BladeWare Studio

BladeWare Studio Product Bulletin

BladeWare Studio is an advanced, graphical interactive-voice application design tool composed of BladeWare Studio Client, and a runtime application server, BladeWare Studio Server. BladeWare Studio Client supports the design and development of complex, dynamic voice applications without having to learn a voice markup language. There is no need to learn VoiceXML, or any of the complex grammar, text-to-speech, and call control markup languages. With BladeWare Studio client, the user’s investment is in creating his or her voice application, focusing on the design of the application itself. BladeWare Studio Server is a runtime application server that provides easy publishing and versioning of the resulting voice applications.

The primary components of Commetrex’ BladeWare voice-response OEM product line are shown in Figure 1. BladeWare VXi, a separate product, is a significantly enhanced commercial version of OpenVXi and can be used independently of BladeWare Studio. But, not surprisingly, many of our VXML interpreter customers need a VoiceXML application-creation tool and runtime application server.

However, there are few OEM products available to meet this specific requirement, and the ones that are available are costly, complex, and designed to make the OEM a captive of proprietary technologies, making them difficult to afford and use as components in the OEM’s product line. BladeWare Studio client, Commetrex’ VoiceXML drag-and-drop application-creation tool, was specifically designed for the OEM, as was BladeWare Studio Server.

BladeWare Studio creates open, standard VoiceXML output that does not tie the application to the runtime server since it can generate open, standard VoiceXML code that can be run independently of the BladeWare Studio run-time server. Alternatively, Studio Client output can be published directly to the Studio Server. So, although BladeWare Studio Client and BladeWare Studio Server will work with any standards-compliant voice browser, these products provide more robust features out-of-the box if used together.

Figure 2: Studio Client GUI

Figure 2: Studio Client GUI

BladeWare Studio Client provides the following capabilities:

  • Intuitive drag-and-drop interface
  • Wizard-driven “steps”
  • Interface with dynamic web services such as .NET, Axis, JRUN, and gSOAP
  • Graphical dialog design view
  • Open, standard VoiceXML code generation
  • Server and voice-browser independent
  • Optionally publish to BladeWare Studio Server
  • Packaged as ready-to-run Web Application Archives (WAR)
  • Validation before publishing
  • Intuitive prompt recording and importing

When Combined with BladeWare Studio Server, the following features are added:

  • One-click publishing from the BladeWare Studio Client of both voice application and audio files
  • Ability to access and open previously published applications from the server, including any prior versions
  • Application versioning
  • Zero-downtime publishing: in-progress calls are not affected; new calls get the newly published application
  • Pre-packaged interfaces to back-end sources:
    • SQL databases
    • POP/IMAP email servers
    • HTTP-based XML communication
    • Web pages
    • Flat text files

 What Does BladeWare Studio Not Do?

  • BladeWare Studio does not require you to know VXML, SRGS, SSML, or any of the other standard languages that are generated by BladeWare Studio.
  • BladeWare Studio does not require that you keep up with the subsequent versions of each of the generated standard languages and compatibility between each of the languages. As the specifications expand and evolve, the support is added in BladeWare Studio and applications will be automatically upgraded.
  • BladeWare Studio does not tie the application to the runtime server, BladeWare Studio Server. BladeWare Studio Client can generate open, standard VoiceXML code that can be run independent of the run-time server.
  • BladeWare Studio Client and BladeWare Studio Server will work with any standards-compliant voice browser. These products provide more robust features out-of-the box if used together; however, they are not dependent on each other and can be used independently.

Product Configuration, OEM

BladeWare Studio SDK, client and server, PN 80008
BladeWare Studio Client, per-seat license, PN 80009
BladeWare Studio server (per-server license), PN 80010
BladeWare Studio annual support, base, PN 81008
BladeWare Studio per-seat annual support, PN 81009