When one user cannot use OSFAX but others can

This post describes how you can fix the problem where a single user is unable to use OSFAX, but other users are OK. If the user tries to send a document using 'FAX/Assist' they will get an error saying 'Overlay not found'. This is because OSFAX rejects the user when the program does a check to see that the required fax overlay is set up. If the user tries to send directly through OSFAX they will get an error saying 'Already exists'.

The problem occurs because OSFAX stores user details by both username and unix-id, and either the username or unix-id for the user has been used previously and OSFAX is blocking the new username/unix-id combination. This sometimes happens when a user leaves a company and they are removed from the password file, then they return and are added with the same username but they get a new unix-id.

The solution is to remove the old user information from the OSFAX database. To do this, open the OSFAX browser using the following command as superuser at the shell prompt: 

    $FAXDIR/bin/osfax

Then do the following:

1. Press the F4 key to display a pop-up list.
2. Arrow down to the word 'Users' and press ENTER.
3. Arrow down to the word 'name' and press ENTER.
4. Arrow to the username for the user that cannot use OSFAX and press ENTER. (See below if the username is not shown.)
5. Arrow down to the bottom line of the screen. The screen will scroll up a few lines as you do this.
6. Arrow across to the word 'Delete' and press the 'R' key.
7. Press the 'OK' button in the confirmation box.
8. Press the HOME key several times to exit the OSFAX browser and return to the shell prompt.

The user should now be able to use OSFAX normally.

If there is no entry for the username for the user that cannot use OSFAX, then it is the unix-id that has been re-used rather than the username. This is unusual as unix-ids are not normally re-used. In this case, you first need to know the unix-id for the user. You can check this using the command:

    grep username /etc/passwd

The unix-id should be the third field (the first numeric field) on the line that is displayed. To remove this from the OSFAX database, use the same commands as listed above, but replace lines 3 and 4 with the following commands:

3. Press ENTER on the word 'uid'.

4. Arrow to the unix-id for the user that cannot use OSFAX and press ENTER.