PeasyScan Image Scanner Program
Posted: Tue 19 Oct 2010, 21:09
Update: V2.13 has a new option when saving a scan to PDF. You can now include compression (JPG or GZ) which yields much smaller PDFs. PeasyScan uses tiff2pdf and the results may depend on your version. Also, some PDF viewers may not display these compressed PDFs. YMMV.
To use compression, you need a config file with the extra line
Update: PeasyScan v2.5 has improved batch scanning. In previous versions, you could scan a set of pages using an Automatic Document Feeder. Now you can also use the flatbed. The Auto function has a new option that pauses between scans so you can switch documents. All the other ADF features are the same, including the use of configuration files. Read more below.
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PeasyScan is a light-weight alternative to the Xsane image scanner program. It uses the same backend tools as Xsane, but with a simpler user interface.
PeasyScan scans into PNG, JPG, TIF or PDF files. For OCR using Tesseract, see the pic2txt app posted farther down this thread.
The installer adds a menu entry under Graphic. To make a desktop shortcut, drag the peasyscan program from /usr/local/peasyscan onto the desktop. There is a matching icon in /usr/share/pixmaps.
See the recipe for using PeasyScan in the next post.
Note: On some scanners, you may need to select Preferences > Show Advanced Options to see the scanning controls.
Also: If you start getting a "Nothing was scanned" message, click the Reset button on the main screen.
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Configuration files: Most scanners will work without a configuration file, but there are a few situations where you need one. The files are stored in the folder /usr/local/peasyscan/config. When PeasyScan starts, it searches for any configuration files and offers you a menu from which to choose. Give your configuration file a descriptive name.
The PeasyScan package includes a sample configuration file in the folder /usr/local/peasyscan.
To see what choices apply to your model, run the scanner in regular flatbed mode. Or use the command "scanimage -h".
The SOURCE, MODE and RESOLUTION options only apply to Auto scanning. However, if your unit doesn't have an actual ADF, you can use the Auto button and a configuration file to preset these options for flatbed scanning.
To control the size of the ADF scan, use the PAPER option. The values are: letter, legal, A4, A5, A6, B6.
Note: PeasyScan can be easily modified to accept other paper sizes like A3. Just ask.
For example, to scan a batch of 4x6 photos, use:
For more information about the URI option, see below.
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Automatic Document Feeder: The main PeasyScan window has an Auto button. Before clicking it, select the image format and the output filename. With Auto scanning, you need only enter the document's base name. For example, if you enter "/root/report", the files will be saved as "report-01.pdf", "report-02.pdf", etc.
Click the Auto button. Enter the page count and the page numbering details. If you are scanning a double-sided document in two passes, you can number the pages 1,3,5... on the first pass and 2,4,6... on the second.
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Networked HP Scanners: To use a networked HP unit, PeasyScan needs to know the scanner's URI. And the URI must be stored in a configuration file.
Update: Recent versions of the HPLIP print/scan driver can now auto-detect a networked scanning device.
Note the format of the sample URI line above. It contains the prefix "hpaio:/net/", the unit's model name, "?ip=" and its IP address. To identify the unit's model name, temporarily connect it via USB and run the command "scanimage -L".
You can also define a networked HP scanner using a hostname :
Then add a line to the file /etc/hosts using the printer's current IP address:
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PeasyScan will launch much faster if you can provide your scanner's URI in a configuration file. It saves PeasyScan the trouble of searching for your unit. For example:or
But be aware that some device names are based on the scanner's USB ID numbers, which may change as you add/remove USB devices from your system.
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To use compression, you need a config file with the extra line
Code: Select all
export PDFCOMPRESS="" # insert -j or -z
------------------------------
PeasyScan is a light-weight alternative to the Xsane image scanner program. It uses the same backend tools as Xsane, but with a simpler user interface.
PeasyScan scans into PNG, JPG, TIF or PDF files. For OCR using Tesseract, see the pic2txt app posted farther down this thread.
The installer adds a menu entry under Graphic. To make a desktop shortcut, drag the peasyscan program from /usr/local/peasyscan onto the desktop. There is a matching icon in /usr/share/pixmaps.
See the recipe for using PeasyScan in the next post.
Note: On some scanners, you may need to select Preferences > Show Advanced Options to see the scanning controls.
Also: If you start getting a "Nothing was scanned" message, click the Reset button on the main screen.
----------------------------
Configuration files: Most scanners will work without a configuration file, but there are a few situations where you need one. The files are stored in the folder /usr/local/peasyscan/config. When PeasyScan starts, it searches for any configuration files and offers you a menu from which to choose. Give your configuration file a descriptive name.
The PeasyScan package includes a sample configuration file in the folder /usr/local/peasyscan.
Code: Select all
export URI="hpaio:/net/hp_laserjet_pro_mfp_m127fn?ip=192.168.2.215"
export SOURCE="ADF"
export MODE="Gray"
export RESOLUTION="300"
export PAPER="letter"
export PDFCOMPRESS=""
export OTHER="" #insert any other scanner options here
The SOURCE, MODE and RESOLUTION options only apply to Auto scanning. However, if your unit doesn't have an actual ADF, you can use the Auto button and a configuration file to preset these options for flatbed scanning.
To control the size of the ADF scan, use the PAPER option. The values are: letter, legal, A4, A5, A6, B6.
Note: PeasyScan can be easily modified to accept other paper sizes like A3. Just ask.
For example, to scan a batch of 4x6 photos, use:
Code: Select all
export SOURCE="Flatbed"
export MODE="Color"
export RESOLUTION="150"
export PAPER="A6" #the metric size
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Automatic Document Feeder: The main PeasyScan window has an Auto button. Before clicking it, select the image format and the output filename. With Auto scanning, you need only enter the document's base name. For example, if you enter "/root/report", the files will be saved as "report-01.pdf", "report-02.pdf", etc.
Click the Auto button. Enter the page count and the page numbering details. If you are scanning a double-sided document in two passes, you can number the pages 1,3,5... on the first pass and 2,4,6... on the second.
----------------------------
Networked HP Scanners: To use a networked HP unit, PeasyScan needs to know the scanner's URI. And the URI must be stored in a configuration file.
Update: Recent versions of the HPLIP print/scan driver can now auto-detect a networked scanning device.
Note the format of the sample URI line above. It contains the prefix "hpaio:/net/", the unit's model name, "?ip=" and its IP address. To identify the unit's model name, temporarily connect it via USB and run the command "scanimage -L".
You can also define a networked HP scanner using a hostname :
Code: Select all
export URI="hpaio:/net/ENVY_4500_series?hostname=Envy"
Code: Select all
aaa.bbb.cc.dd Envy
PeasyScan will launch much faster if you can provide your scanner's URI in a configuration file. It saves PeasyScan the trouble of searching for your unit. For example:
Code: Select all
export URI="pixma:04A9173A_E0D343"
Code: Select all
export URI="epkowa:net:192.168.2.15"
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