FaxPack FAQ
Q. What is required for FaxPack to work on my system?
A: To run FaxPack v5 on your system, it is necessary to have the following licensing in place:
Developer licensing is required to work with the FaxPack plug-in with noncompiled 4D source code for each platform running in interpreted mode. To develop a 4D application, under 4th Dimension or 4D Server, a developer license is required for each platform developed on.
Deployment licensing is required to run compiled 4D applications under 4D server. A deployment license is required for any platform where a compiled 4D application is running on 4D Server. There are two types of deployment licenses:
1. Deployment licenses can be purchased for an individual 4D Server (with a unique serial number). The deployment will run, without any term restrictions, for the specific version of FaxPack purchased. This licensing is aimed at single 4D applications running on one 4D server.
2. Deployment licenses can be purchased for 1 year for an unlimited number of 4D Server applications. The deployment will run, for a 1 year term. This licensing is aimed at 4D vertical market applications.
The deployment will continue, without interruption, after the term has expired. However, it will be necessary to renew the deployment licensing to continue deploying a 4D Server-based application.
Q. What’s different in FaxPack version 5?
A: Some key differences between FaxPack version 2.3x and version 5.0: The new SPSetLogin command is now required under FaxPack version 5. The User name established in this command is subsequently used in 3 FaxPack calls: SPAddComment SPEndMessage SPGetCovers When any of these 3 commands are issued, FaxPack performs a quick login to the 4-Sight FAX Server, performs the action and then performs a logout of the User. It plug-in will also allow the same user to be logged in via the 4-Sight FAX v5 client simultaneously while the plug-in is performing commands. It is essential the user name attempting to log in is registered at the FAX server. Also, within the SPEndMessage command, the FAX server now creates the actual fax file name and not the programmer. This is important if you intend to check the fax status via the SPGetItemStatus command. 4D printing became flaky from around 4D 6.5 through 4D 6.8. The issues related to which printer a form is being assigned to. The FaxPack demo application has some coding techniques employed in a prior tables output form that tell 4D which printer driver is assigned to the subsequent input form. Lastly, the number error codes available in FaxPack v5 has increased and, in some cases, are different. You can find them in the section of the FaxPack v5 manual that explains the changes in the new version.
Q: I'm using FaxPack 5.0 and 4-Sight Fax Server on Mac OS 9.2.2, working on my 4D Server v6.0.x application. Under development I am using Windows 2K client. Fax Server. I plan to deploy to both MacOS and Win clients. I can connect and fax successfully with 4-Sight Fax Server using the demo database supplied with FaxPack 5.0, but I get the following results when attempting to use it with my 4D application: - SPSetServer doesn't work. Even though I pass it the correct name, IP address and port, it prompts with the "Select a Fax Server". I pick it and it returns the same values. - When the code gets to SPSendMessage, it "freezes" 4D Client. Sometimes it launches Fax Composer. From there I can successfully fax. - The code all works correctly under FaxPack 2.3. I've added the SPSetLogin for v5 compatibility. - None of the FaxPack calls return errors.
A: Under Windows, if you are using "PRINT FORM", 4D does not recognize the printer switch immediately. A dummy print job must be performed after a printer switch. The "Windows_Signal_Printer_Switch" method is what is used in the Demo. For best results, model your 4D application after this design. Also, there should be an "SPPreparePrint" for each print job. If you are printing multiple pages using the "PRINT FORM"/"PAGE BREAK(>)" combination, then 4D actually creates a print job for each page. There are 2 solutions to this problem: 1) Using 4D Customizer, set the "Print One Job" database preference. 2) Use "SPPreparePrint", "PRINT FORM", "PAGE BREAK" for each page. Note the "PAGE BREAK" command does not have the optional ">" parameter.
Q: I'm executing the following command: $err:=SPSetServer (?vvFaxName;?vvFaxType;?vvFaxZone;?vvFaxAdd;1) It's supposed to show a dialog allowing the user to select a fax server that exists on the network and populate the variables passed as parameter upon selection. It works well in 4D Client 6.8 with OS9.2 (we are able to select the only one fax server using 4-Sight Fax Server), but with OS/X, using the exact same 4D database, the dialog appears and the fax server is not shown. Do you have any idea why?
