The basic method of sending a fax is to open the document to be faxed and "print" it to the ValueFax fax driver. The document's application then treats the ValueFax printer driver as a special printer and prints the document's image to it. The ValueFax printer driver then converts the document's image to fax format and sends it to the selected fax phone numbers. You can tell the application to "print" to the ValueFax fax driver using one of two methods: you can hold down the option key while choosing "Print窶ｦ" from the File menu, or you can choose the ValueFax fax driver as your printer from the Chooser and then just select "Print窶ｦ" from the File menu. The first method is preferred.
6.1 Chooser Setup
Some times, the option-Print method of automatically switching in the fax modem is not desired. If you want to choose the fax modem as your printer for a long duration, you might want to select ValueFax Fax Driver as your default printer.
To select ValueFax Fax Driver as your default printer:
竚･ Select Choose from the Apple menu. The Chooser window appears.
竚･ Select the ValueFax Fax printer driver and close Chooser.
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6.2 Sending a Fax
You can fax directly from any Macintosh application if you can print from it. The following instructions assume that you have selected the ValueFax fax modem from the Chooser as explained above. If you want to take advantage of the 'Option-Print' feature, just hold down the Option key when you select 'Page Setup窶ｦ' or 'Print窶ｦ' from the file menu. If your application provides a button to cause printing (e.g. Word 5.1 ribbon at the top), hold down the Option key when you click on the 'Print' button. Some applications (like Nisus, MacWritePro etc.) have a special meaning for holding down an option key while pulling down a menu. For these, first pull down the menu and then hold down the option key before releasing the mouse button.
6.2.1 Page Setup
竚･ When your are ready to send your fax, choose 'Page Setup窶ｦ' from the File menu. Always turn on 'fractional width' if the application allows it (The illustration below shows the page setup dialog from a typical application). If the application provides it (like Word 5.1 does), turning on fractional width produces better looking faxes. Choose the page size and orientation for the fax. You can also ask to scale the image smaller or larger than what you have in the document. The half page setting can be used to send a short message. This will save on the phone costs. The paper size setting is remembered for the next time so if you always send A4 size faxes for example, you can set it once and forget about it.
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6.2.2 Fax Printer Driver
竚･ Choose 'Print窶ｦ' from the File menu. The ValueFax Fax Printer dialog box appears. If you had forgotten to select 'Page Setup窶ｦ' earlier, you will be asked to do so at this time.
竚･ The Send Fax dialog box appears.
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竚･ Select one or more recipients and/or distribution lists from the Phone Book. You can hold down the shift key while clicking items in the Phone Book to select multiple items.
竚･ If you have a large phone book, you can use the Phone Book popup to display the phone book entries sorted by last name or by company name.
竚･ Click ON of OFF the checkbox "Cover page". Your selection is remembered for the next time so once you click it off, you will be able to send all faxes without a cover page as many users do. They include all the relevant information on the first page of the fax itself, thus saving transmission time and paper. You can use the Word 5.1 document (named "Sample Fax Page (Word 5.1)") included in "ValueFax 2.0.8" folder as a starting point.
竚･ When you are ready to send the fax, Click one of 'Send Now', 'Spool Now', or 'Send Later'. If you click 'Send Now', the fax will be sent right away allowing you to view its progress and to make sure that it is sent properly. Click 'Spool Now' if you want to send the fax right away, but do not wish to monitor its progress on the screen. Click 'Send Later' if you want to schedule the fax for later, typically to take advantage of lower phone rates.
竚･ You can convert the selected pages into an attachment that you can later fax whenever you want to. Just click the 'Make Attachment' button and provide a name that you want to use to identify the attachment later. The name of the document you are currently working on is already provided as the default name so you will typically not have to type in a name. When you click on the 'Make Attachment' button, all other items except the from and to page numbers are ignored.
竚･ If your document has color text or pictures, you can click ON the "Document has color" checkbox. ValueFax will then convert the color documents to a grayscale image which will look like a newspaper photo to the receivers. It takes more time to convert to grayscale and it takes a lot more time to transmit a grayscale fax so please do not use this feature unless you really want to send a color document via fax.
The attachments feature can be used for frequently faxed but infrequently changed items such as product data sheets or company background information or your resume. Attachments are stored in the "Attachments" folder in the "ValueFax Fax Folder" inside your system folder. If you are done with an attachment, please drag its folder from the "Attachments" folder into the trash.
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竚･ You can select 'Fine' or 'Normal' quality for the fax. 'Fine' quality looks much better but typically requires double the transmission time. This setting is remembered for the next time.
竚･ You can select to send all or only some of the pages of your document.
竚･ If the number you want to send to, has not yet been entered in your phone book, click on the 'New Number' button and you will be able to enter the relevant information about the new recipient. This information will be automatically entered in your phone book unless you click on the 'Temporary Number' check box.
竚･ You can click on the 'Cover page' check box to include a coverpage with the fax. When you click on 'Send Now' or 'Spool Now' or 'Send Later', you will be asked to fill in the cover page message.
竚･ Click on the Attachments check box to indicate that the fax is to be sent with some previously created attachments. You will be asked to select the attachments from a list when you click Spool Now.
竚･ You will generally not require manual dialing. However, if you want to talk to someone first to get connected to the fax machine, you should click on the 'Manual' dialing button. You cannot use the phone book or coverpage in this situation. You will be asked to dial the call manually and click OK when you hear the fax machine tone.
竚･ Your company's name as set in the coverpage setup dialog will appear in the top line on each fax page along with the date and time and the page number.
6.2.3 Fax Preview
A limited fax preview capability has been added in release 2.0.5. If you use the "Send Later" button to schedule the fax for later sending, each page's image is saved as a PICT file in the corresponding "Job nnnnnn" folder inside the "ValueFax Fax folder". Open the "ValueFax Fax folder" and view it by "Date". The latest "Job nnnnnn" folder will appear at the top of the list. Open that folder. You will see files named "Pict File1", "Pict File2" etc. Open those using any drawing program or even TeachText (System 7 and up) and you will see the page as it will be faxed. This is useful for finding out the page boundaries and whether there are blank pages at the end and whether lines are truncated on the right etc. Note however that programs such as Microsoft Word use their own QuickDraw functions so the PICT file for the page may appear to have incorrect line justifications and other character anomalies but the actual fax will be OK.
A better preview capability is planned for the future but this is being provided as a temporary measure.
6.3 Scheduling Fax Transmissions
竚･ If you have selected the 'Send Later' option when sending a fax, the 'Send Later' dialog box shown below appears.
竚･ Select 'Next Best Time For Each Phone Number' to send the fax at the time specified in the 'Best Time To Call' field of the recipient's phone entry, or select 'Send At' and enter a time to send the fax.
