User's Guide To Talking Classifieds

Chapter 9: Remote Access

Introduction

Overview

'Remote Access' simply means that you can access your Talking Classifieds application from an area other than your computer (in this case, by touch tone phone). This chapter discusses the processes and procedures that allow you to call into your system from a remote location (while it's running) and edit the system.

Although you have the power to make changes to the system remotely, they are limited. This is because the focus of the Talking Classifieds application is on the Members of the system. As the System Administrator, your remote changes are generally limited to changing speeches and certain other configuration controls. Beyond that, the system tree is pretty much in the hands of the Members. If the System Administrator had the power to make significant changes in the tree structure at the same time Members were using the system, then the Members would run the risk of getting lost or wondering where their Ads went.

Although this may sound like your Members are taking over, this is not the case. You can still make any necessary changes while actually in front of your system (i.e., manually changing the system tree at the computer).

The sections in this chapter discuss the procedures for entering the remote access feature of Talking Classifieds, and also discuss in detail the System Administrator remote access menu system.

In this chapter, you will learn about:

Planning your remote access session
Beginning to use remote access
The remote access menus

Terms

Reference Number

In Remote Access, this is the object's absolute ID number.

Touch Tone Number

In Remote Access, this is the object's relative ID number.

Planning Your Remote Access Session

When you're working on your system at the computer, you get to see what you're doing. You don't have this advantage when you call in and remotely work on your system. To compensate, it is important that you make some notes before you call. This allows you to map out the task you want to perform when you call your system.

There are two important things to keep in mind when you call into your system to edit remotely:

1. Understand your task--This means you should know what you want to do before you call into the system, know what you're doing while you're in the system, and know what you did to the system when you hang up.

2. Stick to it--If you stick to the tasks you planned to do, then you should have no trouble completing them. You could get into trouble, though, when you start making other system modifications on the spot. This could get you seriously lost, and may result in accidental or improper changes.

As discussed in "Chapter 7: Printing Reports", the "Print" command on the "File" menu allows you to print reports that show all parts of your system tree, as well as the information and control settings for each object. You should keep these handy when you access the system remotely, and keep the printed copies updated. This allows you to see how the system tree looks, and aids you in mapping the modifications you make. You should also keep a record of the System Password.

Before you begin planning out a live remote access session, you should plan some practice sessions. This gives you some time to move around using remote access, so that you can become familiar with the way it works. The last section of this chapter, "Performing Specific Remote Access Tasks", contains some specific tasks you can use to practice. Once you feel comfortable with the remote access system, it's time to move on to the real thing.

Beginning To Use Remote Access

When you are ready to access your system remotely as the System Administrator, make sure that the system is up and running, and that you call using a touch tone phone. Use the following procedure to access the remote user portion of your Talking Classifieds system:

Keep in mind that the System Greeting speech must not be disabled. If it is, then you will not be able to remotely access the system.

• Begin by dialing your system's phone number. When the System Greeting plays, Press the # key followed by the 0 (zero) key. You must make sure to press these keys during the System Greeting.
• If you've pressed the keys in time, you hear a beep. At this point you should enter your system password followed by the # key. When you finish entering the password, the System Administrator menu plays.

• If you enter the password incorrectly, then the call continues as a normal call. This is so a nosy caller can't attempt to access your system.

Now that you know how to get in, let's look at your options. The next section details the remote access menu structure.

The Remote Access Menus

The remote access spoken menus provide you with almost all of the functionality of the Talking Classifieds System Editor. As you might imagine, this added level of control over the phone also adds to the complexity of the menus. When we say complex, we don't mean difficult. We mean that things can get a bit confusing if you're just wandering around the menus.

When you work in front of the computer, you have a mouse and a keyboard to move you around the System Editor, as well as a screen to see the changes. With remote access, you have twelve buttons to press and spoken menus to guide you. That is why it is important that you have a good understanding of the menus, what they do, and how they do it. This section prepares you for this.

Remote Access Main Menu

This is the first remote access menu that you hear when you reach the remote access portion of the system. This menu contains the following in speech form:

"Welcome Remote User:"

"Press 1 to navigate using Application Menus."

