The Configuration File

Configuration Elements

For the sake and sanity of the user of this software, we need to cover the basic elements of the configuration before getting to the meat and potatoes.

Configuration Directives
Comments
Instruction Separator

Configuration Directives

There are five (5) types of configuration directives used with Kamailio.
Each configuration directive type uses its own syntax!

C-Style Control Directives
Apache-Like Name/Value Pairs
Normal Name/Value Pairs
Modify Parameter Procedure
Route Functions

Comments

The first thing you should understand is the comment syntax used in the configuration file.

Comments in the configuration file are a mixture of C-Style (not C++) and scripting language syntaxes.
It closely resembles the PHP style, except you can not use double-slash ( ⁄ ⁄ ) for line comments. Only the hash (#) may be used for line comments.

It can be confusing seeing the C-Style Control Directives (explained later) that begin with a hash-bang (#!) mixed with line comments begin with a hash (#).

/* This is a ...
   block comment */   
// this is NOT a line comment
# this is a line comment
#!c_style_directive <-- VALID CONFIGURATION DIRECTIVE / NOT A COMMENT

Instruction Separator

Just getting this out of the way before covering the Configuration Directives.

The semicolon (;) is not required and may be used as an instruction separator for all configuration directives except Route Functions¹⁾.

The general use is to allow for comments or additional configuration directives be placed on the same line.

configuration_directive_a
configuration_directive_b;
configuration_directive_c; configuration_directive_d
configuration_directive_e; # comment about the configuration directive

Configuration Directives

Type	Format	Comment
C-Style Control Directives	#!directive NAME VALUE	Begins with hash-bang (#!)
Apache-Like Name/Value Pairs	name “value”	Delimited by a space & Value within quotes
Normal Name/Value Pairs	name=value	Delimited by an equals sign
Modify Parameter Procedure	modparam(“MODULE”, “PARAMETER”, “VALUE”)
Route Functions	route {…}	Scripting Language

C-Style Control Directives

Available directives:

#!define NAME - define a keyword
#!define NAME VALUE - define a keyword with value
#!ifdef NAME - check if a keyword is defined
#!ifndef - check if a keyword is not defined
#!else - swtich to false branch of ifdef/ifndef region
#!endif - end ifdef/ifndef region
#!trydef - add a define if not already defined
#!redefine - force redefinition even if already defined
#!subst
#!substdef

#!define MODULE_NAME

#!ifdef MODULE_NAME
 .. set directives ..
#!else
 .. set alternate directives .. 
#!endif

Apache Name/Value Pairs

name "value"

The value MUST be enclosed in quotes.

loadmodule "module_name.so"
loadmodule "another_module.so"
include_file "file_to_include.cfg"
import_file "/path/to/file_to_import.cfg"

Normal Name/Value Pairs

name=value

(delimited by an equals sign)

core_parameters

memdbg=5
memlog=5
log_facility=LOG_LOCAL0
fork=yes
children=4
#disable_tcp=yes
auto_aliases=no
alias="sip.mydomain.com"

Modify Parameter Procedure

modparam("first_module", "module_parameter_text", "new_value");  # Set Text Value
modparam("second_module", "module_parameter_number", 10000);      # Set Numeric Value
modparam("second_module", "module_parameter_on", 1);              # Enable Parameter
modparam("third_module", "module_parameter_on", 0);             # Disable Parameter

Route Functions

¹⁾

Route Functions use scripting language syntax and must be terminated with a semicolon at the end of each statement.