Re: [opensuse] Installing efax-gtk from source
On Wed, 2008-02-13 at 10:07 +0200, Stan Goodman wrote:
Answer noted in a later article. Thanks for the explanation Carlos. I did not know about the possible need for -devel packages if the dependencies were not fully met.
I feel better knowing that.
-- Stan Goodman Qiryat Tiv'on Israel
Stan, I have not been lurking in this mail list for few days :( I've just saw your problems with faxing. I wrote the guide Istavan refers to and I believe you are trying to implement. If you follow every steps exactly as written you should not have a problem with the installation. If you do please post the details and I hope I can help you. I tried many different solutions and this is the one that for me has worked the best. In general terms, installing rpm designed for the distro and version is the easy way to install. Installing rpms packages for other distros or even other versions of the OS is a prescription for problems not only with the program as well in other areas that you do not expect. Installing from source is very easy, it just take few more minutes because you have to be sure the dependencies are there. Again using yast or smart you can install some of the dependencies if you need it (in few cases they may not be available and you will have to installing from source). I am talking in general terms, yes, in some cases is a pain.... But that's not the case with efax. I can send you the rpm created by checkinstall but, they are not very robust and they are not make for distribution. If you follow the step by step of the guide you should be able to install the whole thing in less than half hour. Ciao -=terry(Denver)=- Note: I assume you have a modem. I assume the modem is an external modem or an internal complete modem (no window model). If it is a windows model then the problem can get a little more complicated. This has nothing to do with the efax-gui program. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Wednesday 13 February 2008 15:18:01 Teruel de Campo MD wrote:
On Wed, 2008-02-13 at 10:07 +0200, Stan Goodman wrote:
Answer noted in a later article. Thanks for the explanation
Carlos.
I did not know about the possible need for -devel packages if the dependencies were not fully met.
I feel better knowing that.
-- Stan Goodman Qiryat Tiv'on Israel
Stan,
I have not been lurking in this mail list for few days :( I've just saw your problems with faxing. I wrote the guide Istavan refers to and I believe you are trying to implement. If you follow every steps exactly as written you should not have a problem with the installation. If you do please post the details and I hope I can help you. I tried many different solutions and this is the one that for me has worked the best.
Terry... Do I not remember you as being associated with Scandinavian firewall and Internet-connection software for OS/2 dog-years ago? Hi! And thanks much for replying to me. -----snip----- Actually, Carlos gave me the clue to a prepared binary RPM for efax, and that is already installed; nota bene, I did not say it is usable. I have spent a good part of the day trying to understand why it remains in "Inactive" state, presumably connected with the error message that comes up when one presses the "Standby" button. Here is its most recent text: ***** efax-09a 17.34.22 Error: can't open pre-lock file /var/lock/TMP 13605 permission denied efax-09a 17.34.22 finished - unrecoverable error ***** The installation did not create file with that name, so I tried to help it by making one myself, and making it writable for anybody. Didn't help. I have no idea whatever what the program wants from me. Perhaps the developer doesn't either, since he doesn't treat it in his very friendly, but only moderately helpful "help". Other things I have not learned from the "help" or anywhere else I have sought: 1) I understood that the program is capable of providing a virtual printer, so that one can print from an application. I don't know how to do this, and it is nowhere mentioned, as far as I could see. I assume that a driver for it would have to pipe content through ghostscript to efax-gtk, but that is the limit of my guessing. 2) Although there is now no error about being able to find the log file I have defined, when I try to open the log I get a warning reading: "Cannot open logfile for viewing". Why is one of the mysteries of the early 21st century. 3) I will eventually want to delete the long list of error messages, but do not know what file they occupy, since the friendly developer has not troubled to mention this. I do of course have a faxmodem, external USR 56K. It came without any documentation, only a CD with software for installing in WinCrap. I have been hammering on USR support for three weeks to get a printed or downloadable user guide, but evidently USR doesn't believe in such things anymore. The world is not what it once was. As I've mentioned elsewhere, I have already spent far too much time in wrestling with this enigmatic program. If you can see readily where I should turn to learn the missing pieces, I would be exceedingly grateful to you. Else tomorrow I will purchase a fax machine, and have done with the problem, albeit not in the way I would wish.
