RE: flexfax: Attachments in proprietary formats (i.e. Word)

[Wout Mertens <Wout.Mertens@rug.ac.be>]

> From within what environment do you call ShellExecute()?
I used VC++ to find the info. So it would be from C code, but I think any
program can call that function. It's part of the Shell Library or
something.

> how do you temporarily change the default printer?
I have to admit I haven't tested this yet, but the only place I found
anything about defaults is in the registry. start regedit and search for
printer in LOCAL_MACHINE. (I am not on a Winbox right now)
So it would be: save key, change key, print, restore key.

> > Well, MS made the MAPI, (Mail Application Programming Interface), and lots
> > of programs use it. It's meant to provide a uniform interface to all sorts
> > of messages, like e-mail, microsoft mail etc and of course faxes.
> > It can send and receive faxes via the FAX: protocol (only thing it changes
> > is the e-mail address). It does that by sending the data to the
> > appropriate
> > transport agent, which sends it on. And that's as far as my docs
> > go :(. But
> > you see that if we could make a transport agent, all programs
> > that have some
> > fax support via MAPI are magically compatible with HylaFax, furthering the
> > noble cause of bringing Linux to the office and beyond.
> Sounds good but i do not have knowlede how to make a transport agent.
Neither do I :(

> Isn`t this very MS-depended? Is there MAPI on linux?
Yes, but the point is making a client for MS, no? :)

> i have a java client which displays the queues in a much end user friendlier
> way than whfc. it has buttons like "view Fax" (via external viewer) or "send
> fax again". (no fax sending yet)
URL?
I suppose that could be used in conjunction with the samba trick... that
way you have a portable client. At the expense of running it the whole
time...

> - client sents first page of fax to smb-printer
I think this has to be first document...

> - samba starts perl script
And that script is probably started by the printer filter, no?

> - perl script asks (windows) client about tel# and attachments
>   problem: if client prints the attachmants to the same smb-printer another
> perl script
>   will be started from samba (i guess), maybe you just create another samba
> printer
>   which handles attachments (and talks to your client also over another
> port)
>   and somehow communicates with the first script?
Hmmm... Better to see if another perl script is talking _to the same
client_, and if so say something along the lines of here's an attachment
:). A fifo will do fine...

>   i gues it should also be possible to transfer a ps-file from client over
> TCP to
>   the perl script on the server (i cannot do it)
Hmmm... Maybe the net print commando if that exsts? Just sends it to the
printer as well... And ftp should not be that difficult.

Well, it looks doable, no? So this is a portable alternative. Hey, is it
possible for a java applet to disappear from the taskbar and only have an
icon in the system tray? Which would be not so portable any more of
course...

> > The disadvantage is of course that the client app has to be running the
> > whole time.
> yes. but if it does not, the job just breaks in the perl script, no
> deadlocks in communication (for me).
> the user just starts the client and then starts printing/faxing again.
Hmmm... Not really the ultimate in user-friendlyness :). I'm still not
totally happy.

So this is alternative 1 for sending attachments from windows:
- make samba trick work
- tweak perl script for attachment support
- interface with perl script from java applet

Alternative 2:
Make WHFC support attachments directly with the printing technique
described above

Alternative 3:
Make WHFC support 'subqueues' (see other message), in other words, do
the same as the perl script but locally. Only send the fax when the user
says he's done. So the user has to print every attachment himself.

Alternative 4:
Make a transport agent for MAPI that does what we want. In fact this would
be an extension on parts of WHFC I guess.
This is probably the most work but also the most complete.

Alternative 5:
Make a macro in Word that asks for attachments and prints them to file and
then sends everything as a mail with attachments to a mail/fax gateway.
This would work for me, but not for everyone and it kinda sucks I think.

I'm going to try to contact the author of WHFC again, and if he doesn't
respond maybe we could work on alternative 1?

Cheers,

Wout.