Iframes

Iframes#

This extension provides an interface to include iframes with relative ease, but does try to provide manners to interact with the various options. This rests purely by setting default CSS values, that the user can overwrite if preferred for individual iframes, but also globally. In general, each iframe is embedded within a div element, which eases sizing.

Note

Using CSS is complicated and error prone, so always check and never expect that you get what you want.

What does it do?#

This extension provides several Sphinx directives:

iframe
h5p
video
iframe-figure

that can be used to quickly insert an iframe with standard sizing and styling.

Installation#

To use this extension, follow these steps:

Step 1: Install the Package

Install the module sphinx-iframes package using pip:

pip install sphinx-iframes

Step 2: Add to requirements.txt

Make sure that the package is included in your project’s requirements.txt to track the dependency:

sphinx-iframes

Step 3: Enable in _config.yml

In your _config.yml file, add the extension to the list of Sphinx extra extensions (important: underscore, not dash this time):

sphinx: 
    extra_extensions:
        .
        .
        .
        - sphinx_iframes
        .
        .
        .

Configuration#

The extension provides several configuration values, which can be added to _config.yml:

sphinx: 
    config:
        -
        -
        -
        iframe_blend:          true # default value
        iframe_saturation:     1.5 # default value
        iframe_h5p_autoresize: true # default value
        iframe_background:     "#ffffff" # default value
        iframe_width:          calc(100% - 2.8rem) # default value
        iframe_aspectratio:    auto 2 / 1 # default value
        iframe_loading:        lazy # default value
        -
        -
        -

iframe_blend: true (default) or false:
- if true all iframes are standard blended with the background and in dark-mode also inverted.
- if false all non-blended iframes will have background a colored background and no inversion for dark-mode is applied.
- there’s no need to set the blend or no-blend for individual iframes if it’s set in the _config.yml, unless you want to deviate from the setting set there.
iframe_saturation: 1.5 (default) or float:
- Blended iframes are inverted in dark mode using the CSS filter invert(1) hue-rotate(180deg) saturation(iframe_saturation).
iframe_h5p_autoresize: true (default) or false:
- if true all h5p iframes are automagically resized to fit the element in which the iframe is loaded.
- if false no h5p iframes are automagically resized to fit the element in which the iframe is loaded.
iframe_background: "#ffffff" (default) or CSS string:
- sets the standard background color of non-blended iframes.
- Any CSS string defining colors can be used, see CSS data type.
- Surround with " " for hex strings.
- Only visible if the content of the iframes has a transparent background.
iframe_width: calc(100% - 2.8rem) (default) or CSS string:
- sets the standard width of the iframe within the parent element;
- Any CSS string defining a width can be used, see width CSS property.
iframe_aspectratio: auto 2 / 1 (default) or CSS string:
- sets the standard aspect ration of the iframe within the parent element;
- Any CSS string defining an aspect ratio can be used, see aspect-ratio CSS property.
iframe_loading: lazy (default) or eager:
- sets the standard loading attribute of the iframe;
- see loading attribute.

Provided code#

Directives#

The following new directives are provided:

```{iframe} <link_to_webpage_to_embed>
```

```{h5p} <link_to_h5p_webpage_to_embed>
```

```{video} <link_to_video_to_embed>
```

In case of a YouTube-link, it is inverted to an embed link if the normal web URL is provided. H5p links are converted too if provided without /embed.

For the video directive, if a direct link to a video file is provided (e.g. ending on .mp4, .webm or .ogg), then the video directive from sphinxcontrib.video is used. If any other link is provided, then an iframe is generated.

```{iframe-figure} <link_to_webpage_to_embed>
:name: some:label

The caption for the iframe.
```

Note that you don’t need the full embed code of an iframe. Only the source url should be used.

All of these have the following options:

:class:
- If further CSS styling is needed, then use this option to append a CSS class name to the rendered iframe.
- We recommend to only use the classes blend and no-blend, see Examples and details.
:divclass:
- If further CSS styling is needed, then use this option to append a CSS class name to the div surrounding the iframe.
:width:
- Sets the width of the iframe. Use CSS compatible strings.
:height:
- Sets the width of the iframe. Use CSS compatible strings.
:aspectratio:
- Sets the width of the iframe. Use CSS compatible strings.
:styleframe:
- Sets the style of the iframe. Use CSS compatible strings. Surround with “ “.
:stylediv:
- Sets the style of the surrounding div. Use CSS compatible strings. Surround with “ “.
:loading:
- Sets the loading attribute of the iframe. Use either lazy or eager.
- If unset, the global configuration value is used.

For the directive video, if a direct link to a video file is given, then only the options from the video directive from sphinxcontrib.video should be used. For any other link, the options above should be used.

The directive iframe-figure also inherits all options from the figure directive from Sphinx.

Examples and details#

`iframe` directive#

To clearly show the blending and sizing, we showcase everything in a general titled admonition.

Default behavior#

For use inline or in other directives and admonitions, iframes can be added using the following syntax:

```{iframe} <link_to_webpage_to_embed>
```

For example:

````{admonition} Default
```{iframe} https://teachbooks.io/
```
````

Default

Blending#

Blending can be enabled or disabled by using the classes blend and no-blend. Results may differ depending on other extensions and CSS code.

````{admonition} Enable blending
```{iframe} https://teachbooks.io/
:class: blend
```
````

Enable blending

````{admonition} Disable blending
```{iframe} https://teachbooks.io/
:class: no-blend
```
````

Disable blending

Sizing aspects#

The size of the shown iframe can be controlled with at most two out the following three options:

width: Sets the width of the iframe. Use CSS compatible strings.
height: Sets the height of the iframe. Use CSS compatible strings.
aspectratio: Sets the aspect ratio of the iframe. Use CSS compatible strings.

