User manual UMAX ASTRA 2100U

Astra 2100U OWNER'S GUIDE Trademarks UMAX is a trademark of UMAX Technologies, Inc. Astra is a trademark of UMAX Technologies, Inc. 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. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1. GETTING STARTED .............................. 1 Introduction...............................................................................................1 Unpacking the Scanner.............................................................................1 Package Contents ....................................................................................1 Getting to Know Your Scanner ...............................................................2 Astra 2100U Scanner Elements ..............................................................2 Astra 2100U Back Panel.........................................................................2 System Requirements ...............................................................................3 Installing the Software..............................................................................3 Installing PhotoDeluxe on Your PC........................................................4 Installing PhotoDeluxe on Your Macintosh............................................5 Install VistaScan and Bundle Software (Presto! PageManager, Presto! PhotoAlbum, Presto! PageType, Presto! ImageFolio, OmniPage LE and Online Manuals) .....................................................................................6 Installing the Hardware ...........................................................................6 About Scanner Connectors......................................................................7 Setting Up ­ General Information...........................................................7 Connecting the Hardware Interface Cables.............................................8 Connecting the Power Adapter ...............................................................9 CHAPTER 2. YOUR FIRST SCAN ............................. 11 Scanning Your First Image With PhotoDeluxe....................................11 Scanning an Image from the PC ...........................................................11 Scanning an Image from the Macintosh................................................14 Turning the Scanner Lamp On and Off ...............................................16 iii CHAPTER 3. SCANNING BASICS ............................ 17 Setting VistaScan Preferences ............................................................... 17 General ................................................................................................. 17 Scan Destination................................................................................... 19 Scanner Information ............................................................................. 22 VistaScan Beginner Window Features ................................................. 23 VistaScan Advanced Features .............................................................. 27 Using VistaAccess ­ Direct Access...................................................... 44 Using VistaShuttle................................................................................ 46 Using the UMAX Copy Utility ............................................................ 48 CHAPTER 4. PUSH BUTTON SCANNING ................ 51 Configuring the Push Buttons .............................................................. 51 Using the Push Buttons .......................................................................... 58 CHAPTER 5. SCANNING PROJECTS....................... 61 Using VistaScan to Scan a Photo to E-mail......................................... 63 Using VistaScan with PhotoDeluxe to Create Web-ready Images ..... 63 Using Presto! PageManager to Scan a Form and Edit it with PageType................................................................................................. 68 Creating a Calendar with PhotoDeluxe................................................ 70 Converting Scanned Text to Editable Text with OmniPage............... 73 Opening OmniPage LE ........................................................................ 73 Converting Scanned Text with OmniPage LE...................................... 74 Creating an Album with Presto! PhotoAlbum.................................... 76 Opening PhotoAlbum:.......................................................................... 76 Creating a Photo Album ....................................................................... 77 iv UMAX Astra 2100U Owner's Guide CHAPTER 6. HOW TO GET HELP ............................ 79 Using Online Manuals ............................................................................79 Accessing the UMAX VistaScan Online Manual .................................79 Accessing the Adobe PhotoDeluxe Online Manual ..............................80 Accessing the Presto! PageManager Online Manual ............................81 Accessing the Caere OmniPage Online Manual ...................................81 Installing Acrobat Reader for Macintosh Users....................................82 Troubleshooting ......................................................................................82 General Problems and Solutions ...........................................................82 Windows 98/95 OSR2 Problems and Solutions....................................83 Macintosh Version Problems and Solutions .........................................87 Contacting Technical Support ...............................................................91 Maintenance ............................................................................................92 Cleaning ...................................................................................................92 APPENDIX A. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS......... 93 Scanner Specifications ............................................................................93 FCC DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY................... 95 WARRANTY ............................................................... 96 INDEX ......................................................................... 