# GFax

## A Popup fax manager for

## GNOME and the X window system

## CONTENTS

Description
Using GFax

- Command line
- Printing from an application
- Using the phone book
- Faxing a file
- Delayed faxing

Command Line Options
Configuration Options
Setting up phone books
Fax Packages
GFax and lpr
FAQ

## 1.0 DESCRIPTION

GFax is a front end fax program that performs the familiar pop-up fax
manager when one prints to a fax printer. GFax works with all X
programs that use lpr as the printer interface, even the command
line.

GFax has been tested with such programs as Wordperfect from Corel,
Emacs, Nedit, Ghostscript and Lyx to name a few. It should
work with any application that prints using "lpr". GFax relies
on underlying fax transport software such as Mgetty+Sendfax or
Hylafax to actually send the facimiles. This software must already
be installed and setup on your system for GFax to work.

NOTE:

GFax dosen't actaully send the fax, it is up to the fax subsystem
software such as mgetty+sendfax. If you're having problems sending
faxes make sure the fax subsystem works first.

## 2.0 USING GFAX

Using GFax is straight forward.

2.1.1 Command line:

From the command line issue the command "lpr -P fax <filename>", where
filename is the file you want to fax. The main GFax window will pop up
asking you to fill in the phone number etc. When you are finished click
on the "Send Fax" button and your fax will be sent to the fax subsystem
you chose during configuration. Clicking on the "Exit" button will
delete the spooled fax and close GFax.

2.1.2 Printing from an application:

Set your application up to use lpr for printing. "Lpr" can print to many
different printers by specifying the destination on the command line with
the "-P" option. When you print most applications will prompt you for a
"lpr" destination (see the lpr man page) with the "-P" option. Enter "fax"
as the destination printer and print the document. The main GFax window
will pop up asking you to fill in the phone number etc.

2.1.3 Using the phone book:

When GFax displays, click on the "Phone Book" button. The phone
book window will pop up displaying the current entries. You may do the
following:

Click on an entry in the "Phone Books" list. This will open the phone book
and display in the main list.

Double click an entry in the main list which will choose that item, close the
phone book and display the data in the main window. At this point you may
press the "Send Fax" button.

Close - Will close the phone book and not choose an item.

2.1.4 Faxing a file:

To send a file directly from disk, press the "Fax File" button, enter the file
name or click to "Browse" button and browse for the file. Click "OK"
and send the fax as per normal.

2.1.5 Delayed Faxing:

To send a fax at another time make sure the "Send Immediately" option is
not checked. Fill in the time in the Hours and Minutes entry and select AM
or PM. Now send your fax as you normally would.

Note: delayed faxing is a function of the under lying facsimile system and will
only work if they are configured correctly.

## 2.2 COMMAND LINE OPTIONS

[ -test | -t ]

You may give gfax the --test or -t option on the command line to print
the actual command that will be sent to the fax transmission agent. This is
mainly used for debugging and getting the fax agent working properly.

This option is not normally used.

## 2.3 CONFIGURATION OPTIONS

The following options and values may be set under the "Settings"
option.

Send cover page:
If this is set then a cover page will be generated for every fax that
is sent. Most people generate their own cover page with their word
processor. The primary use here is to send a cover page when one is
including a file straight off the filesystem.

NOTE This option not yet working.

Send immediately:
This option will let you change the date and time in the
schedule section so your fax will be sent at a later time. This
support is dependant on the fax transmission agent. Hylafax supports
this quite well. Check your manual pages.

Network fax server:
This option will tell GFax to use a fax server on the network
instead of a locally connected modem. Not implemented yet.

Send mail when complete:
Send a mail message back to the sender of the fax. The users
email address must be set in order for this to work.

Fine resolution:
Tell the fax software to set the default resolution to high or
fine mode, 196dpi. Normal resolution is 98 dpi.

Mgetty+Sendfax:
Use mgetty+sendfax as the fax software.

Hylafax:
Use hylafax as the fax software.

Fax host:
This is the host name of the remote mavhine that has the fax
software and modems connected to it. It should be a fully
qualified domain name. - Not yet implemented.

Telephone prefix:
If you normally have to dial a prefix to use your phone system
you may enter it here and GFax will prepend each phone number
with the prefix. Use this if you have to dial 9 to get an
outside line. You may also use it to dial say "*70" to disable call
waiting for one call.

## 2.5 SETTING UP PHONE BOOKS

Phone books are in vCard format and you may use any program that
creates vCard databases. Currently the "GnomeCard" program
supplies this functionality. Note Gnomecard uses a default database
name of ~/.gnome/GnomeCard.gcrd.

Once you have a vCard database setup you add it to your list of
phone books.

From the main Gfax window choose "Phone Book", then "Add Book".
Give your new phone book a name that describes it's purpose such
as "MAIN, PERSONAL, CUSTOMER, or SUPPLIER".

Now enter or browse for the actual file name of the vCard database
and press the "OK" button.

## 3.0 FAX PACKAGES

The only packages that GFax will work with at the moment is
Mgetty+Sendfax and Hylafax.

This section is not finished.

## 4.0 GFAX AND LPR

Technical Issue concerning the use of "lpr".

GFax uses it's own version of lpr as it's interface to the printing system.

As part of the installation process the system lpr is moved to
lpr.dist and the GFax lpr is used as the system lpr. This may cause a few
problems when one up-grades the system and lpr is replaced with a new version.
What actually happens is, the GFax version of lpr gets replaced and as
a result GFax no longer works correctly when printing from applications.

There are two ways to handle this problem.

1) The new, updated version of lpr can be moved to lpr.dist and a symbolic
link made from /usr/lib/gfax/lpr to /usr/bin/lpr>, or wherever your gfax
and lpr executables happen to live.

2) The second way to handle this problem is to rename the GFax lpr to glpr
and inform the applictions you want to fax from to use glpr instead of lpr.
If you do this please remember to move your system lpr that was renamed to
lpr.dist when you installed GFax back to lpr.

## 5.0 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND NOTES

---------
These are things I had to do to use mgetty+sendfax. Your milage may
vary.

Make sure cour25.pbm and cour25n.pbm fonts are installed in the
mgetty directory "/usr/lib/mgetty+sendfax".

Make sure the faxheader file is set in the mgetty directory.
Mine has one line and is as follows:

Fax Message To: @T@ From: @ID@ @DATE@ Page: @P@ of @M@

If using the Alladin version of Ghostscript you must use the faxg3
driver instead of the dfaxhigh driver. You will have to tell
mgetty+sendfax about this by editing the "faxspool" file.

May have to add file types to "faxspool". Modify and change "c program
text" to "program text". My version says "C program text" and "C++
program text".

Mgetty+Sendfax - faxrunq dosen't handle mail well. It sends it to the
local user no matter what.

Copyright (c) 1996 George A. Farris,

G.M. Systems
2570 Seaview Road
Mill Bay, British Columbia
Canada V0R 2P0

Phone: 1.250.743.1500
Fax: 1.250.743.1500
E-Mail: george@gmsys.com
Web: www.gmsys.com