FileCenter • PaperMaster

PaperMaster Export Tool Help

This guide will help you get your PaperMaster files exported. If you have problems, see the troubleshooting section below.

IMPORTANT: The PaperMaster Export Tool ONLY works with PaperMaster 6 and PaperMaster 7 cabinets.

Download the PaperMaster Export Tool

Make sure you have the latest version of the FileCenter Trial or the free Papermaster Export Tool. You can use either one. Download them here:

FileCenter is a cabinet-based scanning & file management program like PaperMaster, but doesn't lock in your files. We recommend that you run your export from FileCenter. This will re-create your cabinets in FileCenter and get you back in business as quickly as possible.


Issue: Your PaperMaster Scans

Anything you scanned into PaperMaster is going to be an EFX file. No other software can open these files (but that's not as bad as it sounds). You have two choices:

Keep Them as EFX Files (recommended)
You can keep your scans as EFX files. These are actually "eFax" files, and you'll still be able to open them in the PaperMaster viewer or in the free eFax Viewer. As long as the company continues to provide a viewer, you'll be fine. For most users, this is your best option.
Convert Them to TIFF
You can try to convert your scans to TIFF files. TIFF has been a standard scanning format for years. The PaperMaster Export Tool can try to automate this conversion for you, but it doesn't work for everybody. You'll need a working copy of PaperMaster 6 or newer or the free PaperMaster Viewer. More on this below.

Step 1: Export Your Cabinets

You do NOT need PaperMaster for this step.

If you downloaded the PaperMaster Export Tool, run it now. If you downloaded FileCenter, go to FileCenter's Tools menu > PaperMaster Export Tool.

The utility might find your PaperMaster cabinets automatically. If it doesn't, do this:

  1. Click Browse next to PaperMaster My Cabinets Folder
  2. Browse out to the folder where your PaperMaster cabinets are
  3. Double-click it or click OK to open it

Your PaperMaster cabinets should now show up in the list. If they don't see the troubleshooting section below. Select the cabinets you want to export.

Next decide where you want the exported files to go. Put this in the Export Destination Folder field.

Overwrite Existing Files?  If you tried to export your cabinets once before, you'll want to select Overwrite Existing Files so you don't end up with duplicates.

Ready, Set, Go ...

Here's what will happen. The PaperMaster Export Tool will make copies of your cabinets. The originals will stay untouched. Your PaperMaster cabinets, drawers and folders will be duplated in FileCenter, or as regular Windows folders. The original structure and all of the original names will be preserved (if possible).

When you're ready to begin, click Export Cabinets. The export shouldn't take long.

If you only needed to export your cabinets, you can stop here. But if you'd like to try converting the EFX files to TIFF, proceed to the next step.

Step 2: Convert EFX Files to TIFF

This is optional.  See Your PaperMaster Scans above.

You Need PaperMaster

The export works through PaperMaster. It opens the EFX files one-by-one in PaperMaster then issues the export commands. So you must have a working copy of PaperMaster. Here are your options:

  • Have a working copy of PaperMaster 6 or 7 (best option)
  • Install the free PaperMaster Viewer (download it here)
  • Install the PaperMaster 7 Trial (download it here)

The best option by far is a working copy of PaperMaster 6 or 7. But if you're using Vista or Windows 7, the PaperMaster Viewer is probably your only option. Success rates are much lower with the viewer.

To make sure everything's working, do this test:

  1. Close PaperMaster (or the viewer)
  2. Find an EFX file
  3. Double-click it

The EFX should open in PaperMaster. If you have PaperMaster installed but the file opens in the eFax Viewer, see troubleshooting below.

Locate EFX Files

In the PaperMaster Export Tool, select the STEP 2 tab (if you need to, launch it from the FileCenter Tools menu > PaperMaster Export Tool).

If you just ran the export, you'll see a list of all of the EFX files that were exported. Otherwise, use the Browse button and browse to any folder that has EFX files in it.

