RFax 1.0

Introduction

RFax is a Java[TM] component that can send faxes to any group 3 fax machine.

RFax requires:

fax modem class 1, class 2 or class 2.0. This must be an analog modem (no ISDN).
Java[TM] Communications API. This package allows RFax to access the serial ports on your computer.
Java[TM] Development Kit1.1 or later.

About the evaluation version

The evaluation version will always insert a watermark on the top of your fax pages.

Installation

Installation of RFax is made of 2 steps:

Installation or Java Communications API. Click here to download it. You must download the communications API and follow the directions in the file PlatformSpecific.html. For exampe, if you are running the Java platform on windows you must:

copy win32com.dll to your jdkdirectoy\bin
copy comm.jar to your jdkdirectoy\lib. Include comm.jar in your CLASSPATH.
copy javax.comm.properties to your jdkdirectoy\lib

Installation of RFax:

include rfax.jar in your CLASSPATH

Sample application

RFax comes with a simple application you can use to send your first fax. In order to start the application you must just unzip rfax and execute the following file:

runMS.bat: if you use Microsoft's Java machine
runSUN.bat: if you use Sun's Java machine

now you can send a test fax by doing this:

enter port name (COM1, COM2...)
select dialing mode (tone or pulse)
select fax class (1, 2 or 2.0). Check your modem documentation for this.
select flow control mode (RtsCts recommended)
select command to set your modem in RtsCts mode ( leave empty if this is the default for your modem). You should check your modem manual to know which command you must select. If it is not in the list you must leave it empty and enter the command as part of the "init string"
enter destination of fax
press "Send fax"

How to send faxes in your programs

The steps you must follow to send a fax are:

1. Implement the faxProducer interface

this interface will provide RFax with the pages that must be send. The format of the interface is very simple:

public java.awt.Image getFaxPage(int page);

You class must return a image object that contains the data to be faxed. The maximum size the image is 1728 x 2387. If you use a size smaller than that you can use the scale feature of the t4Encoder in order to scale your image. The scale image shall not be larger than the maximum size.

For example, if you image is 800 x 1000 and you set scale to 2, the final image will be 1600 x 2000. You must selec the resolution mode in FaxModem depending on the height of the image.

This is a simple implementation of a fax producer:

// FaxProducer Interface
public java.awt.Image getFaxPage(int page) {
// we send only 1 page
if (page>0) return null;
// create an image and write something on it
java.awt.Image i=this.createImage(800,1000);
Graphics g=i.getGraphics();
// clear background
   g.setColor(java.awt.Color.white);
   g.fillRect(0,0,pageImage.getWidth(null),pageImage.getHeight(null));

   g.setColor(java.awt.Color.black);
g.setFont(new Font("Serif",Font.PLAIN,20));
g.drawString("This is my first fax",100,100);
return i;
}

RFax also provides some ready to use faxProducers:

FextFaxProducer: Uses a String as source.

// create text fax producer

producer p=new FaxTextProducer();

p.text=this.txt.getText("Hello, \n\n this is a fax sent with RFax\n\nregards\n\nJ4L");

p.pageImage=this.createImage(800,1290); // create working image, it can also be a Buffered image

p.prepare();

HtmlFaxProducer : Uses HTML as source.

// create html fax producer
producer p=new HtmlTextProducer();
String[] t= new String[2]; // 2 pages
t[0]="<HTML><BODY>page 1</BODY></HTML>";
t[1]="<HTML><BODY>page 2</BODY></HTML>";
p.text=t;
p.pageImage=this.createImage(800,1290); // create working image, it can also be a Buffered image

2. Use faxModem to send the fax

The second step is to create a faxModem object, set up port and modem configurations and call the sendFax() method.

For example:

import java.awt.*;
import java.io.*;
import com.java4less.rfax.*;
import java.util.*;
public class Example extends Frame implements FaxProducer {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Example c=new Example();
c.setBackground(java.awt.Color.white);
c.send();
}
// faxProducer Interface
public java.awt.Image getFaxPage(int page) {
// we send only 1 page
if (page>0) return null;
// create an image and write something on it
java.awt.Image i=this.createImage(800,1000);
Graphics g=i.getGraphics();
// clear background
g.setColor(java.awt.Color.white);
g.fillRect(0,0,pageImage.getWidth(null),pageImage.getHeight(null));
g.setColor(java.awt.Color.black);
g.setFont(new Font("Serif",Font.PLAIN,20));
g.drawString("This is my first fax",100,100);
return i;
}
// send fax
public void send() {
FaxModem m=new FaxModem();
m.setPortName("COM1");
m.faxClass=2;
// set RtsCts flow Control
m.flowControl=FLOWCONTROL_RTSCTS;
// command required by the modem to set RtsCts flow control. This will depend on your Modem, check your modem manual.
m.ATFlowControlRTSCTS="AT&K3"; // another commoun command is AT\Q3
// set vertical resolution to 98 dpi (aprox. 1190 pixels)
m.resolution=m.RESOLUTION_NORMAL;
m.open(this); // "this" implements fax producer
if (m.sendFax("123456789")) System.out.println("Success ***");
else System.out.println("Failure: " + m.lastError);
m.close();
System.exit(0);
}
}

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