Re: flexfax: Design for a portable Java hylafax clients: iwantyour opinions, please!

[Iain Stevenson <iain@IainStevenson.com>]

Hi Bernd,


> 
> let me ask some more about the Mac:
> 
> Will the print driver store the file in some defined location?
> Can the print driver call another programm?
> Is there a print driver that can create TIFF?
> 
I followed the approach suggested by Ari Maniatis on the list a while back.
One can write a customised printer definition (PPD) file that works with the
Apple LaserWriter driver.  Apple and Adobe technotes are available which
give a reasonable explanation of how to do this.

It is possible to customise the print dialog to include the fax number and
recipient name.  Using the Apple Desktop Printer Utility a desktop printer
can be created with the PPD file which saves the output to a file or passes
it to another program (eg a print spooler).  The resultant PostScript file
contains the information given by the user as a special variable.

I have a PPD file available if you'd like it.  I hit difficulties when
trying to work out how to transfer the file created to Hylafax - too much
programming, too little time, not enough knowledge etc .....

Creating TIFF from a printer driver is of course possible but I know of no
freely available code that does it.  I guess that MacFlex does this.  In
general, Mac printing is either by PostScript or via writing bit maps to the
printer driver - TIFF isn't that common.

>> Viewing multi-page
>> TIFFs is a
>> bit of a pain (graphic converter fails on 50% of files,
> Maybe there are receiving errors in these files.
> Search for "TIFF" and "Dmitry" and someting like error correction or ECM
> in the archives and you will find at least on
> post with an explananation of how to configure hylafax to have theses errors
> removed
> (or how to setup your modem to elimitate the errors)

Thanks for the tip - I'll have a look.  However, a file that won't read with
Graphic Converter will read with the MacFlex viewer so I don't think it's
fair to finger Hylafax!

> 
>> The big problem for me with Hylafax - as a dabbler in programming - is the
>> lack of a documented and easy to use interface to the Hylafax job
>> scheduler.
> What functionality should this interface offer?
> 

Just a basic API for job submission - I'm not after flash features.  The
Hylafax Email reporting works fine for me.  What I would like to do is pass
the middleware the PostScript file and the recipient details and let it get
on with the work.

>>> 
>>> 1. is java 2 widely availabe on your (client) platforms?
>>> or is it supposed to become availbe in the near future?
>>> 
>> No - development tools for Java 2 are proprietary and costly (last time I
>> looked)
> What about a runtime only environment?
> No development, just the virtual machine to make apps running?
> 

I'm running Apple's MRJ 2.1.4 which, according to the release notes:

"... is Apple�s implementation of the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), based on
Sun Microsystems� Java 1.1.6 specification. MRJ allows you to run Java
applications and applets. (Running applets also requires a Web browser, such
as Microsoft Internet Explorer, or an applet viewer such as the Apple Applet
Runner.) 

MRJ 2.1 makes many improvements over Apple�s previous JVM, including greatly
increased performance, improved reliability, and support for AppleScript and
Sun�s JFC/Swing. MRJ 2.1 also runs more applications and applets than
earlier versions.

For the latest developments in Java for the Macintosh, see Apple�s Java Web
site at http://apple.com/macos/java/.


Hope this is of interest!

 Iain