User manual UMAX ASTRA 2000U

Astra 2000U/P OWNER'S GUIDE Trademarks UMAX is a trademark of UMAX Technologies, Inc. Astra is a trademark of UMAX Technologies. IBM PC/AT is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. MS-Windows, Windows, and MS-DOS are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. PhotoDeluxe is a trademark of Adobe Systems, Inc. Presto! PageManager is a trademark of NewSoft Technology Corporation. Other names and trademarks appearing herein are trademarks of their respective holders. Copyright ©1999 UMAX Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language or computer language, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, manual, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of UMAX Technologies, Inc. 2 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide Table of Contents CHAPTER 1. GETTING STARTED .............................. 9 Introduction...............................................................................................9 Unpacking the Scanner.............................................................................9 Astra 2000U Package Contents.............................................................10 Astra 2000P Package Contents .............................................................10 Getting to Know Your Scanner .............................................................11 Astra 2000U and Astra 2000P Scanner Elements.................................11 Astra 2000U Backpanel ........................................................................11 Astra 2000P Backpanel.........................................................................12 System Requirements .............................................................................12 Installing the Hardware .........................................................................13 About Scanner Connectors....................................................................13 Setting Up ­ General Information.........................................................14 Connecting the Hardware Interface Cables...........................................15 Connecting the Power Adapter .............................................................17 Installing the Software............................................................................18 Installing PhotoDeluxe on Your PC......................................................18 Installing PhotoDeluxe on Your Macintosh..........................................19 Install VistaScan Drivers, Presto! PageManager, Presto! PhotoAlbum, Presto! PageType, OmniPage LE and Online Manuals ........................20 CHAPTER 2. YOUR FIRST SCAN ............................. 21 Opening the PhotoDeluxe Software.......................................................21 Scanning an Image From the PC...........................................................23 Scanning an Image From the Macintosh...............................................25 Turning the Scanner Lamp On and Off ...............................................27 Setting VistaScan Preferences................................................................29 General..................................................................................................29 Scan Destination ...................................................................................31 3 Scanner Information ............................................................................. 34 VistaScan Beginner Window Features ................................................. 35 VistaScan Advanced Features .............................................................. 40 Using VistaAccess ­ Direct Access...................................................... 59 Using VistaShuttle................................................................................ 61 Using the UMAX Copy Utility ............................................................ 63 CHAPTER 4. SCANNING PROJECTS....................... 67 Using VistaScan to Scan a Photo to E-mail......................................... 69 Using VistaScan with PhotoDeluxe to Create Web-ready Images ..... 70 Using Presto! PageManager to Scan a Form and Edit it with PageType................................................................................................. 75 Creating a Calendar with PhotoDeluxe................................................ 77 Converting Scanned Text to Editable Text with OmniPage............... 81 Opening OmniPage LE ........................................................................ 81 Converting Scanned Text with OmniPage LE...................................... 83 Creating an Album with Presto! PhotoAlbum.................................... 84 Opening PhotoAlbum:.......................................................................... 84 Creating a Photo Album ....................................................................... 85 CHAPTER 5. HOW TO GET HELP ............................ 89 Using Online Manuals............................................................................ 89 Accessing the UMAX VistaScan Online Manual ................................ 89 Accessing the Adobe PhotoDeluxe Online Manual ............................. 90 Accessing the Presto! PageManager Online Manual............................ 91 Accessing the Caere OmniPage Online Manual................................... 91 Installing Acrobat Reader for Macintosh Users ................................... 92 Troubleshooting...................................................................................... 92 General Problems and Solutions .......................................................... 92 Astra 2000U (Windows 98/95 OSR2) Problems and Solutions ........... 93 Astra 2000U (Macintosh version) Problems and Solutions.................. 97 Astra 2000P (Windows 98/95 OSR2) Problems and Solutions.......... 100 4 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide Contacting Technical Support .............................................................103 Maintenance ..........................................................................................104 Static Electricity Precautions...............................................................104 Cleaning .................................................................................................105 APPENDIX A. