I was doing it wrong. Data has to go into javascript, and orignal html should not be changed
<div class="pswp" tabindex="-1" role="dialog" aria-hidden="true">
<div class="pswp__bg"></div>
<div class="pswp__scroll-wrap">
<!-- Container that holds slides. -->
<div class="pswp__container">
<!-- don't modify these 3 pswp__item elements, data is added later on -->
<div class="pswp__item"></div>
<div class="pswp__item"></div>
</div>
<!-- Default -->
<div class="pswp__ui pswp__ui--hidden">
<div class="pswp__top-bar">
<!-- Controls are self-explanatory. Order can be changed. -->
<div class="pswp__counter"></div>
<button class="pswp__button pswp__button--close" title="Close (Esc)"></button>
<button class="pswp__button pswp__button--share" title="Share"></button>
<button class="pswp__button pswp__button--fs" title="Toggle fullscreen"></button>
<button class="pswp__button pswp__button--zoom" title="Zoom in/out"></button>
<div class="pswp__preloader">
<div class="pswp__preloader__icn">
<div class="pswp__preloader__cut">
<div class="pswp__preloader__donut"></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="pswp__share-modal pswp__share-modal--hidden pswp__single-tap">
<div class="pswp__share-tooltip"></div>
</div>
<button class="pswp__button pswp__button--arrow--left" title="Previous (arrow left)">
</button>
<button class="pswp__button pswp__button--arrow--right" title="Next (arrow right)">
</button>
<div class="pswp__caption">
<div class="pswp__caption__center"></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/photoswipe/4.1.2/photoswipe.min.js"/></script>
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/photoswipe/4.1.2/photoswipe-ui-default.min.js"/></script>
<script type="text/javascript" >
var openPhotoSwipe = function() {
var pswpElement = document.querySelectorAll('.pswp')[0];
// build items array
var items = [
{
html: '<iframe src="http://www.africau.edu/images/default/sample.pdf"></iframe>'
},
{
html: '<iframe src="http://www.africau.edu/images/default/sample.pdf"></iframe>'
}
];
// define options (if needed)
var options = {
// history & focus options are disabled on CodePen
history: false,
focus: false,
showAnimationDuration: 0,
hideAnimationDuration: 0
};
var gallery = new PhotoSwipe( pswpElement, PhotoSwipeUI_Default, items, options);
gallery.init();
};
//openPhotoSwipe();
document.getElementById('btnShow').onclick = openPhotoSwipe;
</script>