Faxing from PHP without using a service

[tibberous]

Is there a way to fax, from PHP, without using an existing service? I was thinking maybe something like:

 

PHP Script > Fax Listener Program running on Windows, connected to fax machine

 

Any ideas?

[DeanWhitehouse]

google is a friend use it

 

http://www.interfax.net/en/dev/webservice/samples/fax_php_faxstatus.html

 

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=php+fax+code&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a

[tibberous]

That's for use with interfax though right? I've never used SOAP, but isn't that just a way to send it off to them?

 

"ou need to register to InterFAX in order to use the Fax Web Service. You may register as a regular user, or as a developer."

[DeanWhitehouse]

Did you have a look through the google results?

[tibberous]

Did you? None of them are particularly helpful, which is why I was hoping to find someone who had done it before.

 

I did find a service that charges $8.00/month without a per fax cost. It's outbound only, but I still think that might be easier than spending the time to setup a system - especially when you consider that my way would tie up a computer, and possibly our fax lines.

[DeanWhitehouse]

This may help, i found this post using google

http://www.zend.com/forums/index.php?t=msg&goto=2705&S=d7368cdaab31e365b9df0b2abd8d87aa

[tibberous]

That's still using the interfax service...

[DeanWhitehouse]

Read it, first line,second reply

There is no direct way to send a fax from within PHP.

 

Therefore you will need to use something other than just PHP

[tibberous]

"There is no direct way to send a fax from within PHP."

 

That's just coming from a guy on a message board, and I'm guessing incorrect. At worst you might have to use an extension or a shell command, in the same way if you want to convert video you have to use ffmpeg or memcoder.

 

I didn't say I didn't want to use something in addition to PHP, I just didn't want to use a web service I'd have to pay for.

[DeanWhitehouse]

I didnt read much about the SOAP one, but why cant you use that? (its free isnt it)

[DarkWater]

I doubt you can get it done on Windows with shell commands.  On Linux, you can check out the efax package which contains efix, efax, and fax.  efix converts images to faxes and then efax and fax are used for getting faxes and setting everything up.  Doesn't have to do with the actual eFax service by the same name, lol.