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS....... 107 Scanner Specifications ..........................................................................107 GLOSSARY .............................................................. 109 FCC DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY................. 115 WARRANTY ............................................................. 116 INDEX ....................................................................... 117 5 6 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide ABOUT THIS MANUAL This is the Owner's Guide for the UMAX Astra 2000U and the Astra 2000P scanners. It will provide information you will need to operate your scanner, as well as show you how to use the software that comes with it. This manual assumes you have a basic knowledge of personal computers, and scanning terms and functions. However, a glossary of scanner terms is included at the end of this guide to explain the scanning terms used throughout this guide. The information in this manual is organized as follows: Chapter 1. Getting Started Chapter 1 introduces you to the Astra 2000 series scanner and tells you how to install the scanner hardware and software. Chapter 2. Your First Scan Chapter 2 steps you through the basic procedures to use the scanner. These steps include scanning an image, and saving an image to a specified location. Chapter 3. Scanning Basics Chapter 3 describes the VistaScan software and other scanning utilities that have been included with the scanner to provide worryfree scanning. The VistaScan software includes several features that make scanning images and text easier than ever. Chapter 4. Scanning Projects Chapter 4 explains how to use this scanner with the bundled software applications. It shows you how to use the scanner for creative projects like making photo albums and calendars, sending scanned images via e-mail, and using the text recognition program to scan a document into your word processor. 7 Chapter 5. How to Get Help Chapter 5 contains information you can refer to when you need assistance with the scanner or the bundled software. The information includes: how to access the online manuals for all the bundled software, troubleshooting guidelines, and how to contact the manufacturer for additional assistance. Glossary Includes definitions of common scanning terminology. 8 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide CHAPTER 1. Getting Started Introduction Thank you for purchasing the UMAX Astra 2000U or Astra 2000P scanner. These versatile units are perfect for the home or office. Use these scanners to add variety and flair to your documents, or to help you share images with others. The hardware connection is the only difference between the two scanners. The Astra 2000U scanner is equipped with a USB connector that allows you to make a fast and easy connection to the USB port on your PC, or USB-equipped Macintosh computer (such as the iMac or G3). The Astra 2000P scanner uses a parallel connector that simply plugs in to the parallel (printer) port on your Windows PC. Throughout this guide the scanners will be referred to as the Astra 2000 scanner unless specified otherwise. In addition to being easy to connect, these scanners are also easy to use. Simply follow the instructions in this guide and you'll be scanning in no time. With the powerful software included with your scanner, you can create an archive of scanned images, e-mail or fax images to friends or clients, or create your own web site gallery. Get ready to unleash your creativity with the UMAX Astra 2000 scanner. Unpacking the Scanner Your scanner package includes the cables and software you need to get the scanner up and running. The scanner package should contain all of the items listed below. If you do not find all of the listed items, contact the retailer from whom you purchased the scanner, or contact UMAX. For information about contacting UMAX directly, refer to Chapter 5. How to Find Help. 9 Astra 2000U Package Contents · · · · · · · UMAX Astra 2000U Flatbed scanner USB Interface Cable Quick Start Guide and Owner's Manual Power Adapter Adobe® PhotoDeluxe® Home Edition 3.0 CD-ROM (PC version) Adobe® PhotoDeluxe® 2.0 CD-ROM (Macintosh version) UMAX Scanner CD-ROM which contains: · UMAX VistaScan · VistaAccess · VistaShuttle (PC only) · Caere® OmniPage® LE OCR · NewSoft® Presto! PageManager · NewSoft® Presto! PhotoAlbumTM (PC only) · NewSoft® Presto! TypeTM (PC only) · UMAX Copy Utility (PC only) Astra 2000P Package Contents · · · · · · UMAX Astra 2000P Flatbed scanner Parallel Interface Cable Quick Start Guide and Owner's Manual Power Adapter Adobe® PhotoDeluxe® Home Edition 3.0 CD-ROM UMAX Scanner CD-ROM which contains: · UMAX VistaScan · VistaAccess · VistaShuttle · Caere® OmniPage® LE OCR · NewSoft® Presto! PageManagerTM · NewSoft® Presto! PhotoAlbumTM · NewSoft® Presto! TypeTM · UMAX Copy Utility 10 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide Getting to Know Your Scanner To gain a complete understanding of the information contained in this manual, it is important that you become familiar with your scanner. The graphics below identify the key scanner components. Document Cover The plastic cover that protects the object glass. Object Glass The glass surface on which documents or images are placed. Power Indicator Illuminates to indicate that the scanner is powered on. Astra 2000U and Astra 2000P Scanner Elements 4-Pin USB Connector Power Adapter Receptacle Astra 2000U Backpanel 11 Power Adapter Receptacle Parallel Interface Connector "TO PC" Parallel Interface Connector "TO Printer" Astra 2000P Backpanel There are two parallel ports on the Astra 2000P scanner. This allows your printer and your scanner to communicate with your computer using the parallel connector. The first parallel port is used to connect the scanner to your computer. You attach your printer cable to the second parallel port, which acts as a pass-through port. System Requirements This section defines the minimum system