Non-blocking version of Gosub command

Asterisk Asterisk Support
1

Within my dialplan there is a situation that arises where I would like to loop through an array of numbers, assign each individual number to an inheritable channel variable then call Gosub to go to a context where an Originate occurs.

So far I can only do this in blocking fashion. Is there some command or technique to allow my loop to call several instances of the same context multiple times simultaneously? Or will I have to create new channels for each one?

2

Try using the dial application with the Local channel:

Dial(Local/ext1@somecontext&Local/ext2@somecontext&…)

this should start processing in parallel.

3

Thanks for the tip. So if I have a simple setup like below in which I try to use Local in a Dial command to start parallel work:

[broadcast]
;***
; NOTES
;   This receives a tilde delimited list of broadcast targets and 
;   the path of a sound file.  Each target is then called and
;   Playback is used to play a selected message (${target})
;***
  exten => s, 1, NoOp(=-=-=- ${EXTEN}@${CONTEXT} -=-=-=)
  exten => s, n, Set(i=0)
  exten => s, n, Set(_file=${soundfilepath})
  exten => s, n, While($[${i} < ${targetcount}])
  exten => s, n, Set(i=$[${i}+1])
  exten => s, n, Set(_target=${CUT(targets,"~",${i})})
  exten => s, n, Dial(Local/s@call-target,,)
  exten => s, n, EndWhile
  exten => s, n, Hangup()

[call-target]
  exten => s, 1, NoOp(=-=-=- ${EXTEN}@${CONTEXT} -=-=-=)
  exten => s, n, Originate(${target},app,Playback,${file})
  exten => s, n, Hangup()

In my scenario the entry point is broadcast, and soundfileath="/some/path/to/a/soundfile.WAV" and targets=“SIP/Some_Ext_000@someVoipHost~SIP/8665551234@toPstn”. So this setup does work, in that both parties are called and the correct sound file is played upon pick up.

The problem is that it is still blocking at s@call-target:2. The second party’s device does not start ringing until Some_Ext_000 picks up. I understand Originate is necessarily blocking, but I thought that by use Dial(Local/ …) I had invoked call-target on a new, parallel channel. I’m sure it’s terribly obvious but what am I missing?

Thanks.

4

You get parellel processing when you use more than one target of the Dial application.
There is no magic, you need to Dial() all of your targets in one shot.

5

Okay, doing them all in the same Dial() worked.