97 v vi CHAPTER 1. Getting Started Introduction Thank you for purchasing the UMAX Astra 2100U scanner. This versatile unit is perfect for the home or office. Use this scanner to add variety and flair to your documents, or to help you share images with others. The Astra 2100U 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 blue and white G3). In addition to being easy to connect, this scanner is 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 2100U 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 6. How to Find Help. Package Contents · · · · · UMAX Astra 2100U Flatbed scanner USB Interface Cable Quick Start Guide and Owner's Manual Power Adapter Adobe® PhotoDeluxe® CD-ROM (Home Edition 3.0 for PC, 2.0 for Macintosh) 1 · UMAX Scanner CD-ROM. This CD-ROM contains software for UMAX VistaScan, VistaAccess, VistaShuttle (PC), Caere® OmniPage® LE OCR, NewSoft® Presto! PageManager, NewSoft® Presto! PhotoAlbumTM LE, NewSoft® Presto! PageTypeTM (PC), UMAX Copy Utility (PC), Presto! ImageFolio LE (PC) 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. Scan, Copy and Custom (OCR or E-Mail) Buttons Power Indicator Illuminates to indicate that the scanner is powered on. Astra 2100U Scanner Elements Transparency Receptacle 4-Pin USB Connector Power Adapter Receptacle Astra 2100U Back Panel 2 UMAX Astra 2100U Owner's Guide System Requirements This section defines the minimum system requirements necessary to operate either the Astra 2100U scanner. Please refer to the section below that applies to your scanner and computer type. PC Requirements · · · · · · An IBM-compatible PC with 80486, Pentium processor or higher Microsoft® Windows 98, 95 OSR2, or higher USB interface connector At least 16 MB RAM memory (32 MB recommended) CD-ROM drive 170 MB of available hard disk space 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 Installing the Software The PhotoDeluxe installation procedure is different for Macintosh and PC computers. Therefore, we have provided two separate sets of instructions. Follow the set of instructions for your computer. 3 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 disk 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 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. 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. 4 UMAX Astra 2100U Owner's Guide 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 disk and display the folders contained on the CD-ROM. 2. Double-click on the Adobe PhotoDeluxe Installer icon. Follow the onscreen instructions. 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. 5 Install VistaScan and Bundle Software (Presto! PageManager, Presto! PhotoAlbum, Presto! PageType, Presto! ImageFolio, OmniPage LE and Online Manuals) 1. Insert the UMAX Scanner CD into your computer's CD-ROM drive 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 disk 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. FOR MACINTOSH USERS: When the UMAX VistaScan window opens on your desktop, double-click on the UMAX CD Installer icon to begin the software installation. 2. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation of Presto! PageManager, UMAX VistaScan, OmniPage LE and the online User's Guide. 3. Restart your computer as suggested by the onscreen instructions to complete the installation. 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. 6 UMAX Astra 2100U Owner's Guide About Scanner Connectors USB Connectors Many newer computers, both PC and Macintosh, 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 peripherals. 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. 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. 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 OS 8.1. Setting Up ­ General Information · Find a suitable location near your computer to place the scanner. CAUTION: Make sure the surface is flat. Operating your scanner on an uneven surface can damage the internal components. 7 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. 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. 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 Plug the other end of this cable into the port located on the back panel of the scanner. Macintosh Connection 1. 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. 2. Plug the other end of this cable into the port located on the back panel of the scanner. 8 UMAX Astra 2100U Owner's Guide 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. 9 10 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. Scanning Your First Image With PhotoDeluxe Open the PhotoDeluxe software application. Scanning an Image from the PC 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 with the Seasonal Activities option present. Initially, we recommend you bypass this section. To bypass this section, click Install and then click Cancel. 7. Click the Get & Fix Photo tab. A row of icons appears. 8. 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. 11 9. Click the Choose Scanner icon. Click on the VistaScan entry in the input source list. The VistaScan input source is highlighted. Click OK. (NOTE: You only need to do this one time.) 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. 10. Click the Scanner Test, and the UMAX Scanner Test Program window opens. Click the Test button to test the scanner. 11. 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. 12. Click the Custom icon. 13. Select an item you would like to scan (a picture, a drawing, etc.). 14. Lift the document cover and place the item face-down so the top center of the document aligns with the arrow () at the back edge of the object glass. 12 UMAX Astra 2100U Owner's Guide 15. Click the Preview button on the right side of the VistaScan Beginner window. The scanner begins a low-resolution scan of the item. 16. 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. 17. 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 return 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. 18. A pop-up message appears on the right side of the screen indicating that you should click the Done tab. 19. 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. 20. Enter a graphic title for the image that will appear in the My Photos window. 13 21. Click on the Save & Send icon. Choose save from the dropdown menu. Click the Save button to save the image. 22. Close the VistaScan window by clicking Exit. Scanning an Image from the Macintosh 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. 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. Click on the UMAX VistaScan entry in the input source list. The UMAX VistaScan input source is highlighted. 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. 7. Select an item you would like to scan (a picture, a brochure, etc.). 8. Lift the document cover and place the item face-down so the top center of the image aligns with the arrow () at the back edge of the object glass. 14 UMAX Astra 2100U Owner's Guide 9. Click the Preview button on the right side of the VistaScan Beginner window and the scanner begins a low-resolution scan. 10. 