Expo and Networking For Admins and Organizers

Installation

You can install the Expo and Networking For Organizers Plugin using 2 different ways:

1. Automatic Installation: You can install a plugin from the backend of your WordPress. Click Here to see how you can do an automatic installation.
2. Manual Installation: You can install the plugin manually using SFTP or FTP tool as well. Click Here to see how you can do a manual installation.

Introduction

The Expo and networking are designed and created for all those who are looking forward to handling exhibitions, fairs, networking events virtually on their own WordPress website. The functioning of this expo works in close collaboration with certain admin and organizer settings.

The Expo for all the organizers requires an Admin Agora account, Firebase account, and an Amazon S3 account, as a common account will at the moment work for all events. Let us see the following settings that an admin has to undertake, irrespective of the number of organizers onboard.

Agora Signup

To join Expo powered by Agora, you need to provide an App ID and temp Token. This page shows you how to get the information.

1. Create an Agora account

   If you are not currently registered, head over to Agora Console and signup.

   

2. Create an Agora Project

   Once you finish the sign-up process, you can create an Agora project on Console.

3. Enter the Project Management page.

   

4. Click Create.

   

5. Follow the on-screen instructions to enter a project name and check APP ID + APP Certificate + Token (Recommended) as the Authentication Mechanism.

   

6. Click Submit, and you can see the project on the Project Management page.

   

Get the App ID

Agora automatically assigns each project an App ID as a unique identifier.

To copy this App ID, find your project on the Project Management page in Agora Console, and click the eye icon to the right of the App ID.

Get the App Certificate

When generating a token on your app server, you need to fill in parameters such as the App ID, channel name, user ID, and App Certificate. This section shows you how to get the App Certificate on Console.

1. On the Project Management page, click Edit to enter the Edit Project page.

   

2. Scroll down the page to the Security section, and click the eye icon to the right of the Primary certificate.

   

Generate Agora Customer ID and Secret

Generate a set of Customer ID and Secret for RESTful API access, as follows:

1. Log into Agora Console, click the account name on the top right, and click RESTful API from the drop-down list to enter the RESTful page.
2. Click Add a secret to generate a set of Customer ID and Secret.

Firebase Signup

1. Go to the Google Firebase Console – https://console.firebase.google.com and signup.

   

2. Create a new project

   

3. You are directed to the Project Dashboard.

   

4. Click on Project settings present on the left side of the page >> Service accounts >> Firebase Admin SDK. Here click on generate new private key.
5. It will download a JSON file. Open it and copy its entire content, go wp-admin -> event manager -> settings -> expo networking, and paste the content of the JSON file inside the "Firebase service account" text field.
6. Next, create a Real-Time Database for your project.
7. Click on create Database, present under the three dots.

   

8. Please go to Project overview >> build >> Realtime Database, copy the firebase database URL.



9. Go to wp-admin >> event manager >> settings >> expo networking, paste the database URL inside "Firebase realtime database URL".
10. Save changes.While at firebase Realtime database, switch to rules set .read : false, .write: false. so the database becomes secure
11. You are good to go.

Amazon S3 Signup

Sign in to the AWS Management Console and open the Amazon S3 console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/s3/. For more information, see Sign in as the root user in the IAM User Guide.

1. In the navigation bar on the upper right, choose your account name or number and then choose My Security Credentials.
2. Expand the Access keys (access key ID and secret access key) section.
3. Do one of the following:
• To create an access key, choose to Create New Access Key. If you already have two access keys, this button is disabled and you must delete an access key before you can create a new one. When prompted, choose either Show Access Key or Download Key File. This is your only opportunity to save your secret access key. After you’ve saved your secret access key in a secure location, choose Close.
• To deactivate an access key, choose to Make Inactive. When prompted for confirmation, choose Deactivate. A deactivated access key still counts toward your limit of two access keys.
• To activate an access key, choose to Make Active.
• To delete an access key when you no longer need it, copy the access key ID and then choose Delete. Before you can delete the access key, you must choose Deactivate. We recommend that you verify that the access key is no longer in use before you permanently delete it. To confirm the deletion, paste the access key ID in the text input field and then choose Delete.
4. Choose Create bucket. The Create bucket wizard opens.
5. In Bucket name, enter a DNS-compliant name for your bucket.