requirements necessary to operate either the Astra 2000U or Astra 2000P scanner. Please refer to the section below that applies to your scanner and computer type. Astra 2000U Scanner PC Requirements · · · · · · 12 An IBM-compatible PC with 80486, Pentium processor or higher Microsoft® Windows 98, 95 OSR 2, or higher USB interface connector At least 16 MB RAM memory (32 MB recommended) CD-ROM drive 170 MB of available hard disk space UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide Macintosh Requirements · · · · · · iMac or USB-compatible Macintosh Macintosh OS 8.1 or higher USB interface connector At least 16 MB RAM memory (32 MB recommended) CD-ROM drive 170 MB of available hard disk space Astra 2000P Scanner · · · · · · An IBM-compatible PC with 80486, Pentium processor or higher Microsoft® Windows 98, 95 OSR 2, NT 4.0 or higher Parallel interface connector At least 16 MB RAM memory (32 MB recommended) CD-ROM drive 170 MB of available hard disk space Installing the Hardware After you have removed the scanner from the box and verified that all of the package contents have been included, please check to make sure that your computer is compatible with the scanner's connectors. About Scanner Connectors USB Connectors Many newer computers, including most PCs, the Apple iMac, and USB capable Macintosh computers rely on USB technology as the primary method of communication between the computer and its peripherals. With this new USB "plug-and-play" technology, your computer automatically configures any recently attached peripherals (such as a mouse or a scanner) as soon as you reboot the computer. 13 If your computer has a USB port, you must make sure that this port is enabled in the system BIOS. Please refer to the troubleshooting section to learn more about enabling the USB port. Parallel Port Connectors Another common communication interface is the parallel port. The parallel port interface is the standard method for connecting a printer to a PC computer. In order to use the Astra 2000P scanner, you must make sure that the mode of your parallel port is set correctly. Please refer to the troubleshooting section of this manual to learn how to correctly set the port mode. Checking Your Computer's Connectors To use your scanner you need to understand what type of connectors you have on your computer. To determine the connector type, look at the back panel of your computer: · A USB port is a small slot ½" long and ¼" wide. · A Parallel port is about 1 ½" long and ¼" wide, with two rows of tiny holes (25). NOTE: If your computer has a USB port, check to make sure that your computer's operating system supports USB. The following factory-installed operating systems support USB: Microsoft Windows 95 OSR2, 98 or higher, and Mac OS8.1. Setting Up ­ General Information · Find a suitable location near your computer to place the scanner. 14 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide CAUTION: Make sure the surface is flat. Operating your scanner on an uneven surface can damage the internal components. · Turn your computer off. Unplug the computer's power cable from the electrical outlet. Connecting the Hardware Interface Cables If your computer has a USB port, follow the instructions in the "Connecting the USB Cable" section to connect the scanner to your computer. If your computer has a parallel port, follow the instructions in the "Connecting the Parallel Cable" section to connect the scanner to your computer. Connecting the USB Cable The instructions for connecting the hardware interface cable are different for PC and Macintosh users. Refer to the section below that applies to your computer type. PC Connection 1. Turn off your computer and unplug the power cord. 2. Locate the USB cable that is provided. Plug one end of this cable firmly into the USB port on the back of the computer. USB Connector Port USB Connector Port 15 3. Plug the other end of this cable into the port located on the back panel of the scanner. Macintosh Connection 1. Turn off your computer and unplug the power cord. 2. Locate the USB cable that is provided. Plug one end of it firmly into one of the USB ports. iMac computer ports are located on the right side of the computer, or at either side of the keyboard. The USB port on other Macintosh computers is located on the back panel of the computer, or on a USB interface card. 3. Plug the other end of this cable into the port located on the back panel of the scanner. Connecting the Parallel Port Cable 1. Turn off your computer and unplug the power cord. 2. Locate the parallel cable included with your scanner. Connect the 25-pin parallel interface cable to your PC's parallel port. 16 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide NOTE: If you have a printer connected to your computer's parallel port, disconnect the printer and plug it into the "To Printer" port located on the back of the scanner. Plug the scanner cable into the parallel port. This provides a passthrough connection so you can use the printer of the scanner. 3. Plug the other end of this cable into the port located on the back panel of the scanner. Connecting the Power Adapter 1. Plug the scanner's power adapter into an electrical outlet. 2. Insert the other end of this cable into the power adapter receptacle on the rear panel of the scanner. The power indicator on the front panel of the scanner should now be illuminated. 3. Plug your computer's power cable into an electrical outlet. 4. Turn your computer on. 17 Installing the Software Now that you have made the physical connection between the Astra 2000U/P scanner and your computer, the next step is to install the software that allows the two devices to communicate with one another. Because the Macintosh and PC installation procedures are different for PhotoDeluxe, the installation instructions for that software is divided into PC and Macintosh software installation sections. Installing PhotoDeluxe on Your PC NOTE: PhotoDeluxe is compatible with Windows 98, 95 and higher. Use the following steps to install your scanning software rather than using the add/remove programs to install the software. 