"Press 2 to navigate directly to an Object ID."

"Press 3 to edit the System Greeting."

"Press 4 to edit the Initial Prompt"

"Press 5 for Instructions for Remote Access."

Now that we know what the options are, let's take a closer look at what each of these options does:

You can not edit the System Greeting with this option.

1 Navigate Using Application Menus--This option allows you to locate the object you wish to access by using the menus that the normal caller hears. This means that you can go through the menus on the Prompt tree objects. When you locate the tree object you wish to modify, press the # key to switch back to the remote access menus. The system then tells you what the object's reference number is, and what type of tree object it is. The system then plays the Edit menu for that object.

You can not edit the System Greeting with this option.

2 Navigate directly to a Reference Number--This allows you to locate a tree object by entering the object's Reference Number, followed by the # key. If you recall, an object's Reference number is its object ID.

After you enter the object's ID and press the # key, the system takes you to that object. The system then tells you what the object's reference number is, and what type of tree object it is. The system then plays the Edit menu for that object.

3 Edit The System Greeting--This option allows you to access the System Greeting object for editing. Once you get there, the System Greeting Edit menu plays.

4 Edit the Initial Prompt--This option allows you to access the Initial Prompt object for editing. Once you get there, the Initial Prompt Edit menu plays.

5 Instructions For Remote Access--This option allows you to hear the special instructions for remote access. Here are those instructions:

"You can press the star (*) key while on the Main menu to exit Remote Access. On any other menu, the star key allows you to return to the previous menu."

"When entering multiple touch tones [numbers], press the pound (#) key to signal the end of the number. When listening to a menu, you can press the pound key to hear a menu again."

The Editing Menus

Editing menus allow you to change or configure the tree object that they pertain to. There is an Editing Menu for each tree object, including the System Greeting and the Initial Prompt.

Prompt Edit Menu

This menu allows you to perform all of the necessary editing functions for Prompts in your system tree. You reach this Edit menu whenever you choose to edit a tree object that is a Prompt. The following speech plays when you reach the Prompt Edit menu:

"Press 1 to Change the ID Speech."

"Press 2 to Change the Main Speech."

"Press 3 to Enable or Disable Auto Menuing."

Now let's take a look at the functions that each of these options allow you to perform:

1 Change ID Speech--This allows you to change the ID speech of the Prompt. When you select this option, you have five options:

• You can press the 1 key to record a new ID speech, and begin recording after the tone (pressing # allows you to stop recording, or you can simply stop speaking).

• You can press the 2 key to listen to your newly recorded speech.

• You can press the 3 key to play the old ID speech.

• You can press the 4 key to save the new ID speech and exit to the Prompt Edit menu.

• You can press the 5 key to discard the new ID speech and exit this menu.

2 Change Main Speech--This allows you to change the Main speech of the Prompt. When you select this option, a speech tells you whether or not the Main Speech is enabled. You can press the 1 key to change the current setting. Pressing any other key (or waiting five seconds) keeps the current setting. You then have five options:

• You can press the 1 key to record a new Main speech, and begin recording after the tone (pressing # allows you to stop recording, or you can simply stop speaking).

• You can press the 2 key to listen to your newly recorded speech.

• You can press the 3 key to play the old Main speech.

• You can press the 4 key to save the new Main speech and exit to the Prompt Edit menu.

• You can press the 5 key to discard the new Main speech and exit this menu.

3 Enable Or Disable Auto Menuing--When you select this option, a speech tells you if the Auto Menuing option is currently enabled or disabled. You can then press 1 to disable or enable Auto Menuing, or wait for about five seconds. If you wait (which you would do if you do not want to change the setting), you return to the Prompt Edit menu.

Control Point Edit Menu

This menu allows you to perform all of the necessary editing functions for Control Points in your system tree. You reach this Edit menu whenever you choose to edit a tree object that is a Control Point. The following speech plays when you reach the Control Point Edit menu:

"Press 1 to Enable or Disable This Control Point."

"Press 2 to Change the ID Speech."

"Press 3 for Chaining and Touch Tone Directory Operations."

"Press 4 to Set Advertising Options where available."

