Append Word Pages

This Fax tool provides the ability to use Microsoft Word to create faxes. Any file that can be loaded into Microsoft Word and printed can be converted into a fax using this tool step. In addition, custom document property settings can be passed into the document and a user defined macro can be run before creating the fax.

Note: Ensure that in the copy of Microsoft Word on the server, the "Update Fields" setting is on. This is found in Word in the Tools>Options dialog on the Print tab.

Inputs

Fax Page List

Fax page list created with Create Fax Page List or Create Empty Fax Page List.

Path to page source

String containing any path/filename accepted by Microsoft Word. (See Comments below)

First page to retrieve

First page from the Word document that will be converted to this fax.

Last page to retrieve

Last page from the Word document, or -1 for all remaining pages.

Desired resolution

Resolution of the created fax. Can be either 98 for Standard resolution or 196 for Fine resolution. See comments.

Run Word Macro

Runs the named Word macro after setting the custom document properties, but before converting to fax. See the Microsoft Word Basic "Run" command for proper syntax.

List of Property Names to pass to Word

String list of Word custom document properties that will be set. The List of Property Values must contain the desired values, in the same order.

List of Property Values to pass to Word

String list of values corresponding to the List of Property Names to be set in the Word custom document properties.

Exit Paths

Success

This path is taken if the fax is successfully created.

Failure

This path is taken if the operation fails. Check the Event Viewer for details of why this tool step failed.

Comments

This tool step requires Microsoft Word 97 or later to be installed on the CIC server. Changes to the Word file (via the custom document properties or the macro) are reflected in the resulting fax but not saved in the Word file.

The Path to page source input can be anything accepted by the Word file input dialog. This can vary by the version of Word. For example, Microsoft Word 2000 can accept URLs to valid documents and web pages while Microsoft Word 97 cannot.

Microsoft Word does not properly implement the ActiveX Printable Document standard at this time, preventing CIC from controlling the resolution used in the creation of the fax. Although this tool step accepts a resolution, it is ignored by Word, which instead uses the resolution set in the Document Defaults for the Interaction Fax print driver. This can be changed by opening the Printer applet, right-mouse clicking the Interaction Fax print driver and selecting the Document Defaults... menu item.

The Word file is not converted into a fax until the Create Fax tool step is executed. Therefore, the Append Word Pages will succeed even with erroneous input values, but the Create Fax tool step will fail. When the Create Fax tool step fails, a Fax event will be logged in the Windows Event Viewer detailing the reason for the failure (for example, an invalid macro name).