Files, Faxing

The base Faximum Messaging Server will fax email messages that have ASCII (i.e. text) or TIFF-F attachments. Frequently users will want to fax documents that have been created using various applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, or documents that are in Adobe Acrobat (a.k.a. PDF) format. The Faximum Messaging Server provides two mechanisms to enable users to fax such documents:

• your system administrator can install SCO Merge on the FMS system which will enable the FMS to convert file attachments in Microsoft Word (or other proprietary file formats) into the appropriate format for transmission by fax; or
• you can install the FMS Print Driver on your Windows desktop system to enable you to convert Microsoft Word documents (or other proprietary file formats) into TIFF-F files that can be sent to the FMS system. (See "Windows Print Driver, Downloading and Installing" on page 77).

There are advantages and disadvantages to each mechanism which are described fully below. Note that it is possible to have both mechanisms available to users and let them choose the approach that works best in each situation.

In most situations we recommend the second approach.

Mechanism I - SCO Merge (SCO OpenServer/UnixWare only)

One approach is to install SCO Merge on the FMS system. The FMS will then pass any documents in Microsoft Word (and certain other formats, see "Install the File Viewers" on page 65) to a utility running on SCO Merge that will convert the file into fax format for transmission by the FMS.

SCO Merge is only available for SCO OpenServer and SCO UnixWare. Faximum continues to monitor the Linux Wine and other Windows under Linux projects and hopes to be able to deliver similar functionality in the future for Linux users. If this feature is important to you please contact Faximum Software for current information.

Installation instructions for SCO Merge and the related FMS Windows File Conversion Daemon (WFCD) may be found on page 63.

Advantages

• no need for users to install any software on their client systems
• can send the same document to both email and fax addresses in the same message-the email recipients will receive an editable version of the document while the fax recipients will receive a printed version of the document

Disadvantages

• can only fax entire document (not page ranges)
• can only fax certain file formats¹
• need to purchase and install a copy of SCO Merge on the FMS system
• SCO Merge must be running continuously on system console

See also:

• "SCO Merge Installation" on page 63

Mechanism II - The FMS Print Driver (both SCO & Linux)

The other approach is for each user (who wishes to fax proprietary format files) to install the FMS Print Driver on his Windows system. With this software installed on your Windows² system you merely "print to Faximum" from any application. This will cause the printed output to be captured and converted to fax format. Then a dialogue window will pop up asking you for the name and fax number of the recipient to whom you wish to send the document. When that information is completed your email client will be invoked (using MAPI)³ with the converted document already attached and the email address filled in.

Advantages

• enables you to fax selected pages from a document (rather than the entire document as is done using the SCO Merge/WFCD approach described previously);
• allows you to see exactly how the document will look when it is faxed (by clicking on the attachment in your email client and viewing the fax file);
• enables you to fax files in any format that your desktop supports (rather than just the limited set supported by the SCO Merge installation);
• avoids the need to purchase and install a copy of SCO Merge.

Disadvantages

• requires users to download, install, and maintain driver software on their desktop system;
• requires users to send separate messages when emailing a document to both email and fax recipients otherwise the email recipients will receive an uneditable TIFF-F file rather than an editable Microsoft Word file (for example)⁴.

See also:

• "Windows Print Driver, Downloading and Installing" on page 77.

^{1 Although it is frequently possible to extend this support by purchasing and installing a copy of the necessary application(s) under SCO Merge on the FMS system.}

^{2 The FMS Print Driver is currently only available for Microsoft Windows 95, 98, Me, NT 4 and Windows 2000. Faximum is planning to support Microsoft Windows XP and other operating systems in the near future. Please visit http://www.faximum.com/fms/fmsprint for current information or to register your interest in support for as specific platform.}

^{3 The FMS Print Driver will only work if your email client supports MAPI and that support is enabled. For example Eudora Pro supports MAPI but that support can be turned on and off through the "Options" menu item.}

^{4 In some situations, sending a TIFF-F version of a document rather than the actual MS Word document is to be preferred: (a) the resulting document cannot easily be edited (i.e. if you do not wish the recipient to be able to modify it) and (b) TIFF-F files cannot contain macros viruses as can MS Word files and therefore some firewalls will strip MS Word attachments but not TIFF-F attachments!}

Faximum Technical Support