Step by Step Guidance on setting up Caller ID Feature

[morshed1]

To use SambaPOS Caller ID feature you need following things:

• Caller ID Service From your local telephone company
• A MODEM or hardware device that supports Caller ID
• Install Caller ID Module from Samba Market (Its Free)

The first is required as only your local telephone company can activate this feature on your land line. The second is required so that the data sent by the telephone company can be passed to SamaPOS via supported CID device for processing.

Caller ID Service From your local telephone company

You need to contact your phone company to activate the telephone line for caller id features. Its highly recommended line is tested to ensure caller ID is active and working to avoid diagnostics issue at later stages.

Install Caller ID Module from Samba Market (Its Free)

A MODEM or hardware device that supports Caller ID

Below are two devices i have carried caller id tests with and both devices do the same tasks.

CTI COMET USB CALLER ID - price - £89.00+ VAT/Delivery ( £115.00)
TRIXES USB 56K External Dial Up Voice Fax Data Modem -Price -£9.50 + delivery (£11.49)

Details of two device I have carried out test with:

Devie 1 -Professional caller ID device

http://www.crucible-technologies.co.uk/products/WEB-COMET3

Device 2 - Low Cost Alternative version
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005C4680A/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1#productDetails4

Additional infromation

Caller ID issue/Enhancement (CTI Comet USB)

Other than these caller id devices if you have a device that can be accessible via serial (COM) port and can be monitored with PuTTy like I’ve described here Caller id popup that may work with SambaPOS without modifications. Just create a screenshot of PuTTy to show how it displays phone number and I’ll help for the configuration.

Step 1- Configuring the Modem - Example with TRIXES USB 56K External Dial Up Voice Fax Data Modem

Hardware ID for TRIXES USB 56K External Dial Up Voice Fax Data Modem

Make sure modem driver is installed for your operating system.

Make a note of the COM port modem has been configured on you will need this information later. In my example modem has been configured on COM18

Step 2 - Enable Caller ID

Many current MODEMs offer support for Caller ID. The key question is always what setup string to use to enable Caller ID (virtually every MODEM disables Caller ID as the default).
For most MODEMs, the string AT#CID=1 or AT+VCID=1 will enable Caller ID. Look in the user’s manual for your MODEM to see if any setup string is referenced or mentioned.
Other common setup strings are:
• AT#CID=2
• AT%CCID=1
• AT%CCID=2
• AT#CC1
• AT*ID1

For the TRIXES USB 56K External Dial Up Voice Fax Data Modem AT+VCID=1 is required to active caller ID on the modem.

PuTTY Configuration Tool will be used to enable caller ID and test the caller ID feature on the modem.

putty.zip (265.6 KB)

Download PuTTY and unzip onto desktop, double click on putty to execute.

Step 1 - Configure Putty
Enter the COM Port of onfigured modem. in my example modem is configured to COM18, Select serial and click on Open.

After PuTTY screen appear- Dial the phone to test if CID supported.

Modem Activated for CID.

Note if the modem is NOT supported for CID then following will appear.

STEP 3 - Configure the modem and serial port in SambaPOS

Need some guidance on setting up Caller ID Feature

Go to Local Settings > Devices set CallerID Device asGeneric Modem, click Settings and choose Serial Port that your modem connected to.

In my Example Modem is configured to serial port COM18. configure as per your settings, save and exit.

Testing CID in SambaPOS.

When in coming call is made CID pop up will paper on bottom right corner.

when you click on the CID pop-up it will find customer details.

Refer to below link to configure Primary phone field.

Caller ID issue/Enhancement (CTI Comet USB)

It appears as Phone:xxx because you don’t have a primary field defined. When you don’t have a primary field SambaPOS automatically matches Caller Id data with Phone field so it won’t match other fields. For better handling this you can configure Customer Entity as something similar to this. [image] [image] On this setup the primary field name for customer is Phone and we store Customer Name as a Custom Field. We also modify Display Format to display Customer Name and Phone together on tic…

Additional Information
Ensure you have version sambaPOS 4.1.28 or later installed.

Following issues identified in earlier version:

When Customers withhold the phone number (Caller ID device does not detect the number) causing SAMBAPOS to display error message and to crash.
Error Message: “The Calling thread must be STA, because UI components require this”

Additional useful link:

Caller ID issue/Enhancement (CTI Comet USB)

Hi @emre, We have been using the SAMBAPOS Caller ID feature with CTI Comet USB Caller ID device. its has been working fine making staff’s life easy for a busy Eat-in/takeaway Restaurant. I would highly recommend other SAMBAPOS user to invest in a caller ID device for a takeaway business. We have come across following issue: When Customers withhold the phone number (Caller ID device does not detect the number) causing SAMBAPOS to display error message and to crash. Error Message: “The C…

Need some guidance on setting up Caller ID Feature

I decided to give the caller ID feature a go and need some guidance: So I bought this modem: [image] I then enabled the Caller ID Module from Samba Market. Is there any other configuration that needs to be done within Samba to get the modem communicating to the software?

