Scanner

From Freespire

Here are some basics to get your scanner working.

First a little about SANE

SANE stands for "Scanner Access Now Easy" and is an application programming interface (API) that provides standardized access to any raster image scanner hardware (flatbed scanner, hand-held scanner, video- and still-cameras, frame-grabbers, etc.). The SANE API is public domain and its discussion and development is open to everybody. The current source code is written for UNIX (including GNU/Linux) and is available under the GNU General Public License (the SANE API is available to proprietary applications and backends as well, however). More details about the license can be found on our license page. Ports to MacOS X, OS/2 and Microsoft Windows are either already done or in progress.

SANE is a universal scanner interface. The value of such a universal interface is that it allows writing just one driver per image acquisition device rather than one driver for each device and application. So, if you have three applications and four devices, traditionally you'd have had to write 12 different programs. With SANE, this number is reduced to seven: the three applications plus the four drivers. Of course, the savings get even bigger as more and more drivers and/or applications are added.

More info about the Sane Project visit their website http://www.sane-project.org/

Is your scanner supported?

• First check the Wiki Hardware Compatibility List
• Turn on and connect your scanner
• In the konsole, enter lsusb
• You should see your scanner make/model listed

 Example output:   Bus 001 Device 003: ID 04b8:0802 Seiko Epson Corp. Stylus CX3200

 Example output:   Bus 005 Device 006: ID 04b8:011f Seiko Epson Corp. Perfection 1670

• The ID number (For example 04b8:0802) tells you the vendor and product id numbers
• Goto http://www.sane-project.org/sane-backends.html and look for your vendor and product id

Using your scanner

• Open KUser and edit your user name to be part of the "scanner" group (i.e. check the scanner box).
• Install Kooka from CNR.com (other options include Xsane)
• When you open Kooka for the first time, it should ask you to Select the scan device.
• If your scanner works, please add it to the Wiki Hardware Compatibility List
• If it does not work, please check the SANE Documentation page SANE Documentation page and ask in the forums.