"Press 5 to Choose Next Action"

"Press 6 to Enter a New Object ID to Edit."

Now let's take a look at the functions that each of these options allow you to perform:

1 Enable Or Disable This Control Point--When you select this option, a speech tells you if the Control Point is currently enabled or disabled. You can then press 1 to disable or enable the Control Point, or wait for about five seconds. If you wait (which you would do if you do not want to change the setting), you return to the Control Point Edit menu.

2 Change ID Speech--This allows you to change the ID speech of the Control Point. When you select this option, you have five options:

• You can press the 1 key to record a new ID speech, and begin recording after the tone (pressing # allows you to stop recording, or you can simply stop speaking).

• You can press the 2 key to listen to your newly recorded speech.

• You can press the 3 key to play the old ID speech.

• You can press the 4 key to save the new ID speech and exit to the Control Point Edit menu.

• You can press the 5 key to discard the new ID speech and exit to the Control Point Edit menu.

3 Chaining and Touch Tone Directory Operations--A Control Point may only have one of the three following settings; Chained, Touch Tone Directory or neither. This option allows you to switch between the enabled and disabled states for "chaining". If "chaining" is disabled, then you may choose to create or remove a Touch Directory at this Control Point. A speech first tells you the current setting for chaining, either the application ID number of the target application or the word "disabled"

To retain the current setting, press the * key. To set the disabled state, just press the # key. To set or change the "Chain to" state, enter the application ID number of the application you wish to chain to, followed by the pound (#) key. After pressing the # key, a message asks you to press the 1 key if this is correct. Pressing 1 confirms the setting, while pressing any other key does not save the setting. You will then be asked for the Object ID to chain to in the target application. Enter that Object ID number followed by the # key. After pressing the # key, a message asks you to press the 1 key if this is correct. Pressing 1 confirms the setting, while pressing any other key does not save the setting.

If "chaining" is disabled wait and you will then hear the status of the Touch Tone Directory. Press 1 to switch the status or press * to retain the current status.

If you intend to chain to a ECS Phone Application that you created, make sure you know that Phone Application's ID number.

If you don't know the ID number of the Application you wish to chain to, you can find this number in the Business Manager application. When you enter Business Manager, the Application ID Number appears on the Application Configuration box for the currently selected application. Selecting another application displays that application's ID number.

4 Set Advertising Options where available--This option is not available in Talking Classifieds.

5 Choose the Next Action--(This option is only available to System Administrators.) This option allows you to switch between the "Hangup" and "Goto" controls. A speech tells you the current setting, either the object number of the "goto" or the word "hangup".

To retain the current setting, press the * key. To set the "hangup" control, just press the # key. To set the "Goto" control, enter the ID number of the object you wish to go to, followed by the pound (#) key. After pressing the # key, a message asks you to press the 1 key if this is correct. Pressing 1 confirms the setting, while pressing any other key does not save the setting.

6 Enter a New Object ID to Edit--This option allows you to move to another object in the tree. When you press 6, a speech tells you to enter the object's ID, then press #. After you enter the number and press #, you go to that tree object. The reference number and Edit menu for that object plays, and you can make the necessary edits. If you enter an ID number that does not exist, then the system tells you that it can't perform the operation. You then return to the Control Point Edit menu.

The System Greeting Edit Menu

You can reach the System Greeting Edit menu by pressing 3 from the Main menu. This menu allows you to perform all of the necessary editing functions for the System Greeting. The following speech plays when you reach the System Greeting Edit menu:

"Press 0 to Change the System Password."

"Press 1 to Change the Main Speech."

"Press 2 to Set the Ring Count for Answer."

"Press 3 to Choose Next Action."

Now let's take a look at the functions that each of these options allow you to perform:

0 Change the System Password--This option allows you to change the System Password. When you press the 0 key (zero, not the letter "O"), a speech tells you to enter the new password, followed by the pound (#) key. If you press the pound key without entering any numbers, they return to the System Greeting Edit menu. If you enter the new password and press #, then you are asked to enter the number again to verify the change.

If you disable the Main speech on the System Greeting, no one will be able to remotely access the system.

