Page History: Using Solo
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Page Revision: Tuesday, 05 October 2010 10:44
Starting Solo
Double click the icon on the desktop or click the icon in the start menu, both titled 'PhoneBOX Solo' to get start the software. The first time the software starts it may sit on the splash screen for a few minutes whilst configuring the database.
Screen Layout
Shown below is the default screen layout for Solo.
The default appearance of each installation will vary slightly, depending on the number of lines and devices available. Note that it is possible to customise the layout by resizing and repositioning the various widgets). Screen customisation is described later in this manual. Additionally it is possible to undock each element of the screen (Lines, Devices, Phonebook, Call details & Chat) to create and save your own screen layout.
Solo's Windows
The Toolbar
Solo's toolbar is positioned across the top of the screen and includes basic controls as well as access to system menus.
Lines
Shown at the top left are Solo's telephone lines. As can be seen, each has a label showing which service the line is configured to.
Devices
Devices in Solo include the handset (if used) and the virtual hybrids, which are each represented with a letter. It is also possible to configure Buddies such that devices from other workstations are visible.
The yellow block behind the device letter (device A above) indicates that this is currently the „active‟ device. In simple terms this means that any dialling or routing actions carried out will occur on the this device. The active device can be changed by simply clicking on an alternative. The yellow block will move to confirm the change.
Call Log
The call log window shows a history of all calls that have been made or been received by Solo.
Directory
Solo's directory is accessed from this window. Clicking on the green plus symbol allows numbers to be added and these can be allocated within named groups.
Call Details
The call details window allows you to enter details specific to each call. These can then be retrieved later by double clicking the call in the call log window. Relevant details such as name, location etc. are also retrieved should the caller call again.
Chat (Visual Talkback)
Users can have a textual conversation with each other via the chat window. It is possible to setup a chat name for each machine.
Customising the Screen Layout
Solo's screen layout is fully customisable, in that every window can be moved to a different position, resized, docked to a position on the screen or moved to a floating window. It is also possible to combine several windows into one, at which point Solo will provide tabs to select which one is active.
In order to change the layout, each window can be dragged around the screen to where you wish to place it. A series of symbols will appear, as explained below, to show where the window will end up. If the window needs to be undocked first, this can be achieved by clicking "Tools - Undock/Show Window" and selecting the relevant window.
As an example, in the image below the Chat window has been undocked and is in the process of being dragged towards the top right hand side of the screen.
Various buttons have appeared and the window can be dragged onto one of them in order to determine how it will be placed.
Firstly, there are four main buttons at the top, left, right and bottom of the screen. If the window is dropped onto any of these buttons, Solo will create a new section at that position and dock the window into it. In the image below, the Chat window has been dragged onto the left hand button.
Secondly, there is an array of five buttons that has appeared within the section that the window is being dragged into. In this example, that section is the top right hand side of the screen. If the window is dragged into the centre button, this will add the window to the current group. In other words, Chat will be added as a tab along with the Call Log, Call Details and Directory that are already there. If, on the other hand, the window is released into one of the other four buttons, Solo will create a new section within the section being dragged into and dock the Chat window there. For example, in the image below the Chat window has been dragged onto the bottom button of the five.
It is also possible to resize windows by dragging dividing lines into new positions (see example below).
Call Control
Line box layout
Controlling calls in Solo is both intuitive and straightforward. Essential information for each active call is shown in Solo's linebox. A typical example is shown below, along with an indication of which information is being shown where.
Dialling a Call
The simplest way to dial a call in Solo is as follows:
- Highlight the device on which you wish to dial from. The yellow block will confirm you have made it the active device.
- Click on the empty line that you wish to dial on
- The Dial dialogue box appears (as shown below). Enter the number you wish to dial
- Click the 'Dial' button at the bottom of the Dial dialogue box
- Solo will make the call on the line you have chosen
Placing a Call on Hold
To take a call that is already on a device, and place that call on hold, simply click on the LineBox of the line in question. The Line Box will turn light green.
