The Zetafax API Toolkit: Automating Fax Processes
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Zetafax API toolkit Zetafax API Toolkit The Zetafax API Toolkit: automating fax processes Zetafax has an API Toolkit that makes it easy to fax-enable existing applications and to automate the process of faxing. The Zetafax API Toolkit provides a set of tools, ranging from embedded addressing to the more complex C language libraries and COM (Component Object Model) technology. Overview The standard method of submitting a fax using Zetafax is to use the client program or your e-mail program to manually specify the recipients and settings such as the coversheet and letterhead. Using the API Toolkit, there are five additional ways of submitting a fax to the Zetafax server. These methods have been designed to make automatic faxing from other applications not only feasible, but also extremely easy to implement. The API Toolkit can also be used to fax enable your existing applications. Fax-enabling your applications The Zetafax API Toolkit lets you send and receive faxes without the need to use the Zetafax Client or your e-mail program. There are many reasons why you may API Toolkit - at a glance benefit from fax-enabling your existing programs. For example, your company may be producing critical documents such as sales proposals, invoices and purchase • Fax-enable all business orders on various systems. These systems can easily be adapted to output a batch of applications documents to single or multiple submit files that the Zetafax server can send • Submit personalized fax broadcasts overnight, thus cutting costs on telephone calls. Or you may simply want to add with the click of a mouse faxing capabilities to your custom developed programs. • Automate the transmission of business critical documents Automating the submission of faxes e.g. invoices The ZSUBMIT program supplied with the toolkit lets any computer, regardless of • Submit faxes from any computer on operating system, send faxes by creating a SUBMIT file in a shared directory on a your network fileserver. These files contain information about the options to be used in preparing • Provides cross-platform support a given message, the recipients, and the message text itself. You only need to add a few lines to specify the fax number and message options. Logos and signatures can also be added and the text can be merged into a multi-page form using the letterhead feature in Zetafax. When the Zetafax server detects SUBMIT files in the shared directory, it sends them according to the settings specified for them by the user. A computer with the Zetafax Client installed can be used to monitor the progress of faxes and re-submit any that fail. Embedded addressing in Microsoft Word Embedded addressing Embedded addressing allows you to address faxes in the document you are sending from other Windows applications. This eliminates the need for the user to enter this information manually. This feature can be used with the mail merge feature of a word processor or contact manager application when you need to personalize a document being sent to a list of contacts, e.g. a fax newsletter or fax broadcast. You can for example create a form letter and enclose mail merge addressing fields such as name, organization and fax number within the Zetafax embedded addressing syntax. When you perform the mail merge, the fields are then replaced with the addressing information that is interpreted when the document is printed to the Zetafax printer. Dynamic Data Exchange Technical Specifications Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) is a standard way of passing addressing ZSUBMIT, Embedded addressing & DDE Name, organization and fax number (available information across from a Windows application to the Zetafax Client. It is similar to without the API Toolkit upgrade) embedded addressing, with the added benefit that it can also be used from within Sender's name and charge code thin client applications. The process is typically automated by using a macro from Coversheet and letterhead to use within a software application such as Microsoft Word. When you run the macro, this Time to send and priority initiates the DDE conversation, sends the addressing information to Zetafax and Attachment files such as product literature or then prints the fax. maps COM & C language libraries COM and C language libraries Specify the Zetafax user account to use Send a fax message to one or more recipients The Zetafax API Toolkit now supports COM, which makes it easy and intuitive to Control queued messages utilise the native support for COM in Visual Basic and C++. A library of callable "C" Obtain status information for submitted functions are also included in the API Toolkit for languages and environments messages where COM is not supported. Retrieve the transmission history for a message The COM component of the Zetafax API Toolkit offers the greatest degree of control Obtain list of received messages Control the Zetafax server, including stopping when fax-enabling applications or automating fax processes, with enhanced and restarting the server flexibility and usability as compared to the standard C language API. Callable from C, C++ or VB programs on Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows XP The COM API offers the following benefits: Professional, Windows ME and Windows 95/98 l Designed specifically for Visual Basic and C++/COM programmers File formats ZSUBMIT, C language and COM API l Simple and intuitive object model ASCII, BMP, DCX, EPS bitmaps, Epson FX and l Very flexible, yet easy to use LQ series, GIF, JPEG, PCX, PICT, Targa, TIFF and others l Fast development times DDE and embedded addressing l Supplied with detailed technical documentation and sample code Any file format may be sent as a fax by printing from the application that created it Minimum hardware requirements Windows 2000 fax server: 300MHz Pentium PC Sending a fax using COM or faster, 128MB RAM, fax modem, active ISDN controller or intelligent fax board Windows NT 4.0 fax server: Pentium PC or faster, 64MB RAM, fax modem, active ISDN controller or intelligent fax board Windows XP Professional fax server: 300MHz Pentium PC or faster, 128MB RAM, fax modem Windows 95/98 fax server: Pentium PC or faster, 32MB RAM, fax modem Microsoft Small Business Server 2000: 300MHz Pentium PC or faster, 256MB RAM, fax modem, active ISDN controller or intelligent fax board Fax client: Suitable for Windows 2000, Windows NT 4.0, Windows XP Professional, and Windows 95/98/ME A Windows 2000, Windows NT or dedicated fax server is recommended for over 25 users or multiple fax lines. A dedicated Windows 2000 or Windows NT fax server is recommended when using the Zetafax e-mail gateway. Equisys plc Equisys House 32 Southwark Bridge Road London SE1 9EU Tel +44 (0)20 7203 4000 Fax +44 (0)20 7203 4005 www.equisys.com © Equisys plc 2002 All trademarks reserved. Ref API-DS-02.