Re: flexfax: problem with faxgetty + Solaris-2.6 + Magma serial ports

["Mark G. Thomas" <Mark@Misty.com>]

Tom,

Thanks very much for the info on this.  Yes, I did actually see this once
with the Sun serial ports, but wrote it off since it was so much less
frequent then with the Magma ports.

I know it's a bit of a work-around, but do you think it might be possible 
to change faxgetty to either check for lock files periodically, or otherwise 
check the port's state?  I've observed that even after another process 
has come and gone, the port is stuck with DTR turned off.  Perhaps if 
faxgetty woke up and noted that the port was in this state or that a lock file
from something else was in place, it would either have to re-initialize
things or else wait for the lock file to go away, then re-initialize things?
This seems like a pretty major shortcoming with faxgetty at this point.

Mark

> 
> I think you will still see this problem with native serial ports as
> well.  faxgetty is waiting in select() (really poll()) for data on the
> serial line.  When it comes in, it checks the lock file that sendfax
> creates. (Or perhaps a completely different application such as
> kermit.) If the lock is there, it lets sendfax or whatever do its job,
> otherwise it assumes its an incoming call.
> 
> However, many times, the select() doesn't trip before the other
> application reads the data.  faxgetty never notices the other
> application, and then never resets the modem after the other
> application is done.  It seems to be a timing issue.
> 
> I have two multitechs on a Magma running Solaris-2.6 on a sparc LX.  We
> mainly use these for receiving.  Generally I have good luck with the
> occasional fax I send.  However, I do see the problem you are having.
> 
> For the record, here is what I'm running:
> 
> MAGMA Allin1 Sp 4.1.4
> 
> Tom Szybist
> szybist@boxhill.com
> 
> 
> In message <199905171445.KAA12798@lucky.misty.com>, "Mark G. Thomas" writes:
> > 
> > Hi,
> > 
> > I'm still having a problem where under Solaris-2.6, with Magma serial ports,
> > faxgetty doesn't reliably notice when a sendfax fax is done using a serial
> > port, so sometimes faxgetty fails to re-initialize the modem and assert DTR
> > so the modem can answer incoming calls, once the sending fax or other progra
> > is done using the port.
> > 
> > Switching back to the native sun serial ports solved the problem for now,
> > but I'd really like to get this working on the Magma ports.
> > 
> > This was not a problem under SunOS-4.1.4.
> > 
> > I'd be interested in hearing from anyone using hylafax with solaris-2.x, and
> > Magma or any other non-sun serial ports.
> > 
> > Mark
> > 
> > 
> > -- 
> > Mark G. Thomas (Mark@Misty.com -- http://www.misty.com/)
> 


-- 
Mark G. Thomas (Mark@Misty.com -- http://www.misty.com/)