FAXCONFIG(8C)

💖 FAXCONFIG 💖 (section 8C, bestie)

okay so you know that one command in the HylaFAX family that lets you poke a running server and be like "hey bestie, new settings, right now"? that's her. faxconfig. she's a whole vibe and she lives at /usr/bin/faxconfig. this is the manual, but make it group chat.

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✨ NAME ✨

faxconfig — dynamically change HylaFAX configuration parameters 💅

no cap, that's literally it. she changes config parameters. dynamically. while stuff is running. iconic behavior honestly.

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🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

/usr/bin/faxconfig [ -q queue-dir ] [ -m modem ] [ parameter value  ...
]

yes the line break is real, that's just how she is, don't judge her 🌸

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🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so here's the tea. faxconfig sends messages to a HylaFAX server process telling it to install new values for one or more configuration parameters. it's giving "sliding into the server's DMs with new settings."

but — and this is the important part, bestie — these new values are maintained only for as long as that server process executes. meaning: the second that process dips, your changes dip too. gone. no trace. 💀

so if you want long-lasting configuration parameters, you gotta edit the appropriate configuration file(s) instead. that's a whole different thing, see hylafax-config(5F) for that.

faxconfig is especially useful for setting certain configuration parameters that control the operation of HylaFAX server processes. like, that's her main character moment. for example: by manipulating the ModemPriority parameter of one or more faxgetty(8C) processes, it's easy to dynamically reconfigure the order in which HylaFAX will assign modems to outbound jobs. yes, you can just reorder the modem lineup live. slay.

so if no modem is specified with the -m option, then faxconfig will send messages to the central scheduler process, faxq(8C). that's the default bestie. if a faxgetty process is the one you wanna contact, the specified modem has to be the last component of the character special device filename the modem is attached to. like, just the tail end of the path, not the whole thing. iykyk.

also go consult hylafax-config(5F) for the list of configuration parameters that can be set with faxconfig. that's your menu, babe. 🍓

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💅 OPTIONS 💅

the following options are available:

• -m devid — direct messages to the faxgetty process servicing devid instead of the central scheduler process, faxq. the devid is an identifier derived from the name of the modem's device file; for example ttym2 for /dev/ttym2, and term_10 for /dev/term/10. so yeah, just the last chunk of the device path, not the whole thing, periodt ✨
• -q dir — use a spooling area other than /var/spool/hylafax. simple as that 🫶

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🌸 FILES 🌸

• /var/spool/hylafax — default spooling area 👑
• /var/spool/hylafax/FIFO — fifo for contacting faxq

consult hylafax-server(5F) for a complete discussion of the structure and content of the spooling area. it's a whole deep dive, lowkey worth it.

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🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

hylafax-server(5F), faxmodem(8C), faxstate(8C), faxgetty(8C), faxq(8C), hylafax-config(5F).

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and that's the whole page bestie, we ate and left no crumbs 💖✨

this one's dated Oct 3, 1995 and she's page FAXCONFIG(8C) in the HylaFAX lineup — vintage but still serving looks. mwah 💋