Ciao
-=terry(Denver)=-
Note: I assume you have a modem. I assume the modem is an external modem or an internal complete modem (no window model). If it is a windows model then the problem can get a little more complicated. This has nothing to do with the efax-gui program.
-- Stan Goodman Qiryat Tiv'on Israel -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 The Wednesday 2008-02-13 at 19:57 +0200, Stan Goodman wrote:
1) I understood that the program is capable of providing a virtual printer, so that one can print from an application. I don't know how to do this, and it is nowhere mentioned, as far as I could see. I assume that a driver for it would have to pipe content through ghostscript to efax-gtk, but that is the limit of my guessing.
It's better to use cups and hylafax for the purpose. Others use samba instead. http://www.googlesyndicatedsearch.com/u/HylaFAX?q=cups&sa=Search
2) Although there is now no error about being able to find the log file I have defined, when I try to open the log I get a warning reading: "Cannot open logfile for viewing". Why is one of the mysteries of the early 21st century.
Try as root via command line.
I do of course have a faxmodem, external USR 56K. It came without any documentation, only a CD with software for installing in WinCrap.
The manual is probably a PDF inside.
I have been hammering on USR support for three weeks to get a printed or downloadable user guide, but evidently USR doesn't believe in such things anymore. The world is not what it once was.
Oh, common! Here is mine: http://www.usr-emea.com/support/s-prod-template.asp?loc=unkg&prod=5630 Six manuals, user guide, faqs, etc. Drivers, firmware updtes... the lot. - -- Cheers, Carlos E. R. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.4-svn0 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQFHszzCtTMYHG2NR9URAv4OAJ9fCT26yUMo0emGJ0gANZCiAAn74ACgjihM eDanJ1GlJxS8pMRoMiKGUpQ= =O732 -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Wednesday 13 February 2008 20:53:54 Carlos E. R. wrote:
The Wednesday 2008-02-13 at 19:57 +0200, Stan Goodman wrote:
1) I understood that the program is capable of providing a virtual printer, so that one can print from an application. I don't know how to do this, and it is nowhere mentioned, as far as I could see. I assume that a driver for it would have to pipe content through ghostscript to efax-gtk, but that is the limit of my guessing.
It's better to use cups and hylafax for the purpose. Others use samba instead.
HylaFAX is out. The reason I dropped it and switched to trying to get efax-gtk to work is that a through read of the HylaFAX documentation I assempled led me to believe that HylaFAX (which is anyway gross overkill for me) is too complex for me to overcome. efax just looked like a simpler thing to get started -- I still think it would be, if the developer had not dropped the project in the middle (yes, I know it is still supported, that isn't what I mean).
http://www.googlesyndicatedsearch.com/u/HylaFAX?q=cups&sa=Search
2) Although there is now no error about being able to find the log file I have defined, when I try to open the log I get a warning reading: "Cannot open logfile for viewing". Why is one of the mysteries of the early 21st century.
Try as root via command line.
Do what from the command line? The program has been starting itself at boot. When I shut it down, I start it again from Alt-F2. When I use the command line to find where files are, I am always su.
I do of course have a faxmodem, external USR 56K. It came without any documentation, only a CD with software for installing in WinCrap.
The manual is probably a PDF inside.
So it is. I certainly should have thought of that myself. The people who have been writing to me from USR also might have dropped a word about it, but I should have thought of it. In any case, that isn't involved in the problem at hand with efax-gtk in any way. I also admit that I am grumpy at this point, and frustrated by being stymied by what should be a very simple operation.