1. Insert the CD-ROM labeled "PhotoDeluxe" into your computer's CD-ROM drive. Your computer should automatically read the disc and display a series of screens regarding product licensing. Follow the onscreen instructions. NOTE: If your computer does not automatically read the CDROM after insertion, click on the "Start bar" and select "Run..." A dialog box appears. Type "d:\autoplay.exe" in the open text box. If your CD-ROM is designated with another letter, substitute the appropriate letter for the drive. 2. A Licensing Agreement window appears. Enter the country where you are currently located in and click Next. 3. Read the licensing agreement and then click Agree. 4. A PhotoDeluxe Install window appears. Click the Install button. Follow the onscreen instructions. 5. When you get to the Setup Type window, choose Typical. 18 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide 6. Fill in the user information. 7. Click Next in the Start Copying Files window to begin installing PhotoDeluxe Home Edition 3.0, Adobe Acrobat Reader 3.01, Adobe ATM 4.0 and Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01. Follow the onscreen instructions. 8. After Adobe Acrobat Reader 3.01 has been installed, a ReadMe file appears. When you have read the ReadMe, select Exit from the File menu. 9. The Adobe Type Manager window appears. Click the Install button. Follow the onscreen instructions. 10. When the Adobe Product Registration window appears, enter the relevant information and continue following the onscreen instructions. 11. When a screen appears asking if you want to restart your computer to finish the installation procedure, select Yes and click the OK button. NOTE: To access these files you must click on the "Start" bar, select "Programs," and then select "Adobe." A cascading file appears with "Read Me" information and other selections to choose from. For information about setting up desktop shortcuts, refer to your Microsoft Windows documentation. Installing PhotoDeluxe on Your Macintosh 1. Insert the CD-ROM labeled "PhotoDeluxe" into your computer's CD-ROM drive. Your computer should automatically read the disc and display the folders contained on the CD-ROM. 2. Double-click on the Adobe PhotoDeluxe Installer icon. Follow the onscreen instructions. 19 3. An Adobe ReadMe file appears. After reading the text, click Continue. 4. A PhotoDeluxe Installer window appears. Click the Install button. Follow the onscreen instructions. 5. Complete the product registration form and click Next. Click the Install Now button. After installation is complete, restart your computer by clicking the Restart button. After the system restarts, re-insert the PhotoDeluxe CD-ROM. 6. Double-click on the ATM application folder inside the PhotoDeluxe CD-ROM window. Double-click on the Font and Utilities folder, then Double-click on the Installer icon. Click the Install icon to install the ATM files. Restart your system after the installation is complete. Install VistaScan Drivers, Presto! PageManager, Presto! PhotoAlbum, Presto! PageType, OmniPage LE and Online Manuals 1. Insert the UMAX Scanner CD into your computer's CD-ROM after you have finished installing the software on the PhotoDeluxe CD. FOR PC USERS: If your computer does not automatically begin installing the programs contained on this disc after inserting it into the CD-ROM, click on the "Start bar," select "Run..." A dialog box appears. Type "d:/setup" in the dialog box. If your CD-ROM is designated with another letter, substitute the appropriate letter for the drive. 2. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation of Presto! PageManager, UMAX VistaScan, OmniPage LE, MagicMatch Profile Pack and the online User's Guide. 3. Restart your computer as suggested by the onscreen instructions to complete the installation. 20 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide CHAPTER 2. Your First Scan Before you begin your first scan, you must install the scanner and the bundled software. Refer to the Quick Start Guide for installation and scanner test instructions. You can perform a basic scan using any of the software applications bundled with this scanner. For your first scan, we suggest using the PhotoDeluxe software. PCs and Macintosh have two different versions of the PhotoDeluxe software, so we have included two separate sets of instructions. Please follow the proper set of instructions for your system. Opening the PhotoDeluxe Software Open the PhotoDeluxe software application. For PC Users: 1. Click the Start bar in the bottom-left corner of the screen. 2. Click Programs. 3. Select Adobe. 4. Select PhotoDeluxe Home Edition 3.0. 5. Click Adobe PhotoDeluxe Home Edition 3.0. 6. The PhotoDeluxe screen appears. Click the Get & Fix Photo tab. A row of icons appears. 7. Click the Get Photo icon. A drop-down list appears. Click the Scanners... option. A tabbed bar appears at the top of the screen. Click the Scanner tab. 21 NOTE: You only need to select the device driver once in PhotoDeluxe and your selection will be saved. 8. Click the Choose Scanner icon. Click on the VistaScan, and click OK. Click the Mode tab. Click the Custom icon. The VistaScan window opens. VistaScan software controls the various functions of the scanner and provides a communication path between the scanner and the PhotoDeluxe software. NOTE: Before using your scanner for the first time, use the Scanner Test utility to verify that the scanner is able to communicate with the computer. A test window appears the first time you launch the VistaScan software after installing the scanner. 9. Click the Scanner Test, and the UMAX Scanner Test Program window opens. Click the Test button to test the scanner. 10. If the scanner passes, "Scanner Link Successful," appears in the status box. Click OK. If the scanner test fails, check your connections and try the test again. 11. Click the Custom icon. 22 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide Scanning an Image From the PC 1. Select an item you would like to scan (a picture, a drawing, etc.). 2. Lift the document cover and place the item facedown so it aligns with the arrow () at the back edge of the object glass. 