One portal for the exhibition industry – four different point of views. The new ExpoDataBase addresses exhibitors, visitors, organisers and service providers with an individual homepage for each.
At the heart of the new portal are the substantially expanded and refined search functions. Using crosslinks and search options you will have no difficulty switching between the various sections of the database.
Users can register in the myExpoWorld personal space and create and save individual search and information profiles. They are also given access to the m+a report E-magazine and to exclusive content such as trade fair know-how and checklists.

Screen 1: Selection of the individual homepage

Begin by clicking your register card: Are you an exhibitor, visitor, organiser or service provider? (1) / Screen 1. This choice will take you to your homepage and provide you with the relevant news and information.

Beneath the four register cards you will find the main navigation (2) / Screen 1. When you move the mouse over the individual menu items the respective sub-headings are faded in.

Screen 2: "Search cockpit" setup

On the left of the main search field is the two-part Expo ticker (1) / Screen 2. The register card "Exhibitors" presents companies currently on display at trade shows. Click the register card "Exhibitions" to go to trade fairs currently in progress.
On the right of the main search field terms frequently searched (2) / Screen 2 in ExpoDataBase are displayed.
In the centre you will find the main search field (3) / Screen 2.

From the main search field you can start your search for trade fairs, organisers, venues, service providers and news.
The search terms entered form the basis for all further search functions. Each extended search refines this initial term search by narrowing down the first total hit list.

Since this is a full-text search, the search is conducted only for the exact search words input, as they are spelt. It is not possible to search by word beginnings, parts of words, individual letters or placeholders.
> Example: Inputting the search term "building material" generates a far smaller number of hits than inputting "building materials".

Beneath the search field you can choose whether the search is conducted for "all search words", "at least one search word" or "exactly the group of words entered" (4) / Screen 2.
> Example: Entry "Messe Berlin"
- "All search words": finds all results in which "Messe" and "Berlin" appear
- "At least one search word": finds all results with either "Messe" or "Berlin"
- "Exact group of words": finds all results containing "Messe Berlin"

The search consists of various levels. As with a funnel, in further stages the results of the search words input are refined further.

The entries in the total hit list / Screen 3 are narrowed down by the sections and sub-groups listed in the left-hand navigation. However, the left-hand navigation shows only the sections in which the current search query has generated hits.


Screen 3: Input of the search word (Step 1) and section selection (Step 2)

Step 1: Enter search words into "search cockpit".
Step 2: Select section in the left-hand navigation by which the hit list is to be filtered.
Step 3: Narrow the search further using the filter boxes in the left-hand navigation.


Screen 4: Further narrowing of search using filter boxes (Step 3)

With the left-hand navigation bar you narrow your search to one section. Only the sections and sub-groups in which your initial search words have generated hits are displayed in the navigation bar.

When you select a section shaded in blue (1) / Screen 4 or a sub-group the navigation bar on the left adjusts to the section chosen. There you will then find content-related filter blocks to narrow down your search further.
By clicking "More" (2) / Screen 4 you fade in all sub-groups of a section.

Screen 5: Selection window "More than one option"

Via the sub-group "More options" (3) / Screen 4 a separate selection window opens / Screen 5. There you can search in one single step for several sub-groups.
Select the sub-groups you want and close the window by clicking "Search".
To add to or remove one or more search criteria, call up "More than one option" again and alter the sub-groups chosen in the selection window.


Screen 6: Display of search criteria by tick or search path

Blue ticks (1) / Screen 6 on the right of the sub-group in the left-hand navigation show you the criteria according to which you have filtered your hits.
In the search path (2) / Screen 6 you can also see the section and sub-headings selected. Using the Close icon at the end of the search path you can disable all the sub-headings chosen and return to the section search.

Screen 7: Slide control function
Slide controls / Screen 7 are to be found in two sections: at trade fairs / dates to select the event size (net area / number of exhibitors / number of visitors) and at News to select the publication period.

For trade fairs, using the slide control on the left you specify the minimum size of an event, using the one on the right the maximum size. Click "GO" to apply the restrictions to your hit list.
Screen 8: Search path setup
Restrictions by slide controls are displayed in the search path / Screen 8 as "net min." and "net max.".

Screen 9: Setup of the total hit list

After entering the search words you will be shown a list of all the hits (1) / Screen 9 containing all the results found by sections (service provider, trade fair/dates, organiser/venue, news). Only sections containing hits are displayed.