I have been hammering on USR support for three weeks to get a printed or downloadable user guide, but evidently USR doesn't believe in such things anymore. The world is not what it once was.
Oh, common!
That's OT, but if you want to discuss it off-list, we can.
Here is mine:
http://www.usr-emea.com/support/s-prod-template.asp?loc=unkg&prod=5630
Six manuals, user guide, faqs, etc. Drivers, firmware updtes... the lot.
-- Cheers, Carlos E. R.
-- Stan Goodman Qiryat Tiv'on Israel -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 The Wednesday 2008-02-13 at 23:09 +0200, Stan Goodman wrote:
HylaFAX is out. The reason I dropped it and switched to trying to get efax-gtk to work is that a through read of the HylaFAX documentation I assempled led me to believe that HylaFAX (which is anyway gross overkill for me) is too complex for me to overcome. efax just looked like a simpler thing to get started -- I still think it would be, if the developer had not dropped the project in the middle (yes, I know it is still supported, that isn't what I mean).
Well... Hylafax may seem an overkill, but it is the best fax software for linux I have seen, so much so that I refuse to try any other "simpler" software even for home use. For me, it worked first time I tried.
2) Although there is now no error about being able to find the log file I have defined, when I try to open the log I get a warning reading: "Cannot open logfile for viewing". Why is one of the mysteries of the early 21st century.
Try as root via command line.
Do what from the command line?
Try to view the logfile as root, if you can not open it for viewing as user.
I do of course have a faxmodem, external USR 56K. It came without any documentation, only a CD with software for installing in WinCrap.
The manual is probably a PDF inside.
So it is. I certainly should have thought of that myself. The people who have been writing to me from USR also might have dropped a word about it, but I should have thought of it. In any case, that isn't involved in the problem at hand with efax-gtk in any way.
Support personnel is not always sufficiently supportive, sometimes because they barely know how to answer the phone and are underpaid.
I also admit that I am grumpy at this point, and frustrated by being stymied by what should be a very simple operation.
Well... I'm stymied that my half-new tv set just broke down and I'm afraid I lost 300€. I'm stymied that there is not modern software to edit manpages in a manner that does not require the writer to be a programmer. Welcome to the stymied group. :-p
I have been hammering on USR support for three weeks to get a printed or downloadable user guide, but evidently USR doesn't believe in such things anymore. The world is not what it once was.
Oh, common!
That's OT, but if you want to discuss it off-list, we can.
I meant that the user manuals on line of your modem are surely findable. I told you where I found mine, yours will be nearby. - -- Cheers, Carlos E. R. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.4-svn0 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQFHs3citTMYHG2NR9URArLXAJ4ixE6a2NrzlGkCocw67jc8KPZaaACdErPm Etahw/TwfqqTHTWDHeSaWsI= =BqmJ -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
On Wednesday 13 February 2008 20:53:54 Carlos E. R. wrote:
Try as root via command line.
Fascinating! When I run efax-gtk from a terminal as root as you suggest, behavior is different. It comes up in "Inactive" state, just as it does when run from the GUI, but the difference starts when I press the "Standby" button. From the GUI, this is when the error message appears, not before. From the terminal, it actually goes into standby state, and admits that it is waiting for an incoming fax. There is also no history of error messages (from the GUI, the history survives closing and reopening the program). What made this difference in behavior? What is missing in the way I have been running it from the GUI? Of course, it is still wrong that it needs me to put it into standby condition manually -- hopefully there is a way to coax it to do that automatically, when it loads. -- Stan Goodman Qiryat Tiv'on Israel -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 The Thursday 2008-02-14 at 00:57 +0200, Stan Goodman wrote:
On Wednesday 13 February 2008 20:53:54 Carlos E. R. wrote:
Try as root via command line.
Fascinating! When I run efax-gtk from a terminal as root as you suggest, behavior is different.
