Index: pbx/ael/ael-test/ael-vtest26/extensions.ael
===================================================================
--- pbx/ael/ael-test/ael-vtest26/extensions.ael	(revision 0)
+++ pbx/ael/ael-test/ael-vtest26/extensions.ael	(revision 0)
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+macro test-retval () {
+	i=5;
+	i=${i}+10;
+	return ${i};
+}
+
+macro test-macro-assignment () {
+	foo=&test-retval();
+	local bub=&test-retval();
+	NoOp(${foo});
+	HASH(foo,bar)=&test-retval();
+	return;
+}
Index: pbx/ael/ael-test/ref.ael-vtest26
===================================================================
--- pbx/ael/ael-test/ref.ael-vtest26	(revision 0)
+++ pbx/ael/ael-test/ref.ael-vtest26	(revision 0)
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+
+
+[test-retval]
+exten => s,1,Set(i=$[5])
+exten => s,2,Set(i=$[${i}+10])
+exten => s,3,Return($[${i}])
+
+
+[test-macro-assignment]
+exten => s,1,Gosub(test-retval,s,1)
+exten => s,2,Set(foo=${GOSUB_RETVAL})
+exten => s,3,Gosub(test-retval,s,1)
+exten => s,4,Set(LOCAL(bub)=${GOSUB_RETVAL})
+exten => s,5,NoOp(${foo})
+exten => s,6,Gosub(test-retval,s,1)
+exten => s,7,Set(HASH(foo,bar)=${GOSUB_RETVAL})
+exten => s,8,Return()
Index: CHANGES
===================================================================
--- CHANGES	(revision 166832)
+++ CHANGES	(working copy)
@@ -128,6 +128,19 @@
 
    If this is included, the server supports event suppression.
 
+AEL
+---
+* Macros now support returning a value, and direct assignment of that value to a
+  variable or function.  For example:
+
+    macro returnmacro() {
+	MYVAR=10;
+	return ${MYVAR};
+    }
+
+   FOO=&returnmacro();
+
+
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 --- Functionality changes from Asterisk 1.6.0 to Asterisk 1.6.1  -------------
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Index: include/asterisk/ael_structs.h
===================================================================
--- include/asterisk/ael_structs.h	(revision 166832)
+++ include/asterisk/ael_structs.h	(working copy)
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
 
 /* for CODE GENERATION */
 	
-typedef enum { AEL_APPCALL, AEL_CONTROL1, AEL_FOR_CONTROL, AEL_IF_CONTROL, AEL_IFTIME_CONTROL, AEL_RAND_CONTROL, AEL_LABEL, AEL_RETURN } ael_priority_type;
+typedef enum { AEL_APPCALL, AEL_CONTROL1, AEL_FOR_CONTROL, AEL_IF_CONTROL, AEL_IFTIME_CONTROL, AEL_RAND_CONTROL, AEL_LABEL, AEL_RETURN, AEL_RETURN_VAL } ael_priority_type;
 
 
 struct ael_priority
Index: include/asterisk/pval.h
===================================================================
--- include/asterisk/pval.h	(revision 166832)
+++ include/asterisk/pval.h	(working copy)
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@
 	PV_IGNOREPAT,         /* 26 */
 	PV_GLOBALS,           /* 27 */
 	PV_LOCALVARDEC,       /* 28 */
+	PV_RETURN_VAL,	      /* 29 */
+	PV_MACROVARDEC,       /* 30 */
+	PV_LOCALMACROVARDEC   /* 31 */
 } pvaltype;
 
 /* why this horrible mess? It's always been a tradeoff-- tons of structs,
Index: res/ael/pval.c
===================================================================
--- res/ael/pval.c	(revision 166863)
+++ res/ael/pval.c	(working copy)
@@ -252,7 +252,17 @@
 	case PV_LOCALVARDEC:
 		fprintf(fin,"local %s=%s;\n", item->u1.str, item->u2.val);
 		break;
-			
+	
+	case PV_MACROVARDEC:
+		print_pval_list(fin,item->u2.statements,depth);
+		fprintf(fin,"%s;\n", item->u1.str);
+		break;
+		
+	case PV_LOCALMACROVARDEC:
+		print_pval_list(fin,item->u2.statements,depth);
+		fprintf(fin,"%s;\n", item->u1.str);
+		break;
+		
 	case PV_GOTO:
 		fprintf(fin,"goto %s", item->u1.list->u1.str);
 		if ( item->u1.list->next )
@@ -283,6 +293,10 @@
 	case PV_RETURN:
 		fprintf(fin,"return;\n");
 		break;
+
+	case PV_RETURN_VAL:
+		fprintf(fin,"return (%s);\n", item->u1.str);
+		break;
 			
