An Introduction to Server Side Languages

As you continue learning more and more about VoiceXML, you will eventually want to integrate some form of server side language as a backend, to increase the power and flexibility of your applications. The Tutorials that follow will give you a taste of how you can supercharge your application and add dynamic features that VoiceXML just isn't meant to handle, (such as updating a database with a callers voice recognition results, making use of session cookies, etc.). In addition, adding a backend to your application can greatly reduce maintenance to the application itself, thus, giving it a longer 'shelf life'.

When To Use A Server Side Language?

Good question, folks. If your application has a fixed set of parameters, and requires no database updates, or changes to be made to the XML output 'on the fly', then chances are you will not need to integrate a backend with your existing application. But, if you find that you will need to access a database of information within your app, or if you simply want to have the ability to add dynamic content, then you probably have already thought about adding your favorite flavor of serverside markup into the fray. Coding an application with just straight VoiceXML is just fine and dandy, thankyouverymuch, but the *real* potential of VoiceXML is harnessed when we add some ASP or JSP into the mix.

Which Flavor of Serverside Should I Use?

It really doesn't matter. Some people prefer the simplicity of using the relatively easy ColdFusion markup, while other diehards are adamant about sticking with the more complex 'write once, run anywhere' Java language. Whichever flavor of language that you are comfy with that can output VoiceXML is just peachy by us. As long as you have a hosting server set up to dish out the content, and have a working knowledge of the markup, then it makes absolutely no difference which one to use.

Note: The Voxeo Webhosting servers do not allow for any form of server side markup. The only file extensions allowable on our free application hosting servers are '.grammar', '.gsl', and '.xml'. As such, you will need to find an appropriate host that supports the markup you intend to use before proceeding with any of the following tutorials.

Payback !

You will find the following section of the Voxeo VoiceXML Guide chock full of samples and techniques that demonstrate using VoiceXML with several different brands of backend languages, but we can always use more. If you think that you have got The Right Stuff, and have some wisdom (and sample code!), that you would like to share with the developer community, let us know! We will be happy to add your cool tricks of the trade, and put Your Name up in Big Lights, thus showing all your friends, family and the Girl Back Home that you are much, much smarter than they thought you were.

'Stick with me, kid, and I'll make you a Star......'

ANNOTATIONS: EXISTING POSTS

hrsriks

7/31/2009 7:09 AM (EDT)

Hi,

I want to call a .NET application from within a VoiceXML file.

The .NET application will be in the form of a WCF service.

How can I access (and call) a WCF Service from within a VoiceXML?
Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Srikanth

voxeoTonyT

7/31/2009 7:41 AM (EDT)

Hello,

We are looking into whether or not our platform has the ability to call a .net application in the form of a WCF service. Once we get the necessary information we will post back to you via this ticket.

In the meanwhile if there is anything else we can assist you with do not hesitate to contact us.

Regards,

Tony Taveras
Customer Engineer
Voxeo Support

jdyer

7/31/2009 9:05 AM (EDT)

Hello,

If you are looking to use SOAP in your application I did want to make sure that we pointed out that the Voxeo SOAP client is really in it's infancy, and at this point is nowhere near ready for production-grade application deployments. We are aware of several idiosyncrasies and defects with the current implementation, and for us to continue to see you go down this path would likely be doing you a disservice, as it is my opinion that eventually, you will hit a brick wall in terms of what the Voxeo-SOAP offering can do. I'd also like to bring to light the fact that SOAP isn't really part of the VXML spec yet, (assuming that it ever makes the cut) and you may well be developing an application that will eventually be platform incompatible, and could requite re-engineering in the future. That being said, the spec compliant method of handling this type of integration would be via use of the <data> ( http://docs.voxeo.com/voicexml/2.0/data.htm ) element. With the <data> element you can submit your parameters, in the form of a space delimited list using the namelist attribute, to your server side resource. If you need to handle return data you can do so, providing the return is XML, and then handle it at the VXML application layer. I do hope this information provides some assistance with your desired implementation, and we certainly hope you let us know if there are any other questions regarding any of this information. We are most certainly always standing by to offer any help our developers may require!

Regards,

John Dyer
Customer Engineer
Voxeo Support

agnihotrived

9/8/2010 1:41 AM (EDT)

As this discussion is 1 year old, I want to ask whether now we can incorporate wcf services with our VXML application or it will be more use if you provide in a very simple way that how we can work on visual studio (.net environment) and create an IVR application easily.
We are using WCF in our existing application and dev express as our client application.
So please provide in detail.
How can we work on IVR with wcf or with code behind files (.cs files) of .aspx pages?
It will be very helpful if you give a small sample project on .net for the same.

voxeoJeffK

9/8/2010 4:04 AM (EDT)

Hello,

The VoiceXML 2.1 W3C specification does not make allowance for WCF or SOAP communication unfortunately. VoiceXML communication to external resources is based on simple HTTP request/response, with an XML formatted return. You may have success using a script between the two that would act as a bridge between your WCF service and the VXML browser.

Regards,
Jeff Kustermann
Voxeo Support

MyGirlTunah

12/1/2011 12:29 AM (EST)

Im using ASP for my server side scripting which allows a user to search a database through a voice browser and have the results uttered back to them. does the ASP script have to be on the same document as the vmxl code? And how would i call the ASP query on the voice app?

voxeoJeffK

12/1/2011 5:41 PM (EST)

Hello,

In VoiceXML if you use <data>

http://www.vxml.org/data.htm

the current VXML document stays in execution, and the returned data from the target URL is available to it via the variable defined as its "name" attribute. If you use <submit>

http://www.vxml.org/submit.htm

then a new VXML document is expected, and execution moves to it. In this case you submit to the ASP script, and have it generate a complete VXML document for return.

Regards,
Jeff Kustermann
Voxeo Corporation

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