   The bucket name must:

   • Be unique across all of Amazon S3.
   • Be between 3 and 63 characters long.
   • Not contain uppercase characters.
   • Start with a lowercase letter or number.
6. After you create the bucket, you can’t change its name. For information about naming buckets, see Bucket naming rules.
   Important
7. Avoid including sensitive information, such as account numbers, in the bucket name. The bucket name is visible in the URLs that point to the objects in the bucket.
8. In Region, choose the AWS Region where you want the bucket to reside.
   Choose a Region close to you to minimize latency and costs and address regulatory requirements. Objects stored in a Region never leave that Region unless you explicitly transfer them to another Region. For a list of Amazon S3 AWS Regions, see AWS service endpoints in the Amazon Web Services General Reference.

For better and in-depth guide, visit here.

Admin settings for Expo:

1. Please go to WP-Admin >> Event Manager >> Settings >> Expo and networking.
   
2. Please add the following details in the settings.
   
   • Media Service Provider: Please select Agora as the media service provider.
   • Agora APP ID: You will get this Id when you sign up in Agora.
   • Agora APP Certificate: You get the certificate from the Agora App.
   • Firebase API Key: You will get this from the Firebase account as instructed above.
   • Firebase APP ID: You will get this from the Firebase account as instructed above.
   • Firebase Project ID: You will get this from the Firebase account as instructed above.
   • Amazon S3 Access Key: Identifies the user who is requesting access to this location. Get from Amazon S3 console.
   • Amazon S3 Secret key: Refers to a password that is used to verify the authenticity of the request to access the location because your Access Key is not encrypted. Get from Amazon S3 console.
   • Amazon S3 region:Refers to the region of the bucket in Amazon. Get from Amazon S3 console.
   • Bucket:Are like a container for your files and are used to group and organize objects together.Get from Amazon S3 console.
   • Agora customer id: Add the customer id from Agora
   • Agora customer secret: Add the secret key from Agora
3. Save.

   

Get started with creating an Expo:

1. Create an Event
2. Go to event dashboard on frontend,and enable expo toggle button from event dashboard to enable expo on that particular event.
3. Go to the Event detail page.
4. You will get a Manage exhibition button.
5. Click on Manage Exhibition, You will be redirected to the Expo landing page.
   

Note: Please See, You Need To Have A Speaker and Schedule Addon to proceed for Expo.

Reception:

Reception is the Welcome Area of the Expo. The backstage and the main stage forms part of the reception area. The Ongoing live session can be seen here. The backstage is for speakers, hosts, and organizers, and the main stage is for attendees.

How to handle Backstage?

Backstage is an exclusive space where hosts can sync up with speakers before going live. Hosts can help speakers get a quick dry run, test presentations, and check audio and video quality before starting the session. This backstage is only offered to hosts, speakers, and Organizers.

Go Backstage:

• You will see the event schedule when you click on the session icon. You can see the description of the host and speaker in multiple sessions.
• On the Upcoming session the organizer, host, and speaker will notice the Backstage button and can join the session by clicking upon it. Here you can test audio, video to avoid surprises and communicate with the host and the rest of the speakers before going live.

Functionalities backstage offered to organizers and Hosts and speakers:

• Microphone: The organizers and hosts and speakers can choose to mute or unmute themselves when inside backstage.
• Camera: Everyone inside backstage can choose to show or not show their camera by clicking upon the Camera Icon on the backstage control.
• Leave the session: Anyone in Backstage can leave backstage by clicking upon the Red end call button on the control section.
• Settings: This will allow you to choose from which microphone and camera to use.
• Start Session: The host or organizer can start a session by clicking on the button. After clicking upon the start session, Once everything is in order, the host will choose to begin the session. A countdown will indicate that the session is about to begin.
• Idle/Live: Till the session has not begun, the Idle sin will be shown in the control bar. After the session has gone live and can be seen on the main stage, A Live sign will be shown on the control bar.
• Screen sharing: The option allows you to share the “Your Entire Screen”, “Application window”, Chrome Tab.
• File-Sharing: The option allows you to share a PDF file while presenting.
• Headcount: A small head with a number on the control bar shows the number of people in the session. This includes the number of attendees, speakers, and hosts together.
• Eye: If you wish to be present backstage but don’t want to show yourself on the main stage, you can click on the eye button. This will hide you from the main stage.
• Feed: This shows the conversation taking place during the session. The host, organizer, the speaker can conversate in the feed section.
• Q & A: The question and answer section are for attendees who want to ask any question to the speakers in the session. The speaker, host, and organizers can answer the question and click on a mark as read, and also if they feel irrelevant, can hide this question from the stage.
• Create a Poll: The organizers, hosts, and speakers in order to build engagement can create a poll in the poll section. Also, the organizers have the facility to close the poll after a point of time, to accept no further answers.
• Raise Hand: All chats, emojis, and questions posed by the attendees will be visible to you. If an attendee uses the “Raise Hand” feature, the host can moderate and accept or dismiss the request. If accepted, the attendee shares the stage with the speakers for the interaction.

