Brightcove API key in course settings rather than per unit?

[natea]

It seems as though it would be preferable to have the Brightcove API key set at the course level, rather than at the unit level, so that if you add more than one Brightcove video to a course, you don't have to add the API key to each video. In addition, if you want to change the API key, you don't have to do it to all videos, but just in one course-wide setting.

[antoviaque]

Agreed, it would be much more natural for this type of settings. However, there is currently no support for accessing settings through the XBlock API, which prevents from doing this cleanly.

We need to add an XBlock service to access the configuration - which is something we have started to work on for the Ooyala XBlock, for the same reason, but needs more work before it can get sent upstream. Especially, the details of the implementation need to be discussed, so the next step here will be sending a RFC on the mailing-list - when we get around to write it down and send it on the ML, it will be good to have your comments -- I'm writing down to warn you on this task when we do it, so you can have a look : )

[natea]

Good to know that work has already started on an XBlock service to access the configuration. Let me know when there is an RFC to review and I'd be happy to add my comments.

[kfarr]

Curious if there was any progress on an "xblock service configuration" such that Brightcove API credentials could be stored on a per-course or even per instance level?

[antoviaque]

@kfarr Yes there has been progress done on this - a configuration service for XBlocks has been implemented. It currently only supports settings at the instance level as far as I know, but that's the approach that has been used to implement a shared global setting for the Ooyala player: https://github.com/edx-solutions/xblock-ooyala/blob/42a65052beaa9e99ce9cf13001ad23905c1551cf/ooyala_player/ooyala_player.py#L317-L319