Setting Up a Multi-User Session on a Local Network

Setting Up a Multi-User Session on a Local Network

In order to set up a Multi-User session on a local network, all participants must be on the same network (not necessarily Internet-enabled). 

If you encounter any issues within your Multi-User session, please refer to our comprehensive Troubleshooting guide.

Creating and Joining Multi-User Sessions

Instantiating a Multi-User Session

Please access the "Meeting" menu and click on the button reading "Create Session" in the "Local" tab.

Once a session is created, you become the host (your name will be displayed in an orange box) and can share the invitation key (either a QR code or your IP address) with your colleagues. 

The QR code can be found inside the "3D Objects" folder within the subfolder "meeting_qrcodes" of the "Hololight Space" folder. The path could should like this: "C:\Users\{Username}\3D Objects\Hololight Space\meeting_qrcodes". The path is also listed within the application under "QR Code".

Under "Available Own IP Addresses" you can find the IP address of your server device that other participants can use to connect to your Multi-User session.

Join requests from participants can be managed via "Auto-accept Join Requests". When this option is enabled, any Hololight Space user on the same network can join your Multi-User session. If this option is disabled, you will be notified within the app if someone wants to join and can confirm or decline the request.

Joining a Multi-User Session 

There are two methods to join a Multi-User session - either via QR code or via IP address. Both methods require the host of the Multi-User session to share the necessary key with you via a communication platform of your choice.

Joining via QR Code

Please be aware that scanning QR codes in Hololight Space for Meta Quest 2 is not supported due to technical limitations.
Once the host has shared their meeting QR code with you, please press "Join Session with QR Code" and you will be prompted to scan a QR code - this is where the previously mentioned meeting QR code comes into play. As soon as the QR code scanning was successful, you should  have joined the Multi-User meeting.

Joining via IP Address

Once the host has shared their IP address with you, please click on the input field next to "Join Session with IP Address" and enter the host's IP address on the keyboard.  Now, the "Join Session with IP Address" button should no longer be grayed out, but blue. As soon as the connection attempt was successful, you should  have joined the Multi-User meeting.

Managing Avatars during Multi-User Sessions

Once you have started or joined a successful multi-user session, you should be able to see the avatars and display names of the other participants. If the avatars are not aligned (i.e. not superimposed directly on the user), it is necessary to align the world space for all participants using either the "Align Space via QR Code" (only in AR) or "Manually Align Space" (AR and VR) functionality. You can find detailed instructions on how to do this in this guide. 

The visibility of the avatars and display names can be set within the "Options" tab of the "Meeting" menu and can be either enabled or disabled.

These settings apply to all participants, so it is not possible to enable/disable only certain avatars or display names within your Multi-User session.

Managing Files during Multi-User Sessions

If a participant works in trial mode, they can only load, share and receive demo files. Thus, if another participant shares a non-demo file, it cannot be received even if "Auto-share Loaded Files" and "Auto-receive Shared Files" are enabled.
File Sharing plays a key role within Multi-User sessions. Both the host and guests can share files and edit them collaboratively in real time.

Files can be shared and received either automatically or manually-controlled.

Automatic File Sharing and File Reception

Automatically means that if within the "Options" tab of the "Meeting" menu the "Auto-share Objects" option is enabled for the host and the "Auto-receive Objects" option is enabled for the guest, as soon as a 3D object is loaded, it is shared immediately with all the participants. If there is any object already loaded in the Space before the start of the meeting, it is loaded immediately at the start of the meeting. 

Manual File Sharing and File Reception

Manually-controlled means that if within the "Options" tab of the "Meeting" menu the "Auto-share Objects" option is disabled for the host and the "Auto-receive Objects" option is disabled for the guest, the 3D object must be either shared or requested manually. This can be controlled within the Space Manager.

To be able to share a file manually, you have to access the "Space Manager" menu first and locate the object within the hierarchy. There should be an icon to the right of the object name. If you press this, you trigger the "Share" functionality and the object can be received by other participants (either manually or automatically). 

To be able to receive a file manually, you have to access the "Space Manager" menu first and locate the object within the hierarchy. There should be an icon to the right of the object name. If you press this, you trigger the "Receive" functionality and the object will be loaded into your world space. It is available in the "Space Manager" hierarchy from this point onwards.

Managing Tools during Multi-User Sessions

Within Hololight Space, you have a virtual toolbox at your disposal. 

The majority of these "Tools" functionalities are synchronized in Multi-User, but not all of them. Refer to the table to check which ones are synchronized and can be seen by all participants.

Feature
Synchronization
Exploded View
✔️ 
Measurements
✔️
Cross-Section
✔️ 
Hand Pose Capture
✔️ 
Collision Detection
✔️*
Multimedia
❌
Stack Objects
✔️ 
3D Objects Comparison
✔️ 
Annotations
✔️ 
Animation Player
❌
*The functionality will be enabled for all users, but will not be displayed on other people's avatars ( i.e. will be visible only on one's own hands).

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