[Asterisk-Users] PHP Gui for Asterisk (AGI questions)

[Peter Brown]

Hi,

XML may be the latest but it also adds latency to the whole process - for
what benefit?

It looks better, we are using the latest technology? If a wheel barrow will
do the job why get a D9 Tractor?

No flame wars pls, just my 2cents worth.

Peter

At 19:00 17/03/2003 -0500, you wrote:
>I hate to say do it Microsoft's way; but they FINALLY came around with
>Win2003 to storing the web server config in XML; and after revisions of
>registry storage (basically param=value format), then metabase with
>inheritance issues (custom format, no tools to edit) and now they went XML.
>
>I've always liked the apache layout (although I make a living on IIS) - This
>new XML one, although I haven't played with it much yet, looks like the way
>*ALL* configs should be.  Not that IIS config is the way - but XML.
>
>As was said, other editors can do it, there's components (windows and *nix
>based) to parse xml readily available, etc.
>
>I've said for a long time xml is NOT the be all and end all like people
>profess, and it's ended up doing things that there's no reason to do -
>however for config files it looks like a great answer.
>
>Steve Radich - Colocation / Virtual Dedicated / Dedicated Servers 
>BitShop, Inc. - http://www.bitshop.com - $149/month colo special
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Chris Albertson [mailto:chrisalbertson90278 at yahoo.com] 
>Sent: Monday, March 17, 2003 5:23 PM
>To: asterisk-users at lists.digium.com
>Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] PHP Gui for Asterisk (AGI questions)
>
>
>I think the way to go with conf. file for Asterisk is XML.
>
>When I first saw the Asterisk conf files I wondered if Eric 
>Allman had found a new job working on Asterisk. (That's
>a joke for those of you who have had to maintain a sendmail
>installation.  sendmail.cf is the definition of cryptic)  
>
>Some advantages of XML:
>
>1) Parsers and file editors already exist for XML.  Users could
>   edit files with ready made GUI tools, programmers can use
>   XML with XML libraries.  There are even web-based tools for
>   maintaining XML data.  
>
>2) Parsers and file editors can perform file validation.  Making
>   it not-possible to save an invalid file.
>
>3) (some) Database systems can gobble up XML and spit it back
>   out.  Yes, I think the DBMS idea was resonable for a large
>   installation.  Overkill if less then say a few hundred
>   extensions.  Large sites like to manage phone extension and,
>   extension to physical location maping and other stuff in a DBMS.
>
>4) XML (with addition of a style sheet) can be directly displayed
>   in a web browser
>
>5) Without a GUI and/or wrb front end the system will remain 
>   only "geek usable".  (Your average "phone guy" doesn't know
>   how to use vi.)
>
>6) XML readers can ignor parts of the XML file they don't understand.
>   This allows one file to carry information for multiple readers
>   ad for new additions too the file not to break older readers.
>
>--- Steven Critchfield <critch at basesys.com> wrote:
>> On Mon, 2003-03-17 at 11:36, Stefano Finetti wrote:
>> > I was wondering about a little php-based GUI to manage Asterisk
>> Extensions.
>> > 
>> > Many way to obtain this, but i think that implementing in a php
>> script the
>> > AGI Commands should obtain the best results (more, the best result
>> would
>> > come with AGI+Mysql instead of a text file like extensions.conf
>> but...).
>> 
>> Text files would be better than a database since you could comment on
>> what you are trying to do with a text file. Also a text file can be
>> munged easier than a database when a change in argument format comes
>> out
>> such as the function style of calling apps in asterisk. Maybe if you
>> need webbased configuration you could make a script that held your
>> working copy either in a flat file or text file , then generated a
>> new
>> extensions.conf file as you commit changes. Once commited, you make a
>> call to asterisk to reload via the manager port. 
>> 
>> > The problem is that I've tried to understand *where* and *how*
>> apply AGI
>> > commands, without, of course, any good result.
>> > 
>> > In which way AGI commands are passed to asterisk?
>> > Into the console?
>> > Executing applications via extensions.conf?
>> 
>> AGI commands come from a script invoked by asterisk itself, and
>> communicate via STDIN/STDOUT with asterisk.
>> 
>> 
>> -- 
>> Steven Critchfield  <critch at basesys.com>
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Asterisk-Users mailing list
>> Asterisk-Users at lists.digium.com
>> http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
>
>
>=====
>Chris Albertson
>  Home:   310-376-1029  chrisalbertson90278 at yahoo.com
>  Cell:   310-990-7550
>  Office: 310-336-5189  Christopher.J.Albertson at aero.org
>  KG6OMK
>
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