TIPS Poor outgoing PDF fax quality with Hylafx/Avantfax.

RoboLord

Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2017
Messages
56
Reaction score
5
Well, I've spent a great deal of time looking into this and I just can't find anything. All the leads generated by dicko are targeted at Hylafax+. All the leads generated by Ward are dead ends, paths that don't exist, and config files with no clear documentation. After getting on the Hylafax Sourceforge forum, it seems like Hylafax+ is the only platform offering easily manageable dithering options. I'd suggest that this project consider adopting Hylafax+ in future rewrites or update the documentation to better support new users. As it stands, it's unfeasible for me and that's a shame because the platform seems otherwise promising.
 

dicko

Still learning but earning
Joined
Oct 30, 2015
Messages
1,607
Reaction score
826
The trouble with reinventing the wheel is that it is absolutely your responsibility to make sure it is truly round, if not (as you are finding ;-) ) the road will be bumpy (as you are finding also )

The basic rules for sendfax are

a) convert the original document by whatever means to a tiff that that matches the capabilities of your fax machine, hylafax will happily do color if your fax machine is so enabled. if you don't have that then you shouldn't dither the original , just convert to monochrome.

b) there is no rule b

as to hylafax+ then just

wget http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/hylafax/hylafax-5.5.9.tar.gz

extract it, RTFM and compile it.
 
Last edited:

Eliad

Active Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2017
Messages
619
Reaction score
127
Well, I've spent a great deal of time looking into this and I just can't find anything. All the leads generated by dicko are targeted at Hylafax+. All the leads generated by Ward are dead ends, paths that don't exist, and config files with no clear documentation. After getting on the Hylafax Sourceforge forum, it seems like Hylafax+ is the only platform offering easily manageable dithering options. I'd suggest that this project consider adopting Hylafax+ in future rewrites or update the documentation to better support new users. As it stands, it's unfeasible for me and that's a shame because the platform seems otherwise promising.
Did you find a solution to this problem? If you did please share
 

dicko

Still learning but earning
Joined
Oct 30, 2015
Messages
1,607
Reaction score
826
All I can say that in the last five years I have update hylafax+ from 5.5.9 to 7.0.3


Otherwise hylafax/avantfax continues to work seemlessy ( with avantfax using php 5.4.45 , you can have more than one version of php on your machine ;-) )

If your php -v returns a version greater than 5, then these avantfax files need line 1 patched

./tools/create_thumbnails.php
./tools/import_archive.php
./tools/update_contacts.php
./tools/import_blacklist.php
./tools/faxcover.php
./tools/import_users.php
./tools/reroute.php
./tools/ocr_import.php
./includes/dynconf.php
./includes/faxcover.php
./includes/notify.php
./includes/avantfaxcron.php
./includes/faxrcvd.php
./includes/phb.php
 
Last edited:

Eliad

Active Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2017
Messages
619
Reaction score
127
All I can say that in the last five years I have update hylafax+ from 5.5.9 to 7.0.3


Otherwise hylafax/avantfax continues to work seemlessy ( with avantfax using php 5.4.45 , you can have more than one version of php on your machine ;-) )

If your php -v returns a version greater than 5, then these avantfax files need line 1 patched

./tools/create_thumbnails.php
./tools/import_archive.php
./tools/update_contacts.php
./tools/import_blacklist.php
./tools/faxcover.php
./tools/import_users.php
./tools/reroute.php
./tools/ocr_import.php
./includes/dynconf.php
./includes/faxcover.php
./includes/notify.php
./includes/avantfaxcron.php
./includes/faxrcvd.php
./includes/phb.php
If I understand correctly you installed Hylafax+ on a IncrediblePbX system, correct? I am guessing Hylafax+ will override the current version installed by IncrediblePBX.
 

dicko

Still learning but earning
Joined
Oct 30, 2015
Messages
1,607
Reaction score
826
No, you don't understand correctly, I installed Hylax+ and Avantfax on a Linux server (actually debian 7). Since then I have 'patched ' it to continue to operate as the underlying VOIP server moves on ( Avantfax will NOT move on, Hylafax will)

I can't speak for any conflict between hylafax+/Avantfax installs on any one else's offering.
 

Eliad

Active Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2017
Messages
619
Reaction score
127
No, you don't understand correctly, I installed Hylax+ and Avantfax on a Linux server (actually debian 7). Since then I have 'patched ' it to continue to operate as the underlying VOIP server moves on ( Avantfax will NOT move on, Hylafax will)

I can't speak for any conflict between hylafax+/Avantfax installs on any one else's offering.
Got it. I will give it a try. Do I need to install iax modems prior to Hylafax+? I found the answer, yes I have to install iaxmodem first.
 