That was not what I meant, but never mind :-)
It comes up in "Inactive" state, just as it does when run from the GUI, but the difference starts when I press the "Standby" button.
From the GUI, this is when the error message appears, not before.
From the terminal, it actually goes into standby state, and admits that it is waiting for an incoming fax. There is also no history of error messages (from the GUI, the history survives closing and reopening the program).
What made this difference in behavior? What is missing in the way I have been running it from the GUI?
That it probably needs to run as root.
Of course, it is still wrong that it needs me to put it into standby condition manually -- hopefully there is a way to coax it to do that automatically, when it loads.
Maybe there is an option when you start it up. - -- Cheers, Carlos E. R. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.4-svn0 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQFHs3h9tTMYHG2NR9URAkIiAJ0a7QTE+O5SDxD/j5zfYWYoVe97LwCdGeWE aZqr6C9wmI/Mc1XaqLnTQW8= =W8fS -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Wed, 2008-02-13 at 19:57 +0200, Stan Goodman wrote:
Terry...
Do I not remember you ..
Yes, Hi Stan!
Actually, Carlos gave me the clue to a prepared binary RPM for efax,
A basic principle is that if the rpm does not work, do not spent too much time with it and do it from source. If they problem is basic setup is different. If you have trouble, just follow the guide a wrote, it is long to read but short to implement. I added extra descriptions mainly for people new to linux. If you have a problem in any the steps I may be able to help you.
***** efax-09a 17.34.22 Error: can't open pre-lock file /var/lock/TMP 13605 permission denied
efax-09a 17.34.22 finished - unrecoverable error *****
#mkdir -m 777 /lockfax Then open efax-gtk be sure you are not in standby and File/setting/modem/Lock File: and here enter the directory that you've just created /lockfax That should solve the error. I described it in the #6 of the guide.
1) I understood that the program is capable of providing a virtual printer, so that one can print from an application. I don't know how to do this, and it is nowhere mentioned, as far as I could see. I assume that a driver for it would have to pipe content through ghostscript to efax-gtk, but that is the limit of my guessing.
Stan this is in the guide and I wrote 2 ways to do it.
2) Although there is now no error about being able to find the log file I have defined, when I try to open the log I get a warning reading: "Cannot open logfile for viewing". Why is one of the mysteries of the early 21st century.
The log file is define under File/Setting/Logging
I do of course have a faxmodem, external USR 56K.
Have you been able to connect? If not suse has many utilities to accomplish it. I like wvdial #wvdialconf /etc/wvdial.conf will scan all the ports etc. Well this is not a modem guide :) but you have to see the modem before efax can work.
As I've mentioned elsewhere, I have already spent far too much time in wrestling with this enigmatic program.
Hey! that's part of the fun! Ciao -=terry(Denver)=- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Thursday 14 February 2008 00:53:49 Teruel de Campo MD wrote:
On Wed, 2008-02-13 at 19:57 +0200, Stan Goodman wrote:
Terry...
Do I not remember you ..
Yes, Hi Stan!
Actually, Carlos gave me the clue to a prepared binary RPM for efax,
A basic principle is that if the rpm does not work, do not spent too much time with it and do it from source. If they problem is basic setup is different. If you have trouble, just follow the guide a wrote, it is long to read but short to implement. I added extra descriptions mainly for people new to linux. If you have a problem in any the steps I may be able to help you.
I'll march through your apparently well prepared guide tomorrow.
***** efax-09a 17.34.22 Error: can't open pre-lock file /var/lock/TMP 13605 permission denied
efax-09a 17.34.22 finished - unrecoverable error *****
#mkdir -m 777 /lockfax
Then open efax-gtk be sure you are not in standby and
File/setting/modem/Lock File: and here enter the directory that you've just created /lockfax
That should solve the error. I described it in the #6 of the guide.
1) I understood that the program is capable of providing a virtual printer, so that one can print from an application. I don't know how to do this, and it is nowhere mentioned, as far as I could see. I assume that a driver for it would have to pipe content through ghostscript to efax-gtk, but that is the limit of my guessing.