These options will be applied to the encapsulating div element.

Note

Using CSS is complicated and error prone, so always check and never expect that you get what you want.

Warning

This extension does not check the validity of the given options, nor checks whether at most two options are entered.

````{admonition} Width and height
```{iframe} https://teachbooks.io/
:width: 600px
:height: 200px
```
````

Width and height

````{admonition} Width and aspect ratio
```{iframe} https://teachbooks.io/
:width: 600px
:aspectratio: 2 / 3
```
````

Width and aspect ratio

````{admonition} Height and aspect ratio
```{iframe} https://teachbooks.io/
:height: 150px
:aspectratio: 2 / 2
```
````

Height and aspect ratio

Styling aspects#

The style of the shown iframe can be controlled with two options:

styleframe: Sets the style of the iframe. Use CSS compatible strings. Include surround with " ".
stylediv: Sets the style of surrounding div. Use CSS compatible strings. Include surround with " ".

Note

Using CSS is complicated and error prone, so always check and never expect that you get what you want.

Warning

This extension does not check the validity of the given option.

````{admonition} iframe styling
```{iframe} https://teachbooks.io/
:styleframe: "border-style: dotted;border-color: #0047AB;border-width:5px;"
```
````

iframe styling

````{admonition} div styling
```{iframe} https://teachbooks.io/
:stylediv: "border-style: dashed;border-color: olive;border-width:20px;"
```
````

div styling

````{admonition} iframe and div styling
```{iframe} https://teachbooks.io/
:styleframe: "border-style: dotted;border-color: #0047AB;border-width:5px;"
:stylediv: "border-style: dashed;border-color: olive;border-width:20px;"
```
````

iframe and div styling

`h5p` directive#

For iframes intended for H5P elements, the code

````{admonition} H5P example
```{iframe} https://tudelft.h5p.com/content/1292011179114024347/embed
:class: blend
:aspectratio: auto
```
````

can be reduced to

````{admonition} H5P example
```{h5p} https://tudelft.h5p.com/content/1292011179114024347/embed
```
````

resulting in

H5P example

Note that you don’t need the full embed code as provided by H5P. Only the source url (often with the following syntax https://<h5p_host_server>/content/<h5p_element_id>/embed) should be used. This url can be obtained from the url in your H5P application with an additional /embed, or in the html-embed-code.

`video` directive#

For iframes intended for videos, the code

````{admonition} video example
```{iframe} https://www.youtube.com/embed/B1J6Ou4q8vE?si=XZDT83fcR6W3Dxut
:class: no-blend
:styleframe: "background: transparent;"
:aspectratio: auto 16 / 9
```
````

can be reduced to

````{admonition} video example
```{video} https://www.youtube.com/embed/B1J6Ou4q8vE?si=XZDT83fcR6W3Dxut
```
````

or it can take the regular YouTube URL:

````{admonition} video example
```{video} https://www.youtube.com/watch/B1J6Ou4q8vE
```
````

resulting both in

video example

If a link ending with .mp4, .webm or .ogg is provided, then the video directive from sphinxcontrib.video is used. For example:

````{admonition} video file example
```{video} ./sample-5s.mp4
```
````

resulting in

video file example

`iframe-figure` directive#

In Fig. 109 you can find the result of the below code. The reference is made using {numref} and label behind :name:.

````{iframe-figure} https://teachbooks.io/
:name: some:label

The caption for the iframe.
````

Fig. 109 The caption for the iframe.#

You can also add metadata (here shown with default options in _config.yml, for more options see Shpinx Metadata Figure:

```{iframe-figure} https://teachbooks.io/
:name: intro-iframe-figure
:license: CC-BY
:placement: caption

The caption for the iframe.
```

Fig. 110 The caption for the iframe.
License: CC-BY#

`{h5p-figure}` directive#

You can use the same metadata for H5p elements using {h5p-figure}:

```{h5p-figure} https://tudelft.h5p.com/content/1292011179114024347/embed
:name: intro-h5p-figure
:show: author,license,date,copyright
:license: CC-BY
:placement: margin
:author: Tom van Woudenberg
:copyright: Delft University of Technology
:date: today

The caption for the h5p webpage.
```

Attribution

Author: Tom van Woudenberg | License: CC-BY | Date: 2025-12-17 | Copyright: Delft University of Technology

Fig. 111 The caption for the h5p webpage.#

`{video-figure}` directive#

And the same metadata works for videos with {video-figure}:

```{video-figure} https://www.youtube.com/watch/B1J6Ou4q8vE
:name: intro-video-figure
:show: author,license,date,source
:license: CC-BY
:placement: admonition
:author: Alan Becker
:date: 2023-06-24
:source: [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1J6Ou4q8vE)

The caption for the video.
```

Fig. 112 The caption for the video.#

Attribution

Author: Alan Becker | License: CC-BY | Date: 2023-06-24 | Source: YouTube

Contribute#

This tool’s repository is stored on GitHub. If you’d like to contribute, you can create a fork and open a pull request on the GitHub repository. The README.md of the branch Manual is also part of the TeachBooks manual as a submodule.

Iframes

Contents

Iframes#

What does it do?#

Installation#

Configuration#

Provided code#

Directives#

Examples and details#

iframe directive#

Default behavior#

Blending#

Sizing aspects#

Styling aspects#

h5p directive#

video directive#

iframe-figure directive#

{h5p-figure} directive#

{video-figure} directive#

Contribute#

`iframe` directive#

`h5p` directive#

`video` directive#

`iframe-figure` directive#

`{h5p-figure}` directive#

`{video-figure}` directive#