Saving the original (Powerpoint) copy of the Map into the Database

Saving the original file that was used to create the maps:

• Select the Description tab on the Pricing Map editing window.
• Click on your powerpoint document
• Drag it on top of the button that will be labelled 'Import PPT File' or 'Update PPT File' as indicated below
• Release the mouse
• If the message at the bottom of the screen indicates 'Source PPT document imported', you are done.

Exporting the Original PPT Map from the Database

If you have saved the original source drawing/map in the database as recommended, you can export it out again. Traditionally, we have used Powerpoint to create maps, but it has always been possible to use other drawing tools like OpenOffice.

• Click on the Description Tab
• Click on the Export toolbar icon at the top of the screen
• Select Map - Source Document Format (.ppt)
• Select the location to save the file- the desktop is a good place for working with it. It will default to a name that matches your pricing map name.

  

• Open the document in Powerpoint (any version should work - these steps were tested with office 2008 for mac)
• UNGROUP all objects:
  • Select ALL of the objects on the drawing and UNGROUP them.
  • Repeat the above steps until you can no longer ungroup any items on the picture
• Fix any row or seat # text that used spaces to separate text and turn each row or seat # into individual objects. To do this:
  • Look for the names of rows and/or seat numbers (as per the diagram)
  • Make sure seat or row number is its own object. If not, re-do them so that they are and put things in the same position
  • Each item must also be either vertical or horizontal. They cannot be rotated.
• Remove any large empty objects that contribute nothing to the map. Some maps seem to have a large white background object that is extraneous.
• We recommend that if you have a lot of white space at one end of your map or at the bottom that you crop the white space to make it look better online. You can do this by:
  • Saving a copy of the PPT document before starting
  • Select ALL objects on the Map
  • If there is a lot of white space at the top or left of the document, dragging all objects the map up and to left to provide what you think is an acceptable margin
  • Note the approximate amount of space you may wish to remove from right and bottom to make the map have a balanced margin
  • Cut ALL the objects from the Map so that the map is empty.
  • Go to Page Setup
  • Write down the width and height measurements
  • Subtract the amount of whitespace from the width and height. For example, if the document looks to have 2 inches of white space on the right, then make the width 2 inches smaller
  • PASTE the objects back in to the document.
  • If there is too much (or not enough) white space, then CUT all items, change the page size dimensions and PASTE again.
  • Repeat until you like the look of the picture

• Open Office is free. Use Version 4.1.4 or later from the link above.
• Some venues have used Adobe Illustrator CS6 effectively.

This page describes using then for its picture conversion capabilities (eg PPT to SVG).

1. Open the PPT document Open Office. You can do this by using the File->Open menu after starting OpenOffice or you can drag your PPT document onto the empty window
2. Select File->Export option as per the picture below:

   

3. When the File dialog opens, click the file type option and pick the export file type. There are a number of options but the ONE of interest is:
   • SVG - Scaleable Vector Graphics - which is the one we will pick to get the SVG file
   

To do this:

• Select the 'Description' tab on the Pricing Map editing window.
• Click on your SVG document
• Drag it on top of the button that will either be labelled 'Import SVG File' or 'Update SVG File' as indicated below
• Release the mouse
• If the message at the bottom of the screen indicates 'SVG file imported', you have completed the first step.

The example to the right causes the online map to show the {section}/{row}/{seat} and two lines below that, the seat {note} (if one exists).

To edit this field, simply type how you want the seat tip to look and which fields you want. You may use keywords, fixed text, and newlines to make it look as you wish such as:

• One or more of the following key words, in any order, which will be replaced by the actual values on each seat. Note: the { } are required and bolding was used for clarity only:
  • {door} - adds the door description used for entry into the tip
  • {section} - adds the section description to the tip
  • {row} - adds the row into the tip
  • {seat} - adds the seat number into the tip
  • {notes} - adds the special seat notes to the tip - but only if the 'use' column in the seat names is set to 1
  • {logical} - adds the logical seat number to the tip.
• Any standard text that you want which might assist the user. For example the tip can look like:
  • {section} - {row} - {seat}
  • Section: {section} Row: {row} Seat: {seat} Patrons should enter by door {door}
  • Area: {section} Table #: {row}
• You can also add new lines if you want some data on separate lines

The diagram below shows how the seat tip fields relate to the columns on the Seat Names tab.

After preparing the SVG map per the previous instructions, you will need to use this wizard to merge the map with the rest of the programming code that will actually make it work. Fortunately, this is automated and is a quick process.

1. Click the Place Seats SVG Format button on the toolbar to start the process. If you cannot, then make sure you have imported an SVG map .

   

2. The first step in the wizard asks you where to get your SVG map from. You can either:
   • Use the SVG map that you have already imported into TM. If you select this option, it will replace all seat locations and seat tips in the existing map. This option may be best if all you are doing is changing seat tips, seat names, or have moved some seats on the graphic map.
   • Specify the file name of the SVG graphics file and import a fresh copy prior to merging in the seat locations and tooltips. This option is better if you have completely edited or changed colours or background on the map and have made a new SVG file.
   • Click Step 2 when ready to continue

   

3. The second step copies the seating locations of the graphic map used for box office and automatically transforms existing seat locations so that they can be used with the SVG map.

   Historically, different vector based image formats for the web use different scaling and origins. This means that X-Y seat locations for the box office maps have to be 'adjusted' slightly to work with the SVG map. This window shows the standard values that have been found to work with almost all powerpoint maps so far (providing that they have been cleaned up of a couple of things). If you are using an SVG exported from Powerpoint, you should not have to change any of these parameters - but in case you find you need to (eg: an export from Adobe Illustrator), the meaning of them are:

   • Scale Factor (default is 34.4). Each seat on the map has a top-left and bottom-right X-Y position on the background image. The scale factor multiplies each X or Y position by the fixed amount to make seats 'bigger' but leave the origin of the seats the same. In other words, seats will not move - just get bigger to match the SVG background. (From customer reports, Adobe's setting may be 1.0 - meaning don't multiply)
   • Offset (default 0.0). All maps and seats should start at the same origin, typically the 0,0 co-ordinate. If you want to move every object by the same amount in the X and/or Y direction, provide a value for the offset. This simply moves seats one way or another. It does not affect size or shape.
   • Multiplier (default 1.025). This transformation is applied after the previous two. All seat co-ordinates are multiplied by the factors to stretch the seat locations out a little in the X and/or Y directions. (from customer reports, Adobe's setting is 1.0)
   • Click Step 3 when ready to continue

   

4. The online maps have some customer assistance capabilities that can be added in. Select the ones you wish:
   • Seat tips can be displayed when a patron hovers over a seat, or they can be left off the map.
   • Indicate if you want to see a preview of the map after completing the process. It will open in your browser and you can interact with it by stretching it or trying the tooltips
   • Click Done when ready to continue

   

The Preview Button

After you have placed your seats on the Pricing Map, you can quickly Preview the Map Online by selecting the Preview Map button. This will jump you to the view of what patrons see online, and the preview displays the TM seats placed on the SVG file.

Enabling the Pick Your Seat Option

The online select-your-seat process has predefined computer code associated with each seat and it can be turned on in the Description tab of the Pricing Map itself.

Testing online sales

You can test the online sales process by previewing the Event online, and running through the sales process. You can test all the Promotions, move from seat to seat, and test on mobile devices to ensure that the Map can be pulled and pinched the way you need it in terms of sizing.