser console for JavaScript errors
3. LTI tool ID is correct
4. MediaCMS OIDC login endpoint is working: https://deic.mediacms.io/lti/oidc/login/

Multiple iframes from same URL

The filter replaces ALL occurrences of MediaCMS URLs. If you paste the same URL twice, you'll get two embedded players.

Solution: Paste the URL only once per page, or use HTML mode to add the URL as plain text (wrap in <code> tags).

Technical Details

How the Filter Works

1. Text Processing: Filter scans all text content using regex patterns
2. URL Extraction: Identifies MediaCMS URLs and extracts video tokens
3. LTI Configuration: Retrieves LTI settings (issuer, client_id) from configured tool
4. HTML Generation: Creates:
   • An <iframe> element with unique ID
   • A hidden <form> that posts to MediaCMS OIDC login endpoint
   • Form includes: iss, client_id, login_hint, target_link_uri
   • JavaScript to auto-submit the form on page load
5. LTI Flow: Form submission triggers LTI 1.3 authentication:
   • OIDC Login → Redirect to Moodle Auth → POST back with JWT → Session created
6. Video Display: MediaCMS redirects to video player inside iframe

Security Considerations

• Authentication Required: Filter only works for logged-in users
• LTI 1.3 Security: Uses OAuth2/OIDC flow with JWT validation
• User Context: Each iframe uses the current user's Moodle ID as login_hint
• No Credentials Stored: Filter doesn't store user credentials or tokens
• Content Security: Iframes are scoped to MediaCMS domain

Performance

• Lightweight: Regex-based URL detection is fast
• No Database Queries: Uses cached configuration from Moodle settings
• Lazy Loading: Videos load on-demand when iframe initiates LTI flow

Uninstallation

1. Go to Site administration → Plugins → Filters → Manage filters
2. Disable the filter first
3. Go to Site administration → Plugins → Plugins overview
4. Find "MediaCMS LTI Filter"
5. Click "Uninstall"
6. Confirm uninstallation

Note: Existing MediaCMS URLs will revert to plain text URLs after uninstallation.

Support

For issues or questions:

• Check MediaCMS documentation: https://docs.mediacms.io
• Report bugs on GitHub: https://github.com/mediacms-io/mediacms
• Moodle plugin directory: (link when published)

License

This plugin is licensed under the GNU GPL v3 or later.

Copyright (C) 2026 MediaCMS

Changelog

Version 1.0.0 (2026-01-23)

• Initial release
• Support for Moodle 5.0+
• Automatic URL detection and embedding
• LTI 1.3 authentication integration
• Configurable iframe dimensions
• Multi-language support (English)

Credits

Developed by the MediaCMS team.

---

Enjoy seamless MediaCMS video embedding in Moodle!