CU Command: Fax modem check

[Michael Worsham]

Hi all. I have a sort of odd request from my project manager. It seems the customers (users) from another division have been getting a number of reports of missing or failed fax transactions (through our 3rd party VSIFax program). Sometimes the fax numbers stored in the database are busy or non-functioning, so the only way to check is for us to check them one at a time (and we are talking nearly 500+ fax numbers overall). VSIFax has failed to point us to a method of 'pre-checking' the numbers/lines so I am turning here.

Is it possible to use the 'cu' command to do the following (?):

From a Oracle database, extract a fax number. Then using a function in the script, plug in the fax number into a command like: 'cu -l ttyd1p0 -m dir $1'... Where the cu program will connect to the MUX (where the modem is located) and dial the number.

If the modem connects with the fax tone, it could be drop the connection and return 'Fax Ready'. If it returned a busy tone, the result would be 'Busy'. Otherwise it just returns NO CARRIER.

-- M

[A. Clay Stephenson]

Hi:

If I were you I would look into a utility call 'Pcomm+' available at a modest cost from:
http://www.rtr.com/Ready-to-Run_Software/communication_readypak.htm. Pcomm+ is part of their 'CommPak for UNIX'.

It has a scripting language which can timeout, look for regular expressions (more or less), and send/receive characters from a tty line. It will handle all the dialing and handshake stuff for you. You can also return status codes to an external program (in this case a shell script). You will have to write a sqlplus command to extract the phone numbers and then let your shell script build a pcomm+ batch file 'on the fly'.

I have used this method to build rather complex
modem transfer programs.

[Rory R Hammond]

Several years ago I have used kermit to do very similar things. It has a scripting language and can do commans via stdin and stdio. Kermit is well supported and comes free with HPUX.

I have used it to check and reset locked modems, send system error messages via pager and download edi like transmissions over Phones lines and ethernet.

At first, It seems scary to use. but once you find a few examples. You will quickly learn that your task can be easily accomplished.
Rory