Using Elgg for conferences

For me the most exciting part of the 0.87 release of forms and related plugins is the new workshops plugin.

This requires the form plugin (of course) as well as flexgroupprofile.

(Remember that you can get the complete package of seven plugins here:

http://community.elgg.org/pg/plugins/kevin/read/384913 )

The workshops plugin was funded by the Clean Clothes Campaign .

The plugin allows you to create an Elgg minisite focused on an upcoming conference.

You can invite potential participants (using the new by-invitation-only feature of flexreg if you like) and create a list of potential timeslots with the number of workshops allowed in each timeslot.

Your users can create workshops in specific timeslots and join workshops. The plugin makes sure that not too many workshops are created in a timeslot and that users can't sign up for more than one workshop in a given timeslot.

A new profile widget lists your current workshop schedule by timeslot.

The group listing page is changed to allow filtering workshops by timeslot, category or host.

The host search requires my user autocompletion plugin - I  must remember to upload that to elgg.org soon.

The workshops plugin is a great way to allow people (members or staff) to self organise much of a conference. Just set up the site, invite the participants and watch them organise much of the conference for you!

  • Neat. Workshop is actually a group right Kevin ?

    How does the timeslot work ?

  • Yes, it's a redefinition of groups with special views and renaming.

    The timeslot is added as a flexgroupprofile field type. There is an admin interface to create the timeslot list.

  • Oh yes, and the timeslot field currently has to be named workshops_timeslots in the group profile definition to work properly.  The group profile should also have a text field called workshops_maximum_enrollment.

    Those are the two "magic" fields that provide the functionality.

    I really need to add a proper README.txt file for this plugin.

  • Thanks Kevin. Still dont understand what is the function of the timeslot ?

  • It's a conference plugin. Conferences consist of a set of workshops (groups) in a set of timeslots.

    The plugin organises all of this as you would expect.

  • I'm having some trouble getting the workshop plugin to work correctly.  I have found in the tool administration where I can list the time slots, however there is no way to select these time slots when I'm setting up a new workshop.  I see an above post where it lists some fields regarding this - am I supposed to change these fields?  I've been searching for them but keep coming up empty handed.

  • The workshops plugin requires flexgroupprofile.

    That plugin gives you a workshop field when you are creating the group profile.

  • I've got all the bundled plugins installed, including flexprofile.  I have defined timeslot descriptions in the administration menu, but when I go to make a new workshop there is nowhere to select a timeslot for it.  Is there something I need to edit for this to appear?

  • cjbrand, I said "flexgroupprofile". You need to add a workshop field using that to your group profile.

Form and related plugins

Form and related plugins

User-generated content, flexible user and group profiles, registration forms, custom file forms