 	case PV_CONTINUE:
 		fprintf(fin,"continue;\n");
@@ -507,7 +521,23 @@
 		           item->u2.val     == variable value to assign
 		*/
 		break;
-			
+		
+	case PV_MACROVARDEC:
+		/* fields: item->u1.str        == variable name
+
+				   item->u2.statements == macro call
+		*/
+		traverse_pval_item_template(item->u2.statements,depth);
+		break;
+	
+	case PV_LOCALMACROVARDEC:
+		/* fields: item->u1.str        == variable name
+
+				   item->u2.statements == macro call
+		*/
+		traverse_pval_item_template(item->u2.statements,depth);
+		break;	
+		
 	case PV_GOTO:
 		/* fields: item->u1.list     == pval list of PV_WORD target names, up to 3, in order as given by user.
 		           item->u1.list->u1.str  == where the data on a PV_WORD will always be.
@@ -553,6 +583,11 @@
 		*/
 		break;
 			
+	case PV_RETURN_VAL:
+		/* fields: item->u1.str		== value to return
+		*/
+		break;
+
 	case PV_CONTINUE:
 		/* fields: none
 		*/
@@ -667,7 +702,7 @@
 	for (i=macro->u3.macro_statements; i; i=i->next) {
 		/* if the last statement in the list is not return, then insert a return there */
 		if (i->next == NULL) {
-			if (i->type != PV_RETURN) {
+			if (i->type != PV_RETURN && i->type != PV_RETURN_VAL) {
 				pval *z = calloc(1, sizeof(struct pval));
 				ast_log(LOG_WARNING, "Warning: file %s, line %d-%d: The macro %s does not end with a return; I will insert one.\n",
 						macro->filename, macro->startline, macro->endline, macro->u1.str);
@@ -2658,6 +2693,20 @@
 		check_expr2_input(item,item->u2.val);
 		break;
 			
+	case PV_MACROVARDEC:
+		/* fields: item->u1.str            == variable name
+		           item->u2.statements     == macro call, the return value of which to assign
+		*/
+		check_pval(item->u2.statements, apps, in_globals);
+		break;
+
+	case PV_LOCALMACROVARDEC:
+		/* fields: item->u1.str            == variable name
+		           item->u2.statements     == macro call, the return value of which to assign
+		*/
+		check_pval(item->u2.statements, apps, in_globals);
+		break;		
+		
 	case PV_GOTO:
 		/* fields: item->u1.list     == pval list of PV_WORD target names, up to 3, in order as given by user.
 		           item->u1.list->u1.str  == where the data on a PV_WORD will always be.
@@ -2745,6 +2794,12 @@
 		/* fields: none
 		*/
 		break;
+
+	case PV_RETURN_VAL:
+		/* fields: item->u1.str		== the value to return
+		*/
+		check_expr2_input(item,item->u1.str);
+		break;
 			
 	case PV_CONTINUE:
 		/* fields: none
@@ -3197,7 +3252,19 @@
 		           item->u2.val     == variable value to assign
 		*/
 		break;
-			
+
+	case PV_MACROVARDEC:
+		/* fields: item->u1.str         == variable name
+		           item->u2.statements  == macro who return value will be assigned
+		*/
+	break;
+	
+	case PV_LOCALMACROVARDEC:
+		/* fields: item->u1.str         == variable name
+		           item->u2.statements  == macro who return value will be assigned
+		*/
+	break;	
+	
 	case PV_GOTO:
 		/* fields: item->u1.list     == pval list of PV_WORD target names, up to 3, in order as given by user.
 		           item->u1.list->u1.str  == where the data on a PV_WORD will always be.
@@ -3238,6 +3305,11 @@
 		/* fields: none
 		*/
 		break;
+
+	case PV_RETURN_VAL:
+		/* fields: item->u1.str		== value to return
+		*/
+		break;
 			
