INFO: What is new in Zetafax 2009 SP1

ZTN1746

ID: ZTN1746

This Zetafax technical note applies to:

• Zetafax Server 2009 SP1

Summary

This technical note describes the new features and other improvements in Zetafax 2009 SP1.

More information

Zetafax 2009 SP1 includes a number of feature enhancements and other improvements, and also resolves a number of issues that have been reported in previous versions.

Update: This is now available as a combined download, including Zetafax 2009 SP1 and the Platform Feature Pack. This contains the features below and support for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, click here for more details.

Feature enhancements

The release includes the following feature enhancements:

• Support for Microsoft Small Business Server 2008 – the Zetafax Server and Client can now be installed and run on this Small Business Server 2008.  This includes support for optional server components, including the email gateway.
• Support for Zetafax Server with Terminal Services – the Zetafax Server (excluding the email gateway) can now be run on a computer which is also used for hosting Terminal Services sessions for network users.  Equisys still recommends that server and client applications are kept apart where possible, in line with standard industry best practice, but the product now supports this joint use where the company is already using this configuration and a separate server computer is not available.
• Improved support for internal numbers – internal numbers can also now be used on systems configured to use TAPI or Zetafax dialling rules, and the Zetafax server can now be configured to treat short fax numbers as internal numbers automatically.  Zetafax fax devices can be connected to a PBX (phone system), with the server configured to add a prefix to each fax number dialled in order to access an external phone line (eg “9,”).  When used in this configuration, faxes can be sent to internal extensions by entering the fax number prefixed with an “x”.  With this release this feature is now also supported on systems configured to use dialling rules (either TAPI or Zetafax dialing properties) – previously it required the the “dial numbers as entered” configuration option.  The system can also be configured so that numbers which are shorter than a specified length are also treated as internal numbers, allowing use with existing phone address books which do not include the “x”.
• Support for line access settings when using TAPI dialling properties – Zetafax now supports dial prefixes stored in TAPI, enabling different access codes to be specified for local, national and international calls.  Previously Zetafax could only be configured to use a single access code for all numbers, configured in the Zetafax device settings dialog – this is still supported for systems which do not require the additional flexibility or are not using TAPI.
• Support for rendering of Hebrew bi-directional text with Document Rendering add-on (DOCTIFF) – documents submitted via the email gateway and the by applications using the Zetafax API can now include Hebrew and other bi-directional text languages.  Bi-directional text in the message body for email messages (rendered on a separate page) is also supported.

The release also corrects the following issues present in the previous full release of the software.  Note that maintenance releases to correct some of these issues have previously been published as separate updates on the software updates site, or made available to individual customers who have experienced an issue, and are now being included in a single update for ease of installation:

• The device controller for Brooktrout devices (DEVBTB.EXE) can terminate on some systems,  causing the Zetafax Server to shutdown.
• The Zetafax Server can terminate when receiving a fax when using the Zetafax FoIP Connector (Brooktrout SR140 software)
• Outbound faxes sent using Exchange 2007 do not render correctly. Specifically, carriage returns and spaces are sometimes missing from the fax image.
• The Manage Zetafax Server Service program (NTSETUP.EXE) can remain running after use, preventing the Zetafax Configuration Program from starting correctly when run.
• When using TAPI dialling properties,  the Zetafax Server and/or the Zetafax Configuration program can terminate if an any area code rule has a large number of prefixes configured (typically more than 35 prefixes).
• When specifying the DropFileFormat as TIFF-G4-FAX for the Route To Folder functionality, Zetafax saves the received fax file Server receives the fax as a Group 3 TIFF image instead.
• When printing to the Zetafax Printer from Microsoft Excel, the Zetafax Client displays a message saying ‘Invalid or unknown format for print spool file ZETAFAX.SPL’, and will not enable the fax to be sent.
• When receiving calls in quick succession to the same channel on a Brooktrout TR1034 or Trufax BRI board, the channel occasionally hangs.
• When sending a Rich Text format (RTF) or HTML (web format) file in a fax, either using the email gateway or the Zetafax API, the contents can sometimes be rendered as plain text with the formatting commands including in the fax body.
• The Zetafax Client can terminate when forwarding a fax which has been sent to multiple recipients to another Zetafax user
• The option to add a letterhead to a sent fax is ignored when using the email gateway with Microsoft Exchange 2007.
• The Zetafax Client intermittently does not launch after printing in a Terminal Services environment.
• The Zetafax Client fails to install on Windows XP with Office 2007, when the Zetafax Office Extensions are being installed (which is the default installation behaviour when upgrading a system which has an older version of the Office Extensions already installed).
• The Zetafax Client cannot be upgraded correctly on some non-English systems.
• After installing the Zetafax Outlook Extensions with Office 2007, opening a received fax message in Outlook does not work correctly, with the Zetafax viewer form displaying an empty page.

Status

The problems mentioned above have been corrected with Zetafax 2009 Service Pack 1. This is an upgrade available free of charge to customers with a Software Assurance contract which is current at time of release.  The update is recommended for all Zetafax 2009 customers, including those who have not experienced the issues detailed.

Please contact Equisys Technical Support if you have any questions about installing or using this update.

Zetafax is distributed in many countries please refer to the Equisys website for details of your local supplier.

EQUISYS plc

Phone: 020 7203 4000 (Intl +44 20 7203 4000)

Fax: 020 7203 4005 (Intl +44 20 7203 4005)

sales@equisys.com

EQUISYS Inc - USA and Canada

Phone: (770) 772 7201

Fax: (770) 442 5789

sales@usa.equisys.com

References

FIX: Zetafax Client fails to install on Windows XP with Office 2007
FIX: Zetafax Client does not install or upgrade on some non-English systems
FIX: Zetafax Client Outlook 2007 Extensions Upgrade Issue FIX: Zetafax Client Outlook 2007 Extensions Upgrade Issue
FIX: Outlook Extensions fax viewer form is blank

Last updated: 7th October 2009 (MW/GW)