This special process provides an interface to send faxes from the EPIC EMR system. It scans a folder for XML files deposited by the EPIC software containing details of the document to be faxed and its destination. A CopiaFacts outbound fax transaction is then initiated by creating an FS file.
The setup screen for this process selects the folder to be scanned and the USR profile which will be used to send the document. In addition you can select the priority for the fax and the maximum number of items which is to be processed in a single scan (scan limit). This value can be set to a non-zero number if your FFEXTERN instance is also handling other conversion work; otherwise FFEXTERN will always process all items in the scan folder when one item is found there. The XML content code value is not currently used.
Any $fs_template items in the nominated .USR file are added into each FS file generated. The FS file is written to PREPROC if the pdf keyword appears in the $convert_types configuration command, and otherwise directly to the nominated TOSEND folder.
The scan path must be visible to the COPIAFACTS program instance(s) which will send the fax, and to the FFEXTERN instance(s) which will perform the document conversion to TIF, if used.
The scan skips files which have a last modified time less that 3000ms ago, to allow the file to be completely written before attempting to open it. The file will then be picked up on the next scan pass. This time can be overridden by assigning a positive value on a $var_def command in FAXFACTS.CFG to a variable named FXEPIC_SKIP_TIME_MS.
The following data elements are extracted from the XML file:
Root fields:
| sent | The value is placed in XML_SENT_TIME. Note that the file date is used for $fax_request_date and $fax_request_time. |
| identifier | The value is placed in XML_JOBID. Prior to CopiaFacts 8.3.1.301, this value was in an info/parameter/JobId field. |
Info / EventCode fields:
| Fax | The value is used for the $fax_phone command. |
| FirstName | The value is placed in variable XML_FIRSTNAME unless it is none, in which case the value is set to empty. |
| LastName | The value is placed in variable XML_LASTNAME unless it is none, in which case the value is set to empty. |
Info / parameter fields:
| CoverPage | If the value is non-empty and other than none, it is taken to be a filename in the FAXFACTS folder and is used for a $fax_cover command. |
| Resolution | If the value is 1, an IMAGE_OPTIONS variable is added, with a value of LOWRES. Otherwise the conversion of the PDF defaults to a high-res fax. |
| JobId | The value was placed in variable XML_JOBID. |
Info / Resource field:
| Fax Attachment | The value is assumed to be the filename (without path) a PDF file for transmission. The file must be placed in the scan folder. This value is used to for the $fax_filename command. |
Info fields:
| Urgency | The value is placed in variable XML_URGENCY. Currently it does not affect the priority of the transmission. |
| SenderName | The value is used for the $fax_sender command. |
| Headline | The value is used for the $fax_header command. |
After the XML file has been processed and a FS file has been written, the XML file is renamed to .BAK.
