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TrainAidsA - Mobilizing Creativity

 

Whiteboard - A Brief User's Guide


An Introduction:
 

The concept of the facility is to allow documents for discussions, allow the Presenter/Host to show Websites and also discussions by drawing and writing on the Whiteboard. We have modified the configuration of the "Providers" standard offering to suit our needs, but still there are certain limitations.
 
Since the base system is designed traditionally, it ofers more flexibility to the Presenter/Host. However, the role can be handed over to other participants during the sessions as needed. This helps us in using the facility more effectively.
 
Recordings of the sessions will be available for viewing and downloading once processed and ready, and as expeditously as possible. It can generally take a few days to receive the recordings and process them to be listed in our own archives.
 
Whiteboard drawing part of the sessions are not recorded automatically at the moment. So for some time, we do request help from participants in taking screenshots or using screen recorders.


What is recorded when Record Button is clicked on?
 

Docs. & Presentations WhiteBoard/Drawing URL Co-Browsing
Text-Chat (All): yes yes yes
Audio (Max 4): yes yes yes
Web Cameras (Max 4): yes yes yes
Sketching (All): Not Planned Under Development Not Planned
Also See below (Click Here)
 

* As mentioned, Hosts may please make sure that the recording option is switched ON and confirmed, when prompted (as shown on the right).
 
The recording remains active when switching activities from Whiteboard to Documents or to Web Browsing and back and forth, until the session ends or Recording action is Stopped.
 

Confirm to Start Recording - Yes

Tips:

You may like to select only those who could contribute specifically to that subject. Remember that each presentation becomes more valuable with input from those who can contribute rather than just watch.

Each session will be available to view and download as well. So those who would prefer to only view, may benefit more by viewing it later at leisure.

A subsequent follow up session can always be held and archived with reference to the first one.


Plug-in:

No Plug-In is required to use or Host sessions. A Plug-in is required only if you plan to Host a session in Screencasting (Sharing of Desktop) which is currently disabled for security.

Starting / Hosting a Session:

At present the setup allows a maximum of 20 participants including the Host/Presenter. The fastest and easiest way to start a new session and invite participants is as follows:
 

Method #1 (Preferred):

  1. Contact your friends by email directly, prior to a session that you wish to have, and setup a time and date. This way, you will be sure that they are all able to participate.

  2. From the Whiteboard Page click on the Host Meeting button.

  3. Follow the same next steps as in Method #2 - Step 2 but also select the Schedule option and complete that. --- Alternately, you could check if the room is free via the Whiteboard Page and setup a quick meeting/session, with the attendees and start the meeting right away.

  4. In either case, there is no need to send emails to Invitees through the system, as they already know via your earlier emails. Additional persons can be allowed to join once the session is on, if there is space for more attendees.
     
    See notes below on joining in.


    5.  
  5. There is no need to use or modify any of the other parts of the setup screen such as those accessible via the tabs at the top, namely, Features or Dial-In .
 

 

See also Session Type below.
 
Method #2:
  1. To save time, prepare a list of e-mail addresses of the Participants you would like to invite. Separate each address with a semicolon ";" . Alternately you can enter one by one later on.

  2. Check from the Whiteboard Page if the room is free, click on the Host Meeting button.

  3. At the start menu, please complete the Meeting Name space with a title for the session. For example "Discussion on Track Alignment" or Ohmic Testing Tips - 3.

  4. The Agenda is optional. If not needed, please clear any "placeholder" text present.

  5. For Invitees, copy and paste the prepared list, or enter each of the email addresses that you would like invite.

  6. There is an option for Sending Invites using the providers emailing system or your own. Your own is called Local. Local would use the Email of your PC such as Outlook or Thunderbird(Linux). The Dimdim option uses the providers email service (free & recommended).

  7. At present, there is no need to use or modify any of the other parts of the setup screen such as those accessible via the tabs at the top, namely, Features or Dial-In as explained above.

Session Type:

Though we have set the default to take you to the "Whiteboard" directly. However, if you see the Pop-Up menu screen on log-in, please select the Share Whiteboard option. See image on the right.
 
The option for "Sharing Desktop" has been disabled as mentioned earlier. This appears "greyed out". If not disabled, we request that for the security of your own computer, this may not be used at this time. The next option, of Sharing Documents will still be available, once you start the session, to the current "Host/Presenter" via the Items menu during the session.