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 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. 11. 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 return to the PhotoDeluxe window. 12. 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. 13. 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. 14. Exit PhotoDeluxe by selecting Quit from the File menu. 15 Turning the Scanner Lamp On and Off For PC Users Only: You can turn the scanner lamp on and off using the Astra 2100U'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 window appears when 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 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). 16 CHAPTER 3. Scanning Basics VistaScan is the primary program or driver you use to scan with your Astra 2100U 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. 17 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, it automatically disables the Level/Curve and Color Adjustment/Balance settings in the VistaScan Advanced window. 18 UMAX Astra 2100U 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. 19 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. 20 UMAX Astra 2100U 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. Application 1. Click on the Application icon. The application preferences appear to the right of the Scan To icon set. 21 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. 22 UMAX Astra 2100U 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 launch VistaScan. The features of the VistaScan Beginner window let you scan a wide variety of documents, photos, and graphics. Just click a button. Scanning an item via the Beginner window consists of just a few steps: 1. Perform a preview scan of the item to be scanned by clicking 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). 23 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 face-down 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. 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. 24 UMAX Astra 2100U Owner's Guide Move your cursor into the Preview window and click. The image enlarges. To reduce the view size, press the shift key (the command key on the Macintosh) 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. Move tool ­ Lets you move an image in the Preview window so you can see portions that are not visible because the image is zoomed 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 the device or application to which you want to send the scanned item, click on the icon that represents this device or application. The icons include: File ­ stores the scanned image in a file using the file name specified in the VistaScan Preferences. 25 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. (NOTE: Other e-mail applications are not supported.) Defining the Type of Image to Scan The Beginner window provides 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 are going to scan, click on the icon that represents the type of item you want to scan. Color Photos Settings icon Printed Matter Settings icon Text/Lineart Settings icon Web Image Settings 26 UMAX Astra 2100U Owner's Guide Clicking on any of these icons automatically starts the final scan process using the pre-defined scan settings. The scanned image is saved or sent to the device or application you specified by clicking on the Scan To icon. 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 27 Changing the Original Document Source The Original Document Source setting identifies the item you want to scan. 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. 28 UMAX Astra 2100U Owner's Guide 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. 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. 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. 29 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 Custom 30 UMAX Astra 2100U Owner's Guide 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 36-bit 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. 31 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 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. 32 UMAX Astra 2100U Owner's Guide 4. Click OK. The settings you defined appear on the Resolution setting drop down menu, under the Custom heading. 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. 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. 33 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 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. 34 UMAX Astra 2100U 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. You can scale the image using any of the scale factors listed below: · · · · · 200% 150% 100% 50% 25% 35 · · 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 for more information about specifying a custom scale factor. Using Custom Scale Settings You can specify custom scaling settings to 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. 2. Enter the desired scale factor in either the Width or Height text box. When locked, ( ) width and height entries are identical. The width and height fields are dynamic, updating one field automatically changes the other field. If the scale output size is unlocked ( ), you can set the width and height output dimensions individually. 3. To change the unit of measure, click on the down arrow next to Height and/or Width text boxes to display the possible settings. You can choose from Inch, Centimeter, Pixel or Percent. 4. Click OK. 36 UMAX Astra 2100U Owner's Guide Using the Auto Adjustment Feature Auto Adjustment provides a simple way to adjust the light and dark values of a color or grayscale image you want to scan. To automatically adjust the light and dark values: 1. Place the item you want to scan on the scanner object glass. 2. Click the Preview button from the VistaScan Advanced window. 3. Select an area that you want to adjust using the Frame tool. You can edit the Preview image before scanning the final image using the "Zoom Tool" and 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: To use VistaScan online help you must have a browser installed on the system. 4. Click the Auto Adjustment check box. The selected area is adjusted and the preview image refreshes, displaying the results you can expect when you perform the final scan. Using the Scan Control Unit The Scan Control unit contains the Preview and Scan buttons, and the Scan To options. 37 Selecting the Scan to Device or Application To specify the device or application to which you want to send the scanned item: 1. Click on the arrow above the Scan To text on the Scan Control unit. The Scan Control unit panel slides back to display the Scan To icons. 