FAXIT 1.0
Copyright 1994 by Jamal Mazrui


FAXIT.EXE is a simple, free program to send a fax from DOS.  You
need a fax or faxmodem installed, either internal or external. 
Unlike other fax software, however, no CAS (Communicating
Applications Specification) device driver is needed--which tends to
reduce available memory.

To install the program, I suggest creating a directory called FAXIT
and then copying all files into it.  The batch file called
INSTALL.BAT can do this for you.  For example, if Faxit is on a
floppy disk in drive A, then you can install it with the following
two commands from the DOS prompt:

a:
install

To load Faxit, you would then use the following three commands:

c:
cd \faxit
faxit

This procedure is automated with the batch file FAXIT.BAT.  For
convenient operation, the batch file should be copied into a
directory on your DOS search path, e.g., into C:\BATCH where other
batch files are stored.  This would allow you to run Faxit from any
DOS prompt.

Faxit relies on a utility by Simple Simon Software called
SSFAXER.EXE.  For your interest, I've included the distribution
archive, SSFAXR11.ZIP.  Its documentation suggests that SSFAXER
could be incorporated within a Clipper program.  So, that's what I
did!  Essentially, Faxit provides a friendly user interface to this
utility, prompting for input, checking for errors, and remembering
previous values.  

After loading the program, answer the four questions to send a fax.

The file to fax must be an ASCII text file with formatting achieved
through standard characters and spaces.  For example, the left
margin would contain about 10 spaces for a one inch margin.  The
file name entered must exist on disk and may include a path.  A fax
cover sheet could be its first page.

The number is the sequence of digits to dial for the destination
fax machine.  Besides digits, the space and dash character may be
used, as well as the comma to cause a pause in dialing (such as to
connect to an outside line).

The port is where the fax or faxmodem is connected.  It should have
a value between 1 and 4.

The type refers to whether your line uses touch tone or pulse
dialing.  Its value should be T or P.

Input may be edited in typical fashion using the arrow keys,
backspace, delete, and insert.  Also, F6 blanks a field and Escape
aborts the program.  F10 saves all values regardless of the current
question--thus allowing you to skip the last two questions once
answered.

You can create the file to fax with a text editor or word processor
that allows you to save a document as ASCII or DOS text.  Another
approach is to use its printing capability, but selecting a disk
file as the target rather than a printer port.  I've included files
to automate this process with WordPerfect 5.1.  Take the following
steps:

1.  Copy the three files FAXIT.PRs, SETFAXIT.WPM, and FAXIT.WPM
into the appropriate WordPerfect directories for printer and macro
definitions.  By default, the directory is C:\WP51.

2.  Load WordPerfect and execute the macro SETFAXIT.  To execute a
macro, press Alt-F10, type its name and then Enter.  The SETFAXIT
macro will install the FAXIT.PRS printer definition.

3.  Whenever you want to fax a document, retrieve it into
WordPerfect and then execute the FAXIT macro.  This will cause
WordPerfect to print the current document to a file on disk called
C:\FAXIT\FAXIT.TXT.  Do not save your document at this point, or
you will make the Faxit printer definition the default in your
document.  If you installed Faxit in a directory other than
C:\FAXIT, you would have to edit the SETFAXIT and FAXIT macros
accordingly.

4.  Exit WordPerfect and load Faxit.  Tell it to fax the file
FAXIT.TXT.  The page formatting of the Fax received will
approximate that of your WordPerfect document.

Faxit saves your responses in a configuration file called
FAXIT.CNF, which is stored in the same directory as the program. 
The next time you run Faxit, your last responses will be the
default values.  Just press Enter to accept a value, or edit it
first if appropriate.  The default values for the file name and fax
number can also be supplied as parameters to Faxit.  For example,
you might fax an order form to a company as follows:

faxit order.frm 1-800-123-4567

Faxit is provided "as is," with no guarantees.  I have tried to
make it as friendly as possible, but cannot provide technical
support.  If you wish to contact me with feedback, I may be reached
at the following electronic mail address:

jamal@ksgdfs.harvard.edu
