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TCAPI Pre-Alpha Release (formerly FreeSWITCH GUI Project)

I’m pleased to announce the pre-alpha (yes, pre-alpha, meaning “doesn’t do very much”) release of the FreeSWITCH GUI project (now named “TCAPI” - the Telephony Configuration API).

Before you get all excited, I want to make sure I’m clear that my main focus has been concentrating on structure and flexibility of the back-end and whatever modularity I could build thus far. I will publish a stack-type diagram shortly to show what I’m looking to achieve. In the meantime, I’m releasing what code has been written (it’s not much) to help people get familiar with the underlying structure of the code. The UI doesn’t *do* anything except configure extensions with various variables that aren’t recognized by default by FreeSWITCH so if you are thinking this GUI will, today, actually do anything for you, keep holding.

Here’s what HAS been accomplished:

  • Implementation of a reasonable AJAX-based JavaScript framework that also implements cross-browser compatible CSS “frames”
  • Helpers have been created to aid in reading/writing XML files with complex element/attribute structures
  • Ability to write your data to MySQL/SQL/Firebird/DB2/Oracle/ODBC/Postgres/etc.
  • Ability to write to raw/native FreeSWITCH XML files via a FreeSWITCH model (+ the start of a DBO layer for FreeSWITCH)
  • Basic controllers with limited logic
  • A lot of work has gone into making the JavaScript work in an abstract-able way, so that a different AJAX framework can be introduced later
  • Menus are configurable without touching any JavaScript. You can write stuff that utilizes the JavaScript framework without knowing or touching any JavaScript directly
  • DHTML/CSS frames-based layout allows for “plugging in” just about anything as a menu item (including scripts in other languages, if necessary)
  • XML save/load models are easy to duplicate, and mapping helper functions are just a few steps away
  • Extensions page is functional and easy to modify/setup/etc.
  • Basic sample pages have been put together for other areas (domains/users/devices)
  • Browser-based AJAX streaming classes have been written/included to allow for streaming channel status information
  • Everything has been written with layers in mind (as much as time allowed for anyway)
  • Oh, and of course, an IRC channel on freenode
  • irc.freenode.net #tcapi

    Here’s what’s very much missing:

  • A web page describing the software & it’s mission (I have this written, but would like to post it on a nice looking website)
  • A bug tracking system
  • A proper email list
  • A PHPDocumenter-generated (or similar) list of functions & what limited classes/APIs have been written
  • A simple install procedure/instructions/etc. file
  • SIP Profile configuration tools
  • Domain configuration tools
  • A dialplan that allows advanced features being saved to the XML work (stock dialplan)
  • A ’settings’ page to configure base settings via the UI
  • JavaScript is not properly abstracted on most pages
  • this needs to be completed

  • Pages should be designed to work within the JavaScript frames as well as when they are NOT in the frames
  • The fsxml component needs to be abstracted as a custom behavior

    Other ideas I’m tossing around:

  • Making all HTML and back-end pieces WSDL/SOAP accessibile
  • True APIs - everything has been written as if it was a program for now, but I’m at the point where many things should have get/set/etc. commands added and the related variables that are being modified should become protected, so that things can be moved into libraries.

    A few things have been kept out of the initial check-in until I clean them up, but the channel & conference status pages will be checked in by Friday I hope so that you can monitor calls in progress/etc.

    So what’s next! I am limiting who gains access to the initial files and who commits to the project. I am doing this to gauge interest and because so much still needs to be done, I frankly only want serious, interested developers at this time (even if you can’t commit gobs of time, you need to show your interest in at least learning how the things work). This is mostly to avoid questions and also avoid disappointment from “end-users” who are just out there to try things out, since most of this code doesn’t do very much yet and a lot of hand-holding to install it is still required.

    So here’s what I’ve decided to do. I am going to hold two training WebEx meetings in the next week. The first one will be on Sunday at 11am PST. I will go through the code and how to set it up. I will provide an SVN link at that time to the code and you can follow along with the setup process. All you need is an install of FreeSWITCH on a Linux box + Apache + PHP5 stock libraries. Past that, I’ll get you going, show you how the code is setup, where things are, how to add menu items, how to add a table to the custom model, and so on. And you should be off to the races to try out any of the above items you wish, or some of your own!

    So again, WebEx, Sunday, 11am PST. If you’re interested, please email me and I’ll send you a formal invite with an attendee link.

    If you’re not interested in contributing at this time, just sit tight. I expect a true functional alpha release to be ready within 30 days (or less) that can configure SIP profiles, domains and directory entries completely from the UI.

    You are also welcome to invite others - pass along this URL if you wish.

    This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 at 3:53 pm and is filed under Daily Dose, FreeSWITCH, TCAPI, Tech Stuff. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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