asterisk users - Sep 2007 - Authenticate() application and CDR

Dear all,

I'm trying to configure Asterisk to be able to ask the caller to enter a 
given password in order to continue dialplan execution. I've tested this 
feature using the Authenticate application like this:

exten => _X./5219,1,Answer
exten => _X./5219,2,Authenticate(1234,a)
exten => _X./5219,3,Playback(pin-number-accepted)
exten => _X./5219,4,Dial(SIP/${EXTEN},120)

Works great, although there is a problem with the CDR: Asterisk accounts 
only the call that is answered by Asterisk which asks for the pin. Case 
the call hasn't been answered by the called party, or case it even 
hasn't been dialed because the caller failed to insert the pin, or even 
if it has been answered, Asterisk writes in CDR table that it has been 
ANSWERED and billed from the time Asterisk picked up to ask the pin.
I'm I skipping something in my syntax, or is this some kind of BUG? (I'm
using Asterisk version 1.2.17)

Regards,

----------------------------------------------
Ricardo Carvalho
ITEC / IRICUP / Reitoria UP
tel: +351220408108 (Ext: 5219)
e-mail/sip: rjcarvalho[at]reit.up.pt
----------------------------------------------

On Friday 21 September 2007 19:07:43 Ricardo Carvalho
wrote:
> Works great, although there is a problem with the CDR: Asterisk accounts
> only the call that is answered by Asterisk which asks for the pin. Case
> the call hasn't been answered by the called party, or case it even
> hasn't been dialed because the caller failed to insert the pin, or even
> if it has been answered, Asterisk writes in CDR table that it has been
> ANSWERED and billed from the time Asterisk picked up to ask the pin.
> I'm I skipping something in my syntax, or is this some kind of BUG?
(I'm
> using Asterisk version 1.2.17)
Nop, your dialplan is correct, and this is not a bug. Answer() in first line 
marks incoming call answered, so counter (also from your provider) is on, and 
you can't turn it off. Of course, Answer() is required, so that asterisk can
start receiving voice, and DTMF to authenticate. 

If you would want to do your own billing, to count only duration of call 
dialed to SIP/whatever, you can do

1,Answer()
2,Authenticate()
3,Playback()
4,ResetCDR()
5,Dial()

NoCDR would tell to not write CDR for that channel, but ResetCDR later would 
reset answer status for CDR, and start counting duration from that moment. 
ResetCDR(w) would make you have two CDR records, one for each part (that can 
be linked together by using uniqueid).

Regards,
Atis

-- 
Atis Lezdins
VoIP Developer,
IQ Labs Inc.
atis at iq-labs.net
Skype: atis.lezdins
Cell Phone: +371 28806004
Work phone: +1 800 7502835