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1993-03-11
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Tips and Tricks for Using the SupraFAXModem with PCB/FaxMail
by Rod L. Renner, SysOp
The Lightning Rod BBS
Silver Spring MD 20904
BBS: 301-622-0708 (v.32bis)
Introduction
I run a PCBoard system using a SupraFAXmodem v.32bis modem. The modem
has worked well with this system, but I have been interested in using its
FAX capability as well. Mark Herring's PCB/FaxMail gateway provided an
excellent means to implement this feature, but his program was written
primarily for use with Bit Corporation's BitFax software, which does not
currently support the Supra modem. The only DOS based facsimile software
program that currently supports the Supra modem is FaxTalk Plus by
Thought Communications, Inc. Fortunately, it has enough of the critical
features needed to implement a working FaxMail gateway on the PCBoard
system.
Since BitFax and FaxTalk Plus operate differently, setting up a FaxTalk
Plus based system requires several changes in procedure, some of which
were determined by trial and error, or by calling Thought Communications'
Tech Support line. It was also necessary to write a customized program,
called FPCHECK, to read the FaxTalk Plus log file and report to FaxMail
the success or failure of the fax transfer. A copy of FPCHECK is
included in this package.
In order to use FaxTalk Plus with FaxMail, the user should have read or
reviewed the documentation that accompanies both products. These notes
are intended to point out key settings or techniques which can be used to
make the FaxMail/FaxTalk combination work.
FaxTalk Plus Installation and Configuration
Install the FaxTalk Plus programs following directions in the FaxTalk
documentation and FaxMail instructions. These examples assume that the
FaxTalk Plus software is installed in C:\PCB\FAX and that the location of
the WORK directory for outgoing messages, including those converted to a
FaxTalk format, is C:\FAXOUT. If you use a different directory, please
adjust these instructions accordingly. There are several important
settings that must be used if it to be successful.
CONFIGURE option in the FINSTALL program.
o NOTE that FaxTalk Plus requires that the modem return numeric
result codes ('V0' setting in the 'Modem Init String') rather
than word result codes which are required by PCBoard. Before
returning to PCBoard, the modem must be reset to its original
settings for PCBoard by sending an ATZ command; otherwise,
PCBoard will not be able to communicate with the modem. This
can be done with a simple ECHO command or by running a shareware
program such as ATSEND.
CONFIG options in the FAXPLUS program.
o Under the 'SYSTEM' menu, be sure to set the following critical
options:
Background Operation [Y/N] - N
Automatic Answering [Y/N] - N
Number of Time(s) to Try Dialing [1-8] - 1
Error Correction Mode Enabled [Y/N] - N
Send File Directory - C:\FAXOUT
Background Operation must be set to [N]o in order to insure that
the program waits while the fax is sent and control is not
allowed to proceed until completion or failure. Since this is a
send-only system, Automatic Answering should be set to [N]o.
The Number of Time(s) to Try Dialing MUST be set to [1] time!!
If this number is set higher than 1 and the transmission fails,
FaxTalk would automatically schedule it for retransmission, but
allow control to continue resulting in unpredictable, but
undesirable consequences! Due to a firmware error with the
Supra modem (according to Thought Communications) and by
frustrating trial-and-error on my part, Error Correction Mode
must be Disabled ([N]o). Enabling ECM causes the fax program to
hang up unexpectedly after transmitting one page or less and to
report a transfer failure. Finally, the Send File Directory may
be set to point to the location of the WORK directory for FaxMail.
o Under the 'CONVERT' menu, set the following option:
Delete Converted Images After Sending [Y/N] - Y
This setting will cause the FaxTalk converted images to be
deleted after they are sent, as there is no need to keep them
around. FaxMail will take care of deleting the original ASCII
test file.
Other settings are at the users discretion or at the suggestion of the
FaxTalk software.
FaxMail Main Menu Selections
Paths & Filenames
Name/Loc of the WORK file................. C:\FAXOUT\WORK
The path chosen should match the Send File Directory setting as
used when configuring FaxTalk Plus SYSTEM menu. I recommend
that the filename (WORK) NOT contain a file extension. This
allows FaxTalk to create the pages of converted images with
filenames WORK.001, WORK.002, etc. This will also be the
directory in which FaxTalk writes its log file (SEND.LOG).
