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  • #4167
    kaboondy
    Participant

    We have a number of computers (5) that are connected to a server using WIN 2K OS and WinFax 10.03. The Server is computer (A) which receives all the faxes into a local WinFax Directory. We then manually copy all the received faxes to another computer (B) hard drive which is Shared out to all the computers that access the files. This allows all client computers to access/modify all the received faxes and all modifications are seen by every client. In the root folder of the Shared Fax, there are other sub-folders that are used to organize the received faxes into specific categories.

    When we click on the received fax in the Shared Fax folder, there is no problem in seeing the fax and even annonating the fax. HOWEVER, if there is a fax that we wish to forward to another receipient, there is an error message –

    “Message Manager”
    “One or more files are missing or invalid”

    Of note we noticed (just by chance) the computer CPU Usage goes to 100% for much longer than normal when we take this action and it takes several seconds to return the error.

    In addition (and amazingly), if we COPY the fax back to the original received folder in computer A (Server), we can forward the fax with no errors posted!!

    Finally, we used the Utility of “Rebuild Logs” as well as Optimize logs to try to correct the error. when this was done, all the faxes in all the shared folder including all the sub-fodlers) where labeled as corrupted and were relocated by the Rebuild process into another folder. We then had to spend time/effort into reorganizing over 100 faxes into the correct folders again. This was done only a couple of weeks ago.

    Obviosly we are doing something that causes the files to become corrupted. The only thing I can think of is that we turn off the computers overnight and only the sever is left on. The Shared Fax folder on Computer B is turned off as well as the other 5 client computers. Sometimes the cleint computers are turned on in an order that does not allow them to see the Shared Fax folder (on Computer B) and we have to “reactivate” the “Shared Drive” letter in WIN Explorer. Also, we occasionally will shut down the server which will cause the client computer to require a reconnection to the server. I am not sure if any of the above is relevant but it is all I can think of.

    Would you have any idea how/why this happens and if there is a solution.

    The only other thing that I think I can try is to loacted the Shared Fax in the SERVER computer (A) rather than Computer B. The only reason we placed the Shared Fax on Computer B is that computer has all the other office based batabases and it makes it much easier to do a back up each night from a single computer.

    Thank you

    #9498
    Administrator
    Keymaster

    @kaboondy wrote:

    When we click on the received fax in the Shared Fax folder, there is no problem in seeing the fax and even annonating the fax. HOWEVER, if there is a fax that we wish to forward to another receipient, there is an error message –

    “Message Manager”
    “One or more files are missing or invalid”

    Of note we noticed (just by chance) the computer CPU Usage goes to 100% for much longer than normal when we take this action and it takes several seconds to return the error.

    In addition (and amazingly), if we COPY the fax back to the original received folder in computer A (Server), we can forward the fax with no errors posted!!

    Just so I am following you correctly, you created a shared message store (lets call it Shared Faxes) on computer A (server) but the files are stored on computer B? Then within WinFax Message Manager, you copy (not move) received faxes from the “Receive Log” message store in Computer A (Server) to this “Shared Faxes” message store (which is sorted into additional folders )
    ?

    This shared folder is visible on the other clients, and when you attempt to “forward” the fax to another recipient (or the same recipient?) the error appears?

    If you click on the Received Fax, right click Properties, then click “Message Files” tab, it should give you a list of files for that fax log entry. For received faxes, you’ll see “.FXR” files.

    #9499
    kaboondy
    Participant

    @Moderator wrote:

    @kaboondy wrote:

    When we click on the received fax in the Shared Fax folder, there is no problem in seeing the fax and even annonating the fax. HOWEVER, if there is a fax that we wish to forward to another receipient, there is an error message –

    “Message Manager”
    “One or more files are missing or invalid”

    Of note we noticed (just by chance) the computer CPU Usage goes to 100% for much longer than normal when we take this action and it takes several seconds to return the error.

    In addition (and amazingly), if we COPY the fax back to the original received folder in computer A (Server), we can forward the fax with no errors posted!!

    Just so I am following you correctly, you created a shared message store (lets call it Shared Faxes) on computer A (server) but the files are stored on computer B? Then within WinFax Message Manager, you copy (not move) received faxes from the “Receive Log” message store in Computer A (Server) to this “Shared Faxes” message store (which is sorted into additional folders ).?

    This is mostly correct except we do MOVE the received faxes from the Received folder on the Server A to the Shared Faxes on Computer B. The main purpose is to allow each client computer to be able to deal with (any or) all received faxes and any changes made on any client computer are then visible to all client computers. This allows staff to share their work output without having to move to another computer. In the past we would download faxes to each local client Received folder but then would have multiple versions of the fax. As part of our work, we annonate faxes with updates on its current status and what each staff has done to process the received fax. With different work shifts, it makes it much easier to follow each staff members activity without having to wait to ask them at the next shift.

    This shared folder is visible on the other clients, and when you attempt to “forward” the fax to another recipient (or the same recipient?) the error appears?
    Yes, some faxes are annonated and then sent back to the receipient or forawrded to another receipient from the Shared Faxes folder. When attempting to do this, the error is displayed.

