Setting up a Flock to Unlock Middleware Source

This type of Middleware Source is used for unlocking an action by reaching a goal. E.g., Collect 100 posts or tweets with #certainHashtag and unlock exclusive content. You can connect a Flock To Unlock to integrate its data through our Middleware with your graphics insertion system allowing you to display on the screen a pre-defined target bar. 


To learn how to create a Middleware Source, click here.

1. General Settings

  • Name (1): Naming your Flock to Unlock Middleware Source is a good practice so that you and your teammates can identify it for later use.

  • Connected Flows (2): When you create this type of Middleware Source, you should assign it to the Flow from which it will take the number of posts. Click on Select and choose any of your listed Flows to add them to your Middleware Soyurces.

  • Status (3): It provides your Flock to Unlock status and gives you access to the Remote control to change it.

  • Tweets to reach the goal (4):
    • Show historical top percentage: Never decrease the historical progress the Middleware Source has made.
    • Show actual percentage: If you change the target value, the progress the Middleware Source shows may decrease.

      Additional Settings (5)


  • Count:
    • Total Posts: Indicates the number of times a hashtag, keyword, or social account was mentioned. This way you can show your audience the real volume of participation.
    • Unique Authors: Indicates how many people participate. This count is very useful for polls since it prevents a user from being able to participate more than once.

  • Percentage decimals: Choose how many decimals (0 - 2) the results will be displayed.

  • Number formatting: According to the selected language, the thousands separator will be a period (.) or a comma (,). For additional information click here.

2. Integration

  • Integration type (1): Select how you want to integrate the data according to the graphics system you have. If it is not listed click others. 

Vizrt Integration

Integrations with Vizrt can be made through:

  • Flowics Middleware + Data Reader, pick others from the dropdown.
  • Flowics Middleware + TRIO, pick others from the dropdown.

For additional information about Vizrt integration click here.

  • Integration Steps (2): From here you will be able to access the XML and JSON or you will find the steps on how to integrate according to your CG integration system.

  • Version (3): This refers to the Middleware version. We recommend always using the higher from the drop-down. Please refer to this article for more information.

  • Connect to Middleware (4): Enable it, pick your middleware from the dropdown, and find the destination path where the File or Database is being written in your destination unit by the middleware.  

3. Previewing Flock To Unlock Middleware Source

After you have saved the Flock to Unlock Middleware Source configuration you can preview its data. Keep in mind that this information is not updated in real time, so you should refresh the window to see the latest results.

4. XML Integration

4.1 Example & Fields description 

4.1.1 XML Example

<flockToUnlock>
    <widgetId>30473</widgetId>
    <widgetTitle>Contes</widgetTitle>
    <flowName>Sign of the Times - Harry Styles</flowName>
    <isLive>true</isLive>
    <target>1500</target>
    <total>1223</total>
    <remaining>277</remaining>
    <percentage>81.53</percentage>
    <formattedTarget>1,500</formattedTarget>
    <formattedTotal>1,223</formattedTotal>
    <formattedRemaining>277</formattedRemaining>
    <formattedPercentage>81.53</formattedPercentage>
    <percentageMode>actual</percentageMode>
    <unlocked>false</unlocked>
</flockToUnlock>


4.1.2 Fields description

Note that some field names change when using the Avid Maestro integration type.

Field Description Field (Avid Maestro Integration)
flockToUnlock.widgetId Id of the Widget. flockToUnlock.widgetId
flockToUnlock.widgetTitle The name you have assigned to the Widget. flockToUnlock.widgetTitle
flockToUnlock.flowName The name of the Flow assigned to the Widget. flockToUnlock.flowName
flockToUnlock.isLive

Its value can be true or false. 

A graphic artist can use this field to control the behavior of the scene connected to this Middleware Source, i.e., it can show or hide the poll based on its value.

flockToUnlock.isLive
flockToUnlock.target Exposes the threshold value that must be reached to unlock the exclusive content. flockToUnlock.targetX
flockToUnlock.total The total amount of posts collected. flockToUnlock.totalX
flockToUnlock.remaining Amount of posts needed to reach the goal. flockToUnlock.remainingX
flockToUnlock.percentage Shows the percentage that has been reached.  flockToUnlock.percentageX
flockToUnlock.formattedTarget Similar to flockToUnlock.target but the number will be formatted according to the locale requested (added thousands separator).
flockToUnlock.formattedTarget
flockToUnlock.formattedTotal Similar to flockToUnlock.total but the number will be formatted according to the locale requested (added thousands separator).
flockToUnlock.formattedTotal
flockToUnlock.formattedRemaining Similar to flockToUnlock.remaining but the number will be formatted according to the locale requested (added thousands separator).
flockToUnlock.formattedRemaining
flockToUnlock.formattedPercentage Similar to flockToUnlock.percentage but the number will be formatted according to the locale requested (added thousands separator).
flockToUnlock.formattedPercentage
flockToUnlock.percentageMode
Indicates if the percentage displayed is the actual or historical one.