Stan this is in the guide and I wrote 2 ways to do it.
2) Although there is now no error about being able to find the log file I have defined, when I try to open the log I get a warning reading: "Cannot open logfile for viewing". Why is one of the mysteries of the early 21st century.
The log file is define under File/Setting/Logging
I set the name and location of the logfile when I configured. efax-gtk knows where it is. It just "can't" open it. When I run the program as root from a terminal (per suggestion of Carlos), by the way, I don't even get a chance to try, as the options in the "Log" entry are all greyed out.
I do of course have a faxmodem, external USR 56K.
Have you been able to connect?
The program is running now (from terminal, as root); the CD LED is illuminated, and the status message says that it is standing by waiting anxiously for a fax.
If not suse has many utilities to accomplish it. I like wvdial
#wvdialconf /etc/wvdial.conf will scan all the ports etc. Well this is not a modem guide :) but you have to see the modem before efax can work.
Now it works. From the GUI, it doesn't work.
As I've mentioned elsewhere, I have already spent far too much time in wrestling with this enigmatic program.
Hey! that's part of the fun!
No, overcoming problems in reasonable time, with documentation that is written in such a way as to aid the process, is part of the fun. Spending far too much time with no return is part of the frustration. When I notice that going around in circles for a whole day is causing me to neglect things that actually NEED to be done, it's time to stop.
Ciao
-=terry(Denver)=-
-- Stan Goodman Qiryat Tiv'on Israel -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Thursday 14 February 2008 00:53:49 Teruel de Campo MD wrote:
On Wed, 2008-02-13 at 19:57 +0200, Stan Goodman wrote: If you have a problem in any the steps I may be able to help you.
I hope so. See at the very bottom of this note. In the interest of preventing confusion, I chose to start over from your step (5), since the rpm has already been installed.
#mkdir -m 777 /lockfax
This is different from the formulation only in several trivial respects. I mention it only because it indicates that you and I are looking at different versions of your guide. I have what was posted on linuxquestions.org. I have now entered the command as given above, except that I first tried to omit the slash. This didn't work ("Standby" became impossible, so I restored the slash, which made the modem come alive.
Then open efax-gtk be sure you are not in standby and
I returned the status to "inactive" efax-0.09: 14:00:28 Error: cannot open pre-lock file
File/setting/modem/Lock File: and here enter the directory that you've just created /lockfax
That should solve the error. I described it in the #6 of the guide.
There is no discussion of errors in #6 of your guide as I have it here. Again, there must be at least two versions. In my initial attempts (two days worth) of configuration, I had left the location blank in "Settings", and made a directory /var/lock, because the developer's instructions say clearly that this is the default for the case in which the entry is blank. So the developer's instructions are wrong, and it is to this that I owe my largely wasted two days. The upside is that the waste was not a result of any fault of mine, but of the buggy instructions that came with the program. What a pity that the developer didn't try this version out before he released it on an unsuspecting world. I made the fax printer in CUPS without difficulty. I have not yet tried sending a fax or receiving one, but I imagine there will be no problem ("famous last words"). What is still a bit unclear is how to fill in the "Print Program" blank in the Print page of the Settings notebook. The printer is connected to the network through a print server, and its address is "arbol/*". But that isn't a program. What does this blank want? Is there a way to cause efax-gtk to come up in Standby status? Or must this be done manually with every boot? -- Stan Goodman Qiryat Tiv'on Israel -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Thu, 2008-02-14 at 14:44 +0200, Stan Goodman wrote:
In the interest of preventing confusion, I chose to start over from your step (5), since the rpm has already been installed.
#mkdir -m 777 /lockfax
This is different from the formulation only in several trivial respects. I mention it only because it indicates that you and I are looking at different versions of your guide. I have what was posted on linuxquestions.org. I have now entered the command as given above, except that I first tried to omit the slash.
