This application note provides a more complete scenario of a personal visitor experience. This example is based solely on tokens such as RFID or NFC tags, bracelets or cards for visitor identification. The visitor receives such a token during check-in, possibly along with registering some basic information such as name and email. The token is then returned when the visitor leaves.

NOTE: While you can use this application note as-is without any programming knowledge, you will need programming knowledge in order to enhance it and adapt it to your own needs.

This is still a rather easy-to-follow example, based on a small number of stations:

• Reception where visitors check in and receive their ID tokens.
• InfoStation provides some information that will be useful at the next station. This information can only be viewed once.
• QuizStation presents a simple quiz game where a game score is collected. In order to play the quiz, the visitor must first have been at the InfoStation.
• GoodByeStation where visigors check out, and view some results of their visit, including a game high-score for the quiz.

This example introduces the concept of library support classes, implementing much of the basic functionality that tends to be common, such as:

• Keeping track of who's where, and responding when visitors arrive and leave stations.
• Collection, presentation and persistence of aggregate data (here the high-score list of the game).
• Integrating token and phone identification, allowing you to combine both if desired.

As usual, the data collected is defined as a Record:

@record("Data we track for each visitor")
class BasicTagOnlyData extends RecordBase implements VisitorRecordBase {
  @id()    idCode: string;         // RFID associated with this record
  @field() name: string;           // Name provided by visitor
  @field() currentStation: string; // Curently (or last) visited station
  @field() whenJoined: number;     // Timestamp when first connected
  @field() email: string;          // Email address
  @field() briefed: boolean;       // The visitor has been briefed at the info station
  @field() quizScore: number;      // Score frmo Quiz game (except how tall speaker is)
  @field() speakerTall: number;    // How tall the speaker is
  @field() totalScore: number;     // Final score total
}

Note the following:

• The data record declaration is decorated with @record(), which makes this known under its type name to Blocks.
• The data record, here named BasicTagOnlyData is based on the RecordBase type, which all data records must extend.
• It also implements some additional fields expected by the library support classes, defined by the VisitorRecordBase class.
• Each custom field in the record is marked either by @id() – if it's a unique key by which the data can be retrieved – or by @field() if it's a plain data field.
• Fields must be of a primitive type (string, number or boolean).

If you open the project's code in a code editor you can navigate to base classes and interfaces by Control- or Command-clicking the name in the editor.

You need a computer running the Blocks server software and a four display spots (preferably based on PIXILAB Player) to use this application note. Your Blocks server must also have the additional Visitor Data Collection license (you can check this under Manage/Licenses).

There's a complete PIXILAB-blocks-root folder containing everything you need to run this application note. Download this ZIP file and follow the in the general setup instructions to get up and running.

Then follow these steps to run this application.

1. Start Blocks.
2. Open the editor using the Admin button.
3. Log in using the name admin and the password pixi.
4. Connect four Display Spots, running on PIXILAB Player or equivalent, corresponding to each of the four stations mentioned above.
5. Connect an RFID or NFC reader to the USB port of each of those players.
6. Assign those players to each of the corresponding Display Spots in the Spot list.
7. Scan a suitable RFID or NFC token at the Reception station to start the visit.
8. Try out each of the stations, with the GoodByeStation last.
9. Other visitors can sign in using individual ID tokens.

The script defining the data record as well as how data is collected and used can be found at script/user/BasicTagOnly.ts. You need to have the recommended set of development tools (or equivalent) to check out or modify this example.