Sending of faxes can be done from the DOS command line!

C:\> MAKEFAX READ.ME OUT.FAX

This converts the READ.ME text file into a Group III compatible facsimile image file.

C:\> BGFAX /SEND OUT.FAX 555-1212

This line actually sends the fax to the telephone number 555-1212.

Status Report via Errorlevels

If the send is successful, BGFAX with exit with errorlevel 5.

If you wish to obtain more information on the failure, BGFAX can be put into an extended results mode, where it can exit with any of the following errorlevels...

• 19, too many retrains
• 18, unsecure transmission (see docs for more details)
• 17, remote fax device does not support 2D-MR
• 16, remote fax does not support high resolution
• 15, failure after connect (Class 1, HDLC frameout, etc.)
• 14, a timeout occurred
• 13, no +FCON ever occurred (NO CARRIER, etc.)
• 12, failure after connect (Class 2, +FHNG, no XON, etc.)
• 11, "NO DIALTONE"
• 10, "BUSY"
• 7, the number is BLACKLISTED by the modem
• 5, *** FAX SENT SUCCESFULLY ***
• 1, generic fax send failure
• no errorlevel, keypress abort, unknown failure type

What about fonts?

If you need to use additional fonts, a Dutch fellow named Hans Harder wrote a very nice utility, called 2FAX, designed specifically to work with BGFAX.

• Here is a sample of the 2FAX options from the 2FAX.DOC file.
• Here is a sample 2FAX ASCII file before being converted to fax.
• Here is a sample 2FAX result after being converted (30K GIF, large dimensions)

Update...Hans is back! His new e-mail address is harder@brinkman.nl.