Expanded Call Context (ECC) variables are variables that you define and enable in the Configuration Manager to store values for a call. You can specify the variable name and data type. The name must begin with the string "user." ECC variables are in addition to the variables the system software defines for each call (PeripheralVariable1 through PeripheralVariable10, CallerEnteredDigits, CallingLineID, and so on).

An ECC variable name can be up to 33 bytes long (1–32 usable characters). Use the following naming convention when creating an ECC variable:

user.<CompanyName>.<VariableDescription>

In this syntax:

• <CompanyName> is the name of your company.

• <VariableDescription> is a descriptive tag for the variable.

For example:

user.Cisco.AcctNum

Using this naming convention prevents naming conflicts with any third-party applications that interface with the system software.

Note	For a large corporation, you can break <VariableDescription> down to include the Business Unit, Division, or other organizational entities.

ECC variables follow these size rules:

• An ECC variable can be either a scalar variable or an array element, each with a maximum length of 210 bytes.

  Note	Array types are not supported for an agent request.

• The maximum number of elements in an array is 255.

• The maximum buffer size for each scalar variable = 5 + the maximum variable length. The 5 bytes includes 4 bytes to tag the variable and 1 byte for the null terminator.

• The maximum buffer size for each array = 5 + (1 + the maximum length of an array element) * (the maximum elements in the array). There is a null terminator for each element, and a null terminator for the array as a whole.

• Since the internal buffer which stores the variables is 2000 bytes, the total sum of all the maximum buffer sizes for each variable and each array cannot exceed 2000.

  For example, if you intended to use the following:

  • A scalar ECC variable with a maximum length of 100 bytes

  • A scalar ECC variable with a maximum length of 80 bytes

  • An ECC array with a maximum of 9 elements with each element having a maximum length of 200 bytes

  Totaled the buffer size is: (5+100) + (5+80) + (5 + (1+200)*9) = 2004. Because this size is too large, you must change the length of one of the scalar ECC variables or the length of the array ECC variables.

You can also create global user variables; for example, you can create a user variable called usertemp to serve as a temporary storage area for a string value used by an If node.

After you have defined a user variable, you can then use the Script Editor Formula Editor to access the variable and reference it in expressions, just as you would with a "built-in" variable.

Each user variable must:

• Have a name that begins with user.

  Note	This name cannot contain the dot/period (.) character.

• Be associated with an object type, for example, Service. (This enables the system software to maintain an instance of that variable for each object of that type in the system.)

• Be checked as persistent. A persistent variable maintians its value between script invocations. This allows you to set the variable in one script and reference later in another script.

  Note	Because these variables may be persisted, do not use User Variables to store sensitive information belonging to the customer or company. Using these variables to store confidential information could lead to violation of security standards, such as PCI, the Common Criteria, HIPAA, or FIPS 140-2.

A user variable can store a value up to 40 characters long.