Fax Software DOS command.................. RUNFAX %FILE %PHONE
In the C:\PCB\FAX directory, create a BATch file called
RUNFAX.BAT which contains the following commands:
CONVERT %1 /e /f
SENDAFAX %1 %2
These two FaxTalk programs convert the %FILE file passed by
FaxMail (C:\FAXOUT\WORK) into faxable images (WORK.001 etc.),
then sends the converted image to the recipient fax at the
phone number. '/e' tells CONVERT that WORK file is ASCII text
while '/f' selects fine resolution.
Fax Software VERIFY command........ FPCHECK C:\FAXOUT\SEND.LOG
FPCHECK.EXE is a customized program that will read the last
entry in the log file created by SENDAFAX, then create the
file named "OK" in the current directory to report the status
(SUCCESS, BUSY, or NOGOOD) back to the FaxMail gateway. Be
sure to copy FPCHECK.EXE included in this package into the
C:\PCB\FAX directory.
Cycle count for temporary work files................. 0
Set this value to 0 as each fax will be processed before the
next one is sent.
Use other values as suggested in the FaxMail documentation for
Paths & Filenames.
Fax Type Definitions
The *TYPE: and *INCLUDE: commands are probably not available with
the FaxTalk program unless the user can think of a clever way to
convert an uploaded file into a FaxTalk file and imbed into the
message the appropriate '&&filename' statement as outlined in the
FaxTalk manual.
FAX.BAT or $$LOGOFF.BAT files
The sequence of commands for running the FaxMail gateway using a sample
FAX.BAT file would look something like this:
CD \PCB\FAX <- Make this the default directory
FAXTSR /l <- Loads FAXTSR into memory
FAXMAIL /SCAN <- Run FaxMail gateway
FAXTSR /u <- Unload (remove) FAXTSR from memory
ECHO ATZ >COM1 <- Reset the modem!! (Use the right COM port)
CD \PCB <- Change back to \PCB directory
BOARD <- Rerun PCBoard
NOTE the 'ECHO ATZ >COMx' command. It is VERY IMPORTANT to include a
command to reset the modem on its COM port back to its PCBoard settings,
particularly the use of word result codes, otherwise PCBoard will be
unable to communicate with the modem and will fail to recycle properly.
It is also OK to use a shareware program such as ATSEND to accomplish
this.
Tricks on Rescheduling a Failed Fax Connection
Occasionally, the SupraFAX fails to make a connection with a remote fax
machine on the first try. Because FaxTalk must be told not to redial the
number, the reported NOGOOD prevents it from being retried. However,
there is a way to have the attempt tried several times through clever use
of options. FPCHECK has the '/B' option which will report a 'Failed'
attempt as a BUSY rather than a NOGOOD. FaxMail will mark these messages
as BUSY, which can then be retried, rather than as Failed which stops
further attempts. By setting up two configuration files for FaxMail
using the /CFG= option (one calling FPCHECK with the /B option and the
second without the /B), FaxMail can be called several times in a row to
retry Failed connections. Here is a sample EVENT.SYS file that
illustrates the technique:
CD \PCB\FAX <- Make this the default directory
FAXTSR /l <- Loads FAXTSR into memory
FAXMAIL /SCAN /CFG=WITHB <- Run FaxMail marking Failed as Busy
FAXMAIL /BUSY /CFG=WITHB <- Rerun FaxMail for Busy or Failed
FAXMAIL /BUSY /CFG=WITHOUTB <- Try a third time but allow Failures
FAXTSR /u <- Unload (remove) FAXTSR from memory
ECHO ATZ >COM1 <- Reset the modem!!
CD \PCB <- Change back to \PCB directory
BOARD <- Rerun PCBoard
Note that the last call to FaxMail makes certain that messages which fail
3 times (or were BUSY then fail twice) do not continue to be marked BUSY.
Final Notes
This information and the FPCHECK program were tested with FaxMail 1.01
and FaxTalk Plus v1.65C using a SupraFAXmodem V.32bis modem with the
"J" (Caller ID) chip.
Good luck and success in using the FaxMail door with FaxTalk Plus and
the SupraFAXmodem! I imagine there may be better ways to implement
this combination, but I find this does work quite adequately. Feel free
to experiment.
I offer this information and programs for free and on an AS IS basis!
There is ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTIES OR GUARANTEES OF ANY KIND associated
with the use of this information or programs. USE ENTIRELY AT YOUR OWN
RISK AND EXPENSE.
FaxMail 1.01 is Copyright 1993 by Mark Herring.
SupraFAXmodem is a tradeMark of the Supra Corporation.
FaxTalk is a registered trademark of Thought Communications, Inc.