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

["Patrick Bihan-Faou" <patrick@mindstep.com>]

Hi Iain,


>> 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.


I would really appreciate it if you could send me a copy of that PPD file. I
am trying to setup a fax server, and I would like to support mac clients as
well as windows...

Also on the "drivers generating TIFF" front. I know that the driver for
jfax.com does just that: it creates a tiff file then calls your e-mail
software to send the resulting fax. The nice thing about it is that you can
use your email program address book to store the fax numbers (they just are
specific email addresses: <faxnum>@faxserver.address), so it does not limit
you to using the J.Fax service...

Of course whether you are allowed to use this driver without using the
service or not is another question that I won't touch.


I am really surprised that nobody did something like that in open source
yet. This is by far the cleanest and simplest way to integrate a client with
a fax server (i.e. generate a TIFF (or even PS) file, then send it as an
attachement to the fax server with the fax number in the destination address
and the text of the email as a cover page note).


Patrick.