3. Click the Preview button on the right side of the VistaScan Beginner window. The scanner begins a low-resolution scan of the item. 4. When the preview scan is complete the preview image is displayed in the Preview window (on the left side of the VistaScan window). You can change the view of the Preview image using the "Zoom Tool," or select a scanning region using the "Frame Selection Tool." To find out more about how to use these tools, click on the user tips text that appears when your cursor pauses over the tool. NOTE: You must have a browser installed in order to view the VistaScan online help. 5. In the Click to Scan section of the VistaScan Beginner window, click the icon that corresponds to the type of image you are scanning. 23 For example, if you are scanning a color photograph, choose "Color Photo." To scan text or a black and white drawing, choose "Text/Lineart". The image is scanned and you are returned to the PhotoDeluxe window. NOTE: Choosing an icon in the "Click to Scan" area does two things: it activates the scanner, and automatically sets the scanner settings. This ensures you get the best scanning results for the item you are scanning. 6. A pop-up message appears on the right side of the screen indicating that you should click the Done tab. 7. Click the Done tab. A Save as window opens. Enter a file name for the scanned image. Indicate which folder or directory you want to save the image file to, and specify in what file format you want to save the image. NOTE: If you do not assign a file name, the computer automatically assigns a name that consists of the date, and a two-digit reference number. 8. Enter a graphic title for the image that will appear in the My Photos window. 9. Click on the Save & Send icon. Choose save from the dropdown menu. Click the Save button to save the image. 10. Close the VistaScan window by clicking Exit. For Macintosh Users: 1. Double-click the Hard Drive icon. 2. Double-click the Adobe PhotoDeluxe 2.0 folder. 3. Double-click the Adobe PhotoDeluxe application icon to launch PhotoDeluxe. The PhotoDeluxe screen appears. 24 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide 4. Click the Get Photo button. 5. Click the Get Photo tab. 6. Click the Scanner button to display a menu of available input sources. Select UMAX VistaScan, then click OK. The VistaScan Beginner window appears. NOTE: You only need to select the device driver once in PhotoDeluxe. It will remember your selection the next time you use the application. Scanning an Image From the Macintosh 1. Select an item you would like to scan (a picture, a brochure, etc.). 2. Lift the document cover and place the item facedown so it aligns with the arrow () at the back edge of the object glass. 3. Click the Preview button on the right side of the VistaScan Beginner window and the scanner begins a low-resolution scan. 4. When the preview scan is complete the preview image is displayed in the Preview window (on the left side of the VistaScan window). 25 You can change the view size of the Preview image before scanning the final image using the "Zoom Tool," or select a region to scan using the "Frame Selection Tool." To find out more about how to use these tools, click on the user tips text that appears when your cursor pauses over the tool. NOTE: You must have a browser installed in order to view the VistaScan online help. 5. In the Click to Scan section of the VistaScan Beginner window, click the icon that corresponds to the type of image you are scanning. For example, if you are scanning a color photograph, choose "Color Photo." To scan text or a black and white drawing, choose "Text/Lineart". The image is scanned and you are returned to the PhotoDeluxe window. 6. When the scan is complete, a window appears requesting that you save the document. Type a name in the field that appears to the right of "Save this document as:" NOTE: By default the image is saved as "untitled - #" in the Acquire section of the floating gallery window. You can also choose to save the image in the hard drive or on the desktop by clicking on the arrow to the right of the My Photos box at the top of this window. 7. After a moment the image appears in the My Photos gallery window. Double-click the thumbnail to view a full-size, highresolution scan of the image in the work area. 8. Exit PhotoDeluxe by selecting Quit from the File menu. 26 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide Turning the Scanner Lamp On and Off For PC Users Only: You can turn the scanner lamp on and off using the Astra 2000's built-in Power Saving utility. The lamp remains on whenever the scanner has power, unless you turn it off using the UMAX Power Saving utility. Turning off the scanner lamp when you are not scanning prolongs the life of the lamp. The Power Saving utility window appears whenever you close VistaScan. It appears in the bottom-right corner of your desktop by default. The window displays an image of the scanner with the lamp illuminated. To turn the scanner lamp off: Click on the image of the scanner in the Power Saving utility window. After a second or two, the light in the scanner image goes out, and your scanner lamp is turned off. To turn the scanner lamp on: Open the VistaScan software, or simply click on the scanner image in the Power Saving utility window. NOTE: The scanner lamp is different from the Power Indicator light. The Power Indicator light is the very small, green light located directly above the UMAX logo on the front panel of the scanner. This indicator remains ON whenever the scanner is plugged into an electrical outlet (regardless of whether the Power Saving utility is engaged). 