The example below shows Line 1 is ringing, Line 5 is routed to a device and Line 6 is on hold.
Answering a Call
A ringing call in Solo will flash blue and yellow on screen as shown below.
In situations where the caller is sending CLI information, the caller‟s phone number will be displayed. If the caller is already known to the Solo database then the caller‟s name will be shown in place of the phone number, as shown above.
To answer a ringing call:
- Choose the device on which you wish to answer the call by clicking the appropriate device.
- The yellow hi-light block will move to the device you have clicked on.
- Now, click on the Line Box of the ringing line
- That call will now be routed to your chosen device and you can answer the call.
Alternatively:
- Simply click on the ringing line and it will answer on the currently active device. If you already have a caller on this device it will automatically hang up (if in “Dump Mode”) or automatically park the first caller.
Terminating a Call
Should a caller hangup at the remote end then the call will automatically disappear from the Solo screen (you may experience a slight delay if using analogue lines).
If you wish to terminate a call from Solo, do the following:
- Click on the Drop Call button on the Telephony tool bar
- This will turn your mouse pointer into an icon similar to the Drop Call button itself
- Move the mouse to the LineBox of the line you wish to Drop the call from
- Click that line. The call will drop.
Dump mode
When “Dump Mode” is selected on the Telephony Tool bar Active calls will automatically be dropped when a new call is taken on the same device.
Routing a Call
Routing describes the sending of a call that is on hold, and placing it on a device.
To route a call that is holding, simply click on a device to make it active, then click the Line Box for the line you wish to route. Both the Line Box and the active device will then display the same colour, that of the active device.
Call State
The Call State information tells us what state the call is currently in. In the example above, the call is „Held‟. It is not routed to a device and the caller would probably be waiting to go on air. They would probably be hearing the station output on their telephone. Other common states are Ringing (meaning that an inbound or outbound call is yet to be answered), and Connected (meaning that the call is on a device).
Name
Solo has comprehensive databases built into the system. This means that when a call arrives in the system, if it is from a known phone number (using Caller ID) then Solo will present on screen the caller name associated with that number if one is known. If not, the system will display the phone number of the calling entity. If no CLI information is given by the caller then „WITHHELD‟ will be displayed instead. In cases where the caller is not known to the Solo system a name may be entered manually.
Location
In a similar way to the Name information presentation, Solo will also display a Location for the caller if one is known. If one is not known but CLI is present, then Solo will use its look-up database of area codes and will display the nearest locality it can match to the telephone number. Again, Location information can be entered manually.
Point
The Point field is used to provide a brief description of what the caller wants to say so that producers and presenters are aware of each caller‟s angle before they take the call.
Call Duration Timer
The Call Duration Timer is the total time that the call has been present in the PhoneBOX system. This timer does not reset when the call changes state.
Call Recording And Editing¶
One of Solo's killer features is that it automatically records each on-air call for future editing and playback. Once a call has left the device, an editor icon appears on it, as shown below.
Selecting the record icon opens the record window (which follows) which gives you the opportunity to edit the call and save it to file for future use. Additionally you are able to isolate each side of the call if required. If you do not which to save the call the next call routed to this device will overwrite this file.
Minimizing the screen
Whilst Solo is running you have the ability to minimize the screen to a docked tool bar, allowing you to use the same computer to say, browse the internet, whilst still answering and routing calls. The following image shows the docked tool bar.
Keyboard shortcuts
- 1 - Answer to selected device
- F2 - Dial on selected device
- F3 - Toggle 'dump mode'
- F9 - Drop call on selected device
- F10 - Hold call on selected device
Keyboard shortcuts in editor
- Space or P - Play/Pause
- S - Stop
- Plus/Minus - Zoom in/out
- Zero - Zoom full
- Insert/Delete - Insert/Remove marker
- Ctrl-Z - Undo
- Ctrl-S - Save