SOLVED Avant Fax Cover Page (cover.ps)

[Trimline2]

Could someone with a cover.ps that is generic (no AvantFax banners) please ping it to me. I've tried the instructions using GIMP and Freehand (no longer has the correct fonts) as found here http://www.pbxinaflash.com/communit...lafax-avantfax-for-piaf-parts-1-4.3645/page-6 (2009)

I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks.

 

[rossiv]

I tried forever to get an HTML coverpage to work, and even that didn't work. I've given up on the cover pages and just made my own and inserted it inline with the PDF.

 

[Trimline2]

I tried forever to get an HTML coverpage to work, and even that didn't work. I've given up on the cover pages and just made my own and inserted it inline with the PDF.

Talk about major frustration! I remember GIMP when it was easy to use, now, I think you need to be on an acid trip to understand it. Freehand, was much easier to use, but no longer have the "printer" fonts required, just TT fonts.

Not sure why Avant didn't just make it easier to manipulate a cover sheet. I'm going to keep digging, I'll let you know what, if anything works....

 

[Trimline2]

Going to try to convert this - something simple for all to use.

 

[mbellot]

Going to try to convert this - something simple for all to use.

I used this as a template in Illustrator and created a new version without the graphic at the top (very simple cover page).

I also converted all text to "outlines" so there should be no issues with missing fonts.

A4 and letter versions included.

BTW - I haven't tried them...

 

[Trimline2]

Here is an extract of the cover-letter.ps. You'll note that the font is ArialMT with a font type of 1 (won't work on windows machines). I don't have a MAC, but I'll ask a friend that does. I note the cover-letter.ps as it appears to be used as well as the cover.ps.

%!PS-Adobe-2.0 EPSF-1.2
%%Title: cover-letter
%%Creator: FreeHand MX 11.0.2
%%CreationDate: 7/17/07 8:18 PM
%%BoundingBox: 0 0 596 761
%%FHPathName:Macintosh HD:Users:davidrojects:Avant Fax:cover pages:default:cover-letter
%ALDOriginalFile:Macintosh HD:Users:davidrojects:Avant Fax:cover pages:default:cover-letter
%ALDBoundingBox: 0 -34 595 807
%%FHPageNum:1
%%DocumentSuppliedResources: procset Altsys_header 4 0
%%ColorUsage: Color
%%DocumentProcessColors: Cyan Magenta Yellow Black
%%EndComments
%%BeginFont: ArialMT
11 dict begin
/FontName (ArialMT) def
/FontType 1 def
/PaintType 0 def
/FontMatrix [0.001 0 0 0.001 0 0] def
/Encoding 256 array 0 1 255 {1 index exch /.notdef put} for def

 

[Trimline2]

I used this as a template in Illustrator and created a new version without the graphic at the top (very simple cover page).

I also converted all text to "outlines" so there should be no issues with missing fonts.

A4 and letter versions included.

BTW - I haven't tried them...

See the note I just made above, thanks for trying, but it did not work either. The form must contain explicit parameters as such:

To: XXXX-to
Company: XXXX-to-company
Location: XXXX-to-location
Voice: XXXX-to-voice-number
Fax: XXXX-to-fax-number

From: XXXX-from
Company: XXXX-from-company
Location: XXXX-from-location
Voice: XXXX-from-voice-number
Fax: XXXX-from-fax-number

Page Count:XXXX-page-count
Date: XXXX-todays-date

XXXX-regarding
XXXX-comments0 ... XXXX-comments30

 

[rossiv]

I have a Mac. What's needed? Trimline2
mbellot How did you get Illustrator to save a .ps?

 

[mbellot]

mbellot How did you get Illustrator to save a .ps?

Ross - I'm on CS4 under Winders, so it may be different, but you just print and then select Adobe Post Script as the printer and Adobe PDF as the PPD file.

I use the instructions from here.

 

[mbellot]

See the note I just made above, thanks for trying, but it did not work either. The form must contain explicit parameters as such:

To: XXXX-to
...

Interesting. I'm not sure if it's important, but the header you posted appears to be from an EPS file, not a PS file.

