*Here is some draft verbiage.* *Could someone from the docs team please polish this and add it to confluence?* Freeswitch has long used a common parent directory for all its files typically "/usr/local/freeswitch". A global variable $${base_dir} exists that configuration files have used to define paths relative to this common parent. Freeswitch installs from Debian and RPM packages do not install files relative to a common parent making $${base_dir} irrelevant. Since 2014-09-04 Freeswitch exposes discrete directory variables. The example configuration files have been changed to use these new variables instead of $${base_dir} If you build from source these variables are automatically configured but can also be set explicitly via the ./configure script. Whether you build from source or install from a distribution package these variables can be overridden via arguments to the "freeswitch" executable. Compatibility is expected because ${base_dir} has not changed. To see the available configuration options "./configure -h". To see the available runtime options "./freeswitch -h". To see the values of the directory variables "./fs_cli -x global_getvar". Sincerely, Russell Treleaven