Amanda Work Group Installation Manual

							Chapter 15: Programming Amanda 239
Q(
{
greeting
[#
mailbox][,E
]})
 Command that allows you to ask a caller a series of questions and store all the call-
er’s responses as a single message for the current mailbox. Each question is record-
ed as a greeting which Amanda plays back with a tone. Then Amanda records a 
response and goes on to the next question. Up to 20 questions are allowed. To ask 
more than 7 questions (after using Greetings 1 to 7 for the current mailbox) you can 
use greetings from other mailboxes by specifying which mailbox’s greeting to ac-
cess with a # sign followed by the mailbox, e.g., G7#123 would use greeting 7 from 
mailbox 123. You use the Q() command to create voice forms or implement some 
IVR applications.
This command is used only in Extension fields.
greetingOne of the seven mailbox greetings (G1–G7).
mailboxOptional. Any valid mailbox. The default is the current mailbox.
E
Gives the caller the opportunity to edit (review, rerecord, append, or can-
cel) the previous group of answers. 
If additional token language processing is required after the caller has hung up, use 
the H token as part of the token string.
Examples:
Q(G1,G2,G3,G4,G5,G6,G7,G1#9000,G2#9000) 
causes Amanda to ask 9 questions recorded in the specified greetings, record 9 re-
sponses, and store the responses as one message for the current mailbox, regardless 
of what mailbox’s provide the greetings.
Q(G1,G2,G3,E)records three answers from the caller and then gives the caller an opportunity to re-
view those answers as if they were one message. When editing, a menu gives the 
caller the options of re-recording, appending to or canceling the answers of that 
group. 
Q(G1,G2,E,G3,G4,E)asks the caller two questions and then allows the caller to edit those answers. Once 
the caller presses 9 to save, Amanda asks the next two questions and then allows 
the caller to edit the second group of answers.
N
OTE:
While editing, pressing 4 to cancel erases all the previous answers (not 
just those in the group being edited) and restarts the Q() command. 
Failure:  
Invalid mailbox
Invalid greeting
Alphabetical Token Reference (Continued) 
 Token SyntaxDescription 
						

							240 Installing [email protected]
%RSystem variable (the relay variable) that contains the DTMF digits entered by the 
caller who requested relay paging notification. Each port has its own %R. For more 
information, see Administering [email protected]. This is primarily used to 
send up to 16 digits of information to a user’s pager/beeper.
This token is used only in Notify Method fields. 
Example:
9,%VW(9,V)P(U)P(R)
causes Amanda to call someone at home and say the telephone number and other 
information in the relay variable.
R(
greeting
[#
mailbox],
variable
[,
timeout1
[,
timeout2]]) Command that plays a greeting from the current or specified mailbox and 
stores the caller’s DTMF entry as a number in the specified variable. The 
greeting is interrupted as soon as the first DTMF tone is entered. If there 
is no DTMF entry or if the timeout occurs, the variable is set to the empty 
string. 
greetingOne of the seven mailbox greetings (G1–G7).
mailboxOptional. Any valid mailbox. The default is the current mailbox.
variableOne of the port or global variables. 
timeout1A number from 0 to 10500 that represents the time in tenths of seconds 
to wait for the first DTMF digit after playing the greeting. The default is 
1.2 seconds.
timeout2A number from 0 to 10500 that represents the time in tenths of seconds 
to wait between additional DTMF digits (after the first). The default is the 
value of the configuration option tmo_dtmf.
Example:R(G1,%S6,20)
stores a telephone number entered by a caller for later use. Greeting 1 is 
“Enter your telephone number, finish by pressing the # sign.” The caller’s 
entry is stored as a number in the port variable %S6. Amanda waits two 
seconds after the greeting before deciding that the caller is not going to en-
ter a telephone number.
R(G1#111,%S1)
plays Greeting 1 of mailbox 111. The DTMF digits entered by the caller 
become the value of %S1.
Failure:  Invalid mailbox
Invalid greeting
Alphabetical Token Reference (Continued) 
 Token SyntaxDescription 
						

