Hi everyones,

I've been ask to program an interface in VFP6 to mass fax document during the night. The idea is this:

Somebody during the day, makes a selection of customer in the database and enter a few extra information. A file is create which list the selected customer and the data that is pertinent to each customer. Either a text file or a one page report is create for each customer and must be fax. Then, at night the faxes are sent automatically. Finally a log report is view/print the next morning to check if each fax was successfully sent.

The customer already has this in a DOS program and they want me to replicate the same functionnality. Hey, if it's been done in DOS (unknown language) I should be able to do it in VFP right!

I have no experience in faxing (not even with mass faxing straight from the machine) and I'm asking your opinion. I already read some past treads on the subject and I will study them more carefully tomorrow, but right now I'm not sure which approach will be more promissing. I've seen treads talking about WinFax, others talking about FaxServer and third party softwares (how much $$$?) and finally a MAPI approach using MS Outlook. Did I miss something?

1) Right now, I "think" I favor the WinFax option but it's really just a feeling. Does experienced peoples can tell me if I'm doing the right way? Pro and con's? Easiest way for a beginner? Waht if I want to deploy it to other client of mine?

2) Does any of these method "talks" back to VFP to tell if the fax was sent with success? If not, how does someone knows if individual fax has been correctly sent?


Technology wise I don't have a problem, even if I'm not sure of all machines I've seen at least one which is using Windows XP pro so let's assume they have either Windows 2000 or Windows XP on the machine they will be using for faxing. I might have a problem with $$$ buying external software unless it's unexpensive.

Sorry for the long question.
TIA