Ascendis Caller ID beta version 1.8.0.4 now available

[Bill Root]

Version 1.8.0.4 includes the following changes from the last beta release:

- added LogActivity script command to log text to Activity Log
- added PhoneSound script command to play sounds over the phone

These commands are only available in Advanced Actions. Their syntax in DWS scripts is:

Code: Select all

LogActivity('log message');
PhoneSound('wave filename');

Their syntax in old-style scripts is:

Code: Select all

LogActivity "log message";
PhoneSound "wave filename";

Please note the following:
o The PhoneSound command will only work with correctly configured voice modems. Ascendis Caller ID's Repair Modem command does not correct voice mode configuration issues.
o Voice modems typically only support certain kinds of wave files. Usually they support wave files in PCM format sampled at 8 kHz, 16 bit, mono. You can use Windows' Sound Recorder to convert other wave files to this format. If you pass an incorrectly formatted wave file to PhoneSound, you'll get something like this in the activity log:

waveOutOpen() -- The specified format is not supported or cannot be translated. Use the Capabilities function to determine the supported formats.

The "Block" and "Block and Announce" categories now attempt to play a recording of the disconnected number tones before hanging up the phone. You can look at these categories for examples of using the new commands. Of course, if you are installing over an existing version, the existing categories table will be used and the new categories will not be available. To use them, import the "Standard Categories.csv" file installed to the Ascendis Caller ID program folder. If you currently have categories named "Block" and "Block and Announce" you must rename them first or the new categories will be skipped during the import.


As always, bug reports and feedback are appreciated.


You can download this version here:
http://ascendis.com/callerid/CallerID_Beta_Setup.EXE

The beta page is available here:
http://ascendis.com/callerid/beta.php

[Stu]

Hi Bill;

My hat's off to you for electing to give this feature a go.

I came across the phone recording archive online some time ago at

http://www.payphone-directory.org/sounds.html

and was thinking of using some of the phone company recordings to play to more persistent callers...

I'm using dual USR 56K PnP ISA boards which have been working flawlessly with the software to date.

I decided to try the new feature but haven't had any success as of yet
and keep getting the waveOutOpen() -- The specified format... message regardless of the file types I have tried. The tried file types include Vox, MS PCM, MS ADPCM and GSM with the same results. I haven't been able to find any exact specs. for what USR uses online anywhere either but figured one of these would work...

I also issued ATS#CL=8 to the modems to ensure they were in voice mode prior.

Any ideas? Something in proper intiialization I'm missing? Or can you shed more light on the subject?

Thanks

Stu

[MEEL]

Hi!
I wonder whats the purpose of the phonesound is.
Is it supposed to work as an answeringmachine with no recordnig ability or just to give information to the caller.

What happens if you don't use the hang up command together with phonesound, is the sound played and the phone still rings or is the line open until the caller hangs up?

Can you give me some examples how to use it?

/Mattias

[Bill Root]

Hi Stu,

First of all, thanks for giving the new command a try!

I downloaded one of the sounds at the link you provided and looked at the properties (using Windows' Sound Recorder) and it reported:
PCM 11.025 kHz, 8 Bit, Mono

Using the "Convert Now" button on the Properties page of Sound Recorder I converted it to:
PCM 8.000 kHz, 16 Bit, Mono

The converted sound played on my TrendNet modem (Intel 537EP chipset) while the original did not. Have you tried converting the sounds to that format?

Finest regards,
Bill Root
Ascendis Software

[Bill Root]

Hi!
I wonder whats the purpose of the phonesound is.
Is it supposed to work as an answeringmachine with no recordnig ability or just to give information to the caller.

What happens if you don't use the hang up command together with phonesound, is the sound played and the phone still rings or is the line open until the caller hangs up?

Can you give me some examples how to use it?

/Mattias

Hi Meel,

PhoneSound can be used as a non-recording answering machine, which therefore serves to give information to the caller. The messages can be caller-specific by using separate actions. However, I think the most common reason users wanted this feature is to play a sound to telemarketers (or other undesired callers) before hanging up. Using the "Disconnect Tones.wav" sound distributed with the beta, you can play a sound for telemarketers that should cause them to remove your phone number from their list. (I should note that this is supposed to work in the US but I don't know whether it works elsewhere. If you get a different sound when calling a disconnected number, you could try using that.)

Whenever you use the PhoneSound or HangUp commands, Ascendis Caller ID "picks up" the phone before doing the command. Therefore the phone stops ringing. If you don't use the hangup command afterwards then, well... at this time the phone is keep off the hook until Ascendis Caller ID is stopped using "File -> Exit". This does not seem like an optimal solution so it may be changed. In the meantime I recommend using HangUp after PhoneSound. In the future Ascendis Caller ID may automatically hang up if PhoneSound was used but no HangUp command was found.

As for examples, here is the Block and Announce action included in the beta:

Code: Select all

//LANGUAGE=DWS

PhoneSound('Disconnect Tones.wav');
HangUp;
LogActivity('Hanging up on ' + CallInfo.Name);
Speak('Hanging up on ' + CallInfo.Name);

This plays the disconnect tones to the caller, hangs up the phone, then logs the action and tells the user audibly what it did. You would use this action for callers that you don't want to call you again, such as telemarketers.

Finest regards,
Bill Root
Ascendis Software

[Stu]

Hi Bill.

I happened to have a TrendNet TFMV92I kicking around and tried it - it worked properly on the first attempt. I am going to have to assume it's a chipset issue in that case. The obvious and easier answer for me at this point would probably be trying to scare up another TrendNet modem...but I'm going to hunt around and see if I've got any using the same Intel chipset kicking around - that might work too.

Thanks again - it's a great feature!

Stu

[Bill Root]

Hi Stu,

Well, that's interesting. I have one USR ISA voice modem but I haven't been able to get the audio drivers to install. I have another USR PCI voice modem that works fine. My external Zoom 3049C also works fine.

I suspect you won't be able to get two TrendNet modems working on one computer because they're winmodems. I haven't tried it though -- I only have one.

Finest regards,
Bill Root
Ascendis Software