The fields aren't text, they are outlines, so I'm not sure what the cover page parser is picking up...

Anyway, I took the cover.ps file from my system into Illustrator and removed the AvantFax branding then saved it back out as an EPS file. I did add a generic "FAX" title at the top similar to the PDF you posted.

More distressing is that the file is over twice the size, but that could just be Adobe vs. Freehand optimizing the EPS file.

If this doesn't work it may require more voodoo than I can muster at midnight...

 

[Trimline2]

I found this post, although it is from 2008, it does add more confusion to the mix on how to create the fax cover.....

http://sourceforge.net/p/avantfax/discussion/540878/thread/150a8681#6813/a25d

 

[mbellot]

I found this post, although it is from 2008, it does add more confusion to the mix on how to create the fax cover.....

http://sourceforge.net/p/avantfax/discussion/540878/thread/150a8681#6813/a25d

OK, try this...

I ended up downloaded the 30 day trial of Freehand and recreated the cover page (without branding). If this doesn't work I don't know what to try next.

 

[Trimline2]

OK, try this...

I ended up downloaded the 30 day trial of Freehand and recreated the cover page (without branding). If this doesn't work I don't know what to try next.

DING DING DING DING DING.... we have a winner. This works fine, except the date field does not populate on the cover page (under Regarding).

Would you mind writing up how you did this, and how you saved it. Font size, etc..

Thanks!

Found it... should be Date: XXXX-todays-date

 

[mbellot]

DING DING DING DING DING.... we have a winner. This works fine, except the date field does not populate on the cover page (under Regarding).

Would you mind writing up how you did this, and how you saved it. Font size, etc..

Thanks!

Found it... should be Date: XXXX-todays-date

Fixed. New version attached to this post.

 

[mbellot]

Would you mind writing up how you did this, and how you saved it. Font size, etc..

Pretty simple actually.

1. I installed the trial version of Freehand (for Windows) in a VM (since I didn't want to pollute my main PC).
2. New document (select the correct page size in the document info all the way to the right hand side)
3. Create cover page using "Univers" font (as described in the link you posted) and the variable fields. You can probably play with the font, I went with this one since it was documented as working for someone. All text is 12 point except the word "FAX" at the top which is 36 point.
4. Export as simple Encapsulated PostScript (EPS), not DCS2 EPS or EPS with TIFF preview.
5. Under export setup uncheck "Include Freehand document", check "Include fonts in EPS" and set convert colors to "RGB".

I've attached the Freehand file to this post so you don't have to re-create all the fields manually.

EDIT: If you need a different page size you can just change it (step 2) in this attached file and it should resize appropriately.

 

[Trimline2]

You are going to make a lot of people happy.

Thanks! I'll play with this in a bit..

 

[Trimline2]

Pretty simple actually.


EDIT: If you need a different page size you can just change it (step 2) in this attached file and it should resize appropriately.

That is the issue with my installation - there is no Univers font available. Also, for some reason, you last post is pointing to a printer most likely on your network. Would you mind exporting as an EPS again. It is much smaller than your previous.

Thanks.

 

[Trimline2]

For Windows users, you can download the "Univers" font from here. Double-click to install. http://www.fontpalace.com/font-download/Univers+45+Light/

 

[mbellot]

That is the issue with my installation - there is no Univers font available. Also, for some reason, you last post is pointing to a printer most likely on your network. Would you mind exporting as an EPS again. It is much smaller than your previous.

Thanks.

I'm a bit confused... Which "latest"?

The last file I posted (in #15) was the Freehand file (9k).

The last EPS files (in #14) are the same size as the ones that had the date problem (in #12).

The only "network" info I see in the files in post #14 are in the comments (near the start of the file, \\tsclient...) and just refer to the file locations. I forgot to strip them down, but if they matter (shouldn't, they are supposed to be comments) you should be able to remove the path info with a text editor (like NotePad++)... That's what I did before posting the files in #12.

If that's not what you're asking let me know.

 

[Trimline2]

Gotcha. Thanks.