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dcrandall
Visitor

Deep linking: questions on protocol and deep research

I notice in the documentation:

http://sdkdocs.roku.com/display/sdkdoc/ ... inaChannel

The standard for deep linking parameters enforced by Roku to support ads or universal search is that channels use the following parameters:


...and then it mentions 'contentID' and 'mediaType'.

My question: must this be 'contentID' and 'mediaType', explicitly? For my purposes, this can work...there's plenty of room in those two things to squeeze what I need to in deep linking.

HOWEVER... say we wanted to use two other parameters, or we went with two other parameters thinking that it was ok to use whatever we want... will it work?

Also, is 'contentID' always a numeric? Can mediaType be any string?
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6 REPLIES 6
TheEndless
Channel Surfer

Re: Deep linking: questions on protocol and deep research

You can use any parameters you want for your own channel. You only need to adhere to the "contentID" and "mediaType" recommendation if your channel content is going to be listed in the universal search, or if you're going to have ad banners on the Roku home screen. In the case of the home screen ads, you only need "contentID" and "mediaType" support there, if those ads are going to link directly to specific content in your channel.
My Channels: http://roku.permanence.com - Twitter: @TheEndlessDev
Instant Watch Browser (NetflixIWB), Aquarium Screensaver (AQUARIUM), Clever Clocks Screensaver (CLEVERCLOCKS), iTunes Podcasts (ITPC), My Channels (MYCHANNELS)
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dcrandall
Visitor

Re: Deep linking: questions on protocol and deep research

Next question:

mediaType Optional parameter to give context to the type of contentID passed.
For example, these are sometimes used by Roku search to differentiate
between searches for single titles, series, actors, etc.
    clip

    event

    channel

    sport

    league

    movie

    special

    series

    person

    episode

    game

    channel

    personseries

    personmovie

    personepisode

    appScreen (application specific parameter indicating a specific screen to navigate to)


Say I want to use 'appScreen' because it's incredibly appropriate. Do I just do 'mediaType=myScreenToUse' or do I use 'appScreen=myScreenToUse' and relay another parameter?
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TheEndless
Channel Surfer

Re: Deep linking: questions on protocol and deep research

You'd use mediaType=appScreen and contentID=myScreenToUse.

mediaType describes the type of media that contentID points to.
My Channels: http://roku.permanence.com - Twitter: @TheEndlessDev
Instant Watch Browser (NetflixIWB), Aquarium Screensaver (AQUARIUM), Clever Clocks Screensaver (CLEVERCLOCKS), iTunes Podcasts (ITPC), My Channels (MYCHANNELS)
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sonnykr
Visitor

Re: Deep linking: questions on protocol and deep research

"TheEndless" wrote:
You'd use mediaType=appScreen and contentID=myScreenToUse.

mediaType describes the type of media that contentID points to.


What if I need to specify the contentID as well? contentId=myUniqueId&mediaType=appScreen and I want to deep link to say 'MyBestScreen'. Where do I specify that (MyBestScreen)?
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dcrandall
Visitor

Re: Deep linking: questions on protocol and deep research

"sonnykr" wrote:
"TheEndless" wrote:
You'd use mediaType=appScreen and contentID=myScreenToUse.

mediaType describes the type of media that contentID points to.


What if I need to specify the contentID as well? contentId=myUniqueId&mediaType=appScreen and I want to deep link to say 'MyBestScreen'. Where do I specify that (MyBestScreen)?


What I had to do was sort of augment it for my purposes. I have to assume roku couldn't care less about what your contentId actually is, as long as you read 'contentId' as something.

So in your case here, if I had to do it, I would go...

contentId=myUniqueId_MyBestScreen&mediaType=appScreen

Basically using a delimiter that my app, itself, would have to sort-out.
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sonnykr
Visitor

Re: Deep linking: questions on protocol and deep research

hmm, I was also thinking to do the same. Thank you, dcrandall!
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