How Can I Fax An Existing PDF File Via MS Fax From MS Access Using VBA?

[Blue Stone Post]

NEWBIE QUESTION

How Can I Fax An Existing PDF File Via MS Fax From MS Access Using VBA?

Using MS Access As A User Interface to enable users to search for various electronic records stored as PDF files.

Once a desired record is located, the user can email or fax one or more corresponding PDF files to contacts stored in the database.

The sending of existing PDF files as email attachments via MS Outlook works great.

I am also able to send existing PDF files as faxes via MS Outlook to MS Fax, however I have several problems that prompted this post.

First, MS Outlook creates a fax cover page consisting of the email subject and email body even when these fields are left blank. I do not want to sent a cover page but can not find away to eliminate.

Second, MS Outlook and/or MS Fax uses Adobe Reader (version 9.3) to render the PDF files into the outbound TIF fax format. In so doing, Adobe Reader is opened and given the focus to process a temporary file. Once the temporary file is processed, Adobe Reader remains open. I would like to elimante this nuisance or at least have Adobe Reader run minimized or hidden in the background without receiving the focus. Please understand that we are faxing up to 100 documents at one time which makes this "nuisance" unbearable. The user can not continue to work because Adobe Reader "pops up" once per fax (every 30-40 seconds or so).

Third, the faxes clog up the MS Outlook sent folder and must be deleted manually.

Please advise your recommendations to solve these issues. Again, I would prefer to bypass MS Outlook for faxes and send direct via MS Fax. Eliminating the cover page is a must and allowing the user to continue their work while the faxes are being rendered is also a must.

Please advise what additional information may be required to respond to my inquiry.

Thank you MS Access Experts!

[FishVal]

@Blue Stone Post

• I'm not sure what you mean by "fax cover page", but guess it is all about MS Fax interaction with MS Outlook which I think could not be controlled with Access application.
• To close Acrobat windows I would propose the following:
  • Enumerate all top level windows via WinAPI EnumWindows() function.
  • Check each hWnd returned by EnumWinwdows() to point to an Acrobat window using one of the following methods:
    • Check the window title with GetWindowText() WinAPI function for a corresponding substring.
    • Get a process - owner of the window and check path to an executable which has created the process. This method is more robust then the previous one but at the same time much more sophisticated since its implementation depends on Windows version.
  • Send WM_CLOSE message to all positively identified windows.
  If you consider this approach to be feasible, then I could elaborate on writing some sample code.
• MS Outlook "Sent Items" folder could be cleaned via application automation.

Regards,

Fish

[maxamis4]

@Blue Stone Post
Before I can give you the answer to this question I will need to ask the skill level you have in programming. To do this you will need to have knowledge in the following areas:

1. Outlook reference library
2. MsOffice reference library (version of ms office matters here)
3. hardware library for drivers and any software it may have.