November 1997

Choosing the right application generator (app-gen) could be very difficult. And when making that choice, several important factors must be considered. Is the company you wish to purchase the app-gen from stable and viable? Does the app-gen support open standards, such as ODBC, TAPI, and TCP/IP? Another important factor when considering an appgen is whether to choose a script-based or GUI-based application generator. Now, there are a number of GUI-based appgens. Many developers have gotten accustomed to creating applications in Visual Basic. In this brief survey, we’ll take a look at a few app-gens that fall under that specific category.

In the earliest days of GUIbased application generators, the powerblocks (icons) had limited functionality. So, even after designing an application using these functional blocks, some hand-coding was needed to achieve broader capabilities. Most GUIbased application generators have matured enough that advanced functionality — such as unified messaging, fax broadcasting, and data base hooks — are now as simple as dragging-and-dropping a powerblock.

Of course, script-based application generators still have their merits too. Some script-based generators are better at multi-tasking and/or multithreading, are more efficient in the use of the CPU, require less overhead, and are more scalable than their GUI-based counterparts. Perhaps the best advice is to evaluate several different app-gens of each type (vendors often offer a free 30day trial) and see which is best-suited to your needs.

The following list of Visual Basic application generator vendors is by no means a complete overview of the available products or sources for those products. The list is presented merely as a starting point for those looking to research the purchase of such a product.

Pronexus, Inc.
112 John Cavanagh Rd.
Carp, ON, Canada
K0A 1L0
Ph: 613-839-0033
Fx: 613-839-0035

VBVoice, Win32 Edition is a 32-bit OLE Control (.OCX) version of VBVoice, the popular Visual Basic computer telephony application toolkit by Pronexus. VBVoice components are designed to support a multi-threaded environment, because the controls are written in C++ code. The easy-to-use graphical design interface provided by VBVoice allows users to easily and quickly develop a wide range of sophisticated computer telephony and fax applications.

Applications are created by simply selecting control elements from the toolbox, connecting them together to create a visual flowchart of the call flow logic, and then filling out setup dialogs to set control properties. Most applications require no code; however, users can customize their applications with their own code whenever required. Some of the new features of version 2.5 include: full integration into Visual Basic 5.0, the Call Timer control, used to set timed call procedures, a 32-bit Conference control for transferring inbound callers to outbound lines, broadcasting to an audience, and conducting limited teleconferencing.

Parity Software Development Corporation
One Harbor Drive, Suite 110
Sausalito, CA 94965
Ph: 415-332-5656
Fx:415-332-5657
Web site: www.paritysw.com

CallSuite Wizard is a visual development tool that accelerates the development process for developers building computer telephony applications using Parity Software’s CallSuite ActiveX controls in Microsoft Visual Basic, Visual C++, and Delphi. CallSuite Wizard enables users to build telephony functions into their Windows applications without having to learn the programming interface (properties and methods) of their CallSuite controls. The source code for an entire project can be converted between different languages, for example between VB and C++, with a single click.

CallSuite Wizard works in conjunction with VoiceBocx, a custom control which gives an applications developer control over a Dialogic multi-line call processing card (VoiceBocx/Dialogic or VoiceBocx/PRI), or TAPIcompliant voice processing card or CTI link (VoiceBocx/TAPI). VoiceBocx/Dialogic is available as a VBX (Visual Basic Extension), and as a 16- and 32bit ActiveX (OLE controls, previously known as OCXs).

Far System Inc.
7898 High Ridge Road
Fort Atkinson, WI 53538
Ph: 920-563-2221
Fx: 920-563-1865
Web site: www.farsystems.com

The FAR Voice is both a system that allows all forms of voice processing and computer telephoisual Basic Application Generator Survey V ny to share a single hardware/soft-ware platform, and a powerful, very-highlevel, voice application genera-tor language. This language has proven especially useful in allowing persons with very little programming experience to build voice applications. Anyone with a minimum of experience with a language like BASIC can learn to program with The FAR Voice in a few hours. All of the complexities of the voice and telephone world have been condensed to a process of filling in entries in “action boxes.” Computations and data base lookups are done with a simple scripting language. Most other application generators cannot implement voice mail without invoking a number of specially written ‘C’ modules that are needed to overcome the inherent inefficiencies of the application development language.

CTL, Inc.
240 Long Hill Cross Road
Shelton, CT 06484
Ph: 203-925-4266
Fax: 203-925-4267
Web site: www.ctlinc.com

InteractiveSupport, from CTL, lets callers use their touch-tone phone to access a company’s computerized databases. InteractiveSupport offers an array of features designed to set it apart from the rest of the field. These features include: click and drag programming for easy customization; preconfigured applications (e.g., customer service, real estate, order entry, automated appointments); dial-pulse detection; and fax on-the-fly capability, as well as support for caller ID. InteractiveSupport is compatible with a variety of databases (such as dBase and FoxPro), LANs, and hosts. The Windows NT (or OS/2)based product is compatible with Dialogic and Rhetorex voice/fax cards, and offers e-mail integration with cc:Mail and Microsoft Exchange.