Last edited:

dicko

Still learning but earning
Joined
Oct 30, 2015
Messages
1,607
Reaction score
826
No but you will need them before you 'addmodem' them, unfortunately t38modem disappeared with Debian 8 but is my modem of choice still.
 

cantVOIP

Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2023
Messages
42
Reaction score
6
Thanks for the pointers. I checked out /includes/local_config.php and it was pre-set to letter, not A4 so that's good.
A couple more questions--
Where would I put the "-G" if I wanted to send at highest quality settings?
Is send fax.conf the correct place to put "VRes:/t196" or is there a better location? I read about creating "/var/spool/hylafax/etc/FaxModify"
Where did you exactly placed the -G?
I'm also using hylafax.
 

cantVOIP

Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2023
Messages
42
Reaction score
6
If you don't correct your . . . . /includes/local_config.php to use letter , timestamps etc, to reflect your locale then you will continue to need ghostscript to translate A4 to letter and wonder why David Mimms is stupid enough to use European conventions, you could add -G to your sendfax args but there is no guarantee that it will be honored becazuse the"far end" actually said

REMOTE best vres R16 x 15.4 line/mm

but you decided to

USE 7.7 line/mm

you said

VRes: 196.

it should technically be

VRes:/t196

don't add things (.) and use tab not spaces between the key and the value

For anyone wondering, do the following:
find sendfax.conf (VMWARE version is under /var/spool/hylafax/etc) file and add the following:
1708447899611.png

The VRes value specifies 196 which is medium quality. This will improve the quality for the faxes you send from AvantFax. (There is a -G command that can be used which specifies to use the best quality available from the machine's end user. I'm not sure how I would use that. Maybe removing the 196 and simply adding -G in this same file. For anyone who might know please let us know)

I'm not sure how much this helped since I did both changes at the same time, but under /var/spool/hylafax/etc edit pagesizes. Scroll all the way at the bottom and comment out the default size. Then uncomment the second default one (This is the North American Letter size. Assuming you are using this size and you are from the US)

1708448086136.png

Stop and start again hylafax service using: "service hylafax stop" and then "service hylafax start" (Without the ""). Then make sure that hylafax, faxgetty and iax modem are up using the pbxstatus command under root. It's important you restart hylafax to apply changes.

The quality from my faxes improved dramatically. They are the same quality as my standard landline faxes. Which means I'm removing my landline contract and moving it to the cloud to get the best bank for my money.

Can't wait for the day fax is dead. Until then, I hope this helps others and saves them time troubleshooting!
 

l4cky

Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2015
Messages
175
Reaction score
4
For anyone wondering, do the following:
find sendfax.conf (VMWARE version is under /var/spool/hylafax/etc) file and add the following:
View attachment 5313

The VRes value specifies 196 which is medium quality. This will improve the quality for the faxes you send from AvantFax. (There is a -G command that can be used which specifies to use the best quality available from the machine's end user. I'm not sure how I would use that. Maybe removing the 196 and simply adding -G in this same file. For anyone who might know please let us know)

I'm not sure how much this helped since I did both changes at the same time, but under /var/spool/hylafax/etc edit pagesizes. Scroll all the way at the bottom and comment out the default size. Then uncomment the second default one (This is the North American Letter size. Assuming you are using this size and you are from the US)

View attachment 5314

Stop and start again hylafax service using: "service hylafax stop" and then "service hylafax start" (Without the ""). Then make sure that hylafax, faxgetty and iax modem are up using the pbxstatus command under root. It's important you restart hylafax to apply changes.

The quality from my faxes improved dramatically. They are the same quality as my standard landline faxes. Which means I'm removing my landline contract and moving it to the cloud to get the best bank for my money.

Can't wait for the day fax is dead. Until then, I hope this helps others and saves them time troubleshooting!
may i know which version of incrediblepbx are you using? bc the newer ones don't support outgoing avantfax/hylafax
 

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
25,782
Messages
167,509
Members
19,202
Latest member
pbxnewguy
Get 3CX - Absolutely Free!

Link up your team and customers Phone System Live Chat Video Conferencing

Hosted or Self-managed. Up to 10 users free forever. No credit card. Try risk free.

3CX
A 3CX Account with that email already exists. You will be redirected to the Customer Portal to sign in or reset your password if you've forgotten it.
Top