Re: xAP Switchboard beta 3 released

[Kevin Hawkins <lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Sullivan, Glenn wrote:

>Both actually... I originally tried to just unzip the upgrade, but that
>gave me the same message.  Then, on the site, I saw this comment:
>A zip containing just the updated zip. For beta 2 users only
>
>And since I had been using a post beta 2 release (to fix the display of
>the name when there is no contact associated with the number) I decided
>it might be smart to uninstall it and reinstall it.
>
>So I used the MSI for that, and still have the same message.
>
>
I'm sure James will clarify this - I dont have the beta 2 line displayed...

>But the version I have is 0.1.0.141...
>
>
latest

>How does the mapping work?  I must admit that I haven't received a call
>from a contact for whom I had entered an address since I did the
>upgrade, but old calls from people who I did have addresses listed do
>not show the blue globe that is mentioned in the config screen.
>
>
>
Well unfortunately the telephone code to area location is not going to
work in the US without some more information added to the dialling code
database  :-(    There is a database shipped with xAPTel that holds a
very extensive listing of all the dialling codes for
cities/towns/carriers/networks in the UK.  It is in two levels of detail
one of which is more detailed than the other - for example as you dial
0208 you will get  'Outer London' displayed and then after 3 more digits
ie 0208340 for example you get the additional information of "Hornsey
&
Highgate" which is an area in London.  Against each telephone exchange
in that database is the latitude and longitude of its location so if
your caller is an 'unknown' then it uses the local exchange coordinates
to locate the caller.  If you have a postcode - which is generally
accurate to a street level in the UK then it will preferentially use
this, displaying the map at street level (really !).  You can zoom and
pan the map at will. Really nice and a little 'spooky'


So back to the USA  -   the good news is that if you have a zip code
entered for a caller then it does look it up correctly I think - and
will display a map at street level - I am not sure how accurate this is
- I used to live in Santa Ana and so tried 90706 and it has placed me in
Paramount but that may be the top left of the 90706 area - I know there
are longer ZIP's now that identify to road level I just dont have one to
hand....    If you know a good test one then let me know and I'll try
it.  I have no idea how this might work in other countries - depends on
how Google looks it up - maybe there's a country code that can be added
too in case countries use similar postal codes.




>Maybe I'm too impatient...
>
>
If you have any contact entry with a zip code entered and a call in the
history there should be a globe against it - a globe doesn't appear from
the contacts list unfortunately - this might be a nice idea James - so
you can see where people are ??   If your CID device supports reporting
dialled digits (does it ?) then just dial their number and hangup
immediately to create an entry.    Alternatively cheat and edit a xAP
message to add a different number that does have a zip code - probably
easiest.

>(It will be interesting to see how this works for US addresses... We
>have "states" instead of "Counties" and a different
postal code
>format...)
>
>
So - half works and half doesn't I guess..  and the half that doesn't
could be fixed if someone can help  .......

What would be very useful is to try and get a database of all the US
dialling codes in as much detail as possible - for example the (415)
area code and then 415 broken down into as many defined regions as
possible. Then Switchboard will display this for you, and announce it
too by name. If you can get the latitude and longitude of the exchanges
then map lookup will work for you on unknown callers but I think we were
particularly lucky in finding this information for the UK.   We also
have detail of some of the allocated special numbers and carriers
entered and mobile phone services so the UK is well served.  I would
love to get other countries added , particularly the US so if anyone can
get this US information in some format (DB or tab / comma delimited) it
would be great.   I hope to get the international dialling codes added
to the database too shortly. again if someone has a good list of these
ideally with country and main cities listed it would make it easier.
email me (or James) with any such info and I will add it to the DB.   It
is nice that you can create localised databases this way but maintaining
them to current codes can be problematic of course - no promises to keep
them up to date.

Kevin