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4.2 Directory

The Rows per page selection on the OPTION TAB Web Profile screen determines the number of entries displayed in the Directory screen.

The default setting is 5. Although the maximum allowed is 99, it is recommended to set this to no more than 25 to 40.

by canoe See Profile
last modified: 2005-06-24 12:20:31

Directory entries can only contain 10 digit phone numbers (prefixed with a "1" or "011" for Long Distance). For technical reasons, entries currently cannot contain other Prefix digits (star codes - *67, etc) or Suffix digits (extension numbers or PINs).

In the future, Star * Code Prefix digits may be possible, but only if Primus modifies their servers and the Portal to handle this. Suffix digits in the Directory would also require changes to the Portal as well as the Call Agent servers and the ATA firmware. Neither of these has been discussed or planned by Primus.


Technically, before a call is setup, the ATA converts any dialed digits into an IP packet and sends it to the Call Agent. PhoneControl/VOISS ASSISTANT also converts a clicked number into an IP packet, in addition to tagging it as coming from your ATA (and not the computer). When the Call Agent receives these packets, it does not know the difference, so simply processes these packets in (a valid) sequence to setup a call.

Clicking a Directory Number
Hence, when a user clicks on a Directory entry (Dialing from PhoneControl with RemotePhone ENABLED), currently only the 10 digit control portion of a call is setup with the TBB Call Agent (Server).

Dialing some Prefix digits before Clicking a Directory Number
However, a user can do some Prefix dialing from the TBB line (before clicking). Since the CallAgent gets the initial packet(s) from the phone, when PhoneControl sends the rest of the digits (packet) - the Call Agent just "thinks" it is coming from the DLINK ATA - and proceeds normally with call setup.

Suffix digits
Suffix digits can only be sent once a call is setup; meaning only after the actual voice path (audio channel) is connected to the user's ATA. Hence, Suffix digits can only be sent as DTMF tones through the audio channel from the ATA itself.

This is unlike Prefix digits which are coded into IP packets - either from the ATA or the Portal (a computer).

See a related topic in Using Call Forwarding or SpeedDial (with PINs or Extension numbers).


Another explanation:
When you dial from your phone itself, the system "reads" the key presses via the DTMF tones and sends the appropriate information to your call agent to set up the call. Once the call is connected, your phone will still send DTMF tones via the keypad allowing you to access voice mail, extensions, menu options, etc.. But this interaction is between your phone and whatever system you have dialed. That's why it is so important that the DTMF be set up properly for your phone and for the gateway so that the bank, voicemail, etc. can interpret your key presses correctly.

But dialing from the Portal does not deal in DTMF tones. When you click a number in the Portal Directory, that is the number that is setup with the call agent. Once the call is setup, any additional numbers must be sent through DTMF tones via your phone keypad. A call that has been setup already is completed, as far as the call agent is concerned, and it buzzes off to deal with another call. Extra key presses are technologically required to be your responsibility.

If you wish to dial *67 in conjunction with clicking a number in the portal, there is nothing to stop you from picking up the handset, dialing *67, and then clicking the number to set up the call. You can also do this when dialing a long distance number from the call log that doesn't have the '1' in front. Dial '1', then click the number to finish the call setup.

by canoe See Profile
last modified: 2005-06-24 15:32:13


The feature is intended to enable you to import a CSV File into the WebPortal DIRECTORY.

The default format of the CSV file is tailored to the default CSV MicroSoft Outlook Contacts database file generated using "file export".

Although this feature did not have well documented CSV formats, three users provided some solutions as described below:


TBB user "PCode" has provided the following:

I am linking the tool I whipped up that allows me to convert my Outlook contacts CSV to Primus-compliant CSV. I am including the VB source as well, in case anyone feels adventurous...

Windows Installer

VB Source

Knock yourselves out!



TBB user "John G." has also had some success with formatting exported info to match the .CSV format used by Primus. He has provided a sample .CSV file and the following instructions:

sample_directory.zip
462 bytes
(sample_directory.csv)

Here's a test CSV file.

Notes:
  1. This file is to test what Primus imports into the Directory. Whatever CSV files that are produced (from Outlook or anything else) may have to be rearranged to suit the Primus format.
  2. Primus needs a 'header' record. This is the first record (line) and is usually the names of the fields. The header record must be present even though it doesn't get imported. It can be a line of spaces or all commas.
  3. Second record shows records of 58 or more fields are not imported,
  4. Third record shows records of 57 or fewer fields get imported. Each field's value is it's field position (1 - 57) and so shows where each field ends up in the Directory listing.
  5. Fourth, fifth and sixth records are to show how various phone number formats end up in the Directory. Look in the CSV file and look how the numbers appear in the Directory. It seems an area code is needed. Only space, - , ( and ) symbols can be used. International numbers have no symbols after the 011-.



