How to use the Command Line Interface

You can invoke BroadcastByPhone from a command window as follows:

vcast.exe [-startnow] [-confirmcode <code>] [-wavfile <wave file name>] [-startfromrow <row number>] [-import <csv file>] [-export <csv file>] [-autonextday] [-cleanstatus] [-noexit] <call list file>

Where:

• -startnow: Starts a broadcast immediately
• -wavfile: Specify the wave file path name
• -confirmcode: Call-till-confirm code
• -startfromrow: Choose which row to start broadcast, used with -startnow
• -statusexe: Launch a program or script after a call is finished.
• -statusurl: Post to this url when a call is finished
• -numbers: Import a list of phone numbers
• -import: Import a CSV file
• -export: Export to a CSV file
• -autonextday: Automatically reschedule next day broadcast if broadcast was not finished, used with -startnow
• -cleanstatus: Confirmation and status columns are cleaned before broadcast.
• -noexit: Keep the program up after broadcast.

If you specify -numbers or -import, the <call list file> can be an existing file or a new file. If the file does not exist it will be created, new numbers will be added or imported, and then saved. Some options are to be used in separate commands. For example, export option is usually executed by itself. To use the call-till-confirm feature, you will need to have the Professional Edition or Enterprise Edition.

Using statusurl

This option is mostly used for program integration. If statusurl is defined, the program will post to the defined url whenever a call is finished. The parameters include all the values of the row. Each parameter uses the column header as the parameter name and the cell value as the parameter value. The following call information is also included as parameters:

• index: Row index in the spreadsheet.
• caller: Defined in the command line.
• calltime: Time of the call defined as seconds from Jan 1, 1970.
• callduration: Total seconds of the call.

For example, if the following call is finished:

These parameters will be posted to the specified URL:

index=50&Name=John Doo&Phone=8001234567&Age=30&Confirmation=confirmed&Status=Call Made

Using statusexe

This option is also mostly used for program integration. This will launch a program whenever a call is finished. The parameters are the same as those used in the option for URL as defined above. The program or script will be launched as follows:

<prog> -Dindex=50 -DName="John Doo" -DPhone="8001234567" -DAge="30" -DConfirmation="confirmed" -DStatus="Call Made"

Examples of Command Line Usage

vcast.exe -startnow -wavfile "C:\mygroup\hello.wav" "C:\mygroup\list.voc"

Invoke BroadcastByPhone with call list "C:\mygroup\list.voc" and start broadcasting using a wave file such as "C\mygroup\hello.wav"

vcast.exe -startnow confirmcode 1234 "C:\mygroup\list2.voc"

Invoke BroadcastByPhone with call list "C:\mygroup\list2.voc" and start broadcasting. Since -confirmcode is specified, the broadcasting will stop if anyone responds with the confirmation code "1234"

vcast.exe -startnow -wavfile "C:\mygroup\hello.wav" -numbers "1234567 2223333" "C:\mygroup\list.voc"

First, the program will attempt to import the two phone numbers to the call list. If the VOC file exists, the two new numbers are appended. If the VOC file does not exist, a new file will be created and the two new numbers added. Once the numbers are imported, it will save the VOC file automatically. It then starts the broadcast with the specified wave file.

Broadcast Using a Customized Message

The command line interface does not provide an option for specifying Message ID that is created by Message Designer. However, you can still use a customized message by first creating a call list file (.voc), selecting the message ID, and saving it to a ".voc" file. Then use the specified .voc file in the command line.