A: It is possible the Server lookup is not given enough time. The default is 5 seconds. In version 5.0.1, we added an additional parameter to "SPPickServer" to pass-in a timeout value in seconds. You would have to modify your code slightly. Pass zero in the last parameter to "SPSetServer". If $err is not equal to zero then call "SPPickServer". It should be something like this: $err:=SPSetServer (?vvFaxName;?vvFaxType;?vvFaxZone;?vvFaxAdd;0) if ($err # 0) ` Give it 15 seconds to search. $err:=SPPickServer (?vvFaxName;?vvFaxType;?vvFaxZone;?vvFaxAdd;15) end if
Q: Is v2.3.5 of FaxPack compatible with 4D 2003?
A: Version 2.3.5 is compatible with 4D version 6.0 through 4D version 6.7. FaxPack 2.3.5 is not compatible with 4D 6.8 and 4D 2003 (or later). FaxPack version 2.3.5 is also compatible exclusively with 4-Sight Fax v4, but not with 4-Sight Fax v5.
Because 4-Sight Fax version 4 uses ADSP / Appletalk as a communications protocol and version 5 exclusively uses TCP/IP, the underlying components of the plug-in had to be rewritten.
Q: Why do I need version 5.0.5 of the 4-Sight Fax print driver with FaxPack v5?
A: This version of the print driver is required if the 4CX plug-in is to work on Mac OS 9. Only 4D 6.8 or later can use the 4CX plug-in on Mac OS 9 (this includes 4D 2003 of course). Previous versions of 4D can only use the 4DX plug-in. The 4DX plug-in will work with v5.0.3 or later of the print driver.
Q: What are the arguments to SPRegister?
A: The first parameter to "SPRegister" is the developer name. The second parameter is the Mac Developer license number. The third is the Windows Developer license number, and the fourth is the Deployment license number.
Q: We are moving from 4D 6.7 to 2003, and SP_PreparePrint(1) returns the error code 10012 in 4D 2003 (no error in 6.7). This is using FaxPack 5.0, 4D 2003, OS 9, in 4D Client. Tests between 6.7 and 2003 are done on the same machine. What's going on?
A: You must download the 4-Sight Fax print driver version 5.0.5 for Mac OS 9. The difference between 4D 6.7 & 2003 is that 6.7 will use the 4DX plug-in, while 2003 will use the 4CX plug-in. The 4CX plug-in requires v5.0.5 or later of the print driver. The 4DX plug-in requires v5.0.3 or later of the print driver.
Q: Does FaxPack no longer work with WinFax?
A: We no longer support WinFax Pro with our FaxPack 4D plug-in. The last version of FaxPack to work with Windows was version 2.3. For those needing this support, your options are to either purchase the source code or contract with us to update it as necessary. FaxPack version 5 works exclusively with 4-Sight FAX v5 Server. The 4-Sight Fax Server must run on a Macintosh with a PowerPC, G3 or G4 processor.
Q: We are faxing under OS 9.2.2, using 4D Client 6.8.3. The fax job finishes without an error code (SPEndMessage). The client, however, either opens the Print Center, or tries to write the Custom.4tf INTO the 4D-client 6.8.3 package. The fax server received an EMPTY cover page and not the other pages, but there should be no cover page at all. What’s going on?
A: This was corrected in the updated OS 9 print driver for 4-Sight FAX (v5.0.5).
Q: I understand that I have to open the print settings dialog to make 4D accept the 4sight fax printer. In my case the printing is done from a background process. So it would be difficult to open a box or window. How can I change the printer? Should I create a dummy layout with a special page setup (saved with the fax printer selected)? Would this work in place of Page Setup?
A: FaxPack correctly changes the default printer; but in Mac OS X, 4D does not use the default printer. Instead, 4D uses the printer assigned from its "Print Settings" command. 4D does use the default printer on Mac OS 8/9 and Windows, however.
