Author Topic: New scanner features for Screenshot Captor (Read 23971 times)

mouser · « **on:** July 21, 2009, 03:36 AM »

I was thinking of adding some scanning features to the program, only because the main functions for it already exist in the image library i use (ImageEn).

Anyone think this is worth the effort?

If i did add it, i wouldn't try to be a do-everything scanning tool, it would be focused on minimal-interaction repeated scanning.
So I would basically take the following approach:

1. User could call up a scanner configuration dialog where they would could choose their scanner and the scanning options (resolution, format, etc.)
2. Then a quick toolbar button or hotkey to scan a new image and autosave/name it, using the current options, just like when taking screenshots.
3. Maybe add a button for straightening scanned images since thats probably most common action one may want to do.

so, is this worth adding?

Reasons it might be worth adding:

SC is well set up for doing lots of scans with minimal interaction
SC is well set up for working with images in external tools and doing common things like adding arrows, blacking out sensitive areas, converting formats, dragging+dropping, and printing.

Reasons it might not be worth adding:

There are already a lot of scanner utilities that offer all kinds of extra functionality, and no one would want to use SC instead of these tools.

Thoughts?

tomos · « **Reply #1 on:** July 21, 2009, 03:52 AM »

I would be very happy to see this.
I was looking a while back for a very simple scanning utility and could not find one even that I was happy with:-

what I would like to see would be:-

1) that you could save default settings for the scan (300dpi colour/whatever) - then just have to click scan or preview when you start the programme.
2) that the scan would show on screen at pre-chosen 'standard' size (usually shown as tiny image for some reason)
3) that scan can be easily opened in external editor -
[or maybe even sent to external editor (TWAIN?) - but that wouldnt be an important capability]

1 you've probably thought of and 2 & 3 are probably already covered (I've been using Minicap with FARR courtesy of Tuck for so long I've forgotten what SC does!)

so yes, a big vote for this

edit/ added square brackets above

lanux128 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 21, 2009, 04:16 AM »

i think it's a great idea, i already can see how this can fit into my daily workflow. since image management is one of SC's strength, the scanned documents/images can be viewed right within the main window.

of course, any scanning feature is boosted with some sort of OCR recognition so that scanned TIFF can be searched if they are to saved as PDF files. this reminds me that the ability to preview PDF files as thumbnails in SC's pane is also a great productivity enhancer. this way one can throw in a few receipts/invoices etc. to be scanned, which are then viewable and searchable. just my thoughts.

mouser · « **Reply #3 on:** July 21, 2009, 05:44 AM »

decision made: scanning functionality will be added.

lanux128 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 21, 2009, 06:11 AM »

this is going to be a fantastic feature for SC. thanks mouser..

tomos · « **Reply #5 on:** July 21, 2009, 06:58 AM »

this is going to be a fantastic feature for SC. thanks mouser..
-lanux128 (July 21, 2009, 06:11 AM)

+1

joby_toss · « **Reply #6 on:** July 21, 2009, 11:10 AM »

this is going to be a fantastic feature for SC. thanks mouser..
-lanux128 (July 21, 2009, 06:11 AM)

+1
-tomos (July 21, 2009, 06:58 AM)

+2

steeladept · « **Reply #7 on:** July 21, 2009, 01:27 PM »

Man, didn't even get to read this before it was decided...Of course I would be a +1 as well. The way I often use SC (and the reason for my request for an open file under the File Menu) was because I often get scans either directly or through email that SC can make basic edits to easily. It is especially useful for the simplicity of bluring the inside and/or outside of objects. This is not something ANY other program I have available is able to do easily. If I can skip the step of opening the file is SC and just pull it in from the scanner, that would be a big +.

That said, I still request the open option for those that are emailed to me...

Thanks again,

Tom

P.S. Love the new icon. MUCH better than the old one!

mouser · « **Reply #8 on:** July 21, 2009, 01:53 PM »

Regarding requesting an "Open" option..
Screenshot Captor insists on working within a given directory.. so you can can either:

1. Change the screenshot directory to where your file is (from File menu)
2. Or drag and drop your image into the screenshot directory thumbnail view panel (which will copy it to current screenshot directory)

Now i could add a new File menu item that did #1 or #2 and then auto selected the image, if that would speed things up? Which would be better, #1 or #2?

steeladept · « **Reply #9 on:** July 21, 2009, 02:08 PM »

My current workaround is to do #2 anyway and just open SC after I move it. If you set it to add it to the SC directory when I open it, that would be great! Though for others I could see it screwing with their organization if they have several sub folders. I could easily live with ~~that~~option #1 if it were the way it worked as long as I could do a "save as" type of option and redirect the saved item to the default location.

mouser · « **Reply #10 on:** July 21, 2009, 03:28 PM »

The scanner features are well on their way to being integrated; i'd guess we'll have fully implemented scanner functionality by next week.