 	case PV_CONTINUE:
 		/* fields: none
@@ -3435,6 +3507,38 @@
 			pr->origin = p;
 			linkprio(exten, pr, mother_exten);
 			break;
+
+		case PV_MACROVARDEC:
+			gen_prios(exten, new_label, p->u2.statements, mother_exten, this_context);
+			pr = new_prio();
+			pr->type = AEL_APPCALL;
+			snprintf(buf1,sizeof(buf1),"%s=${GOSUB_RETVAL}", p->u1.str);
+			if (!ast_compat_app_set) {
+				pr->app = strdup("MSet");
+			} else {
+				pr->app = strdup("Set");
+			}
+			remove_spaces_before_equals(buf1);
+			pr->appargs = strdup(buf1);
+			pr->origin = p;
+			linkprio(exten, pr, mother_exten);
+			break;
+
+		case PV_LOCALMACROVARDEC:
+			gen_prios(exten, new_label, p->u2.statements, mother_exten, this_context);
+			pr = new_prio();
+			pr->type = AEL_APPCALL;
+			snprintf(buf1,sizeof(buf1),"LOCAL(%s)=${GOSUB_RETVAL}", p->u1.str);
+			if (!ast_compat_app_set) {
+				pr->app = strdup("MSet");
+			} else {
+				pr->app = strdup("Set");
+			}
+			remove_spaces_before_equals(buf1);
+			pr->appargs = strdup(buf1);
+			pr->origin = p;
+			linkprio(exten, pr, mother_exten);
+			break;
 			
 		case PV_GOTO:
 			pr = new_prio();
@@ -3718,7 +3822,7 @@
 							break;
 					}
 					/* p3 now points the last statement... */
-					if (!p3 || ( p3->type != PV_GOTO && p3->type != PV_BREAK && p3->type != PV_RETURN) ) {
+					if (!p3 || ( p3->type != PV_GOTO && p3->type != PV_BREAK && p3->type != PV_RETURN && p3->type != PV_RETURN_VAL) ) {
 						/* is there a following CASE/PATTERN/DEFAULT? */
 						if (p2->next && p2->next->type == PV_CASE) {
 							fall_thru = new_prio();
@@ -3789,7 +3893,7 @@
 							break;
 					}
 					/* p3 now points the last statement... */
-					if (!p3 || ( p3->type != PV_GOTO && p3->type != PV_BREAK && p3->type != PV_RETURN)) {
+					if (!p3 || ( p3->type != PV_GOTO && p3->type != PV_BREAK && p3->type != PV_RETURN && p3->type != PV_RETURN_VAL)) {
 						/* is there a following CASE/PATTERN/DEFAULT? */
 						if (p2->next && p2->next->type == PV_CASE) {
 							fall_thru = new_prio();
@@ -3889,7 +3993,7 @@
 							break;
 					}
 					/* p3 now points the last statement... */
-					if (!p3 || (p3->type != PV_GOTO && p3->type != PV_BREAK && p3->type != PV_RETURN)) {
+					if (!p3 || (p3->type != PV_GOTO && p3->type != PV_BREAK && p3->type != PV_RETURN && p3->type != PV_RETURN_VAL)) {
 						/* is there a following CASE/PATTERN/DEFAULT? */
 						if (p2->next && p2->next->type == PV_CASE) {
 							fall_thru = new_prio();
@@ -3999,6 +4103,16 @@
 			linkprio(exten, pr, mother_exten);
 			break;
 
+		case PV_RETURN_VAL:
+			pr = new_prio();
+			pr->type = AEL_RETURN_VAL;
+			pr->app = strdup("Return");
+			snprintf(buf1,sizeof(buf1),"$[%s]", p->u1.str);
+			pr->appargs = strdup(buf1);
+			pr->origin = p;
+			linkprio(exten, pr, mother_exten);
+			break;
+
 		case PV_CONTINUE:
 			pr = new_prio();
 			pr->type = AEL_CONTROL1; /* simple goto */
@@ -4265,6 +4379,10 @@
 				strcpy(app,"Return");
 				appargs[0] = 0;
 				break;
+			case AEL_RETURN_VAL:
+				strcpy(app,"Return");
+				snprintf(appargs,sizeof(appargs),"%s", pr->appargs);
+				break;
 				
