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Text File | 1994-05-01 | 12.7 KB | 256 lines

File: README! 05/01/94 A command line option /l has been added. Select the level of logging by entering one of the following digits. For example ANSWER -l5. Using level 7 will display all initialization results on the screen and in the log file. Use this option to get hints if you get "Voice Hardware Error" messages. 0 LVL_BLANK, /* blank line - write a blank line */ 1 LVL_ERROR, /* ! - error has occured */ 2 LVL_TERSE, /* ! * - connection status */ 3 LVL_REGULAR, /* ! * + - commands and mode */ 4 LVL_VERBOSE, /* ! * + : - details of actions */ 5 LVL_TRACE, /* ! * + : # - comments on details */ 6 LVL_VIDEO, /* ! * + : # _ */ 7 LVL_DEBUG, /* ! * + : # _ = */ 8 LVL_MAX /* maximum syms */ 03/12/94 ShareWare/Registration/License ============================== ANSWER.EXE is shareware. This means you are authorized to try it on a trial basis. If you enjoy the program and continue to use it after a period of 30 days, you must register it. Please fill out the order form provided in the file OFFER.TXT and send it with a check or money order. At this time, Cygnus Data Systems is unable to accept credit card orders. This software will discontinue to operate after 30 days of use. Notes about this software ========================= ANSWER.EXE was designed to be a telephone answering system which can handle voice, fax, and data calls. It is not intended to be run under a multi-tasking environment like DesqView, Windows, etc. It was designed to be reliable and run in an unattended mode. Due to the high data rates of the voice messages, this software will not work on an XT computer. It is not guarenteed to work on all systems, and their configurations. A 12 Mhz AT or faster computer is highly recommended. The documentation was originally written several revisions back and for the DigiPhone. Several things have changed in the software and many new features have been added. Also, support for additional voice and sound cards have been and are being continually added. Some of these changes have not yet been incorporated into the documentation. A major revision of the documentation is planned. I have a long list of features to add to the software. An enhanced version is planned which will support voice file conversions between several different sound file formats, support for additional hardware, revised script language for the Information Server Mode, and the list goes on. All comments, suggestions, and reports about this software are welcomed and encouraged and should be addressed to the author. Quick Start Installation ======================== This software package has been taylored for the ZyXEL U-1496 series and ZOOM modems and has been distributed in two archives. The first archive contains the operating and documentation files, while the second archive contains all pre-recorded voice messages. The steps outlined below describe the minimum required to get ANSWER.EXE up and running. The directory names may be of your choosing and are not hard coded into the software. You should ensure that you have enough hard disk space to hold the required operating files (740 kbytes), and any message files you add later, as well as incoming messages. The operating files require 320 kbytes and the pre-recorded voice files require 420 kbytes. Any voice messages you add require 144 kbytes per minute. All references to the "home" directory equate to the directory in which ANSWER.EXE resides. In the examples below, the indented commands shown in capitol letters represent example commands which are entered at the DOS prompt. If you are configuring ANSWER.EXE for the ZyXEL, ZOOM, or CompuCom modem, before you run ANSWER.EXE, you should use your favorite terminal program to ensure that your modem is operating correctly. Note the COM port to which it is attached. If it is set to a non-standard COM port, you should know the base address and irq it is using. STEP 1. Make a directory on your hard disk. This directory will contain the operating files for ANSWER.EXE which are contained in the first archive of this package. An example would be C:\ANSWER. To do this, make the hard disk the current disk, make the directory, and change to that directory. (Note: Do not run ANSWER.EXE from a root directory - not even on a RAM drive. You should make a subdirectory and run it from there). For example: C: MD \ANSWER CD \ANSWER STEP 2. Extract ANS37E.ZIP into the directory in step 1. All of these files except for the *.txt, the *.doc, and this file are used during normal operation of ANSWER.EXE. For example: PKUNZIP ANS37E STEP 3. Make a directory for your message files. This directory will contain all of the voice message files which are REQUIRED for normal operation of ANSWER.EXE (Incoming messages, and Outgoing messages may be stored in other directories). An example would be C:\ANSWER\BIN. To do this after following step one, simply make the directory. For example: MD BIN CD BIN STEP 4. Extract ZYX_BIN1.EXE (or the appropriate voice file archives for your system) into the directory in step 2. Since this is a self-extracting archive, you may simply execute it. All of these files are REQUIRED for normal operation of ANSWER.EXE. This directory may be located anywhere you choose, even on another drive. You will specify this directory name in the Options menu when you run the program. ZYX_BIN1 BIN CD \ANSWER STEP 5. Execute ANSWER.EXE. When you run ANSWER.EXE for the first time, it searches its home directory (the directory where ANSWER.EXE resides) for the OPTIONS.DAT file. If it does not exist, the software will enter the Options menu directly. This file contains configuration information that you can change at the Options menu. While in the Options menu, use the arrow keys or the highlighted letter to select the option, the enter key to select the option, and the escape key to back up one level. ANSWER STEP 6. Select Directory. This is where you specify the directory names. All entries here default to the home directory. When specifying directory names, specify the full pathname to the directory. If you do not include a trailing back slash ('\'), the software will append one. STEP 7. Select Bin. Enter the full pathname to the directory specified in step 3. This is an important step