Search code examples
phpwebpage-screenshottimeline.js

Is PagePeeker updating the "screenshot" anytime? (used in TimelineJS)

I have implemented TimelineJS on my site, Pixic.se, using data from mySQL database and format it through PHP. Everything is working fine. But there is a feature in TimelineJS called PagePeeker, which is rendering a screenshot of links that aren't links to supported sites, such as

  • Youtube
  • Wikipedia
  • Google Map
  • Flickr
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo
  • SoundCloud

or writing a blockquote.

Problem

The first time I got the TimelineJS to work properly it rendered screenshots for the links I have in my timeline, including my own site. Since then I have updated the layout and would like to have PagePeeker update the rendered screenshot, since at least on my computer, the screenshot still shows the old site design/layout (with a jumbotron that says "Welcome to Pixic.se, some smaller text and a btn-primary button) even though I have deleted cache/history.

I visited Pagepeeker.com and entered my URL and then it generates a preview with the timeline, i.e. the current design/layout, but it doesn't affect when I go back and check my own site. Also, the rendered screenshot at PagePeeker makes the Timeline look weird...the whole timeline only filling about 40% of the page width.

Questions

  1. If you take a look at Pixic.se timeline's first story, do you see a grey navbar and the jumbotron described above or do you see the current design/layout?
  2. Are PagePeeker screenshots stored at PagePeeker or only rendered if the visitor doesn't have it cached?
  3. Is there any way to get PagePeeker render the sites again and perhaps even have it done regularly, by interval using META tags or similar?
  4. Additionally, I tried to add a link to Google Charts, but it did not work. It only outputted the URL as a string where the PagePeeker screen would have been. Any idea why?
Solution

  • PagePeeker supports refreshing of the thumbnails via an API call, for premium accounts. Other accounts do not support it.

    Thumbnails are cached 7 to 14 days, depending on how much they are used.

    One way to force a refresh would be to add a random string after the URL like: http://pixic.se/?random=234234234