27 28 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide CHAPTER 3. Scanning Basics VistaScan is the primary program or "driver" that you will use to scan with your Astra 2000 scanner. It is a "TWAIN-compliant" program, which means that it can be run from other programs that support scanning, like PhotoDeluxe, OmniPage, and others. It is also a "stand-alone" program, which allows you to scan images for a variety of uses, even without launching another program first. Setting VistaScan Preferences Preferences control scanner settings that you generally do not modify every time you use the scanner. The Preference settings are used as the default settings for several of the scan settings. To access the VistaScan Preferences, click the Preferences icon in the upper right corner of the VistaScan window. The Preferences cover three areas: · · · General Scan Destination Scanner Information A tab at the top of the Preferences window indicates each VistaScan preference group. To view the Preference settings for an area, click on the associated tab. General The General tab contains preference settings that control color matching and color correction, and whether to display the ruler and tips. 29 Color Matching/Correction Color Matching allows you to fine-tune the colors of scanned images so that they emulate the colors of your original source documents as closely as possible. This is accomplished using MagicMatch. When you click on the MagicMatch checkbox (so a checkmark appears) the Profile List displays. A profile is a list of applicable calibration profiles, which MagicMatch uses to render a final output image. If a printer or calibration profile is not chosen, MagicMatch will calibrate the image to optimize its display on a monitor. MagicMatch only functions when you are scanning in color mode. When you are using Magic Match you need to disable the Level/Curve and Color Adjustment/Balance settings in the VistaScan Advanced window. 30 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide Show Ruler The Show Ruler command displays or hides the rulers that border the top and left sides of the Preview window. These rulers correspond to the rulers on your scanner's object glass. Clicking on the Show Ruler checkbox turns off (removes the checkmark) and hides the ruler. Clicking on the checkbox again turns the feature on (displays a checkmark) and shows the ruler. Tips Help The Tips Help option determines whether tips are displayed when you pause with your cursor over a VistaScan option. Click on the Tips Help box to enable tips (displays a checkmark). When a checkmark appears, clicking the checkbox disables the tips and removes the checkmark. Scan Destination The options in this Preferences tab specify how scanned images are stored, printed, faxed, transferred to another application, or transmitted via e-mail. 31 File To set the location for your stored images: 1. Click on the File icon, the file preferences appear to the right of the Scan To icon set. 2. Enter the directory in which you want to store the scanned image file, in the File Directory text box. If you are not sure of the directory path, click the Browse button to locate the desired directory. 3. Enter the file name under which you want to store the scanned image files (such as TMP) in the File Name text box. 4. Select the file format in which you want to save scanned images from the File Format drop down list. Printer To specify which printer to use when printing scanned images: 1. Click on the Printer icon, the printer currently selected as the default appears to the right of the Scan To icon set. 2. If you want to change any of the printer settings, click on the Properties button. The standard Print Setup dialog box opens. Make any changes you want, and then click OK to return to the Preference settings. 32 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide E-mail To specify which e-mail application to use when you e-mail scanned images: 1. Click on the E-mail icon, the e-mail preferences appear to the right of the Scan To icon set. 2. Click on the button next to the e-mail software you are using (Microsoft Exchange or Lotus cc:Mail). 3. Select the image format you want to use when you attach scanned images to your email application from the Image Format drop down list. Fax 1. Click on the Fax icon, the fax driver (or printer driver if a fax driver is not selected) currently selected as the default appears to the right of the Scan To icon set. 2. If you want to change any of the settings, click on the Properties button. The standard Print Setup dialog box opens. Make any changes you want, and then click OK to return to the Preference settings. 33 Application 1. Click on the Application icon, the application preferences appear to the right of the Scan To icon set. 2. Enter the application name to which you want to send the scanned image files (such as Presto! PageManager) in the Application Name text box. 3. Enter the file name of the application executable in the File Name text box. If you are not sure of the directory path, click the Browse button to locate the correct path. 4. Select the image format in which you want to save scanned images from the Image Format drop down list. Scanner Information The Scanner Information tab displays important information about your scanner. 34 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide The information includes: · · · · · · Scanner Manufacturer Scanner Model Firmware Version VistaScan Version Maximum Scan Width and Length Maximum Resolution VistaScan Beginner Window Features The VistaScan Beginner window appears when you open VistaScan. The Beginner window features allow you to scan a wide variety of documents, photos, and graphics by clicking just a few buttons. 35 Scanning an item using the Beginner window options consists of just a few steps: 1. Perform a preview scan of the item to be scanned by clicking on the Preview button. The item is quickly scanned at lowresolution, and is displayed in the Preview window (on the left side of the VistaScan Beginner window). 2. Select what you want to do with the image after it is scanned using the Scan To icons. 3. Specify what kind of image you are going to scan, and start the final scan process using the Click To Scan icons. Performing the Preview Scan The Preview feature lets you scan an item at low-resolution so you can define the specific area to be scanned when you scan at higher resolution. To preview the item you are going to scan: 1. Place the item you want to scan facedown on the object glass, under the inverted triangle that appears in the center of the rear ruler. 2. Click the Preview button on the right side of the Beginner window. The image is quickly scanned and displayed in the Preview window. 