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Fax Service

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Purpose

The fax service provides fax functionality for clients on a local area network.

Where applicable

The fax service, a Telephony Application Programming Interface (TAPI)-compliant system service, allows users to send and receive faxes from their desktop applications using either a local fax device or a shared network fax device. The service also offers the following features:

  • Routing of inbound faxes
  • Server and device configuration management
  • Archiving of sent faxes

Developer audience

The Fax Service Extended Component Object Model (COM) API is intended for use by developers and fax service administrators who are familiar with Microsoft Visual Basic, C++, or scripting languages such as Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript) or Microsoft JScript.

The Fax Service Provider API, the Fax Routing Extension API, and the Fax Extension Configuration API are C/C++ application programming interfaces, and are intended for third-party vendors who are familiar with C++.

You should be familiar with the Microsoft TAPI and the Microsoft Telephony Service Provider Interface (TSPI). If you plan to use the fax client Component Object Model (COM) implementation, you should also be familiar with COM and Automation programming concepts.

Run-time requirements

The fax service enables development of applications for Windows 2000 or Windows XP. Fax client applications can also execute on Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, Windows 95, or Windows 98 clients in a Microsoft Win32 environment. Computers running Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me) may also act as a Microsoft Small Business Server 4.5 fax client.

In this section

Topic Description
[About the Fax Service](-mfax-about-the-fax-service.md)
 General information about the fax service and its interfaces.
[Using the Fax Service SDK](-mfax-using-the-fax-service-sdk.md)
 Information about how to use the fax service interfaces.
[Fax Service Reference](-mfax-fax-service-reference.md)
 Documentation for the following:
  • [Fax Service Extended COM Reference](-mfax-fax-service-extended-com-reference.md)
  • [Fax Service Provider API Reference](-mfax-fax-service-provider-api-reference.md)
  • [Fax Routing Extension API Reference](-mfax-fax-routing-extension-api-reference.md)
  • [Fax Extension Configuration Reference](-mfax-fax-extension-configuration-reference.md)
  • [MMC Snap-in Node Types](-mfax-mmc-snap-in-node-types.md)
[Fax Service Client API for Windows 2000](-mfax-fax-service-client-api-for-windows-2000.md)
 The Fax Service Client API allows you to incorporate basic fax functionality for users in client applications. This technology is available on computers that are running Windows 2000 and later.
[Fax Service Glossary](-mfax-glossary.md)
 This glossary defines some of the terms found in the documentation for the fax service.

 

Microsoft Telephony Overview

About the Telephony Service Provider (TSP)

The Component Object Model