Layout Automation API

The Layout Automation API is a powerful new feature of the Social Tables API that allows you to set up your events without human intervention. By giving the API a few basic parameters, you can create a wide variety of events in your space in an instant. The following is a description of the JSON object you must post to our API.

POST http://api.socialtables.com/4.0/layout-automation/

Event fields

The object must provide some basic fields about your event. These fields control the creation of the event, and are at the top level of the object you post (see examples):

for a new event you must provide:

for updating an event provide this instead:

• Either event_id OR name and category are required

The Spaces Array

The object must contain a spaces array at the top level of the object, each space can contain:

for new spaces:

for existing spaces:

• You must provide either the space_id OR name, venue_id, and wizard

The Wizard Object

Table Object

Example for adding a table of type Crescent.

{
  "wizard": {
    "attendees": 30,
    "setup": "aligned",
    "chevronAngle": 0,
    "rotation": 0,
    "table": {
      "cullAdditionalTables": false,
      "chairs": 6,
      "removedChairs": 4,
      "rotateCrescent": 50,
      "size": {
        "radius": 50
      },
      "type": "crescent"
    }
  }
}

Size Object

• You should either provide a radius or a width and length value. Not both.

Spacing Object

Aisles Object

horizontal and vertical params have the following definition

Full example:

{
  "wizard": {
    "attendees": 40,
    "setup": "aligned",
    "chevronAngle": 0,
    "rotation": -20,
    "table": {
      "chairs": 4,
      "size": {
        "width": 72,
        "length": 24
      },
      "spacing": {
        "x": 0,
        "y": 36
      },
      "type": "square"
    },
    "aisles": {
      "horizontal": {
        "floorElementsBetween": 0,
        "width": 0
      },
      "vertical": {
        "floorElementsBetween": 2,
        "width": 36
      }
    }
  }
}

Notes on Setups

There are currently 6 available setup types that the Layout Automation API can handle, specified by the setup property in the wizard object:

• aligned
• staggered
• classroom
• conference-table
• keynote
• u-shape
• hollow-square
• reception
• theatre
• registration

The setup type is very important as it controls the behavior of the API and which parameters are respected. Here is a rundown of the differences:

aligned

The aligned setup creates a set of tables aligned on both the x and y axes:

• The spacing will be appied as normal with spacing.x controlling how much spacing is between tables on the x axis and spacing.y controlling spacing on the y axis.
• The aisles parameter is respected.
• ChevronAngle along with the aisles param can be used to create slanted table arrangements.
• Spacing will default to { x: 72, y: 72 }.

Example:

{
  "wizard": {
    "attendees": 50,
    "setup": "aligned",
    "table": {
      "chairs": 4,
      "size": {
        "radius": 60
      },
      "spacing": {
        "x": 42,
        "y": 42
      },
      "type": "circle"
    }
  }
}

staggered

The staggered setup creates a set of tables in staggered rows that are aligned on the y axis but offset on the x:

• The spacing will be appied as normal with spacing.x controlling how much spacing is between tables on the x axis and spacing.y controlling spacing on the y axis.
• The aisles parameter is not respected.
• ChevronAngle along with the aisles param can be used to create slanted table arrangements.
• Spacing will default to { x: 72, y: 52 }.

Example:

{
  "wizard": {
    "attendees": 50,
    "setup": "staggered",
    "table": {
      "chairs": 4,
      "size": {
        "radius": 60
      },
      "spacing": {
        "x": 42,
        "y": 42
      },
      "type": "circle"
    }
  }
}

classroom

The classroom setup creates an aligned layout with the chairs all set up along one side of a table, as you might see in a classroom with students facing a professor.

• The spacing will be appied as normal with spacing.x controlling how much spacing is between tables on the x axis and spacing.y controlling spacing on the y axis.
• The aisles parameter is respected
• The rotation param can be used to determine which direction the chairs face
• Spacing will default to { x: 0, y: 36 }.

Example:

{
  "wizard": {
    "attendees": 50,
    "setup": "classroom",
    "table": {
      "chairs": 3,
      "size": {
        "width": 72,
        "length": 18
      },
      "spacing": {
        "x": 36,
        "y": 36
      },
      "type": "square"
    }
  }
}

theater

The theatre setup creates an rows of seats like you might want for a presentation or show.

