Synopsis

Play a sound file while awaiting extension

Description

 Background(filename1[&filename2...][|options[|langoverride][|context]])

This application will play the given list of files while waiting for an extension to be dialed by the calling channel. To continue waiting for digits after this application has finished playing files, the WaitExten application should be used. The 'langoverride' option explicity specifies which language to attempt to use for the requested sound files. If a 'context' is specified, this is the dialplan context that this application will use when exiting to a dialed extension. If one of the requested sound files does not exist, call processing will be terminated.

Options

• s - causes the playback of the message to be skipped if the channel is not in the 'up' state (i.e. it hasn't been answered yet.) If this happens, the application will return immediately.
• n - don't answer the channel before playing the files
• m - only break if a digit hit matches a one digit extension in the destination context

Returns

See http://bugs.digium.com/view.php?id=7835 for details of a crude patch to implement the return of ${BACKGROUNDSTATUS} ("FAILED" or "SUCCESS" in the same way Playback() does).

Wait for DTMF Input

If you want Asterisk to just wait for input without playing a sound file, see the WaitExten application.

Example

 ; Sample 'main menu' context with submenu
 exten => s,1,Answer
 exten => s,2,Background(thanks) ; "Thanks for calling. Press 1 for sales, 2 for support, ..."
 exten => 1,1,Goto(submenu,s,1)
 exten => 2,1,Hangup

See also

• Playback: Play a sound file
• ControlPlayback: Play a sound file with fast forward, rewind and exit keys
• WaitExten
• Asterisk cmd Progress: Play early audio to caller without answering the channel
• TIMEOUT: Get or set timeouts
• Asterisk sound files
• Asterisk tips answer-before-playback
• Asterisk tips ivr menu: Example Interactive Voice Response IVR menu in Asterisk

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Asterisk | Asterisk Configuration | The Dialplan: extensions.conf | Dialplan Commands