 			default:
 				break;
@@ -4691,7 +4809,17 @@
 		if (item->u2.val)
 			free(item->u2.val);
 		break;
-			
+
+	case PV_LOCALMACROVARDEC:
+	case PV_MACROVARDEC:
+		/*  fields: item->u1.str == variable name
+			item->u2.statements  == macro call whose return value is assigned
+		*/
+		if (item->u1.str)
+			free(item->u1.str);
+		destroy_pval(item->u2.statements);
+	break;
+	
 	case PV_GOTO:
 		/* fields: item->u1.list     == pval list of PV_WORD target names, up to 3, in order as given by user.
 		           item->u1.list->u1.str  == where the data on a PV_WORD will always be.
@@ -4743,6 +4871,13 @@
 		*/
 		break;
 			
+	case PV_RETURN_VAL:
+		/* fields: item->u1.str		== the value to return
+		*/
+		if (item->u1.str) {
+			free(item->u1.str);
+		}
+		break;
 	case PV_CONTINUE:
 		/* fields: none
 		*/
@@ -5203,7 +5338,6 @@
 	return *statement;
 }
 
-
 void pvalCatchSetExtName( pval *p, char *name )
 {
 	if (!pvalCheckType(p, "pvalCatchSetExtName", PV_CATCH))
Index: res/ael/ael.y
===================================================================
--- res/ael/ael.y	(revision 166863)
+++ res/ael/ael.y	(working copy)
@@ -52,7 +52,6 @@
 int ael_is_funcname(char *name);
 #endif
 static char *ael_token_subst(const char *mess);
-
 %}
 
 
@@ -81,6 +80,9 @@
 
 /* update end position of an object, return the object */
 static pval *update_last(pval *, YYLTYPE *);
+
+/* Rebuild the function call erroneously (but necessarily) parsed as an application call */
+static char *rebuild_funccall(pval *);
 %}
 
 
@@ -147,7 +149,7 @@
 /*
  * OPTIONS
  */
-
+ 
 %locations	/* track source location using @n variables (yylloc in flex) */
 %pure-parser	/* pass yylval and yylloc as arguments to yylex(). */
 %name-prefix="ael_yy"
@@ -239,16 +241,28 @@
 	| error global_statements {$$=$2;}
 	;
 
-assignment : word EQ { reset_semicount(parseio->scanner); }  word SEMI {
+assignment : word EQ reset_semi word SEMI {
 		$$ = npval2(PV_VARDEC, &@1, &@5);
 		$$->u1.str = $1;
 		$$->u2.val = $4; }
+	| word EQ reset_semi AMPER macro_call SEMI {
+		$$ = npval2(PV_MACROVARDEC, &@1, &@6);
+		$$->u1.str = $1;
+		$$->u2.statements = $5; }
 	;
+	
+reset_semi : /* empty */
+		{ reset_semicount(parseio->scanner); }
+	;
 
-local_assignment : KW_LOCAL word EQ { reset_semicount(parseio->scanner); }  word SEMI {
+local_assignment : KW_LOCAL word EQ reset_semi word SEMI {
 		$$ = npval2(PV_LOCALVARDEC, &@1, &@6);
 		$$->u1.str = $2;
 		$$->u2.val = $5; }
+	| KW_LOCAL word EQ reset_semi AMPER macro_call SEMI {
+		$$ = npval2(PV_LOCALMACROVARDEC, &@1, &@7);
+		$$->u1.str = $2;
+		$$->u2.statements = $6; }
 	;
 
