[Asterisk-Users] Comments on "transfer" feature request

[John Todd]

[re-hash of a previous message sent a few months ago.  This is 
especially interesting since the new "record" feature has been added. 
A possible use for this method would be to start the Monitor 
application on a channel after the caller enters a certain sequence 
of touch tones.  The more I look at the meta-code below, I think I 
can use variables to get the call in and out of "park" without 
creating new , but I still need to get something that allows the 
caller/call-ee to get OUT of the call by pressing a touch tone and 
then call some special extension instead of just the generic 
"transfer?" prompt]

Comments?

Feature request: Add the ability for the "T" and "t" suffixes in a 
Dial command to call an extension  directly (if specified) instead of 
going only to the hardcoded "transfer" command.

Feature request: Flash events, when presented inside of an existing 
call, will call a pre-specified extension just like the "T" and "t" 
request above, but perhaps with a different letter ("f")


Transfer extension flexibility:

   I'd like to jump to an extension (or context?) when a transfer 
trigger is pressed/used.  Notably, flash-hooks and DTMF tones.  If, 
as an example, my user hits flash from within a call, I'd like to 
have a voice announcement say "Press 1 to transfer this call to 
sales, press 2 to play a howling monkey, etc."

   I've read the manuals about using "#" as a transfer button;  that's 
half of the battle - instead of jumping to a hardcoded "Transfer?" 
voice prompt, can the "T" suffix in a Dial instead call an extension 
directly, without the user entering it?  This would do what I want, 
which is provide a little more flexibility in how one moves calls 
around.

   The trick is, I suppose, twisting some (a lot?) of logic around 
such that one party would be controlling the destination for the 
other party (to which they were just connected a second ago.)  In 
order to do this, one would have to create some sort of automatic 
park/unpark method and an application that would handle that.

   Why do I request this?  Because nobody, ever EVER has phone lists 
beside them.  They complain bitterly that the phone system isn't 
user-friendly.  They can't even remember that "0" gets them the 
operator.  The more I can do to spoon-feed things to them with 
pre-recorded instructions, the better off I am.


A theoretical snippet from extensions.conf:

exten => 3444,1,Dial(${MYDESK},10,T[3000])


exten => 3000,s,Background(bigfatIVRfilewithtwoverbalizedoptions)
;
exten => 1,1,ReconnectPark
exten => 1,2,Dial(${SOMEWHERE1},10)
;
exten => 2,1,ReconnectPark
exten => 2,2,Dial(${SOMEOTHERPLACE},10)
;

First-Person example:
1) Someone ends up at extension 3444, and MYDESK phone rings.  I talk 
with them.  I hit the "#" key.
2) The other party is parked in a (random?) unoccupied park area.
3) I am transferred to extension 3000 (should this be a context, or 
just an extension?)
4) I go through a menu selection based on what is in my pre-built recording
5) At some point, I decide where I want to send the caller, based on 
what I hear in the menu
6) I press the digit(s) for the appropriate
7) A new application, called "ReconnectPark" is called.  This pulls 
the parked call out of the holding tank and then the next priority is 
run with that call as the "caller", and away they go.
8) I don't quite know what to do with my end of the conversation; it 
seems a bit rude just to hang up.  Perhaps another optional extension 
for post-transfer, like this?

exten => 3444,1,Dial($MYDESK},10,T[3000:3999])
;
exten => 3000,s,Background(bigfatIVRfilewithtwoverbalizedoptions)
;
exten => 1,1,ReconnectPark
exten => 1,2,Dial(${SOMEWHERE1},10)
;
exten => 2,1,ReconnectPark
exten => 2,2,Dial(${SOMEOTHERPLACE},10)
;
exten => 3999,1,Playback(call-successfully-transferred)
exten => 3999,2,Hangup
;


Next feature.... flash usage:

   From what I understand, SIP can relay flash events, so this is 
within the bounds of reason.  This is not a high-priority issue for 
me, but it would be handy for managing transfers and whatnot.  Using 
the "#" key is fraught with danger, especially when it is used in IVR 
menus on systems outside of the local PBX; I prefer "flash" since 
it's local-only, though having both "flash" and "#" would be great.



   If this transfer logic is already implemented, could someone please 
kindly point me to a resource or mailing list discussion about it? 
I am re-inventing the wheel here, and I really hate doing these 
exercises since everyone else has already thought it out.

PS: Man, the mailing list is a real bear to search through.  There is 
no keyword search that I've been able to find, and Google's search 
features suck on mailing lists.  The time delay on material appearing 
in the manuals, plus lack of mailing list search-ability makes RTFM 
very difficult.

JT