How to Share Screen or File on Backstage?

Present PDF file during the presentation.

1. Go to the stage/backstage.
2. Select the File icon

   

3. Choose from the available files on your desktop.

   

4. The file will now be presented.

   

Selecting the Screen share option

1. Go to the stage/backstage.
2. Select the screen icon

   

3. Choose what you want to share: “Your Entire Screen”, “Application window”, “Chrome Tab”. Then click on the window in the middle and click on the share button once it turns blue.

   

4. The attendee will be able to see what you present.

   

Adding session in the session section:

One needs to have a Speaker and schedule Addon for procedding in this section of the Expo.

1. Into your Expo >> Sessions.

   

2. Click on Add session.

   

3. You will be given a form, which the organizer needs to add the details of the sessions.

   

   • Session name: The name of the session, which you want to display to all the participants.
   • Session start date: This will contain the date on which the session should be scheduled.
   • Session start time: This includes the start time of the session.
   • Session end date: This includes the end date of the session.
   • Session end time: This includes the end time of the session.
   • Speaker: Please refer to speaker documentation here to know how to add speakers to the account. All the speakers created under your speaker account in the speaker submission form are listed in the speaker session. You can select one or many speakers for this session.
   • Host: The same speaker list can be used as host as well whom you want to give controls of the backstage of the event.
4. Similarly, the list of other sessions can be listed here. Now the session area will show the complete schedule of the event in a synchronized format.

   

5. In order to edit any session click on the edit button present on the right hand side of each session, and hence, you can add any other information required in this section.
6. In order to delete any session, click on the delete button in the red icon, present on the right hand side of each session.
7. The live event will be shown in the session area with a LIVE Tag, acknowledging the participants to join that session now.

   

Adding Lounge Tables in the Lounge section

The lounge allows participants to network with fellow attendees, speakers, and hosts. This is a virtual table section – participants can move from one table to another, join the relevant conversations and meet more individuals. Before and after the event or sessions, the lounge area is active and accessible.



In order to create tables in the Lounge area, the organizer needs to follow the following steps:

1. Click on Add table.

   

2. Fill in the details:

   

   • Table Name: Choose the name of each table.
   • Table Logo: choose a relevant logo for each table.
   • Total Seat: You can choose from 2 to 8 numbers of seats on one table.
3. The table is now created. You can create as many tables as you want to create.
   
4. The attendees can come and network in this Lounge. The prominent features that one can enjoy after joining the table is, Mute themselves, showcase the Video, Leave the table.
   

Adding Exhibitors to the Expo Booth

The Admins need to first establish exhibitors category settings in the backend.

1. Go To Wp Admin >> Exhibitors >> Categories

   

2. Add New Exhibitor categories from here, including the name of the category, slug, description, etc.



3. Click on Add New Exhibitor Category.

   

Adding Exhibitors from the backend.

1. Go to Admin >> Exhibitors >> Add New.

   

2. Add the Exhibitor details.

   

3. Set the exhibitor Logo.

   

4. Publish.

   

5. All the exhibitors can be viewed and deleted from the Admin >> Exhibitor >> All Exhibitors.

   

Adding Exhibitors to the event from the front end.

1. The organizers need to Add exhibitors from the Expo booth section.

   

2. Click on Add exhibitor.

   

3. A form will display asking for the below information:
   • Exhibitor title
   • Exhibitor description
   • Exhibitor Logo
   • Exhibitor Banner
   • Exhibitor Category
   • Exhibitor facebook
   • Exhibitor twitter
   • Exhibitor Instagram
4. After adding all the details the organizer needs to click on Add exhibitor on the form.

   

5. The exhibitors are then added to the Expo.