• Using the aisles paramater is key to getting a good result
• The chevronAngle parameter controls the angle on the lefmost and rightmost columns
• For classic theater layouts (without tables), the table type should be set to "chair", and table.chairs should be set to 1
• The rotation param can be used to determine which direction the seats face, it only applies at 90 degree increments
• Spacing will default to { x: 0, y: 16 }.

Example:

{
  "wizard": {
    "attendees": 200,
    "setup": "theatre",
    "chevronAngle": 35,
    "table": {
      "chairs": 1,
      "spacing": {
        "x": 5,
        "y": 5
      },
      "size": {
        "length": 16,
        "width": 16
      },
      "type": "theatre"
    },
    "aisles": {
      "horizontal": {
        "floorElementsBetween": 0,
        "width": 0
      },
      "vertical": {
        "floorElementsBetween": 5,
        "width": 36
      }
    }
  }
}

hollow-square

The hollow-square setup creates tables lined up to create a box shape. Chairs are placed facing inwards towards the center of the box.

• The spacing and aisles parameters are not respected.
• Choosing "rectangle" for the table type will produce the best result.
• Spacing will default to { x: 0, y: 0 }.

Example:

{
  "wizard": {
    "attendees": 20,
    "setup": "hollow-square",
    "rotation": 0,
    "chevronAngle": 10,
    "table": {
      "chairs": 2,
      "size": {
        "width": 36,
        "length": 18
      },
      "type": "rectangle"
    }
  }
}

u-shape

The u-shape setup creates tables lined up to create a box that is open on one side, creating a u-shape or horseshoe. Chairs are placed facing inwards towards the center of the U.

• The spacing and aisles parameters are not respected.
• Choosing "rectangle" for the table type will produce the best result.
• The rotation param can be used to determine which side is open. (multiple of 90 degrees)
• Spacing will default to { x: 0, y: 0 }.

Example:

{
  "wizard": {
    "attendees": 20,
    "setup": "u-shape",
    "rotation": 0,
    "chevronAngle": 10,
    "table": {
      "chairs": 2,
      "size": {
        "width": 36,
        "length": 18
      },
      "type": "rectangle"
    }
  }
}

conference-table

The conference table layout creates a group of tables with chairs facing each other as you might have in a conference room.

• The spacing and aisles parameters are not respected.
• Rotation and chevronAngle are not respected.
• Choosing "rectangle" for the table type will produce the best result.
• Spacing will default to { x: 0, y: 0 }.

{
  "wizard": {
    "attendees": 30,
    "setup": "conference-table",
    "rotation": 0,
    "chevronAngle": 0,
    "table": {
      "chairs": 2,
      "size": {
        "width": 36,
        "length": 18
      },
      "spacing": {
        "x": 0,
        "y": 0
      },
      "type": "rectangle"
    }
  }
}

N. B. The following setups follow their own schemas for the wizard object that are separate from the rest.

reception

The reception setup type behaves very differently from many of the previous setup types discussed.
When choosing this setup type, the API will attempt to fill the space by distributing cocktail tables "high boys" mixed with round tables to fill a room space.

The Wizard Object is different in this case:

As well as the Table Object:

• These fields have the following defaults: spacing=96, standing_coefficient=0.3, seating_coefficient=0.3

Coefficient (between 0 and 1) of guests which will be [seated][standing] at any given time. Used to map attendee count to number of [low tables or 5 foot rounds][high-boys]

Another behavior to note is that 5-foot rounds replace low tables when available space runs out in order to seat more guests

Example:

{
  "wizard": {
    "attendees": 60,
    "setup": "reception",
    "table": {
      "spacing": 96,
      "standing_coefficient": 0.3
    }
  }
}

registration

The registration setup behaves very differently from many of the previous setup types discussed. When choosing this setup type, the API will attempt to fill the space by placing a registration table on one side of the room.

The Table Object

• The defaults for count and postion are count=2 and position="n"

Example:

{
  "wizard": {
    "setup": "registration",
    "table": {
      "count": 2,
      "position": "n"
    }
  }
}