Brooktrout Technology, Inc.
410 First Avenue
Needham, MA 02194-2722
Ph: 781-449-4100
Fx: 781-449-9009
Web site: www.brooktrout.com

Building sophisticated voice, fax, messaging, and callprocessing applications is as easy as pointing and clicking with Show N Tel, Brooktrout’s innovative application development tool. In fact, Show N Tel revolutionizes the entire concept of “programming,” delivering power and flexibility to developers of all skill levels. It’s fast and easy. Show N Tel’s exclusive PowerBlock technology is the foundation of powerful computer-telephony applications. PowerBlocks are high-level program objects representing complete voice, fax, database, host connectivity, and PBX/switch functions. Simply drag-anddrop PowerBlocks onto the Show N Tel workspace and visually link them in the logical program flow with a click of the mouse. Compile, test, and the program is ready to run. Developers can also customize and create new PowerBlocks and share them within workgroups or across the entire organization.

Voysys Corporation
48634 Milmont Drive
Fremont, CA 94538
Ph: 510-252-1100
Fx: 510-252-1101
Web site: www.voysys.com

VoysAccess 2.0, a 32-bit ActiveX Telephony control, now supports Windows NT to allow developers to build high-performance, reliable telephony applications. Version 2.0 expands the line count capability from 2 to 24 lines in a single PC. The upgraded version makes Caller ID information available to telephony applications via RS-232 devices attached to the PC. Caller ID information helps improve efficiency of call control and customer service. VoysAccess 2.0 also adds digital sound features to telephony applications. Using AudioMode, applications can be developed for playing back the digitized voice recordings left by callers. These messages can be “voice-mail” messages or .WAV files created in other applications. The benefit is that desktop applications can listen to voice mail messages using the PC’s internal sound card. VoysAccess 2.0 provides syntax equivalents to the commands available in the 16-bit VBX control, which means that users can “port” applications to Windows NT more quickly than other toolkits.

Talks Corporation
1850 Borman Court
St. Louis, MO 63146
Ph: 314-434-0046
Fx: 314-434-9205
Web site: www.talx.com

TALXWare is an open software platform for interactive communications, which includes state-ofthe-art technologies such as speech recognition, fax, optical character recognition (OCR), email interfaces, Internet connectivity, and text-to-speech, with enough processing power to service 48 or more simultaneous user sessions. EasyScript, the first graphical development tool for interactive communications, incorporates the latest object oriented programming techniques and allows users to quickly respond to a rapidly changing business climate. A user customizable toolbar, online help, and a drag-anddrop data dictionary are only some of the productivity and usability features of this powerful tool. EasySim is the testing tool that allows agents to simulate and test every scenario incorporated into their assigned tasks. This includes every aspect of their responsibilities such as host and database connectivity, error handling, scheduling, fax preparation and delivery, and e-mail interfaces.

Talking Technology, Inc.
1125 Atlantic Avenue,
Suite 101
Alameda, CA 94501
Ph: 800-934-4884
Fx: 510-522-5556
Web site: www.tti.net

Talking Technology’s Clever Developer’s Toolkit is designed to allow software developers to create telephony applications using Clever Application Programming Interface (API) to control the company’s fourline Powerline IV Hardware. C-lever supports Microsoft C and C++, Borland C, and Visual C++ which access a Windows 3.1 DLL. Powerline IV driver is a DOS TSR, which utilizes a DOS library. The C-lever Developer’s Toolkit is a high-level library designed to get users up and running without having to learn about device specific structures and strange calling conventions. The C-Lever Developer’s Toolkit includes the following features: Powerline IV Terminate and Stay Resident (TSRs) and utilities; Windows 3.1 Dynamic Link Library (DLL); C and C++ API libraries and header files; sample code; and executable files. Potential applications include voice messaging systems, outbound call processing systems, IVR, Audiotext, and AutoAttendant.

Syntellect, Inc.
1000 Holcomb Woods
Parkway, Bldg 410A
Roswell, GA 30076-2585
Ph: 800-347-9907
Fx: 770-587-0589
Web site: www.syntellect.com

The VocalPoint IVR simplifies the often complex task of developing voice processing applications with SYNthesizer, an objectoriented, Windows-based graphical user interface (GUI) application generator, which provides a flowchart drag-anddrop environment. One of the most flexible development tools of its kind, SYNthesizer enables developers to create voice and data applications on a range of computing platforms, including Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT and IBM’s OS/2 Warp.

The VocalPoint IVR provides sophisticated CTI and Interactive Communications Management solutions for call centers of any size with a full range of capabilities, including screen pops to show agents callerrelated information, Automatic Number Identification/Dialed Number Identification Service (ANI/DNIS), and intelligent call queuing features.