Actual: If you change the value of the goal to a higher one, the percentage of progress displayed will be calculated based on the number of current Tweets.

Historical: Displays the highest percentage that the Widget has reached regardless of the number of current Tweets with respect to the goal.
flockToUnlock.percentageMode
flockToUnlock.unlocked The values here can be True or False and indicates if the goal has been reached or not. flockToUnlock.unlocked


  

5. Database Integration

5.1 Columns Description

When using this kind of integration, a database table with the following columns is created. The type of columns is textual. For the specific type, check the middleware configuration, but they typically are text for MySQL or PostgreSQL and next forMicrosoft SQL Server.
Column Description Column (Avid Maestro Integration)
widgetId Id of the Widget. widgetId
widgetTitle The name you have assigned to the widget. widgetTitle
flowName The name of the Flow you have assigned to the Widget. flowName
isLive

Its value can be true or false. 

A graphic artist can use this field to control the behavior of the scene connected to this Middleware Source, i.e., it can show or hide the poll based on its value.

isLive
target Exposes the threshold value that must be reached to unlock the exclusive content. targetX
total Total amount of posts collected. totalX
remaining Amount of posts that are needed to reach the goal. remainingX
percentage Shows the percentage that has been reached. percentageX
formattedTarget Similar to the target but the number will be formatted according to the locale requested (added thousands separator). formattedTarget
formattedTotal Similar to the target but the number will be formatted according to the locale requested (added thousands separator). formattedTotal
formattedPercentage Similar to the target but the number will be formatted according to the locale requested (added thousands separator). formattedPercentage
formattedRemaining Similar to the target but the number will be formatted according to the locale requested (added thousands separator). formattedRemaining
percentageMode Indicates if the percentage displayed is the actual or historical one.

Actual: If you change the value of the goal to a higher one, the percentage of progress displayed will be calculated based on the number of current Tweets.

Historical: Displays the highest percentage that the widget has reached regardless of the number of current Tweets with respect to the goal.
percentageMode
unlocked The values here can be True or False and indicates if the goal has been reached or not. unlocked

6. JSON File integration

6.1 Example & Fields description

6.1.1 JSON Example

{
   "widgetId":34309,
   "title":"Flock To Unlock JSON",
   "updatedAt":"2020-10-08T15:27:13Z",
   "flowName":"Real Madrid",
   "isLive":true,
   "target":750,
   "total":528,
   "remaining":222,
   "percentage":70.4,
   "formattedTarget":"750",
   "formattedTotal":"528",
   "formattedRemaining":"222",
   "formattedPercentage":"70,40",
   "percentageMode":"actual",
   "unlocked":false
}

6.1.2 Fields Description

Field
Description
widgetId
Id of the Widget
title
Title of the Flock to Unlock, as configured in the Widget.
updatedAt Last modification datetime of Middleware Source (not data itself). ISO8601 format.
flowName Name of the Flow associated with the Middleware Source. Normally used to display the hashtag that is being tracked.
isLive

Its value can be true or false. 

A graphic artist can use this field to control the behavior of the scene connected to this Middleware Source, i.e., it can show or hide the Flock to Unlock based on its value.

target Exposes the threshold value that must be reached to unlock the exclusive content.
total The total amount of posts collected.
remaining Amount of posts that are needed to reach the goal.
percentage Shows the percentage that has been reached.
formattedTarget Similar to the target but the number will be formatted according to the locale requested (added thousands separator).
formattedTotal Similar to the target but the number will be formatted according to the locale requested (added thousands separator).
formattedRemaining Similar to the target but the number will be formatted according to the locale requested (added thousands separator).
formattedPercentage Similar to the target but the number will be formatted according to the locale requested (added thousands separator).
percentageMode Indicates if the percentage displayed is the actual or historical one.

Actual: If you change the value of the goal to a higher one, the percentage of progress displayed will be calculated based on the number of current Tweets.

Historical: Displays the highest percentage that the widget has reached regardless of the number of current Tweets with respect to the goal.
unlocked The values here can be True or False and indicates if the goal has been reached or not.

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