 /* XXX this matches missing arguments, is this desired ? */
@@ -490,41 +504,23 @@
 	| word SEMI {
 		$$= npval2(PV_APPLICATION_CALL, &@1, &@2);
 		$$->u1.str = $1;}
-	| application_call EQ {reset_semicount(parseio->scanner);} word SEMI {
-		char *bufx;
-		int tot=0;
-		pval *pptr;
+	| application_call EQ reset_semi word SEMI {
 		$$ = npval2(PV_VARDEC, &@1, &@5);
 		$$->u2.val=$4;
-		/* rebuild the original string-- this is not an app call, it's an unwrapped vardec, with a func call on the LHS */
-		/* string to big to fit in the buffer? */
-		tot+=strlen($1->u1.str);
-		for(pptr=$1->u2.arglist;pptr;pptr=pptr->next) {
-			tot+=strlen(pptr->u1.str);
-			tot++; /* for a sep like a comma */
-		}
-		tot+=4; /* for safety */
-		bufx = calloc(1, tot);
-		strcpy(bufx,$1->u1.str);
-		strcat(bufx,"(");
-		/* XXX need to advance the pointer or the loop is very inefficient */
-		for (pptr=$1->u2.arglist;pptr;pptr=pptr->next) {
-			if ( pptr != $1->u2.arglist )
-				strcat(bufx,",");
-			strcat(bufx,pptr->u1.str);
-		}
-		strcat(bufx,")");
-#ifdef AAL_ARGCHECK
-		if ( !ael_is_funcname($1->u1.str) )
-			ast_log(LOG_WARNING, "==== File: %s, Line %d, Cols: %d-%d: Function call? The name %s is not in my internal list of function names\n",
-				my_file, @1.first_line, @1.first_column, @1.last_column, $1->u1.str);
-#endif
-		$$->u1.str = bufx;
-		destroy_pval($1); /* the app call it is not, get rid of that chain */
+		$$->u1.str = rebuild_funccall($1);
 		prev_word = 0;
 	}
+	| application_call EQ reset_semi AMPER macro_call SEMI {
+		$$ = npval2(PV_MACROVARDEC, &@1, &@6);
+		$$->u2.statements=$5;
+		$$->u1.str = rebuild_funccall($1);
+		prev_word = 0;
+	}	
 	| KW_BREAK SEMI { $$ = npval2(PV_BREAK, &@1, &@2); }
 	| KW_RETURN SEMI { $$ = npval2(PV_RETURN, &@1, &@2); }
+	| KW_RETURN word SEMI {
+		$$ = npval2(PV_RETURN_VAL, &@1, &@3);
+		$$->u1.str = $2; }
 	| KW_CONTINUE SEMI { $$ = npval2(PV_CONTINUE, &@1, &@2); }
 	| if_like_head statement opt_else {
 		$$ = update_last($1, &@2);
@@ -880,3 +876,32 @@
 		t->dad = dad;
 }
 
+/* This routine rebuilds a left-hand side function call from the parsed components of an application_call nonterminal */
+static char *rebuild_funccall(pval *funccall) {
+	char *bufx;
+	int tot=0;
+	pval *pptr;
+	tot+=strlen(funccall->u1.str);
+	for(pptr=funccall->u2.arglist;pptr;pptr=pptr->next) {
+		tot+=strlen(pptr->u1.str);
+		tot++; /* for a sep like a comma */
+	}
+	tot+=4; /* for safety */
+	bufx = calloc(1, tot);
+	strcpy(bufx,funccall->u1.str);
+	strcat(bufx,"(");
+	/* XXX need to advance the pointer or the loop is very inefficient */
+	for (pptr=funccall->u2.arglist;pptr;pptr=pptr->next) {
+		if ( pptr != funccall->u2.arglist )
+			strcat(bufx,",");
+		strcat(bufx,pptr->u1.str);
+	}
+	strcat(bufx,")");
+#ifdef AAL_ARGCHECK
+	if ( !ael_is_funcname(funccall->u1.str) )
+		ast_log(LOG_WARNING, "==== File: %s, Line %d, Cols: %d-%d: Function call? The name %s is not in my internal list of function names\n",
+			my_file, @1.first_line, @1.first_column, @1.last_column, funccall->u1.str);
+#endif
+	destroy_pval(funccall); /* the app call it is not, get rid of that chain */
+	return bufx;
+}
Index: res/ael/ael.flex
===================================================================
--- res/ael/ael.flex	(revision 166863)
+++ res/ael/ael.flex	(working copy)
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@
 
 NOARGG		([^(),\{\}\[\]]|\\[,()\[\]\{\}])*
 
-NOSEMIC		([^;()\{\}\[\]]|\\[;()\[\]\{\}])*
+NOSEMIC		([^;()\&\{\}\[\]]|\\[;()\[\]\{\}])*
 
 HIBIT		[\x80-\xff]
 
@@ -563,6 +563,7 @@
 		}
 		yymore();
 	}
+<semic>{NOSEMIC}[\&]	{STORE_POS; BEGIN(0); return AMPER;}
 
 <semic>{NOSEMIC};	{
 		STORE_LOC;