Fw: Network faxing from windows clients

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> From: Amadeu Pi <santiveri@asertel.es>
> To: mgetty@muc.de
> Subject: Network faxing from windows clients
> Date: miércoles 22 de enero de 1997 13:20
> 
> Hi,
> 
> This subject has been discussed several times in this list.
> 
> The approach I currently use is: I have defined a PostScript
> printer in the Windows clients pointing to a lpd printer in
> the Linux box. The filter in this printer extracts the phone
> number from the postcript source and uses it to correctly
> give it as an argument to faxspool (I think this was 
> suggested in a Samba readme file).
> 
> The advantage of this approach is that you don't need to
> customize or alter the aplication that produce the faxes in
> any way (for example it works great with MS-Word).
> 
> The disadvantage is that it is somewhat dirty and it does
> not work when the application sends data as an image instead
> of text (MS-Access works this way). In this case there is no
> fax number in the postcript source you can look for.
> 
> There is another approach consisting on printing the fax
> to a file in a linux directory (for example using a samba
> share) and creating also there a descrition file telling 
> the fax number and other needed info. A cron script can then
> inspect that directory and faxspool requests as needed.
> 
> This approach has the advantage of removing the need to
> inspect the information sent for the fax number but has the
> disavantage of forcing you to customize every application 
> that may send faxes (thru macros or whatever).
> 
> Finally there is the only , IMHO, completely satisfactory
> solution: writing a windows printer driver that asks the user
> the fax number when the fax is printed, sends the file to the
> linux box,... This approach has the advantages of the
> previous ones and none of the disadvantages.
> 
> This is what I would like to do. But I don't want to write a
> windows printer driver from scratch and I have been unable to
> find any sample code, references or whatever.
> 
> So here is my request (my apologies for the long intro): Does
> anyone know where can I find a sample windows printer driver in
> source form or any other related info?. Any reference would be
> greatly appreciated.
> 
> I know this is not a mgetty specific question but I think that
> the audience could be potentially interested in having such a
> tool available and thus more willing to help.
> 
> Of course if I someday complete this project I will share the
> results.
> 
> 
> TIA
> 
> 
> Amadeu
> 
> 
> 
> PS: I know hylafax has a windows client that does exactly
> what I want, but who wants to use hylafax?
> mgetty rules.
> 
> PS2: My congratulations to the proud father for the birth
> of his 1.0 child.
> 
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