36 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide There are three Preview tools in the VistaScan Beginner window. Zoom Tool Frame Tool Move Tool Zoom tool ­ Lets you enlarge or reduce the view of the image in the Preview window. To use the Zoom tool: Once the preview image appears in the Preview window, click on the Magnifying Glass icon. Move your cursor into the Preview window and click. The image enlarges. To reduce the view size, press the shift key and click in the Preview window. Frame tool ­ Lets you select the portion of the image displayed in the Preview window you want scanned in the final scan step. You can size the selection frame by clicking on the Frame tool and placing your cursor over one of the four edges of the frame (which changes the cursor shape to a two-headed arrow), drag the Frame inward to reduce the size, or outward to increase the size. You can also move a selected frame by positioning the cursor inside the frame (which changes the cursor shape to a four-direction arrow), and dragging the frame to another location in the Preview window. 37 Move tool ­ Lets you move an image in the Preview window so you can see portions that are not visible because the image is too large to display completely. Click on the Move tool. Put the cursor inside the Preview window (which changes the cursor shape to a hand). Scroll the image view by clicking and dragging the cursor. Selecting the Scan to Device or Application To specify which device or application to which you want to send the scanned item: 1. Click on the icon that represents the device or application to which you want to send the scanned item. The icons include: File ­ stores the scanned image in a file using the file name specified in the VistaScan Preferences. Print ­ prints the scanned item on the default printer. Fax ­ faxes the scanned item using your fax driver. Application ­ sends the scanned item to the applications specified in the VistaScan Preferences. E-mail ­ sends the scanned item as a graphic file to your Microsoft Exchange or Lotus cc:Mail e-mail application. 38 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide Defining the Type of Image your are Going to Scan The Beginner window provides you with pre-defined scanning options so you can quickly and easily scan any of the following items: · · · · Color Photos ­ use this setting when you want to scan color or black and white photos Printed Matter ­ use this setting when you want to scan something that has been printed like a brochure, magazine, etc. Text/Lineart documents ­ use this setting when you want to scan the text contained in a document, or when you want to scan simple lineart graphics Web Images ­ use this setting when you want to scan graphics and then use them on the web To specify the type of image you going to scan, click on the icon that represents the type of item you want to scan. Text/Lineart Settings icon Printed Matter Settings icon Text/Lineart Settings icon Web Image Settings icon Clicking on any of these icons automatically starts the final scan process using the pre-defined scan settings. The scanned image is saved, or is sent to the device or application you specified by clicking on the Scan To icon. 39 VistaScan Advanced Features The VistaScan Advanced window gives you the ability to adjust the scan setting individually so you can customize the settings for the type of document you are going to scan. If you are a novice computer user, you may want to use the VistaScan Beginner window until you are more familiar with VistaScan and the scanning process. The Beginner window options are preset to provide a quick and easy way to scan images. If you are an experienced computer user with some scanning experience, you can use the features contained in the Advanced window to optimize the scan process for the specific item you are going to scan. The Advanced window contains the following tools and features you can use to scan documents: · · · · · · · · · · Original Document Source Settings Image Mode Settings Resolution Settings Descreen Settings Filter Settings Scaling Options Auto Adjustment Setting Scan Control Unit Multiple Scan Mode Settings Color Adjustment Feature Panel Changing the Original Document Source The Original Document Source setting identifies the item you want to scan. 40 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide You can choose from the following settings: Flatbed Reflective: Scans paper originals (non-transparencies) e.g., photographs, documents, and brochures. Three other setting options appear onscreen that are not available with this scanner: UTA Transmissive, UTA Negative, Automatic Document Feeder. Changing the Image Mode VistaScan can scan a wide variety of image types. True Color, RGB: Scans a full color photo or document. The RGB indicates the colors of Red, Green and Blue. This setting creates larger files than the B/W Photo setting. 41 True Color, CMYK: Converts RGB (video) color data into CMYK (printed) color data using a special color transformation process. When scanning is completed the CMYK image is ready for printing on a CMYK color printer. NOTE: Most ink jet printers use RGB rather than CMYK printing. 256 Colors: Scans color images using 256 colors. The 256 color images take up less memory and hard disk space than the True Color RGB option. Web Photo: Scans an image at the appropriate resolution for display on the monitor. B/W Photo: Scans black and white photos using 256 shades of gray (ranging from white to black) so you get smooth shade transitions in your scanned image. B/W Document: Scans text documents, black and white line art, and other black and white documents. This selection creates the smallest files. FAX: Scans at the appropriate resolution for faxing. OCR: Scans at the appropriate settings for optimal OCR recognition. True Color 36-bit RGB: Scans a full color photo or document using 36-bits of information to define each pixel. The RGB indicates the colors of Red, Green and Blue. This setting creates larger files than the True Color RGB setting. NOTE: Not all graphic applications support 36-bit graphic files. To determine whether the software you want to use is capable of working with 36-bit graphics, refer to your software documentation. B/W Photo, 12-bit: Scans a black and white photo using 12-bits of data to define each pixel. This setting produces more gray shade accuracy than the B/W Photo option, but also produces larger file sizes. 