							Chapter 15: Programming Amanda 241
%S0 %S1
%S2 %S3
%S4 %S5
%S6 %S7
%S8 %S9
%S10 %S11
%S12 %S13
%S14 %S15
%S16 %S17
%S18 %S19Each telephone port has its own set of 20 %S variables where you can store, mod-
ify, or retrieve information. One port’s %S1 is not the same as another port’s %S1. 
If Port 1 changes %S1, it does not change the value of Port 2’s %S1. Initially, each 
variable is equal to the empty string. Each variable can contain a string of up to 143 
characters.
See also %G0–%G9.
N
OTE:
The [(), ](), and |() commands can be used only with %S0 through %S9. 
The variables %S10 through %S19 cannot be read from, written to, or ap-
pended to any DOS file.
Example:
+(%S0,5)
adds five to the current value of %S0.
=(%S12,714)
assigns the area code 714 to %S12.
I(%S12=714,555)
causes Amanda to go to the Extension field for mailbox 555 because the condition 
is true (%S12 does equal 714).
Failure:  
Invalid variable name (such as %S52)
Alphabetical Token Reference (Continued) 
 Token SyntaxDescription 
						

							242 Installing [email protected]
S(
port,
[
string],
[
variable],
[
termination],
[
length],
[
time-
out])
 Command that gives Amanda access to other computers via the serial ports. Aman-
da can send a string to and/or receive a string from the remote computer. When re-
ceiving, Amanda terminates the connection when the first of the following occurs:
 Amanda receives the specified termination string
 She receives the maximum number of characters
 A timeout occurs
When sending, Amanda terminates the connection after the string is sent.
Before using this command, make sure the configuration settings for the physical 
serial port have been defined. 
portThe number for or a variable containing the number for the logical se-
rial port (1,2,3,4) mapped onto a physical COM port by the configura-
tion option serial_port1, serial_port2, serial_port3, or serial_port4. 
stringOptional. A string or variable containing the characters to send to the 
specified serial port. It can contain alphanumeric characters as wells as 
variables and the following special characters: 
\A Attention, which is a bell sound (Ctrl+G)
\N Newline (Ctrl+J)
\R Return (Ctrl+M)
\T T
AB (Ctrl+I)
\\  Backslash, the actual \ character.
The default is to send no string to the serial port.
variableOptional. The port or global variable that stores the response. 
The default is not to store a response.
terminationOptional. A string or variable that defines the characters that, when 
read, stop Amanda from reading the serial port. This can use the same 
special characters as string. The default is \R\N, the carriage return/
linefeed pair that usually end a line in a text file. The terminating char-
acter, if any, does not become part of variable.
lengthOptional. A number or a variable containing a number. Its absolute 
value defines the maximum number of characters to receive over the 
serial port. The default is -143. Use a positive value for length when 
you are receiving a packet of characters, you know its exact size, and 
you want the command to fail if fewer characters are received. Use a 
negative number otherwise.
timeoutOptional. A number or variable that defines the maximum time, in sec-
onds, that Amanda should wait for the first character and also between 
characters being received on the serial port. The default is the setting 
for the configuration option tmo_serial.
Alphabetical Token Reference (Continued) 
 Token SyntaxDescription 
						

							Chapter 15: Programming Amanda 243
S
 token continuedExample:
S(2,%S3,%S4,,,50)
both sends and receives. The command uses COM port 2. %S3 stores the string to 
be sent. %S4 stores the string that is received. Amanda waits a half second for the 
first character and between characters.
S(2,%S3)
only sends. The command uses COM port 2. %S3 stores the string to be sent. This 
command has non-standard syntax. Because all the parameters after the string to be 
sent are not being used, this command does not need the additional commas.
S(2,,%S4,,,50)
only receives. The command uses COM port 2. %S4 stores the string that is re-
ceived. Amanda waits a half second for the first character and between characters.
Failure:  
Physical port not available
Logical port not configured properly
If a timeout stops Amanda from receiving information before the maximum num-
ber of characters is received and the length is a positive number, Amanda considers 
the command a failure.
%TSystem variable that contains the current connect time, the number of seconds that 
the current port/call has been active. Each port has its own %T.
Examples:
P(%T,N)
causes Amanda to say the amount of connect time as a number. See the P() com-
mand for more information.
Alphabetical Token Reference (Continued) 
 Token SyntaxDescription 
						