In the left-hand navigation bar select the section (2) / Screen 9 or sub-group (3) / Screen 9 by which you wish to filter your list of total hits.
Click individual entries in the hit list using the links shaded in red (4) / Screen 9.


Screen 10: Setup of the section hit list

After selecting a section or sub-group you will be shown a section hit list (1) / Screen 10 containing all the relevant search results. Using the content-related filter boxes in the left-hand navigation bar you can now refine the search again by selecting one or more sub-groups (2) / Screen 10.

The sort function (3) / Screen 10 features various criteria by which to sort the section hit list.

Select individual entries using the tagging options (4) / Screen 10.
By clicking "Show marked" you call up the marked entries as a separate list. You can disable tag markers using "unmark" or by clicking the marked entries individually.
Clicking "Show hits" returns you to the list of total hits.
Tags play a vital part in saving hit lists.

Screen 11: Registration window personal space
Save search queries and section hit lists in your personal space at myExpoWorld / Screen 11.
Each time you visit www.expodatabase.de, it is vital that you register first of all at myExpoWorld stating your user name and password. The memory function for saving searches or hits will only be available if you have previously "activated" your personal profile by inputting the user data.

File complex recurrent search queries in your personal profile. That way you can call up the latest comparable results lists whenever you like in just one search step.


Screen 12: Saving a search query

To save a search query click the save icon (1) / Screen 12 in the section hit list.
After the search query has been named it will be filed in your personal space (2) / Screen 12 and can be conducted again at any time.
When saving a search query make sure that no hits are marked, otherwise the query cannot be saved.

Screen 13: Saving a hit list

To save a hit list (1) / Screen 13 or individual hit list entries first select the relevant hits using the tag function.
Call up the tagged hits using "Show marked" and save them with the Save icon (2) / Screen 13.

Complete hit list: Mark all – Show marked entries – Save
Individually selected hits: Mark individual hits using select boxes – Show marked entries – Save

After your hit list has been named it will be filed in your personal space (3) / Screen 13.

Registered users can use special search and save functions and install their own search profiles through myExpoWorld. The personalised space myExpoWorld gives you access to the m+a-report E-magazine as well as to exclusive specialised content and working materials.

Each time you visit www.expodatabase.de, before conducting a search query it is vital that you register at the personal myExpoWorld space stating your user name and password. The memory function will only be available if you have previously "activated" your personal profile by inputting the user data.


Screen 14: Setup of the personal space in myExpoWorld
Tradeshow monitor:
Observe what is currently happening on the exhibition scene and follow changes and developments with the tradeshow monitor. Whenever there are any new entries or changes matching your search profile we'll let you know by email.
Saving search queries and hit lists:
You can save your hit lists and search queries. Using the Save icon you can secure complex search queries, view them at any time or conduct them again in just one step. [See Saving...]

You will find myExpoWorld, the personal space at ExpoDataBase / Screen 11, on the right beneath the search.

First log in using the link "Register free to enjoy benefits".
Once you have successfully registered, ExpoDataBase will send you an email notifying you of your personal activation link. By clicking on the link you confirm your registration.

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When you are logged in on twitter, enter:

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to open m+a-ExpoDataBase’s twitter profile.
Press the button "Follow" (1) / Screen 15 and all tweets of the m+a-editorial desk appear.


Screen 15: How to subscribe to tweets by m+a ExpoDataBase

Useful Twitter-tools:

PC:

• Firefox-plugin TwitterFox
• Desktop-application Tweetdeck

Apple iPhone:

• Twinkle
• Twitterific

Smartphones (Windows Mobile):

• Pocketwit
• Twikini

Blackberries:

• TwitterBerry
• UberTwitter

Are you already using RSS feed?
Subscribe to our free RSS feed on http://www.expodatabase.com/rss/news-rss.php and keep up to date with the latest news from the m+a editiorial desk.

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Find out about RSS on Wikipedia.


Screen 16: Browser bar with RSS-icon

How do I use RSS feed?
To read the news of m+a ExpoDataBase as RSS you need an RSS reader. RSS reader features are by now integrated into most portal sites, web browsers, and email programs.
When you visit a homepage offering RSS feed, this is indicated in the address bar of the browser / Screen 16. By clicking on the RSS icon in the browser bar you can subscribe to the RSS feed, so that the latest news are listed in your RSS reader.