Please Select: Share Whiteboard

 

Ending a session (by the Host):

Any participant can log out from the meeting at any time. The Host, however, carries certain responsibilities. Here are the suggested steps for the Host, specially since the meeting is being recorded. Please follow these few simple steps which will enhance the value of this experience for everyone.

  • When the Host selects to End the Meeting, the Host is prompted to Confirm Meeting termination.
     
    Please select Yes.

 Confirm Ending the Meeting - Yes

  • The Host then okays to Save the Meeting, for archiving.
     
    Please select Yes.

 Confirm to Save TRAINAIDSA Session - Yes

  • The next step is to approve the Save Recording of the Meeting. This will send us the Service Providers Archive Reference for us to download for our archival purposes.
     
    Please select Yes.

 Confirm Recording Archival Step - Yes

 


Before Starting: A Quick Help & Guide

Features:

At present, the system offers three features.

Present & discuss documents/presentations

Upload a document directly from your computer, for discussion with all attendees.
(Read more about this below)

Present and discuss URLs (Websites)

Bring up websites while you speak and browse around the sites. Attendees have the same experience.
(Read more about this below)

Draw on a Whiteboard

Draw and discuss designs, suggestions etc. including participation by attendees.
(Read more about this below)

(A fourth feature for sharing Desktops has been  temporarily disabled.)

General:

The system is setup to allow upto 4 video cameras with audio to be "ON" at any given time. This is a system limitation until we activate an enhanced system in future. However, all participants can see and hear all audio/video that is activated by the participants. Those planning to use Audio & Video should "Allow" use of their Camera & Mike, when prompted, by a popup applet during their joining or hosting process.

Once on the activity screen, Participants should make sure that their Show Chat option (top right) is selected, so they can exchange messages. These are being archived and are the best source of reference to accompany the session.

On the screen, Presenters/Hosts, may please make sure that their Record button is on. This allows the Text-Chat and the Audio/Video for the whole session to be recorded (as shown in the table at the top of the page). The recording of the session is only controllable by the "active" Presenter/Host.

A red dot that follows the cursor/mouse of the Presenter/Host indicates that the cursor/mouse of the "Presenter/Host" is also visible to the attendees.. This should be kept on. A link in the icons below can be used to toggle it "off/on". We suggest that this be kept "ON" as a benefit to all attendees.

Documents:

The "Presenter/Host" can upload a document from the Host's PC by selecting Documents from the Items Menu on the left. It will then be visible to all attendees. If it is a PPT, for example, the "Presenter/Host" can also see the thumbnails, but the other participants can only see the actual slide.The current formats being accepted are: PPT, PPTX and PDF. PDF preferred.

Note: A switch to Documents or from one item to another can terminate the previous activity of Whiteboard or URL Co-Browsing.

To allow another participant to do the same, the current "Host" hands over the "Host" status to the other participant via the "Manage" button in the Participants panel on the left. ONLY THE CURRENT (or ACTIVE) HOST can UPLOAD a Document or Presentation or introduce a web site(URL). The new Host can hand over the "Host" status back to the original Host, or another Host after the presentation.

URLs:

The Host can select any URL to show and present. Select "Web Pages" from the "Items" Menu on the left of the screen. Enter the complete URL in the space provided. Include HTTP://. The URL is visible on the screen for all to view. The Web Page in the frame is live and the "Presenter/Host" can move to other web pages via the links as normal. As the Host goes through the site(s), every participant can see all the action on the Hosts computer.

Draw on a Whiteboard:


Selecting Whiteboard from the Items Menu on the left will activate a Whiteboard that allows all participants to interact and draw as well as chat.

If necessary, a document to be discussed can be placed in the background. Click on the document link on the left. Participants can listen to the attendees with audio/video, text-chat, watch the drawing and participate in the drawing process, while discussing and drawing over it.

Each participant can draw and manipulate the drawingboard items even if they are drawn by another participant.

Whiteboard Session Notes:

The person who initiates the session is automatically designated the "Presenter/Host". Only the "Presenter/Host" can upload documents (at present only PPT, PDF & PPTX formats) for discussion. PDF preferred.
 
However, during the session, if anyone else wishes to upload a document or an image, the "Presenter/Host" can make the other person the new "Presenter/Host", who can then upload. The new "Presenter" can later handover back to the original "Presenter/Host" as needed.
 