							244 Installing [email protected]
T(
file,
phone_no
[,
tokens])
 Command that sends faxes to either a specified telephone number or to a connected 
call. Before using this command, be sure at least one fax modem is installed and 
configured on Amanda. 
Before using this command, make sure the configuration settings for the physical 
serial port have been defined. 
fileThe file name of the fax you wish to transmit. It can be any valid DOS 
file name. Use the complete path to the file unless the file is in 
C:\AMANDA.
phone_noThe telephone number (or a variable containing that number) for the fax 
device that accepts the transmission. Use the empty string to make 
Amanda wait for a call to ring into the fax port.
tokensOptional. A string or variable that defines the actions Amanda takes to 
connect the call to the fax port. For more information, please see the ex-
ample for the J() command.
This command is used only in Extension fields.
Examples:
T(C:/FAXES/NEWINFO.FAX,%G6)
allows the user to request a fax and have the supplier of that fax send it to the pro-
vided telephone number. This is commonly called a “two-call fax back”. NEWIN-
FO.FAX is the name of the file, and %G6 contains the fax telephone number. 
T(C:/FAXES/NEWINFO.FAX,,%S5)
allows the user to request a fax and have it sent as part of the current call. This is 
commonly called a “one-call fax on demand”. NEWINFO.FAX is the name of the 
file, and %S5 provides the tokens that connect the call to the FAX port. 
Failure:  
Fax modem not configured properly
Physical port not available
Logical port not configured properly
%USystem variable that contains the current mailbox number. Each port has its own 
%U. See also %P.
Alphabetical Token Reference (Continued) 
 Token SyntaxDescription 
						

							Chapter 15: Programming Amanda 245
U-
ext_noCommand that performs partially supervised transfers. Amanda does not transfer 
the call if she detects a busy signal. To use the U token, the setting for Maximum 
Rings for the mailbox must be set to 1.
ext_noSeries of DTMF digits that indicate an extension number.
This command is used only in Extension fields.
Example:
U-144
causes Amanda to call extension 144 (if Amanda is processing a call). If the exten-
sion rings, she transfers the call and hangs up. If the extension is busy, Amanda lets 
the caller know that.
Failure:  
Does not fail
%VSystem variable that contains the value of the Variable field in the current Notifi-
cation record. Each port has its own %V.
This token is used only in Notify Method fields.
Example:
If the only difference in a Notification template for mailboxes is the pager/beeper 
telephone number that Amanda should call, %V can store that number.
9,%VW(3,P)%U*%M*%N#
causes Amanda to call the user and play the number of messages.
Alphabetical Token Reference (Continued) 
 Token SyntaxDescription 
						

							246 Installing [email protected]
V(
file,
field,
value{,
field,
variable}[,
n])Command that searches the specified file for the nth record that has the 
specified value in the specified field. It retrieves values from up to 8 other 
fields in that record, putting the retrieved values in the specified variables. 
See also the N() command.
fileA string or variable containing a valid DOS file name for the text or .DBF 
file. Use the complete path to the file unless the file is in C:\AMANDA. 
No line in the file should exceed 143 characters. There is no limit to the 
number of lines in the file.
fieldA number, string, or variable that indicates the number or name of a field. 
The first field indicates what field to compare with value; the additional 
(up to 8) fields indicate what fields to copy into the corresponding vari-
ables. (.DBF files have field names; text files have field numbers.)
valueA string or variable that contains the data to be compared with the con-
tents of the specified field. 
variableOne of port or global variables.
n(Optional) This parameter can be used only with ASCII files. A number 
indicating which matching record to use. For example, if n is 3, the first 
two matching records are ignored and data is taken from the third match-
ing record.
Amanda identifies n because, when it is used, there is an even number of 
parameters instead of an odd number.
Example:V(C:\\LISTS\\PHONE.LST,1,JOHN,3,%S1,2,%S2)
searches the file PHONE.LST for the first record that has the value JOHN 
in field 1. If the search is successful, the value in field 3 of that record is 
stored in %S1 and the value in field 2 is stored in %S2. 
Failure:  If no record is found
Invalid file
Invalid field
%WSystem variable that contains the day of the week (1 is Sunday, and 7 is Saturday).
Alphabetical Token Reference (Continued) 
 Token SyntaxDescription 
						

