---
name: "faxgetty"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "hylafax-server"
version: "3:6.0.7-11.1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/faxgetty"
---

# faxgetty(8)

HylaFAX front-door process

## NAME

faxgetty - *HylaFAX* front-door process

## SYNOPSIS

**/usr/sbin/faxgetty** \[ **-D** \] \[ **-p** \] \[ **-q** *queue-dir* \] *device*

## DESCRIPTION

*faxgetty* is the *HylaFAX* server program that listens for incoming phone calls and either handles each call directly or hands it off to an appropriate program. In addition *faxgetty* monitors modem usage and notifies the *HylaFAX* scheduler process when a modem's status changes; e.g. when a modem is busy with an outbound call.

One *faxgetty* should be run for each facsimile modem on a machine. *faxgetty* is typically started by [*init*(8)](/init/8.md). *faxgetty* can also be used with data-only modems; this may be desirable if some of the non-facsimile features are important, such as the support for screening calls according to Caller-ID information.

*faxgetty* listens to its facsimile modem for incoming calls and to a FIFO special file on which it accepts command directives from administrative commands such as [*faxanswer*(8)](/faxanswer/8.md) and [*faxabort*(8)](/faxabort/8.md). *faxgetty* also catches  SIGTERM and SIGINT signals; cleaning up any necessary resources before exiting.

Many aspects of *faxgetty* operation are controlled through a configuration file. In particular, for  *faxgetty* to automatically invoke the [*getty*(8)](/getty/8.md) program to handle incoming data connections the **GettyArgs** parameter must be setup in the configuration file. The configuration file is located in the spooler hierarchy in the **etc** subdirectory and is named **config.***devid***,** where *devid* is an identifier derived from the name of the modem's device file; for example *ttym2* for */dev/ttym2*, *term\_10* for */dev/term/10*. Consult [*hylafax-config*(5)](/hylafax-config/5.md) for detailed information on the contents of configuration files.

## OPTIONS

- **-D**

  This option forces *faxgetty* to detach itself from the controlling tty from which it was invoked. In normal operation *faxgetty* will  **not** disassociate itself from the controlling tty.

- **-p**

  Do not change the process priority when receiving facsimile. Normally *faxgetty* will raise its priority to reduce i/o latency. This option is useful for debugging.

- **-q** *dir*

  The specified directory is treated as the spooling area. The default spooling area, */var/spool/hylafax*, is defined at the time the software is built.

## FILES

```
/var/spool/hylafax/FIFO.device	FIFO special file for submitting commands
/var/spool/hylafax/etc/config.device	device-specific configuration file
```

Consult [*hylafax-server*(5)](/hylafax-server/5.md) for a complete discussion of the structure and content of the spooling area.

## SEE ALSO

[*faxabort*(8)](/faxabort/8.md), [*faxlock*(8)](/faxlock/8.md), [*faxanswer*(8)](/faxanswer/8.md), [*faxconfig*(8)](/faxconfig/8.md), [*faxstate*(8)](/faxstate/8.md), [*faxq*(8)](/faxq/8.md), [*getty*(8)](/getty/8.md), [*hylafax-server*(5)](/hylafax-server/5.md), [*hylafax-config*(5)](/hylafax-config/5.md)