[Freeswitch-users] IVR Questions

[Michael Collins]

> I'm ready to tackle creating a multi-level IVR.  From what I have seen
in
> the
> wiki, what I have to do is to create a separate wav file for each
prompt
> in
> some other software and then create an XML file to organize the logic
> around
> pointers to the wav files and terminating in the requited actions.
> 
> Am I missing something or is there any software that would simplify
this
> effort that is worth investigating?
> 

Right now there are two primary ways to build IVRs in FS: scripting
language or XML files. There isn't any way that I'm aware of (yet) to
simplify the process, such as a GUI-ish front-end software for building
IVRs.

Personally, I've just been using the combination of XML files. I know
that Brian West has done a lot with Lua. One advantage of Lua is that
when you change the Lua script, the very next call that gets sent to the
IVR will see any changes that have been made. With the XML files you
need to execute a 'reloadxml' command before the changes are seen. (I
don't know about xml_curl but I would wager that changes on the back-end
database that serve up xml_curl would show up with the very next
xml_curl request. If someone could confirm/deny that statement with
respect to IVRs that would be most welcome.)

Whether you chose XML or Lua/Perl/js/etc. I would recommend that you
study the demo IVR, especially the concept of phrase macros. Phrase
macros let you piece together lots of sound files and add TTS, pauses,
etc. so that you can build high-quality phrases. You can also use
channel variables in your phrase macros which makes them a bit more
dynamic.

Once you're familiar with the basics then it's a matter of preference
between scripting, XML, or xml_curl. Also, keep on the lookout for
GUI-ish stuff because you never know when someone is going to create a
front-end for this kind of stuff! ;)

-MC