1 Change Main Speech--This allows you to change the Main speech of the System Greeting. When you select this option, a speech tells you whether or not the Main Speech is enabled. You can press the 1 key to change the current setting. Pressing any other key (or waiting a few seconds) keeps the current setting. If the Main speech in enabled, you then have five options:

• You can press the 1 key to record a new Main speech, and begin recording after the tone (pressing # allows you to stop recording, or you can simply stop speaking).

• You can press the 2 key to listen to your newly recorded speech.

• You can press the 3 key to play the old Main speech.

• You can press the 4 key to save the new Main speech and exit to the System Greeting Edit menu.

• You can press the 5 key to discard the new Main speech and exit this menu.

2 Set the Ring Count for Answer--Selecting this option allows you to set the number of times you phone rings before the system answers. A speech asks you to press a number between 1 and 9, to select the number of rings. After you make your selection, the system asks you to press the 1 key if this is the correct number, or any other key if it is not. You return to the System Greeting Edit menu.

3 Choose the Next Action--This option allows you to enter the ID number of the object you wish to go to after the System Greeting finishes. You simple enter the ID number of the object, followed by the pound (#) key. After pressing the # key, a message asks you to press the 1 key if this is correct. Pressing 1 confirms the setting, while pressing any other key does not save the setting. You then return to the System Greeting Edit menu.

Initial Prompt Edit Menu

You can reach the Initial Prompt Edit menu by pressing 4 from the Main menu. This menu allows you to perform all of the necessary editing functions for the Initial Prompt. You reach this Edit menu when you navigate using the reference number for the Initial Prompt (the ID number is "01"). The following speech plays when you reach the Initial Prompt Edit menu:

"Press 1 to Enable or Disable The Initial Prompt."

"Press 2 to Change the Main Speech."

"Press 3 to Enable or Disable Auto Menuing."

"Press 4 to Set Advertising Options."

"Press 5 to Add a New Child."

"Press 6 to Enter an Object ID for Non-Touch Tone Response."

"Press 7 to Enter a New Object ID to Edit."

Now let's take a look at the functions that each of these options allow you to perform:

1 Enable Or Disable The Initial Prompt--When you select this option, a speech tells you if the Initial Prompt is currently enabled or disabled. You can then press 1 to disable or enable the Initial Prompt, or wait for about five seconds. If you wait (which you would do if you do not want to change the setting), you return to the Initial Prompt Edit menu.

2 Change Main Speech--This allows you to change the Main speech of the Initial Prompt. When you select this option, a speech tells you whether or not the Main Speech is enabled. You can press the 1 key to change the current setting. Pressing any other key (or waiting a few seconds) keeps the current setting. If the Main speech is enabled, you then have five options:

• You can press the 1 key to record a new Main speech, and begin recording after the tone (pressing # allows you to stop recording, or you can simply stop speaking).

• You can press the 2 key to listen to your newly recorded speech.

• You can press the 3 key to play the old Main speech.

• You can press the 4 key to save the new Main speech and exit to the Initial Prompt Edit menu.

• You can press the 5 key to discard the new Main speech and exit the Initial Prompt Edit menu.

4 Set Advertising Options, where available--This option is not available in Talking Classifieds.

5 Add a New Child--This option is not available in Talking Classifieds.

6 Enter an Object ID for Non-Touch Tone Response--This option allows you to enter the ID number of a tree object so that non-touch tone callers can at least hear something. When you hear the speech asking for the ID number, enter that number and press the # key. A speech then asks you to press the 1 key if this information is correct, or to press any other key if it is not. If it is not correct a speech asks you to re-enter the numbers. When you finish, you return to the Initial Prompt Edit menu.

7 Enter a New Object ID to Edit--This option allows you to move to another object in the tree. When you press 7, a speech tells you to enter the object's ID, then press the pound (#) key. After you enter the number and press #, you go to that tree object. The object's ID number and ID speech play. The Edit menu for that object plays, and you can make the necessary edits. If you enter an ID number that does not exist, then the system tells you that it can't perform the operation. You then return to the Initial Prompt Edit menu.

*Reference Number*	In Remote Access, this is the object's absolute ID number.
*Touch Tone Number*	In Remote Access, this is the object's relative ID number.