From: B.J. Guillot
    To: All
Thread: BGFAX 1.70 Revision S released  (1/1)
  Date: 22-Nov-97, 5:52pm  (Ref# 5856)

This beta version can be obtained from my web site,
http://www.blkbox.com/~bgfax/
or, by FidoNet FREQ of magic name "BGFAX" from 1:106/400
or, by good-old-fashioned BBS download from +1 713 507 9620

     1.70 Revision S
Sat 22 November 1997
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's been a month since the last beta, so I decided it was time to release
something new (you guys know I hate "stale" software), but the only
significant changes is the addition of landscape support for MAKEFAX.  Most
everything else relates to minor bug fixes.

Once again, any new registrations would be appreciated.  It's been another
terribly slow month.  If there are any features you need added to BGFAX
that you'd be willing to pay for, we can work out a reasonable arrangement.
I've also adjusted the pricing scheme somewhat.  Personal registrations
are still $25, but I've added a new catagory called "BBS SYSOP"
registration that costs only $10.  This is for the hobbiest that uses BGFAX
in a limited capacity just for receiving faxes with their BBS.  This
special "BBS SYSOP" version will NOT offer fax sending capabilities.  See
the new REGISTER.FRM file included in this beta for more details.

I've also added two other choices on the registration form.  You can now
choose to buy the Pascal source code to VIEW and MAKEFAX for $100, or the
Pascal/Delphi source code to the entire BGFAX package for $700.  People
have expressed interest in buying the source code before so they could
make their own custom modifications for internal use in their own business,
but I usually declined the offer, because I was too afraid of letting my
work slip out.  However, since registrations have been so slow lately, I
need to do whatever I can to make some extra money.  Now, you should now
the source code is not pretty, but it does work (but you know that if you
use the BGFAX executables).

1. MAKEFAX _finally_ supports landscape mode.  This is something many
   businesses have been asking about for quite some time, but I just never
   had the time to do it.  Landscape support only works with ASCII files.
   To tell MAKEFAX to use landscape mode, simply put an equal sign (=) in
   front of the filename, example:
        makefax =test.txt output.fax
   The "=" tells MAKEFAX to rotate the image 90 degrees to enable a
   landscape image when you are using ASCII files with a large number of
   columns.  MAKEFAX will force the fax to use high-resolution mode when
   landscape mode is active, so the /LR and /HR switches are inactive.
   Also, the font size is fixed, so the /100, /132, /80, /F0, and /F1
   switches are also inactive.  The page size is automatically adjusted
   to the size of the columns, so, the /SP switch is also inactive.

2. Fixed a bug in MAKEFAX that caused it to abort if more than 8 DCX
   files were given as the input (was not closing a file properly and
   running out of file handles.)

3. Many modems now seem to be coming out with so-called Class 1.0 support.
   I have not been able to obtain any concrete information on Class 1.0,
   and do not have any Class 1.0 modems to work with.  I've been told by
   one modem company that Class 1 and 1.0 are really the same thing, and
   the only difference is that instead of initializing fax mode with the
   "AT+FCLASS=1" string, you use "AT+FCLASS=1.0".  I really find it hard
   to believe this is the only difference, but, just in case, I've added
   a new switch to BGFAX, /C3 that tells BGFAX to force the use of Class
   1.0 mode.  If you have a Class 1.0 capable modem, I'd appreicate to
   hear from you what happens if you add the /C3 switch to the end of the
   BGFAX command line.  If it doesn't work, I'll probably need to see a
   clip from your BGFAX.LOG.

4. Choice Medical database was storing fax phone numbers as 1-123/456-7890.
   Notice the slash (/) between the area code and prefix.  This worked fine
   on most modems, but Motorola modems would return an "ERROR" code ("4"
   numerically) if a slash was in the phone number.  BGFAX now filters out
   the slash so it will work with the Choice Medical and Motorola modems.

5. The /AS:n switch added to VIEW in the last beta did not function if
   VIEW was run in "batch mode" (i.e., with a filename specified on the
   command line).  This bug has been fixed.  Recall /AS:n allows VIEW
   to automatically select the number of "times" Alt-S is virtually
   pushed when viewing a fax image so that your perferred choice of
   shrink factor is automatically selected.

6. Added new switch to BGFAX, /CF, which tells BGFAX to run in "Caller ID
   Fetcher" mode, e.g., "BGFAX /HOST /CF".  BGFAX _CANNOT_ receive faxes
   in this mode.  This mode simply allows BGFAX to watching for incoming
   caller ID signals, and once the Caller ID signals have been processed
   and the phone has stopped ringing, BGFAX exits with an errorlevel 8
   after writing a DOVOI.BAT file that says something like:
       C:\ALPHA\EXEVOI.BAT 1 57600 C:\ALPHA 1122 1242 OUT_OF_AREA 08014F
   EXEVOI.BAT is a file you write yourself that says something like:
       @echo off
       c:\bp\pas\alpha bjg þ##=%6 þName=%7 þDate=%4___ Time=%5
       rem restart the bgfax /host /cf below
       c:\alpha\cid.bat
   Where "alpha" is the alphanumeric paging software I am working on.
   What in the world is this for?  I have my voice telephone set up so
   that if I do not answer within two rings, it gets forwarded to a voice-
   mail service.  If someone leaves a message on the voicemail service, I
   get paged with simply my own pager number.  With BGFAX /HOST /CF and my
   ALPHA.EXE program, after the two rings, ALPHA is fired up and will page
   me with the actual Caller ID information, that way, I'll get two pages
   when someone leaves me voicemail--my own pager number, and the Caller
   ID information--that lets me know who left the message, so that I know
   if I need to run to a payphone and retrive the message, or if it is
   something that can wait until I get home.  No one will probably use this
   feature, but I just wanted to document it since I added it, mainly, for
   my own personal use.  (It was easier to add this functionality into
   BGFAX that writing a brand-new Caller ID fetcher program from scratch.)
   If anyone has an alphanumeric pager and wants to try out my ALPHA.EXE
   software, e-mail me at bgfax@blkbox.com and I'll send you a test
   version.

Regards,
bgfax author