42 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide Changing the Resolution Setting Scanning resolution is measured in dots per inch (DPI). Resolution determines the amount of information the scanner will capture in a scanned image. The higher the resolution, the finer the image detail, and the larger the file sizes. VistaScan lets you choose from the following resolution settings: · · · · · · · · · · Higher ­ this option opens a drop down menu that contains higher resolution settings which include 9600, 8400, 7200, 6000, 4800, 3600, 2400, 1800, and 1600 dpi selections. 1200 800 600 400 300 200 150 100 75 43 The table below gives you an idea of the file sizes you can expect based on the original image size and the resolution setting you specify. These values are based on scanning images in 24-bit, True Color RGB mode. Image sizes shown below are given in MegaBytes. Table 1. Resolution/File-Size Guidelines Resolution (dots per inch) 72 100 200 300 400 600 800 1200 Image Size: 4x5 0.30 0.58 2.29 5.15 9.16 20.60 36.60 82.40 Image Size: 5x7 0.53 1.00 4.01 9.01 16.00 36.10 64.10 144.20 Image Size: 8.5x11 1.39 2.68 10.70 24.10 42.80 96.30 171.20 385.20 NOTE: Choosing the True Color RGB 36-bit setting captures more data than the 24-bit setting. This means that the file sizes listed above will be larger if you scanned images using the True Color 36bit RGB setting. Choosing the Best Resolution for Your Scanning Project To choose the best resolution for scanning, determine what you are going to do with the image once it is scanned. Matching your scanning resolution to the image use will give you the best image for that purpose and will keep the file sizes to the minimum needed. Table 2. Recommended Resolutions Image Use Printing Viewing on the Screen Viewing on the Web OCR, B/W Pre-Press Enlarging or reducing Recommended Resolution 300 ­ 600* 72 72 300 600 600 * Depending on the resolution of your printer 44 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide 45 Using Custom Resolution Settings You can also specify custom resolution settings that you can use when you scan. The maximum custom resolution setting you can define is 2400 dpi. To define the custom resolution settings: 1. Choose the Custom... option from the Resolution drop down menu. The Custom Resolution window opens. 2. Enter the desired resolution setting (between 50 and 2400 dpi) in the Custom resolution #1 text box. 3. Repeat step 2 to define the Custom resolution #2 and Custom resolution #3 settings. 4. Click OK. The settings you defined appear on the Resolution setting drop down menu, under the Custom heading. 46 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide Changing the Descreen Feature The Descreen option helps eliminate the patterns that can appear when you scan printed images found in magazines, brochures, catalogues, etc. (half-tone images). This is accomplished by changing the number of lines that appear in every inch (lines per inch) of the scanned image. The Descreen feature is unavailable when you have chosen the B/W Document, Fax or OCR resolution settings. To change the Descreen setting: 1. Click the Descreen option to display the drop down menu. 2. Choose one of the descreen options: No Descreen -- No Descreening. Magazine -- Specifies 133 lines per inch. This option smoothes the fine dot pattern found in glossy magazines. Newspaper -- Specifies 85 lines per inch. Smoothes the coarse grain pattern commonly found in newspaper images. 47 Art print -- Specifies 175 lines per inch. Smoothes the fine dot pattern found in high quality art prints. Custom ­ Opens the Custom Descreen window, which allows you to specify a custom line screen value. Refer to the Using Custom Descreen Settings section that follows for information about how to set custom descreen values. Using Custom Descreen Settings You can also specify custom descreen settings that you can use when you want to change the lines per inch setting to eliminate patterns that are generated while scanning printed images. You can enter custom settings that range from 35 to 400 lines per inch. To define the custom descreen settings: 1. Choose the Custom... option from the Descreen drop down menu. The Custom Descreen window opens. 2. Enter the desired lines per inch setting (between 35 and 400 lpi) in the Custom descreen lpi #1 text box. 3. Repeat step 2 to define the Custom descreen #2 and Custom descreen #3 settings. 4. Click OK. The settings you defined appear on the Descreen setting drop down menu, under the Custom heading. Changing the Filter Setting Image filters are used to soften or sharpen edges and boundaries of an image. 48 UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner's Guide VistaScan provides the following filter options: No Filter ­ Use this option when you do not want to sharpen or blur the image. Sharpen ­ Use this option to sharpen lines that may be fuzzy or not clean in the original image. Sharpen More ­ Use this option when you want to sharpen the image more than the standard Sharpen filter does. Blur ­ Use this option when you want to soften the edges of an image. Blur More ­ Use this option when you want to soften the edges more than the Blur filter does. Changing the Scale Factor Scaling lets you automatically enlarge or reduce an image from its original size (100%) as it is scanned. The scale factor affects the size of the scanned image and the printed scan output. 49 You can scale the image using any of the scale factors listed below: · · · · · · · 200% 150% 100% 50% 25% 10% Custom You can also specify a custom scale factor by choosing the Custom option from the Scaling drop down menu. See the Using Custom Scaling Settings section that follows for more information about specifying a custom scale factor. Using Custom Scale Settings You can specify custom scaling settings that you can use when you scan. To define the custom scaling settings: 1. Choose the Custom... option from the Scaling drop down menu. The Custom Scaling window opens. 50