Specifications

Aastra July 2014 PA-001011-03-04

2 XML and the Aastra IP Phones

2.1 What is XML?

XML stands for eXtensible Markup Language. It is a markup language much like HTML. HTML

was designed to display data and to focus on how data looks. XML was designed to describe data

and to focus on what data is.

The following are characteristics of XML:

 XML tags are not predefined. You must define your own tags

 XML uses a Document Type Definition (DTD) or an XML Schema to describe the data

 XML with a DTD or XML Schema is designed to be self-descriptive

 XML is a W3C Standard Recommendation

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<note>

<heading>Reminder</heading>

</note>

XML declaration

Root element

Child elements of the root

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<note>

<heading>Reminder</heading>

</note>

XML declarationXML declaration

Root elementRoot element

Child elements of the rootChild elements of the root

Figure 1: Basic XML document

More information available at http://www.xml.com

2.2 Functionality

The XML browser in Aastra IP phones allows developers to create custom services that they can

use via the phone’s keypad and display. These services include things like weather and traffic

reports, contact information, company info, stock quotes, or custom call scripts.

With firmware release 3.3.1, the Aastra 6739i XML API supports 5 proprietary objects that allow the

creation of powerful XML applications.

There are 2 types of XML objects:

 UI objects, XML objects which will use the display of the phone when they are received.

 Non UI objects, XML objects which have no direct impact on the current display.

The supported objects are:

 TextMenu object (UI)

 TextScreen object (UI)

 FormattedTextScreen (UI)

 InputScreen object (UI)

 ImageScreen (UI)