Pattern seat selection for social distancing configuration

In the seatmap configuration tool, improved seat map pattern selection allow selecting seats in an array of different checkered patterns, e.g., for social distancing pre-configuration.Due to social distancing regulations, depending on the type of venue and when doing post-sales seating, freezing seats in an regular pattern may be more optimal than using the organic social distancing algorithm. Freezing seats has the advantage of providing in advance the exact capacity, plus with very large venues, such as stadiums, it possible to optimize availability based on different specific order sizes.

However manually freezing seats in different specific patterns on very large venues is extremely time consuming.

Solution

The row pattern selection tool (formally known as sparsity selection) has thus been extended to provide “seat pattern” features. It possible to apply a pattern selection on rows only, seats only or both. Once seats are selected in a pattern, they can be frozen or set to a different contingent for example. This tool is not limited to social distancing needs but can be used for any configuration that would require patterns.

Getting started

This new tool is available in all three levels (physical, logical and sales configuration). To trigger it, simply press the ALT key during your usual selection, for example, CTRL+ALT+click on a seat will open the pop-up and apply the pattern on the entire block of that seat. You can also use the new menu item of the main menu of the seat map to open the pattern selection pop-up. The pop-up can remain open, on top of the map, and any new selection done on the map will be used to apply the chosen pattern.

The pop-up displays at the top the number of seats of the current selection and, below the configuration fields, the resulting number of seats of the pattern selection.

Rows only

This pattern allows selecting alternating rows. The row pattern selection is useful for example, when the demand is low, to make sure people are not allocated all at the bottom of a block but on every other row, so the blocks look fuller, in particular on TV.

Starting from the first row of each block of your selection, the pattern will thus alternate between X number of selected rows and Y number of unselected rows (X-Y pattern). The start with option allows choosing between starting the pattern with the selection or starting it with the none selection.

1-1 row pattern, starting with selection

2-1 row pattern, starting with unselection

Seats only

This pattern allows selecting alternating seats on each row. The seat pattern selection is useful for example to freeze certain seats for social distancing purposes.

Starting from the first row of each block of your selection, the pattern will alternate between X number of selected seats and Y number of unselected seats (X-Y pattern). The pattern can be separated by Z number of buffer seats, systematically selected or not (X-Z-Y-Z pattern)

Start with: Similarly to the option of the row pattern, this option allows choosing between starting the pattern with the selection or starting it with the none selection
Select buffer seats: This option defines whether the buffer seats should be systematically selected or not.
Checkered pattern: This option allows toggling between a regular pattern, i.e., the same pattern is applied on each row, or checkered pattern, i.e., one where the selected/unselected pattern is reversed on each row.
Follow front/back vicinity: This option allows applying the pattern following the front/back vicinity links, instead of applying it independently on each row. The pattern will thus be applied on the first row and then will go up backwards following the vicinity links. Any seat that cannot be reached through a chain of front/back links starting from one of the first row seats will be ignored by the pattern selection and will not be selected.
IMPORTANT: If the vicinity link data is not configured correctly, i.e., with missing front/back links, this option may result in fewer seats being actually selected.

1-1 checkered seat pattern, with no buffer seats

2-2 checkered seat pattern, with 1 unselected buffer seat

2-2 checkered seat pattern, with 1 selected buffer seat

2-2 regular seat pattern, with no buffer seat

2-2 checkered seat pattern, applied independently on each row

2-2 checkered seat pattern, following front/back vicinity links
(Seats marked with a square in the screenshot do not have a front seat link and are thus ignored in the pattern, as well as those located behind them.)

Both (row and seat)

This type of pattern allows combining a seat and row pattern at the same time, giving you the total flexibility to achieve complex pattern selection.

1-1 row and 1-1 regular seat pattern

1-1 row and 3-2 checkered seat pattern, with 1 unselected buffer seat

Buttons

Apply: applies the current configured pattern.
OK: applies the current configured pattern and closes the pop-up window.
Cancel: clears any selection and closes the pop-up window.