							Chapter 15: Programming Amanda 247
W(
n,
[
event
[,
mailbox]])
 Command that tells Amanda to:
 Wait a number of tenths of a second
 Wait for an event, such as a dial tone or another appropriate 
answer. If the event does not occur, Amanda goes to the spec-
ified mailbox.
nWithout an event parameter (P, V, or T), a number of tenths of a second.
For dial tone (T), the number of seconds.
For pager (P) and voice (V), the number of rings to wait before continu-
ing. If n is 0 for pager or voice, the 0 is replaced with the value of rmt_rna, 
a configuration option that you define using the Setup utility.
eventThe event that Amanda waits for:
P
A pager answer
V
A voice answer
T
The dial tone
mailboxAny valid mailbox or a variable containing a mailbox. Specifies the mail-
box to which control should be transferred if the event does not occur.
Examples:
W(3)makes Amanda pause for 3 tenths of a secondW(3,P)makes Amanda wait up to three rings for a paging/beeping system to answer. Use 
this to confirm that the paging company answered before playing the DTMF digits 
to be displayed on the pager.
W(4,V,111)makes Amanda wait up to four rings for a voice. If a voice is detected, processing 
continues with the next token. Otherwise, control is transferred to mailbox 111.
Failure:  
Invalid mailbox
Event does not occur and no mailbox is specified
%XSystem variable that contains the codes needed to get the transfer dial tone on the 
current port. Each port has its own %X. This is the setting of the dl-dtwait config-
uration option (usually F-). 
Alphabetical Token Reference (Continued) 
 Token SyntaxDescription 
						

							248 Installing [email protected]
X
[(
file)
]
 Command that creates the specified file or LIGHT.ON. Used in conjunction with 
the Y() and Z() commands, this command can control Amanda’s processing of to-
kens.
fileA string or variable containing a valid DOS file name for a text file. The 
default is to create the file LIGHT.ON in the mailbox’s directory.
Example:
A user’s message waiting indicator toggles on and off. For the first message, 
Amanda should turn the indicator on. The indicator should be left on for the second 
and later messages (until they are all listened to). So you use:
Z()
 to check whether the indicator is on or not (if LIGHT.ON exists, the indi-
cator is on).
X()
 to create the LIGHT.ON file when a message arrives and the indicator is 
not on.
Y()
 to delete LIGHT.ON when the indicator is turned off because the user has 
listened to all the messages.
Failure:  
Does not fail
%YSystem variable that contains the current date in American format:  MMDDYYYY. 
Example:
P(%Y,D)
causes Amanda to say the current date (contained in %Y) as a date.
See the P() command for more information.
Y
[(
file)
]
 Command that deletes the specified file or LIGHT.ON.
fileA string or variable containing a valid DOS file name for a text file. The 
default is to delete the file LIGHT.ON in the mailbox’s directory.
Example:
Y(C:\\AMANDA\\FOOBAR.TXT)
causes Amanda to delete FOOBAR.TXT.
See also the X() command. 
Failure:  
Does not fail
%ZSystem variable that contains the current time in 24-hour format: HHMM. 
Example:
P(%Z,T)
causes Amanda to say the current time (contained in %Z) as a time.
See the P() command for more information.
Alphabetical Token Reference (Continued) 
 Token SyntaxDescription