[Isaac]

Superb Tutorial.

Could have done with this a few days ago.

[Isaac]

I’m struggling to set-up my customer screen:

All I want to store is Name Phone Mobile

I need CID to search by Phone and Mobile.

I’m just getting duplicate columns that are mirroring each other. Any guidance?

[morshed1]

@Isaac, below is how i configured my.

For your custom filed you can just have mobile and name filed.

Caller ID issue/Enhancement (CTI Comet USB)

It appears as Phone:xxx because you don’t have a primary field defined. When you don’t have a primary field SambaPOS automatically matches Caller Id data with Phone field so it won’t match other fields. For better handling this you can configure Customer Entity as something similar to this. [image] [image] On this setup the primary field name for customer is Phone and we store Customer Name as a Custom Field. We also modify Display Format to display Customer Name and Phone together on tic…

Usefull link:
Custom Package Delivery System
http://sambapos.org/wiki/doku.php/en/custom_package_delivery_system

[Isaac]

Thanks @morshed1

I deleted all my customer records and started from scratch and now is working seamlessly.

What a brilliant feature. Great Stuff @Emre

[Isaac]

@Morshed @emre

Is there a command we type in putty to save the changes?

It seems after a reset my Caller ID is de-activated… and I got to go into Putty to re-activate…

[morshed1]

@Isaac, can you try and type AT+VCID=1 under Initialization string…

[Isaac]

@morshed1

AT+VCID=1

Did you set this on your system? Because I think I it might actually be the popup appearing behind the SambaPOS window?

@Emre is it possible to make this Caller ID popup appear on top at all times?

[emre]

Additionally on some modems disabling and enabling CID feature ensures initialization. You can do this by configuring Initialization String as:

AT+VCID=0
AT+VCID=1

[emre]

Do you mean phone number popup? I think it already configured to remain on top…

[morshed1]

@Isaac, Are you running sambaPOS on maximum full screen? we have configured full maximum screen and pop up all-ways appear on bottom right corner . i think if its not set to maximum screen then pop up appears behind SambaPOS window.

[Isaac]

@Emre yes if you minimize the screen and maximise, sometimes it does not re-appear back on top.

@Morshed we always run on full screen but when I’m using other applications I minimize and then maximise back.

[emre]

@Isaac I couldn’t reproduce it but I’ve added something to ensure it appears on top. Please let me know if next update will solve the issue or not.

[Isaac]

Guys, I’m still having problems with my Caller ID feature, its hit and miss.

Sometimes I can get it to work and most times it does not work.

I have done everything as instructed. One point that catches my attention is that when I open Putty and enter AT+VCID=1
the caller id feature is activated, when I close Putty and re-open and then ring the caller ID feature is de-activated. This seems to be the reason why Caller ID popup does not appear because for some reason my modem can’t remember to keep the Caller ID feature on.

If I use a program called Simple CallerID, this activates the Caller ID on Modem, I then close this to avoid PORT access denial and my caller ID works fine.

[Isaac]

Okay quick update:

I installed Simple CallerID, execute application which activated my caller ID feature (I think Putty has been temperamental with me, half the time you can’t even see what you are typing).

I then removed the Simple CallerID from windows startup to avoid Port conflicts.

I then added AT+VCID=1 into initialisation string in Modem Properties.

So every time we restart the caller Id will be activated. After a few tests it seems to be working

[emre]

I’ve had similar problem with my test modem and I succeeded to always initialize it by disable & enable trick. Did you tried this?

Step by Step Guidance on setting up Caller ID Feature

Additionally on some modems disabling and enabling CID feature ensures initialization. You can do this by configuring Initialization String as: AT+VCID=0 AT+VCID=1

[Isaac]

Many times in Putty and Samba Initialisation String. However in my case having just AT+VCID=1 seems to work good so far.

I believe some people do not power down their POS systems hence why their modems does not reset, In my case we shut-down at end of day and it seems we needed some initialization for the caller-id in place.

[morshed1]

This is the only drawback using modems where you have to use initialisation string etc… With the professional caller id device (i.e. CTI Comet Caller ID) you do not need to use any initialisation string. so, I guess its more of a balancing act financially. cost for the professional device is 10 time higher then a low cost modem.

[Isaac]

Quick Update…

I am now using a CTI Comet USB Caller ID device and it works consistently and is much more reliable than the modem option.

Anyone considering caller ID device, I would strongly recommend the CTI Comet USB Caller ID device and advise strongly to stay away from cheap USB Modems as they randomly lose connection to the PC hence you experience intermittent connection issues.

[forbesgyro]

i have 3 computers 3 phone line , i use one one caller id device
if u phone ring how can see caller id all computer,