Note: The principles explained here apply not only to faxing WordPerfect documents, but also to faxing files created by other word processors, spreadsheets, database programs, and graphics programs.
This information sheet explains three different methods of faxing a WordPerfect 5.1 document using MTEZ with ExpressFax. You must use one of the techniques described below, since you cannot simply specify a regular WordPerfect file from within MTEZ and fax it.
Method #1.Before entering WordPerfect, load faxman and popprint. Then, from within WordPerfect, use a "hotkey" to invoke popprint and fax the document without leaving WordPerfect.
The advantage of this method is that you do not have to leave WordPerfect to send a fax. Disadvantages are that you cannot send a cover sheet and do not have access to your dialing directory (but see step h, below).
a. From DOS, enter the \MTEZ directory and type faxman [enter] and popprint [enter]. Do not type mtez.
To use method #1, WordPerfect must have the Epson FX-85 printer available to be selected. If it is already available, skip to step c.
b. To make the Epson FX-85 printer available, enter WordPerfect and type Print (Shift-F7), Select Printer, Additional Printers (2). If that printer appears in the list of printers, install it on your system, which you will be able to do without using your original WordPerfect disks. If the FX-85 does not appear in the list, you will have to use the Other Disk (2) option that appears at the bottom of the screen listing the available printers. In this case, use your original WordPerfect disks to install the FX-85 printer on your system. Then select this printer.
c. Enter WordPerfect, and prepare to print your document. Make sure you have selected the Epson FX-85 printer. If you originally selected a proportional font for this document, or if you created this document using a printer whose initial base font is proportional, change the document to a non-proportional font.
d. When you are ready to print, press the left and right shift keys at the same time. This is the "hotkey" combination that invokes popprint. You should hear two short beeps. Now, when you print, popprint will intercept the output to your printer. A set of popprint choices will pop up on your screen. (Note: for large documents, it may take a long time -- 30 seconds or more -- before this happens.) Type F to fax the document, and then enter the phone number. Be sure to the enter "1" and the area code if you are calling long distance. If you are calling from an office that uses a dial prefix (such as "9,") to reach an outside line, you will need to include that, too (e.g., 9,1-617-987-6543).
e. To fax again using popprint you have to use the hotkey combination again.
f. After you exit WordPerfect, you can remove popprint from memory by typing popprint/r
g. Note: if you are using other memory-resident programs (TSRs), they may interfere with popprint. In particular, you may need to avoid memory-resident programs that modify WordPerfect's screens.
h. When faxing via popprint, it is possible to use a cover sheet and have access to your dialing directory. When in step d, above, type S instead of F. This will allow you to save the document to a file, rather than faxing it immediately. (If you are doing this, be sure to have the FX-85 printer selected.) After saving the document, use MTEZ to fax it.
Method #2.From within WordPerfect, select the Epson FX-85 file printer and "print" the document to a file. Then enter MTEZ to fax that file.
This method does not require you to load popprint. You can save WordPerfect files at any time and fax them later using MTEZ.
This method requires that you have the Epson FX-85 printer available to be selected. If it is not available, see step 1 b, above.
Also, you will need to perform the following step once, when you are using this faxing method for the first time.
a. From inside WordPerfect, you must make a copy of the Epson FX-85 printer definition so that you can make a small change to it. This change will allow WordPerfect to "print" a copy of your document to a file, instead of to the FX-85 printer. To do this, type Print (Shift-F7), Select Printer. Move the cursor to the Epson FX-85 and type Copy, [enter], Exit (F7), Name. Change the name "Epson FX-85" to something else, such as "Epson FX-85 file". Then type Port, Other. Type in the name of the file that the "Epson FX-85 file" printer should "print" to. For example, you could use "FX85.TXT". (If you want to write this file directly to MTEZ's default faxing directory, use the name "\MTEZ\FAX\FX85.TXT".) The initial base font is pica. Do not change this to a proportional font. Press the space bar three times to return to the normal edit screen.
b. When you are ready to fax your WordPerfect document, type Print (Shift-F7), and select the Epson FX-5 file printer, the one you set up in step a. If you originally selected a proportional font for this document, or if you created this document using a printer whose initial base font is proportional, change the document to a non-proportional font. When you print, WordPerfect will create a new file whose name will be whatever you chose in step a. (WordPerfect will not ask whether you want to replace any existing file of the same name). Exit WordPerfect.
c. Change to the \MTEZ directory, type faxman [enter] and then mtez [enter]. Then use ExpressFax to fax the document.
Method #3.From within WordPerfect, convert the document to ASCII format. Then enter MTEZ to fax the ASCII file.
This method can be used by all WordPerfect users regardless of what printer(s) WordPerfect is set up to use. The disadvantage of this method is that most formatting codes are stripped out of the ASCII version of the file. Nevertheless, if you just want to send a simple letter to someone and you don't care about the formatting, this method is perfectly adequate.
To convert a regular WordPerfect document to ASCII format:
a. Type Text In/Out (Ctrl-F5), Dos Text (1), Save (1), and then the file name that you want to use for the ASCII version of the document. (If you want to write this file directly to MTEZ's default faxing directory, use a name such as "\MTEZ\FAX\NAME.ASC".)
b. Exit WordPerfect, but do not save the document again, since doing so will replace the ASCII version of the document you just saved with a WordPerfect version of the document.
c. Change to the \MTEZ directory, type faxman [enter] and then mtez [enter]. Then use ExpressFax to fax the document.
NOTES
WordPerfect features such as margin settings, graphics positioning, and font choice override those configured in ExpressFax. Graphics, tables, and most other features of WordPerfect will be faxed correctly, but some fonts will not.
