asterisk confbridge - dynamically add users to conference

Question

I am trying to dynamically add users to a ConfBridge conference in asterisk. It is very similar to the scenario described here in the dialplan_exec example:

https://wiki.asterisk.org/wiki/display/AST/ConfBridge+10

I have two problems with this scenario:

1. I may have several running conferences at the same time. I want to add the new user to the same conference the originator is participating in (and not hardcoded "1234")

2. I don't want the inviting participant to wait until the other side answers before it returns to the conference. I want to call the other side and return to the conference immediately.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Here's how you'd do it ...

• DTMF code for the conference host starts the process

• system asks for the phone number to send the invite to system

• verifies the phone number conf host returned to the conference

• System creates a call file with:

  -- a custom channel variable that ID's the conference ID for the caller

  -- a custom channel variable that ID's the conference password for the caller

  -- the context is specific for "invited callers"

• The system executes the call and puts it into the "invited_callers" context

• On pick-up, plays a "press 5 to join the conference" type message.

• On a DTMF 5, the call is connected to the conference via the ID and password contained in the channel variables.

I've done this for another customer in the past. It's "non-trivial" code, but any capable Asterisk Admin could do it for you.