Stan, What is important is that whatever director you create (1) must have 777 permissions (2) the director that you created has to be the same in the efagui settings The / is kind of confusing under linux when you think on OS/2 or windows. this is root </lockfax> is a directory called lockfax under root If you are in the user space called Stan for example you are in /home/stan/ often the whole thing is abbreviated with a tilde <~> so /home/stan/ is equivalent to ~/ Now you are in your home space and make a directory ~> mkdir -m 777 lockfax this directory will be under your home space so the absolute address will be /home/stan lockfax This is to show you the effect of the forward slash and the mkdir command.
Again, there must be at least two versions. In my initial attempts (two days worth) of configuration, I had left the location blank in "Settings", and made a directory /var/lock, because the developer's instructions say clearly that this is the default for the case in which the entry is blank. So the developer's instructions are wrong, and it is to this that I owe my largely wasted two days.
I made the fax printer in CUPS without difficulty. I have not yet
sending a fax or receiving one, but I imagine there will be no
The instructions were correct but miss the effect of permissions. If you do not have permission you can not run it as a user (you can run it as root) tried problem
("famous last words").
What is still a bit unclear is how to fill in the "Print Program" blank in the Print page of the Settings notebook.
Stan do not make your life complicated :-). Whatever you use for viewer it will print the fax. So just File/list Recieved faxes/ Select the fax /Click the magnify glass with it will load the viewer and print from it.
Is there a way to cause efax-gtk to come up in Standby status? Or
must
this be done manually with every boot?
I will update the guide but here it is one way to do it. Automatic Start 1. Change permissions at boot time add the following line to /etc/init.d/boot.local chmod 666 /dev/ttyS1 2. Add the program to KDE auto start Konqueror/Go/Autostart R mouse/new/link to an application/application/command efax-gtk -s -r The -s will hide it in the system tray, the -r will start in received mode. Ciao -=terry(Denver)=- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Actually, Carlos gave me the clue to a prepared binary RPM for efax, and that is already installed; nota bene, I did not say it is usable. I have spent a good part of the day trying to understand why it remains in "Inactive" state, presumably connected with the error message that comes up when one presses the "Standby" button. Here is its most recent text:
***** efax-09a 17.34.22 Error: can't open pre-lock file /var/lock/ TMP 13605 permission denied
efax-09a 17.34.22 finished - unrecoverable error *****
The installation did not create file with that name, so I tried to help it by making one myself, and making it writable for anybody. Didn't help. I have no idea whatever what the program wants from me. Perhaps the developer doesn't either, since he doesn't treat it in his very friendly, but only moderately helpful "help".
Hello: Have you read my mail in which I gave a point-by-point description how to build/install efax-gtk? http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse/2008-02/msg01440.html 4-8 points are dealing with configuration explicitly. Follow those instructions and report the result, please.
1) I understood that the program is capable of providing a virtual printer, so that one can print from an application. I don't know how to do this, and it is nowhere mentioned, as far as I could see. I assume that a driver for it would have to pipe content through ghostscript to efax-gtk, but that is the limit of my guessing.
That is explained in the manual/help if you read it carefully. After having created a 'faxprinter' printer on your system, from any application you can chosse that printer as the printer device. This printer forwards the job to efax-gtk. Efax-gtk receives the print request only if in its gui window at the "fax entry method" "socket" is checked. Otherwise you can choose a postrcipt file to send as a fax clicking either the "single file" or "multiple files" button. IG Február 15. az ADÓBEVALLÁS első határideje. Tanácsok, határidők, KALKULÁTOROK, minden az adózásról az adózóna.hu oldalon!http://ad.adverticum.net/b/cl,1,6022,247461,293803/click.prm -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
participants (4)
-
Carlos E. R. -
Istvan Gabor -
Stan Goodman -
Teruel de Campo MD