    In trying to find a solution, I copied the fax back to the Received Folder on the Server A and then there was no error when the fax was sent/forwarded to a receipient. I can continue to use this workaround; however, it would be nice to know if there is a way to correct this error.

    If you click on the Received Fax, right click Properties, then click “Message Files” tab, it should give you a list of files for that fax log entry. For received faxes, you’ll see “.FXR” files.

    I am not sure if I understand what you are advising me to do with the above suggestion on the Fax Log Entry. Please elaborate.

    #9500
    Administrator
    Keymaster

    I suspect the problem is related to the moving of the fax log entries from the host receive log to the shared log. this is just a theory but I suspect that when you connect a client to a host, the client has made a copy of the received fax from the host and then you have another copy in the shared fax folder, which could pose a problem if there are conflicting files.

    You can check the names of the fax files that are associated with the received fax log entry. Then compare the file names with the entries in the shared folder. If you click on the Received Fax, right click Properties, then click “Message Files” tab, it should give you a list of files for that fax log entry. For received faxes, you’ll see “.FXR” files. This may give a clue of what is going wrong…

    #9501
    kaboondy
    Participant

    @Moderator wrote:

    I suspect the problem is related to the moving of the fax log entries from the host receive log to the shared log. this is just a theory but I suspect that when you connect a client to a host, the client has made a copy of the received fax from the host and then you have another copy in the shared fax folder, which could pose a problem if there are conflicting files.

    You can check the names of the fax files that are associated with the received fax log entry. Then compare the file names with the entries in the shared folder. If you click on the Received Fax, right click Properties, then click “Message Files” tab, it should give you a list of files for that fax log entry. For received faxes, you’ll see “.FXR” files. This may give a clue of what is going wrong…

    I am sorry, perhaps I was not clear in my last post. We are not making a copy when we move the Received faxes from the Host Received Fax folder to the Shares Fax folder. In other words, once the fax has been moved – there is no fax in the Host Received folder to Right Click on to see the Properties – or am I missing something? Our main purpose is to have only one copy of the fax which every staff can then see and process/modify in a joint effort.

    Also, just to be clear, we do not download a copy to clients received folder (which is an option when the window pops up on each client when the Host receives a fax).

    Please clarify. Thanks

    #9502
    Administrator
    Keymaster

    OK.
    you can check the properties of the fax in the shared message store after it has been moved .
    and you can do the same on each client that accesses the shared message store.
    The only time I have seen the “One or more files are missing or invalid” error is when there were missing files. There should be the full path of each fax page (.FXR)
    What you should do is check BEFORE a fax has been modified, and after the fax has been modified to see if there is a difference.

    Is the host a Windows 2000 PC?

    #9503
    kaboondy
    Participant

    This makes sense. I will do the following (to confirm that I understood). When a fax is received, we will check the properties and then transfer the fax to Shared Fax and recheck the properties. We will then try to forward the fax and see if there is an error message. If yes, then we will copy the fax (as I done with the workaround discovered by accident) back to the Host Received Log and then check properties and try to forward and see what happens with the properties information. I will report shortly.

    #9504
    Administrator
    Keymaster

    yes, also check the properties on the client PC. I expect it to be the same as what is displayed when you check the properties on the shared receive log folder.

    #9505
    kaboondy
    Participant

    @Moderator wrote:

    yes, also check the properties on the client PC. I expect it to be the same as what is displayed when you check the properties on the shared receive log folder.

    OK – Sorry it took so very long to respond. I have tried a couple of things which might help to find an answer.

    First the “Right Click” properties information is the SAME no matter if the Fax located on the Shared Fax Folder is checked by any Client or by the server (keeping in mind the Shared Fax Folder is located on a third computer which is accesible by all computers and is the backup for other services (unrelated to faxing). This central storage makes it easier to perform backup when needed.

    Second – As stated earlier I found that the fax could be copied to the original folder on the Server Fax computer and THEN one can forward the fax. To recap, one cannot simply “Forward” the fax from the Shared Fax Folder; this is cumbersome and it can hard to remember – sometimes when the job needs to be done quickly – hence we still “right click” on the Fax in the Shared Fax folder to try to Forward and this fails – the computer gets momemtarily “frozen” with the Task Manager reaching 100% for a moment at which time, the fax program does not respond. Then there is the error message as mentioned earlier in a previous post.

    Third – I found that one can simply open the fax to be forwarded (while it is located on the Shared Fax Folder) and then print to fax which effectively forwards the fax by opening a new Send dialogue. This just adds another step in the forwarding process and the solution remains cumbersome.

    In conclusion there seems to be two solutions to the Forward mystery (neither is a good solution)
    A – Copy the fax back to the original Receive Fax Folder and then forward
    B – Open the fax and then print to Winfax – this will open up a new send dialogue which effectively allows forwarding

    If there is any way to figure out how to simply forward a fax – that would circumvent the two round about solutions. Thank you

    Thank you.

    #9506
    Administrator
    Keymaster

    Unfortunately, those workarounds you’ve found are probably the only solutions available.

    #9507
    kaboondy
    Participant

    @Moderator wrote:

    Unfortunately, those workarounds you’ve found are probably the only solutions available.

    Thank you for your help.

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