Sage & MS Phone Dialer

[minskin]

Hello all,

 

I have demo'd IVM on my XP SP2 pc, and like it very much although I have a couple of queries.

 

I use Sage Line 50 and have a huge customer database and supplier database. At present I dial directly from Sage through the MS Phone Dialer included in XP. Is there a way I can disable the MS Phone Dialer and use IVM to dial the numbers for me directly from Sage instead? This would be the ideal solution for me, especially if the caller ID function in IVM also recognised the details from Sage of any existing customer that called in.

 

If the direct dialer function is not possible from Sage is it possible to use (import) the Sage contact database(s) into IVM and have it as the default IVM address book that updates automatically if a new contact is added to Sage?

 

One more thing. I installed the IVM demo but didn't have a compatible modem at the time. Now I've purchased and installed the right modem the demo has run out. Is there any way I can extend it for a couple of weeks more?

 

I may be asking too much here but would appreciate any feedback or alternative solutions anyone has.

 

Thanks, Minskin

[pythonpoole]

I don't really know much about Sage, and from what I found online (not much), I couldn't determine how the MS Dialer integration worked, so until I can get an actual copy to look at, I probably wouldn't be able to tell if its possible to use IVM or Express Talk instead.

 

If it works by executing an MS Dialer executable with command line arguments with the number to dial, you could theoretically replace the executable with another one which acts as a bridge and simply takes the arguments and then executes IVM or Express Talk with the necessary arguments to get it to phone the requested phone number.

 

For the auto importing contact list idea, unfortunately that wouldn't be possible.

 

Unfortunately the demo only runs for a set number of days and there is no way to extend the trial (otherwise people would abuse this and avoid ever buying the software ). I suppose in your case if you want to try it with the new modem, you'll have to try it on a different computer to see if it works well and then purchase the product to use on the original computer.

[minskin]

That's very useful, thanks pythonpoole. I'll have a look round Sage and see if I can figure out how MS dialer is initialised and post back with my findings. There's absolutely no mention of the dialer function in the Sage documentation, not even that it's a feature; I found it by accident Any suggestions where or what I should be looking for?

 

As for the demo, I get your point re people abusing the trial. It's just that I've been trying another program and a key combination on the About pop-up allowed a 'once only' 2 week extension should you get caught out at the end of the trial. Just thought you might have something similar. I must say though, the extension was only offered to me once I had paid for the software. It's not a problem though, I can try IVM on another pc.

 

Thanks, Minskin

[minskin]

I've made a little progress, I found this in the Sage help files:

 

"You need a modem that will work through Microsoft Windows (most will do this without a problem). Normally your modem will be attached to a communications port, e.g. COM1 on your computer. Use the Windows Control Panel, Ports program-icon to set up the correct communication settings for the port that your modem is connected to. (See your Windows User’s Guide for details).

Sage Line 50 needs to know which port your modem is using and its communication settings. This is set up from the Control Panel in your Windows operating system. For more information, refer to your operating system documentation."

 

I've discovered that to make outbound calls Sage uses the TAPI settings in XP and the TAPI settings are configured to uses the MS Dialer by default. Would it therefore be possible to change the default dialer from MS Dialer to IVM or Express Talk?

 

Thanks.

[pythonpoole]

Unfortunately not. As far as I can see, it's interfacing with the modem hardware directly and therefore it wouldn't be possible to simply add a piece of software in between to control the call instead.

 

The only other possibility is if there is some way to create a virtual modem device (kind of like when you create a virtual networking device for Operating System emulators and such) that can act as a modem to which Sage can send Tapi commands to, but instead of actually sending them on to the modem hardware, intercept them, decipher what the number being called is and then send that off to IVM.

 

Of course I'd have no idea how to do or program that.. it's just a theoretically possible solution.

[minskin]

Well I wouldn't know where to start either so I think I'll give it up at this point It would have been great in an ideal world but I'll see how I get on without it.

 

Thanks very much for the advice though pythonpoole.

 

Minskin