Creating a conference with only one user via Lync api - Meet Now

Question

I have been trying to build an application in the Lync sdk. What I want is to simulate a conference room environment where - the first user that comes in initiates a conference and puts the conference uri on the server for subsequent users to join - basically essentially the same functionality that the MEET NOW option of MS's Lync client exposes. However, what i have found out is that both the methods - beginstartconversation() in _Automation class and _LyncClient.ConversationManager.AddConversation(), only initiate P2P conversation nd u get a conference uri only when more than 2 users are joined in. I want a user to be able to host a conference without inviting any specific users. Is there any workaround? Thanks for your help.

Answer 1

I don't believe you can do this in the client side SDK.

One option would be to create a UCMA application that responds to an incoming conversation by escalating to a conference and returning the URI back to the user.

Your custom client could then start a conversation with your application and send an IM. The conversation would then be escalated to a conference, and the URI returned from the application as an IM. Your custom client could then handle the URI as it pleases.

The UCMA SDK contains enough example code to get you up and running with this quickly

Answer 2

You can do this by adding a dummy user to the conference when you start it. The dummy can be any URI of the form: dumb@dumber.dum, a@b etc. The client SDK will automatically escalate to a conference call and remove the dummy user. The escalation will persist. Note that this will take some time, as it does in Microsoft's client as well.

Answer 3

One method to simulate Meetnow in Lync is by using Automation Class in Lync SDK.

BeginMeetNow() will create a conference with IM Modality add Audio Video Modality to conference using BeginConnect().

Automation automation = LyncClient.GetAutomation();
automation.BeginMeetNow((ar) =>
{
    conferenceWindow = automation.EndMeetNow(ar);
    conference = conferenceWindow.Conversation;

    conference.Modalities[ModalityTypes.AudioVideo].BeginConnect((ar1) =>
    {
        conference.Modalities[ModalityTypes.AudioVideo].EndConnect(ar1);
    }, null);
}, null);

Lync SDK 2013 : https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/download/details.aspx?id=36824