Here is further advice from user "Dan":

This might help with the import directory problem . . .

If you have Office XP:
1. export your contact list to a csv file from Outlook.
2. open the file with excel.
3. remove all columns to the right of column BF from contacts.csv
4. Save the file contacts.csv as a new file named directory.csv
6. import directory.csv to your Primus directory

The most important thing I discovered is that you must use the exact labels that Outlook does to describe the data. For example, column A0 must be labeled "Mobile Phone" and not "Cell Phone" for the import to work properly.

Here are the relevant columns with the correct labels:

A: Title
B: First Name
D: Last Name
F: Company
AE: Business Fax
AF: Business Phone
AL: Home Phone
AO: Mobile Phone
AR: Pager
BF: E-mail Address



Feedback received on this FAQ entry:
  • Steve, In your CSV File Import Feature (#12208)VoIP FAQ post, Dan says, "This might help with the import directory problem . . ." 1. 2. 3. remove all columns to the right of column BF from contacts.csv Strangely, the columns to THE LEFT of column BF, include such obscure titles as Anniversary, Billing Information, Assistant Name......and so on. What on earth does the Primus Directory do with these columns.....if in fact they are to be included in the import? I haven't had any "luck" importing yet. Still waiting for a current answer to this dilemma. All the online (forum) tips seem to be from 2005......and none of them are working for me. Has anyone else found an answer? Thanks for any help. Signed, Desperate.

    2008-08-28 21:47:23

  • Steve, this is part of the post from John G., above: "Whatever CSV files that are produced (from Outlook or anything else) may have to be rearranged to suit the Primus format." Give me a break: "MAY have to be arranged"????? They are either correct.........or they're not. They either HAVE TO BE ARRANGED.....or they don't. You folks REALLY have to get your S**T together on up/downloading a directory from Outlook. Can it be done?.........Or can't it? If it can, please publish the solution in a clear, obvious place. Thanks, Michael

    2008-08-28 21:19:12

  • Both of the links in Pcode's post, above, are dead. Suggest you remove it to stop pissing people (like me) off. Michael

    2008-08-28 21:15:17

  • Hi, Anyone.....everyone......product managers....techies: I'm sorry to bug you but I'm not having any luck with the subject. Dan's (not sure who he is) post says/shows 10 fields to be downloaded...but there are only 9 on the Directory Edit page: First Name Last Name Company Email Address Office Number Cell Number Home Number Pager Number Fax Number He shows a Title, I think...but there is no title on the Primus page. Also, I'm still looking for the most basic of instructions....like, do I use the Export to a File command? Do I use Comma Separated Values? or Tab separated values? DOS or Windows? Or do I use neither...and export in Excel format? Do I have to Map the data so that the number of columns corresponds...do the names have to be changed to Primus values or should they stay as they are in Outlook? If I DO strip out all the "non-Primus" fields (are there 9 or 10) do my cells have to have a specific number of characters or not? (what happens, for example, if I have a note to myself to "phone Mr and Mrs Jones before faxing them" in the fax field? Does it trash the entire download because it's not in the 10-digit phone number format? Or because it's text? I'm sorry, but Primus'instructions are really lacking on this. Why don't they find out the difinitive answer from a user who's made it work.....then POST IT as THE solution. Get rid of all the other conversations and guesswork posts. Better yet, is there not a product manager who knows how to make this product work? How about the US company they bought the software? Surely someone down there (the AUTHOR, perhaps?) knows how to make this thing work. Yes? Just looking for some simple answers, please. (Whoever Blaine is seemed to think this was a simple procedure when he posted

    2008-08-28 18:07:07

by canoe See Profile
last modified: 2005-09-14 09:41:37

•First TEMPORARILY increase the Rows per page in the OPTIONS Tab WEB PROFILE to a large number like 99.

•Within the Directory TAB, click on Check all at the bottom of the page. Be sure to manually uncheck/deselect records you would like to keep.

•Now click on the Trashcan symbol in the Heading line at the top left. You will be prompted if you really want to delete checked records.

•When you have finished, remember to restore the Rows per page in the OPTIONS Tab WEB PROFILE to a reasonable number between 20 to 40.

by canoe See Profile
last modified: 2005-06-24 15:22:39