Windows XP [Electronic resources] : Visual Quickstart Guide, Second Edition نسخه متنی

Faxing

Windows' Fax program lets you send and receive faxes through your PC, without an actual fax machine. You'll need a phone line and almost any modem. Even an old 33.6 Kbps modem can send a multipage fax in a minute or two.

PC-Based Faxing Advantages

Faxing through Windows offers these advantages over a traditional fax machine:

Conserves paper.

Saves money on paper and fax-machine cartridges.

Faxes documents without printing them.

Faxes from your computer via the File > Print command.

Lets you read incoming faxes onscreen or print them automatically.

Lets you manage incoming faxes as you would any documents: Read, save, or delete them, or attach them to email.

Generates cleaner, more legible faxes than ones sent via fax machine.

Chapter 9). Faxes are sent in black and white at a default resolution of 150 x 150 dpi, which any scanner can manage.

If you don't want to buy a modem or tie up your phone line, consider one of the internet-based fax services listed at http://directory.google.com/Top/Computers/Internet/Internet_Fax/Services.

Windows Setup ignores Fax, so you must install it manually. Exception: If you upgraded to XP from a Windows version that had a Fax component, Setup installed the XP Fax component automatically during the upgrade. You can import your existing faxes into Fax. Choose Start > All Programs > Accessories > Communications > Fax > Fax Console. In Fax Console, choose Help > Help Topics; then read the topic Fax After Upgrading to Windows XP.

To install Fax:

1. Choose Start > Control Panel > Printers and Other Hardware > Printers and Faxes > Set up Faxing (in the task pane) (Figure 7.26). (If the task pane is hidden, choose File > Set up Faxing.)

2. Insert your Windows XP CD when prompted, close the blue Welcome to Windows window when it appears, and continue.

3. When the installation is complete, a Fax icon appears in the Printers and Faxes window (Figure 7.27), and new programs appear in Start > All Programs > Accessories > Communications > Fax.

Before you can send or receive faxes you must use the Fax Configuration Wizard to configure Fax.

To configure Fax:

1. Choose Start > All Programs > Accessories > Communications > Fax > Fax Console.

The Fax Configuration Wizard opens.

2. Click Next to skip the Welcome page.

3. On the Sender Information page, type your name or business name and your fax number; then click Next.

The fields all are optional, but information from here appears on the fax cover sheet, so include enough for the recipient to contact you if a fax doesn't go through completely.

4. On the Select Device for Sending or Receiving Faxes page, make sure that your modem is selected; set send and receive options; specify whether you'll answer incoming faxes manually or automatically (Figure 7.28); and click Next.

5. On the Transmitting Subscriber Identification (TSID) page (which appears only if you checked Enable Send in step 4), enter your business name and fax number (Figure 7.29); then click Next.

6. On the Called Subscriber Identification (CSID) page (which appears only if you checked Enable Receive in step 4), enter your name (or business name) and fax number again; then click Next.

The CSID is displayed on the sending fax machine. This helps confirm that the fax is being sent to the correct recipient.

7. On the Routing Options page (which appears only if you checked Enable Receive in step 4), specify how incoming faxes will be handled; then click Next.

All faxes are stored in Fax Console automatically, but you can print a copy or store it in a local or shared folder (Figure 7.30).

8. Confirm the settings; then click Finish (Figure 7.31).

To send a fax:

1. Open the document that you want to print.

2. Choose File > Print (or press Ctrl+P).

3. In the Print dialog box, click the Fax icon or choose Fax from the list; then click Print or OK, or press Enter (Figure 7.32).

The Send Fax Wizard opens.

4. Click Next to skip the Welcome page.

5. On the Recipient Information page, type the recipient's name and fax number (Figure 7.33); click Add to send a fax to multiple recipients; then click Next.

or

Click Address Book; select one or more recipients; then click Next.

6. On the Cover Page page, select a cover page if you want one; add a subject line and a note to appear on the cover page; then click Next.

7. On the Schedule page, specify when you want to send the fax and its priority; then click Next.

Priority determines the sending order if you're stacking a bunch of faxes to send at a particular time.

8. On the completion page, confirm the settings; then click Finish. (Click Preview Fax if you want to inspect the fax.)

If you're sending the fax now, the Fax Monitor window appears after a few seconds (Figure 7.34).

Tips

To fax from a Microsoft Office program (such as Word or Outlook), choose File > Send To > Fax Recipient. The Office Fax Wizard asks for information and then hands off to the Send Fax Wizard.

To fax someone a quick one-page note, choose Start > All Programs > Accessories > Communications > Fax > Send a Fax.

Cover pages help when you fax to big institutions where the fax might be misrouted. The built-in cover pages work fine, but you can design your own: In Fax Console, choose Tools > Personal Cover Pages > New.

To receive a fax, you must have checked Enable Receive in the Fax Configuration Wizard in step 4 of "To configure Fax." To change that setting (and others) with-out stepping through the wizard again, in the Printers and Faxes window (refer to Figure 7.27), right-click the Fax icon; then choose Properties > Devices tab > Properties button > Receive tab (Figure 7.35).

Faxes received in Automatic answer mode (best for dedicated fax lines) appear in the Fax Console's Inbox, discussed next. You'll prefer Manual answer mode if your computer and telephone share a line.

To receive a fax manually:

1. When the phone rings, click the animated fax icon or the pop-up message (Figure 7.36) that appears in the notification area (system tray).

2. To view the received fax, look in the Fax Console's Inbox, discussed next.

To manage and view faxes:

1. Choose Start > All Programs > Accessories > Communications > Fax > Fax Console (Figure 7.37).

2. In the left pane, click the plus (+) icon to expand the Fax folder, if necessary.

Fax contains the following subfolders:

Incoming contains faxes that you're receiving now.

Inbox contains faxes that you've received.

Outbox contains faxes that Fax will send later.

Sent Items contains faxes that you've sent successfully.

3. In the left pane, click the folder that you want.

4. In the right pane, right-click a fax; then choose a command.

To control fax-transmission behavior:

1. In the Printers and Faxes window (refer to Figure 7.27), right-click the Fax icon; then choose Properties.

2. On the Tracking tab, set options for notifications and when the Fax Monitor should open.

3. On the Archives tab, specify whether incoming and outgoing faxes should be saved and, if so, where.

4. On the Devices tab, click the Properties button.

5. On the Send tab, specify the number of times to retry sending a fax (in case of a busy signal) and how long to wait between tries (Figure 7.38).

6. Click OK in each open dialog box.