IMPORTANT: Don't try to convert the EFX files in your original PaperMaster cabinets! These are your originals! Always export first.

Select Options

Select any of these conversion options:

Save as Color TIFF
To have all of the EFX files exported as color TIFFs, select this option. Note that this will result in significantly larger files. Only select this if you scanned in color originally.
Delete EFX Files when Done
The PaperMaster Export Tool can delete each EFX file once it has been successfully converted to TIFF. Note that this does not affect the original EFX files that are still in your PaperMaster cabinets.
File Timeout
Occasionally a file may freeze. The PaperMaster Export Tool needs to know how long it should wait until it needs to regard a file as failed. If you're getting a lot of failures, you might try increasing the timeout.
TIFF DPI
Use TIFF DPI to set the resolution of the TIFF files. 200 DPI will give small file sizes with a reasonably good image, but may still show a hint of jaggedness when printed. 300 DPI will produce larger files but will be smooth printed.

Ready, Set, Go ...

One by one, the PaperMaster Export Tool will open the files in PaperMaster and issue commands to export them. YOU MUST STAY OFF YOUR COMPUTER WHILE THE EXPORT RUNS. Plan to run it overnight.

To begin the conversion, click Convert Files.

Failed Files

It's normal for some files to fail. These will be marked in red on the list. Most failures aren't permanent. When the conversion process is completely finished, click Convert Files again. The PaperMaster Export Tool will go back through the list and try any failed files again. If you do this a couple of times, you should be able to get most, if not all, of your EFX files converted.

If all of the files are failing, abort the conversion and see troubleshooting below.

Troubleshooting

Common problems and solutions.

I Can't Find My PaperMaster Cabinets

You need to find the folder that has CBN files in it. For example, if you have a cabinet called MyCabinet, there will be a folder with a file called MyCabinet.cbn in it. Select this folder (NOT the MyCabinet folder).

To go into more detail, you'll find this layout:

  • Parent Folder
    • MyCabinet.cbn
    • MyCabinet (folder)
      • MyCabinet.mdb
      • Data (folder)

You want to select Parent Folder.

If you're using an older version of PaperMaster, like PaperMaster 98, the PaperMaster Export Tool won't work. It only supports PaperMaster 6 and PaperMaster 7.

EFX Files Aren't Opening in PaperMaster

If you're trying to convert your EFX files to TIFF, it's critical that you have a working version of PaperMaster 6 or 7, or the free PaperMaster Viewer. The full version of PaperMaster works much better than the viewer.

When you double-click an EFX file, it should be opening in PaperMaster. If it isn't, or if you have PaperMaster installed but the EFX always opens in the viewer (VERY COMMON), do this:

  1. Right-click the EFX file
  2. Select Open With on the pop-up menu
  3. Select Choose Program
  4. Select PaperMaster on the list (if it's not there, browse to it)
  5. Select Always Use the Selected Program to Open This Kind of File
  6. Click OK

Now when you double-click an EFX file, it should open in PaperMaster.

NOTE: If you only have the PaperMaster viewer (or eFax viewer) installed, you'll still follow these directions, but in step 4 above you'll have to browse to where the PaperMaster viewer is installed (usually c:\windows\eFaxView.exe).

Every EFX File Fails

PaperMaster should be popping open every time the PaperMaster Export Utility tries to convert a file. If it isn't, go through the steps in EFX Files Aren't Opening in PaperMaster above.

If each file is opening, sitting there for a minute or so, then failing, stop the conversion and try increasing the Timeout setting to 5 minutes then try again. Often, with big scans especially, it can take five minutes or more for a single file to export.

If you're using the PaperMaster Viewer and files are opening but failing, it might be a timing or synchronization issue. We usually can't help here, since the viewer is very finicky. Your best bet is to live with the EFX files. See Your PaperMaster Scans above.
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