This plugin has been discontinued. But it has been reborn under a new name: Lumière!
What’s that ?
IMDb link transformer aims to ease the movies information search process, for both the blog writer and the blog reader. All movies’s names which are tagged between
<!--imdb-->nameMovie<!--/imdb-->
are automatically turned into an url. This url can open a new window (a popup) containing many useful data related to the movie itself. IMDb link transformer transforms all the words you tagged into links to an informative windows. It means one can view the filmmaker, the casting or the goofs that www.imdb.com website includes with one click; it can show either the director or the movie related data (biography, filmography, miscellaneous related to the director; casting, goofs, AKA titles, crew and many others related to the movie).
Example: 2001, a space odyssey (click the link, and browse). Or you can alternatively have a glance to this movie page reviews. The popup contains a (few) words in French, because this blog currently uses that language. But please note Imdb link transformer supports already English and Portuguese; if you want to translate the plugin into your language, use the comment field below or drop me a mail sorry, I hate spam).
This plugin also adds displays buttons in writing interfaces (both HTML and Visual).
You can also activate the imdb link transformer widget, which will display information parsed from IMDb straight on your sidebar (or where is attached your widget). After activating the widget, every time you will add the key “imdb-movie-widget” to the custom field to your message *and* the name of the movie to “value”, the information related to selected movie will be displayed on the sidebar.
In the same way, this plugin can display many movie’s related data inside a post, when putting a movie name in [ imdblt][ /imdblt] tags (remove spaces). No widget needed, and movie’s data can be displayed anywhere inside posts.
IMDb link transformer is a great tool to inform yourself and to provide many trivias on your post! It is very versatile and multi-functional. Blogger can display data in many ways (popup, widget, straight into the post), and can fine-tune data with admin options and css.
Download
Imdb link transformer v. 2.3.2
How to install
required
1. Unzip and put the “imdb-link-transformer” folder into your plugin folder (usually wp-content/plugins/)
2. Activate the plugin (using the settings tab from admin board)
3. Configure the plugin (settings admin board). Values should be automatically completed, but check them anyway.
4. Create the cache directories (cache and photo directories). The plugin is preconfigured to work with “/wp-content/cache/imdb” and “/wp-content/cache/imdb/images”. Deactivate the cache (advanced – cache management section) otherwise, if you don’t want to use the cache. Either you use or you don’t, the plugin will work – but be aware that without cache, process will take a long time, each time…
5. Give read & write permissions to these two cache directories (see 4).
basic options
0. There are three ways to use IMDb link transformer: popup link creator, widget and inside a post. Each option can be combined with any other, as blogger wants; there is no limitation, feel you free to use all three at once!
1. When writing your post, add either <!–imdb–>nameMovie<!–/imdb–> tags to your movie’s name (if you disabled visual editor, and that you have HTML interface) or click on imdb link transformer’s button after selecting the movie’s name. As a result of this, a link which will open a popup will be created. The popup contains many data and is extensively browsable.
2. Widget can be activated, and used in a way where informations will be displayed inside it. Once widget is activated, look closely to select what you want to display on your sidebar: options are available on imdb admin settings tab. Also add “imdb-movie-widget” or “imdb-movie-widget-bymid” to your message’s custom field; the value you will add will be the movie that will be displayed inside the widget. Check faqs.
3. (new) The plugin can now show IMDb data inside a post. When writing your post, put the movie name inside tags [ imdblt][ /imdblt] (which gives ie [ imdblt]Fight club[ /imdblt]). No third party plugin needed anymore.
You may also edit the “/* —- imdbincluded */” part from imdb.css to customize layout according your taste.
Fine tuning:
1. The files inc/imdb-movie.inc.php, popup.php, imdb_movie.php and imdb_person.php could be modified to match your theme; check also /css/imdb.css if you want to customize default theme.
2. A (front) page can be created to include all you movies’ related messages. Have a look there : personal critics page.
3. If your language is not included… translate .po file (inside /lang directory) to yours! And send it to me, of course, thus many people would enjoy IMDb in a new language.
Advanced:
1. If you are not interested in having links opening popup windows but look only for informations displayed (both in widget and posts), look for “widget options / Remove popup links?” and switch the option to “yes”. There will be no more links opening a popup (both in widget and posts).
Update
1. Remove the old IMDb link transformer and install the new. Or use the automated update from wordpress.
2. Go to the IMDb link transformer settings, and click on “reset”.
Faq
How to add the imdb widget ?
First, go to “design”, “widget”, add “imdb widget” to a sidbar (click on “add”), and change the box’s title (in case you don’t want to have the box named “IMDb data”).
Secondly, open an old post (or write a new) and add the key “imdb-movie-widget” to the custom field of your message *and* the name of the movie you want to display to “value”. IMDb link transformer will automatically display into the widget the movie selected.
Another possibility : add to your post the key “imdb-movie-widget-bymid” into the custom field from your message *and* the IMDb ID for the movie you want to be displayed on your sidebar to “value”. Instead of looking for a name, IMDb link transformer would directly display the movie you want to display. Very handy when your movie’s name doesn’t work as it should (if there are many movies with the same name, the wrong movie is displayed, etc). To get the movie’s IMDb id, search for a title on IMDb website, look at the adress bar for a “ttXXXXX” section, keep only the number part (XXXXX) and add result to the “value” meta field. However, in this specific case, do not mix with an “imdb-movie-widget” key neither add several “imdb-movie-widget-bymid” fields. Only the first one will be displayed.
How to display movie data inside my message?
When writing your post, put the movie name inside tags [ imdblt][ /imdblt] (remove spaces).
I don’t want to have links to a popup window!
Look for “imdb settings / widget options / Remove popup links?” and switch the option to “yes”. No links anymore, for both widget and inside a post.
Can I suggest a feature/report a bug regarding the plugin?
Of course, let a message right here.
How to support ?
Under the GPL licence, “IMDb link transformer” is based on the classes coming from imdbphp project. However, a huge customization work has been required to implement it to wordpress; many new features have been developed as well. If you feel somewhat generous, please click paypal image (from plugin settings).
Known issues
1. When the imdb widget is put under another widget display a list (ie, “recent posts” plugin), the widget won’t display what it should. Actually, it won’t display anything. **Workaround:** put the imdb widget one level above the widget calling a list.
2. If you activate both “Display highslide popup” option and in Next-Gen Gallery’s highslide effect option, NGG picture display will be broken. **Workaround:** Do not use “Display highslide popup” option or use another effect option for NGG.
3. Moviepilot is not working anymore. But Izzy’s working on it.
4. Biographies are no more retrieved. Izzy’s warned.
Release history
Check the changelog here
Special thanks
Well, maybe Izzy, who made the IMDb class available?
Also thanks to Murillo Ferrari for the Brazilian translation, to Andrés Cabrera for the Spanish translation, to Peter for the Bulgarian translation, and to Web Geek Sciense for the Romanian’s.
Before asking for help or improvements here
1/ Have you read the extensive help provided with the plugin? Have you had a look at FAQs and How-to, from “help” IMDb LT menu?
2/ Please explain your issue and report the basics: what’s the name of the movie you have a problem with, is the issue happening for all movies or only for the one you mention, which imdb address do you use (akas.imdb.com, french imdb, uk imdb), have you tried the « Debug mode » (general options-advanced-misc-debug mode), what are your IMDb LT, PHP, apache and wordpress versions, have you tried to unactivate all your plugins but IMDB LT, etc.
Please bear with me, I won’t answer messages which don’t comply with these points.