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Structure of Config Files

Configuration files have a simple structure consisting of stanzas, key=value pairs and comments. A stanza is a block of text within a configuration file. It starts with a name (or number) surrounded by square brackets on a line by itself. Configuration files will have one or more stanzas. Each stanza continues until the next stanza or end of file. 

[this is a stanza]
...

[this is another stanza]
...

Stanzas contain one or more key=value pairs. Key=value pairs set various values within each stanza.

myname=timothy ; There are some who call me Tim?

Config file comments are preceded with a semicolon. In this example of two nodes the stanza is the node number and the key=value pairs set the CW ID and the ID timer:

[1998]
idrecording = |iW1ABC
idtime = 540000          ; 9 minutes

[1999]
idrecording = |iW1XYZ
idtime = 540000

Settings to name other Stanzas

Within the [node] stanza in rpt.conf, some key=value pairs point to other stanzas. This allows nodes on the same Asterisk/app_rpt server to have the same settings (without duplicate entries) or different settings in some cases. For example, the phone patch command may be *6 on one node, yet *61 on another.

For example:

[1000]
functions=functionsVHF

[1001]
functions=functionsVHF   ;same functions as node 1000

[1002]
functions=functionsUHF

[functionsVHF]
; Two meter Autopatch up is *6
6=autopatchup,noct=1,farenddisconnect=1,dialtime=20000 
0=autopatchdn       ; Autopatch down

[functionsUHF]
; 440 Autopatch up is *61
61=autopatchup,noct=1,farenddisconnect=1,dialtime=20000  ; Autopatch up
0=autopatchdn       ; Autopatch down

Named Stanzas in rpt.conf

The key=value pairs that redirect to other named stanzas in rpt.conf are:

  • controlstates=
  • events=
  • functions=
  • link_functions=
  • macro=
  • morse=
  • nodes=
  • phone_functions=
  • scheduler=
  • telemetry=
  • tonemacro=
  • wait_times=

Note: A stanza is also called a context in Asterisk PBX terminology, particularly related to the dialplan.