since this directory contains the pre-recorded voice message files which ANSWER.EXE uses and expects to find in this directory. You may record your own voice messages to replace these messages, but you must use the same names. The file BINFILES.TXT lists these files and explains the content of each of them. STEP 8. Press escape to return to the Options menu. Select Hardware. Here you will specify the specific hardware characteristics of your system. STEP 9. Select Voice Card. If you have a ZyXEL modem, then select ZyXEL. You will then see a list of COM ports with their respective base address and irq assignments. Select the port to which your modem is attached. After this, you will be returned to the Hardware menu. STEP 10. Choose other options as required. The Mouse support is not currently implemented. The Zero Level not applicable to the ZyXEL or ZOOM modems. The Timeout allows you to specify two timeout values. The first specifies the number of seconds to wait for a caller to press a touch tone before prompting for it (the software will hang up after three prompts and no response). The second specifies the number of seconds between dialing the number 4 while playing or recording voice files locally with the telephone (not applicable to ZOOM modems). For further information on recording and playing voice message locally, see the Voice Messages section of this document. The last option, Pause Length, is used to specify the number of seconds of silence to wait during recording before ending the recording. STEP 11. Press escape to return to the Options menu. Here you will notice three additional options not mentioned above - Colors, Messages, and Tones. Feel free to examine these options. See ANSWER.TXT for further information on these options. STEP 12. Press escape to return to the Main menu. When you exit the options menu by pressing escape, the software will attempt to communicate with and initialize the modem. If this is successful, the message "Voice Card Working" will appear in the lower left status box. Otherwise, the message "Voice Card Error" will be displayed. If the error message is displayed, this indicates that the software was unable to communicate with the modem, or the modem failed the identification test for the type selected in the Options/Hardware/Voice Card menu. If this happens, exit ANSWER.EXE and enter your terminal program and verify that the modem is operating. Return to ANSWER.EXE and verify the Voice Card seletions. STEP 13. Select Messages/Outgoing/Record to record your outgoing message. This message will be the message played to the caller after answering the phone in the Answer Mode. An example would be "Hello, this is Dan. I'm unable to come to the phone right now, but I do want to speek to you so please leave you name, number, and a message after the tone and I will return your call as soon as I can. Thanks for calling." (please read the section on recording voice messages locally first). When you're finished recording, return to the Main Menu by pressing escape(s). STEP 14. Select Control/Answer Mode/OGM Number. Once you have recorded your outgoing message, you can activate the message. The numbers on the left of the screen correspond to the OGMn.BIN outgoing message files where n is a number from 1 to 16. To activate a message, simply press return on the highlighted selection. You can also edit the times during which this message should be active. When you're finished editing, return to the Main Menu by pressing escape(s). STEP 15. Select Activate/Answer Mode. Your voice software is now up and running and ready to answer incoming calls. ANSWER.EXE will blank the screen after 10 seconds of inactivity until a call is received or a key is pressed. Press escape to exit the Answer Mode. Voice Messages ============== Recording and playing voice messages locally There are several methods of recording and playing messages locally. The first and simplest method simply uses a normal telephone connected to the same telephone line as the modem. When selecting to record or play a message, the software will command the modem to dial a 4, then ask you to pick up the phone then press a keyboard key. During recording or playing, every 10 seconds, the modem will dial 4 again to keep the phone line active. This method has obvious limitations. The ZOOM modem does not dial 4. To play and record messages, simply disconnect the LINE telephone cord from the modem, leaving the PHONE cord to your telephone connected. ANSWER will then play and record messages using your phone. Remember to reconnect the LINE cord when finished. The second method is much more elegent but also has limitations. This method is described in section 5.4 of the ZFAX Utility Manual and involves the use of the telephone handset. A special cord is required since most telephone handsets have a different size connector which plugs into the base set of the telephone. The connector required is the RJ11C connector and is readily available at Radio Shack. However, a special tool is required to crimp this connector onto the phone cord. Once you have this setup, you can use the telephone handset to record and play messages. Plug this handset into the modem Line Jack and use the handset earphone as both a microphone and a speaker (yes, the earphone is used to listen and talk in this configuration). CAUTION: DO NOT PLUG THE HANDSET INTO THE PHONE JACK. If you have the telephone line plugged into the Line Jack, and the handset plugged into the Phone Jack, then the handset will be connected directly to the telephone line when the modem is on-hook. This WILL cause damage to the handset. A third method is available to you if you have a SoundBlaster sound card. A third party utility (ZYXELVOC) is avalable (posted on the ZyXEL Tech Support BBS) to convert .VOC files to ZyXEL voice files. If you have a SoundBlaster in your system, and if the phone is on-hook when you select to record or play messages, the software will auto-detect the SoundBlaster and choose to use it to record and play messages. A fourth method may be employed if you have a second telephone number and line at your location. Simply call the number which is connected to your modem from the other telephone. Select Phone/OffHook. Then record and play messages as usual. Hang up both phones when done.