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. Using the Multiple Scan Mode You can select multiple portions of the image you scanned in Preview mode using the Multiple Frame tool. 38 UMAX Astra 2100U Owner's Guide The Multiple Frame tool allows you to create two or more selection frames in the Preview Window. To create more than one selection frame: 1. 2. After you have scanned an image in Preview scan mode, click on the Multiple Frame tool. Select the area you want contained in the first frame by clicking on the point at which you want to begin the frame, and then dragging the tool diagonally until the area of interest is contained in the marquis box. Click outside of a selected area to save the frame. To create other frames, repeat steps 1 and 2 until you have created all the desired frames. After you create a frame, the Single Frame tool is automatically selected so you can resize or move the frame you just created. 3. 4. To select one of the frames you created, double-click on the desired frame. The frame border of the active frame changes to a marquis style frame (dotted lines). Once a frame is selected, double-click on a frame to display the Job Information window for that image, which contains the image information. To remove a selected frame: 1. Click on the Job List button. Thumbnails of the selected frames appear in the job list window. 2. Click on the thumbnail of the frame you want to remove. A red box appears around the selected thumbnail. The frame in the 39 Preview window associated with the thumbnail, changes to a dashed outline. 3. Click on the "X" button, located in the bottom-left corner of the thumbnail, to remove the frame. Using the Color Adjustment Features The Color Adjustment features allow you to make adjustments to the colors and/or tones in an image. The following lists the color adjustment settings you can modify: · · · · Brightness, contrast, highlights, shadows, and gamma Image tones Color balance Rotation/Invert Adjusting Image Brightness, Contrast, Highlights and Shadows When you click on the Brightness/Contrast tab from the Color Adjustment panel a series of slide bars appear. Adjust the associated tones by dragging the slider in one of the bars to the left or the right. 40 UMAX Astra 2100U Owner's Guide Using the Brightness Bar This setting determines the overall intensity level (gray level) of an image. Moving the slider on the scroll bar to the right increases the brightness. Moving it to the left decreases the brightness. The default setting is zero 0. The maximum brightness setting is 100, the minimum setting is ­100. Using the Contrast Bar This setting controls the difference between light and dark areas in an image. Moving the slider on the scroll bar to the right increases the gray shades between light and dark areas. Moving it to the left decreases gray shades between light and dark areas. The default setting is zero 0. The maximum contrast setting is 100, the minimum setting is ­100. Highlight Bar This setting defines the lightest (whitest) tones in the scanned image. If you broaden the range that includes the highlight points, the pixels within the newly specified range are be remapped allowing you to see more details in a color/gray image. Moving the slider on the scroll bar to the left increases the brightness. Moving it to the right decreases the brightness. The default setting is 255. The maximum highlight setting is 255; the minimum is 1 (which is white). Shadow Bar The Shadow bar defines the darkest tones in the scanned image. Moving the slider on the scroll bar to the left increases the brightness in shadowed areas. Moving it to the right decreases the brightness in shadowed areas. The default setting is 0. The maximum shadow setting is 254 (which is black), the minimum setting is 0. 41 Gamma Bar The Gamma bar alters the mid-range gray tones in the scanned image. All optical devices, such as monitors and scanners, have some variance in their light sensitivity characteristics. To get a scanned image with good results, VistaScan provides gamma adjustment capabilities so you can compensate for this variance in your scanner. Moving the slider on the scroll bar to the right increases the brightness of the mid-range gray tones. Moving it to the left decreases the brightness of the mid-range gray tones. The default setting is 1.2. Reset Button Click the Reset button to cancel the changes and return the value to the default setting. Adjusting the Image Tones The Curve command is another way to make precise adjustments in the highlight, midtones, or shadow levels in your images. Using this feature corrects the gray/color values in an image. You change the values by altering the shape of the curve that represents the brightness values of pixels. 42 UMAX Astra 2100U Owner's Guide Click Reset to cancel the changes and return the value to the default setting. Adjusting the Color Balance The Color Adjustment feature controls the hue and saturation of a particular color. When you click on the Color Balance tab from the Color Adjustments panel, a continuous color spectrum wheel appears. When you click in the wheel the image tones are shifted to the particular hue that is represented in that area. Click the Reset button to cancel the changes and returns the value to default setting. Rotating/Inverting an Image You can rotate an image clockwise or counter clockwise, and you can flip images 180 degrees vertically or horizontally. 43 The following lists the possible rotate and flip selections: · · · · · · · · Flip/Rotate Horizontally -- flips the image horizontally and rotates it 90 degrees counter clockwise. Flip Horizontal -- flips the image horizontally. Rotate 90 CCW -- rotates the image 90 degrees counter clockwise. Rotate 90 CW -- rotates the image 90 degrees clockwise. Normal -- does not rotate or flip the image. Flip Vertical -- flips the image vertically. Rotate 180 -- rotates the image 180 degrees clockwise. Inverts an image -- changes all the dark tones in an image to light tones, and all of the light tones to dark tones. This option can NOT be reversed using the Edit menu Undo command. Clicking on the image that shows the desired orientation rotates or flips the image. Clicking the Reset button cancels the rotate or flip action and returns the image to the original orientation. Using VistaAccess ­ Direct Access VistaAccess is a utility that provides instant access to several VistaScan applications. VistaAccess loads at startup, and can be found in the system tray. When VistaAccess is open, it allows you to open any of the listed applications with a few clicks of your mouse. 44