---
name: "mgetty-fax"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "mgetty-fax"
version: "1.2.1-2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/mgetty-fax"
---

# mgetty-fax(1)

fax sending and receiving with mgetty+sendfax

## NAME

fax - fax sending and receiving with mgetty+sendfax

## SYNOPSIS

**faxspool** \[options\] phone-number file

**faxrm** job-id

**faxq** \[options\]

**faxrunq** \[options\]

**faxrunqd** \[options\]

**sendfax** \[options\] phone-number file

**mgetty** \[options\] tty

**pbm2g3** \[options\] \[pbm-file\]

**g32pbm** \[options\] \[pbm-file\]

**g3cat** \[options\] \[g3-file(s)\]

## DESCRIPTION

This manpage very briefly describes every program from the mgetty+sendfax fax/modem software suite. For details, see the manpages for each program.

*faxspool* is used to queue jobs for later transmission by fax. *faxspool* accepts different input formats, converts them into the proper format required by *sendfax* and places the jobs into the outgoing spool directory.

*faxq* displays the current FAX work queue.

*faxrm* removes one or more jobs from the current fax work queue. You have to specify the job id (returned by faxq) on the command line.

*faxrunq* processes all the faxes in the fax work queue, and sends them one-by-one. If transmission isn't possible, the job will be retried later. While meant to be run from  *cron,* *faxrunq* can as well be started from the shell (but you must have access to the fax  queue and the modems, which means you must be 'root' or 'uucp')

*faxrunqd* is a replacement for  *faxrunq* to be used in environments that send a high number of faxes per day, or need more flexibility.

*sendfax* is the backend used by faxrunq for actually sending the fax. It is not meant to be ever called directly, but can be used in own applications.

*faxq-helper* is a helper program that is used by *faxspool,* *faxq* and *faxrm* to access the fax spool directory (which is not world-writeable since mgetty version 1.1.29).

*mgetty* is the part of the program suite that handles incoming calls. Data calls are handled as  *getty* does it (login, shell), while fax calls are handled internally. The received faxes are stored in /var/spool/fax/incoming. See the [mgetty(8)](/mgetty/8.md) manpage for details. *mgetty* can not be called directly, it must be called by /etc/init.

*pbm2g3* is used to convert portable bitmaps to G3 fax data (for sendfax). Do not use the pbmtog3 program from the pbmplus or netpbm toolkit, it will create broken G3 data.

*g32pbm* is used to convert received faxes (which are stored in G3 format) to portable bitmap format. PBM can be converted to other formats with the named pbmplus toolkit.

*g3cat* is used to concat multiple G3 files, as *cat* does with text files.

## FILES

- **/var/spool/fax/outgoing/**

  outgoing fax spool directory

- **/var/spool/fax/incoming/**

  incoming faxes

- **/usr/lib/mgetty-fax/**

  The cover page program, faxq-helper, and a few font files live here.

- **/etc/mgetty/**

  most configuration files for mgetty and sendfax live here.

- **/usr/sbin**

  mgetty, sendfax and faxrunqd live here

- **/usr/bin**

  all the other programs

- **/etc/mgetty/faxaliases**

  global fax alias file

- **$HOME/.faxnrs**

  private fax alias file

- **/etc/mgetty/fax.allow**

  list of allowed users

- **/etc/mgetty/fax.deny**

  list of denied users

- **/etc/mgetty/faxheader**

  fax page header

- **/usr/lib/mgetty-fax/make.coverpg**

  program to create fax cover page (see [coverpg(1)](/coverpg/1.md)).

- **/etc/mgetty/login.config**

  login configuration file for mgetty.

- **/etc/mgetty/dialin.config**

  caller ID setup file for mgetty (optional).

- **/etc/mgetty/mgetty.config**

  runtime configuration file for mgetty (not implemented yet).

- **/etc/mgetty/sendfax.config**

  runtime configuration file for sendfax (optional).

## BUGS

Look into the responding man pages.

## SEE ALSO

[faxspool(1)](/faxspool/1.md), [faxq(1)](/faxq/1.md), [faxrunq(1)](/faxrunq/1.md), [faxrunqd(8)](/faxrunqd/8.md), [sendfax(8)](/sendfax/8.md), [faxrm(1)](/faxrm/1.md), [mgetty(8)](/mgetty/8.md), [pbm2g3(1)](/pbm2g3/1.md), [g32pbm(1)](/g32pbm/1.md), [g3cat(1)](/g3cat/1.md), [faxqueue(5)](/faxqueue/5.md), [mgettydefs(4)](/mgettydefs/4.md), [coverpg(1)](/coverpg/1.md)

mgetty.info

## AUTHOR

The *mgetty+sendfax* program suite is Copyright (C) 1993-2010 by Gert Doering, \<gert@greenie.muc.de\>.  Parts of the programs kindly donated by Chris Lewis, Paul Sutcliffe, Klaus Weidner, and numerous others.