The additional scanner toolbar buttons/menu will only be shown if you have configured a scanner, so for those who dont want to use SC for scanner stuff, you won't notice any difference in your SC.

mouser · « **Reply #11 on:** July 21, 2009, 07:16 PM »

If anyone wants to try the really early preliminary scanner support:
https://www.donation...nshotCaptorSetup.exe

Not yet working is:

Color mode selection
File type overide

Needing improvement is:

Scanner toolbar (will eventually support various rotations, more quick options, image enhancement)
Progress display
Additional scanner options
Live preview with cancel
Rotation system -- needs to be made non-lossy

Let me know if your scanner is detected and works.
Let me know if it works better under TWAIN or WIA (both are supported; twain is much faster on my scanner).

lanux128 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 21, 2009, 09:06 PM »

also on the 'change folder' matter, i use the control key on the 'Move to' menu item to quickly change directories. imo it'd be helpful if this feature is made a bit more conspicuous . e.g. when pressing the Control key, the letters 'Move' morph into 'Change' or upon the mouse hovering over the menu item, a hint can appear in the status-bar

anyway, i'm downloading new version now. wow, i can't believe you also included WIA method, this will come in handy on my Win7 PC.

lanux128 · « **Reply #13 on:** July 21, 2009, 09:35 PM »

so far so good.. it detects my scanner (TWAIN) and managed to scan a few documents and images. the scanning toolbar is still sparse but it's WIP, i understand. maybe the detection routine can calculate the dimension of the paper/poster placed in the scanner a bit more accurately, this will help in less cropping later on.

for the record, one has to go to 'Preferences' to enable the scanning mode, then the 'Scan' menu item will appear.

Scan - 22_07_2009 , 10_26_32 AM_ver001.png

Scan - 22_07_2009 , 10_26_32 AM_ver001.png

mouser · « **Reply #14 on:** July 22, 2009, 02:33 AM »

Updated.
+1 points if you can get the autocrop border removal to work.

dluby · « **Reply #15 on:** July 22, 2009, 03:17 AM »

Hi Mouser,

I just installed the beta version (2.60.01) and all my new screen shots are coming out just black, here is an exmaple:

2009_07_22 09_16_49 iexplore.exe.png

I've stopped and restarted SC, but no joy!

mouser · « **Reply #16 on:** July 22, 2009, 03:21 AM »

this old problem again huh..
is ok i think i know the cause, give me a moment.

tomos · « **Reply #17 on:** July 22, 2009, 03:22 AM »

Hi Mouser,

I just installed the beta version (2.60.01) and all my new screen shots are coming out just black, here is an exmaple:
(see attachment in previous post)
I've stopped and restarted SC, but no joy!
-dluby (July 22, 2009, 03:17 AM)

. . it's working fine here with or without scanner features enabled . .

tomos · « **Reply #18 on:** July 22, 2009, 03:31 AM »

Re Scanner:

I used default interface (WIA) and it found my old Benq S2W no problem

I set it to 'colour' - the scan was greyscale
I'm sure I was able to change the 'scanner bed colour' once but it has reverted to black & I'm unable to change it again
Removal of background colour didnt work
Did read at the correct DPI which I had also changed
I changed format to PNG which worked fine

mouser · « **Reply #19 on:** July 22, 2009, 03:34 AM »

dluby, can you try again with latest version 2.60.02?

mouser · « **Reply #20 on:** July 22, 2009, 03:36 AM »

its not obeying color setting yet.
scanner bed color -- can't think why you wouldnt be able to change that.. but if you have it set to auto detect, it may keep reverting each scan.
removal of background color depends on scan bed color and tolerance, so play with those.

mouser · « **Reply #21 on:** July 22, 2009, 03:38 AM »

Note:

The scanner toolbar rotation system is going to have to be completely rewritten -- right now the rotate left and right buttons nudge it nicely, but they are lossy, and so after repeated nudge rotations, the image gets distorted.

The only solution is to let you rotate it till you get it how you want it and they click to Apply; i'll work on that later.

tomos · « **Reply #22 on:** July 22, 2009, 03:57 AM »

scanner bed color -- can't think why you wouldnt be able to change that.. but if you have it set to auto detect, it may keep reverting each scan.
removal of background color depends on scan bed color and tolerance, so play with those.
-mouser (July 22, 2009, 03:36 AM)

I hadnt realised 'Bed colour from Corner' meant Auto-detect . . so it's changeable now with that deselected

Are you going to give the option to preview - personally I wouldnt use it much but, if for example you want to do a very hi-res scan of a small area, it can save a lot of time

mouser · « **Reply #23 on:** July 22, 2009, 04:11 AM »

no, there will be no preview option;
sc will let you use the scanner's native dialog when you want to do that, or when you want more control.

dluby · « **Reply #24 on:** July 22, 2009, 04:45 AM »

Hi Mouser, I'm back in business with version 2.60.02, so no more black screenshots!

Tks