This is done via the "Manage" button in the "Participants" panel on the left. ONLY THE CURRENT PRESENTER/HOST CAN UPLOAD A DOCUMENT. The new "Presenter/Host" can hand over the "Presenter/Host" status back to the original Presenter/Host when he finishes his presentation.

A Red Dot following the cursor (as shown at the right), on the screen of the "Presenter/Host", indicates that the cursor is visible to the other Attendees.

The "Presenter/Host" may please make sure that the "Session Recording" is "ON".

If the recording in not "ON", it may please be activated by the "Presenter/Host" by clicking on the recording icon. the Red dot on the top right hand corner. Shown here >


 

Some other quick tips:


How do I join an ongoing meeting if I have not been invited?

1. You may request to join by clicking the Join Meeting button placed at various locations on our site.         (See below)
 
2. Once the message displays that you are in the "Waiting Area / Lobby", The "Presenter/Host" receives a notification that you are waiting to join.
 
3. He may then accept your request or deny.
 
4. If your request is accepted, then you will be able to join in into the ongoing meeting.
 




How do I ask a question or raise hand within a meeting?

1. Click on the green icon beside your name at the left of meeting console.

2. It will bring up a window.
 

 
3.Select question. Your green icon will be changed to red question icon.
 
4. Presenter will see you in his pending task.



 

How to take a Screenshot & save file as JPEG:

  1. In Linux, make sure you have an application that will allow you to take a Screenshot. Follow its instructions.
  2. In Windows, use the "Print Screen" option on your keyboard, then Open Microsoft paint and paste the screenshot (ctrl-v)
  3. Or you can . . . .

1. Download any application such as Screen Hunter
(or
for example a freeware called ScreenPrint32 ) both for Windows® .

2. Save path where you want to store your screen shot to be stored.

3. Please click on capture now.

4. Hold left click and select specific region.

4. Then you will get a Screen Hunter message to confirm.

5. Click on ok.

6. Screen shot will save in specified folder



Is it possible to record the voice of attendees?

Yes the recording of attendees is possible. The "Presenter/Host" has to make sure that the recording button is "ON". All attendees and Host whose Audio/Video is on, can be seen and heard simultaneously. Currently Audio/Video participants including the Host, are limited to four.

Those planning to host meetings, may please familiarize themselves with the response to the first issue under the "Error Messages: Quick Links" below.


Availability of Archived Material:

We are working on archiving each session if possible. However, due to limitations at present, only the Audio and the Text-Chat is automatically archivable. To help in making this a valuable experience, we request each "Host" or a volunteer participant to, a) make sure that the record button is active, as shown below, and b) have the Host/Presenter or a participant take "screenshots" from the personal computer at different stages.
 
An alternative way is to use software that can record screen activity, for example, "CamtasiaStudio", "Adobe Captivate 4", "My Screen Recorder","CamStudio Pro", "Debut by NCH" or other similar applications. All three (Chat, Audio & Video) would be placed together in an archive, in as complete a form as possible.
 
Once the session ends, we will automatically have the recording of the Text-Chat, Audio & Video. However, the screenshots or video of the screen recorder may please be sent to us by email, for inclusion into the archives, by the participants who have taken them. Some of this "assembly" work will be manually done by TrainAidsA for some time. So we request the Presenter/Host to update us with the recordings so we can incorporate them into the archives. As soon as the Whiteboard archiving is possible to be done automatically, we will be updating the system.


(Go Back Up)
 

Error Messages: Quick Links

The services for Whiteboard and Webmeeting etc. are being sourced from a service provider. A more comprehensive error resolution database is available at their site. The following links will take you to responses to these specific questions that are available at their site which is not automatically linked to ours. So these will open as new tabs/windows.

Q: I cannot see the webcam video in the Session !

Q: I am getting a "Unable to Activate driver - forcing 8-bit screenshare" Message!


Please send us an email in case you have additional error messages which we may add here to help other participants. Please remember to send us the exact wording of the message and at what stage in the process, it appeared. This will help us to locate and respond to the specific problem.

 

Thank You for your patience and co-operation.

We hope to see you on the Whiteboard soon.


TrainAidsA reserves the right to reject any material or suggestion without assigning any reason whatsover.

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