VueScan Newsletter - October 2018

Hello and welcome to our newsletter. Looking back, it is a surprise to us that we have been producing this newsletter for over 4 years now - despite us all knowing how quickly time passes!

When we started this project, we were uncertain how interesting and useful our customers would find it, but I am delighted to say that our subscription list has been growing at an incredibly fast rate, so thank you all for signing up and reading this.

So, as always, we welcome both our regular and our new readers! As you know, we try and keep it informative, useful and practical.

This month we have the fifth article about sharing your photos from Cathi Nelson – next month is the last article from Cathi in this series, but we are confident that Cathi will still be a contributor 😊

And again, thank you for all your replies and suggestions. They provide us with a real insight on your requirements and give us the opportunity to further improve VueScan.

I look forward to receiving all your feedback and suggestions. If I take a while to reply it is due to the sheer volume that I receive but I will get back to you!

Thank you

VueScan Updates

Since the last newsletter, we’ve released VueScan 9.6.16; 9.6.17; 9.6.18 and 9.6.19

What's new in version 9.6.19

  • Improved support for changing color theme while running
  • Added support for Cut/Copy/Paste on Mac (Apple-X/Apple-C/Apple-V))
  • Added support for 'Input | Overscan'
    • For photos - puts a border around scans
    • Supports most Fujitsu fi-series and iX-series scanners
    • Supports most Epson document scanners
  • Added support for 'Input | Double feed detect'
    • For scanners that have ultrasonic double-feed detection
    • Supports most Fujitsu fi-series and iX-series scanners
    • Supports most Canon DR-series document scanners
    • Supports most Epson document scanners

What's new in version 9.6.18

  • Support for Dark Mode on macOS Mojave (see below)
  • Support for Cut/Copy/Paste on Mac (right-click on text for menu)
  • Improved user interface (integrated wxWidgets 3.1)
  • Support for PIE/Reflecta scanners before Mac OS X 10.12

What's new in version 9.6.17

  • Improved support for PIE and Reflecta scanners
  • Improved support for color themes on Windows, Mac and Linux
  • Added support for new Brother scanners (DCP-J1100DW, DCP-J772DW, DCP-J774DW, DCP-J972N, DCP-J973N, DCP-J978N, DCP-J988N, MFC-J1300DW, MFC-J1500N, MFC-J690DW, MFC-J890DW, MFC-J893N, MFC-J895DW, MFC-J898N, MFC-J995DW)
  • Assorted small bug fixes

What's new in version 9.6.16

  • Added support for new Epson scanners (DS-1610, DS-535, DS-775, EP-30VA, EP-709A, EP-710A, EP-711A, EP-810A, EP-811A, EP-880A, EP-881A, EP-979A3, ES-300WR, ES-500WR, ET-2710, ET-8700, L3110, L3150, L380, LX-10000F, LX-7000F, PX-M380F, PX-M381FL, PX-M7070FX, PX-M884F, PX-M886FL, WF-2860, WF-C17590, WF-C20590, WF-C5710, WF-C5790, WF-C8690, WF-C869R, XP-250, XP-350, XP-450, XP-5100)

To read the release notes for all previous versions, go to: https://www.hamrick.com/vuescan/vuescan.htm#changes

Remember - we announce all our releases on Facebook – make sure you have ‘Liked’ us and ‘Share’ our post to all your friends and family. https://www.facebook.com/VueScan/

VueScan 9.6.18 adds support for macOS Mohave's dark mode

People scanning images often prefer for the image to be the main source of light on the screen. Dark mode makes letters light and the background of letters dark - the user mostly sees the image without being distracted by the bright background colors of light mode.

** Our own comment! We think VueScan looks superb when running in a dark mode – the images seem to be much more alive **

VueScan dynamically changes colors when the system preferences change between light and dark mode, even mid-scan.

VueScan 9.6.18 also adds support for dark modes on Windows and Linux. On Windows, dark modes can be enabled in the Personalization control panel (or Appearance on Windows XP), and dark modes can be enabled on Linux by setting up a theme in the Appearance settings. These change in VueScan while running, even mid-scan.

Along with dark mode support, VueScan 9.6.18 supports users who are seeing impaired. VueScan on Windows, macOS and Linux supports high-contrast modes which improve visibility by seeing-impaired people. As with dark mode, these can be changed while VueScan is running, even mid-scan.

In addition, VueScan adds numerous user interface improvements in VueScan 9.6.18, especially the ability to cut/copy/paste text. People often work with long file names, and find this useful.

Calling slide film users: IT8 Scanner Profiling

Some information for you about IT8 scanner profiling.

The IT8 scanner profiling software included in VueScan allows correcting color faults caused by the scanner without much user interaction. But, for the profiling feature to work you need a scanner target according to the ANSI IT8 standards.

If you do not have an IT8 target, you can get IT8 targets from Wolf Faust at http://www.targets.coloraid.de . The IT8 charts provide a reference with well known colors which VueScan can use to create a color correction.

Whilst not always possible, in an ideal case you can get a target specifically made for the dye you intend to scan. As a result, you will find many different IT8 targets being offered by Wolf Faust.

Each IT8 target comes with a standard reference or description file containing the color measurements of the target. You only need VueScan and the target from Wolf Faust for making use of the profiling feature. More information on the targets can be found at: http://www.targets.coloraid.de . For further information please email wfaust@coloraid.de.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q) I absolutely love VueScan but I have one small comment that sometimes causes an issue and that is the dotted line or scope frame of the scanned area. If I customise this for a small scan it then defaults to that size such that I have to reset it manually to full page. Also, occasionally I manage to get this frame to microscopic proportions such that it is tricky to reset it. Is there a button somewhere to automatically reset this please?

A) To reset the cropping to default, double-click on the image.

Q) I have a problem getting VueScan to work with my scanner. Can you help me solve this?

A) With USB scanners, most problems are usually caused by a bad USB cable, a too-long USB cable, a bad USB port, or a USB 3.0 port with an old scanner. Try a different (and preferably shorter USB cable), a different USB port (preferably directly connected to the computer) or an old USB 2.0 hub.

With WiFi scanners, most problems are caused by a firewall, anti-virus software or a router. Make sure that none of these are blocking mDNS responses (UDP port 5353).

On Windows, the problem is sometimes with loading drivers. If you don’t get the driver loading dialog when installing VueScan, make sure you’re installing VueScan from an Administrator account.

Otherwise, you can report your problem on our Support page on www.hamrick.com

Q) I really want to speak to someone about VueScan. How can I call you?

A) Apologies, but you literally can’t. With more than 650,000 customers and as a very small company, it’s just not practical to answer the phone. The number you find with an internet search just goes to a voicemail that gets monitored once every few months.

Ed Hamrick (developer of VueScan) personally answers Problem Reports and this is normally within 24 hours. If you have a problem with your order, use the Problem Report form on www.hamrick.com. This is the only way to contact us.

Newsletter Subscriptions

If you have changed your email address and want to add the new address please sign up at: https://www.hamrick.com/newsletter.html

To unsubscribe – please go to: https://www.hamrick.com/unsubscribe.html

To access all previous newsletters: https://www.hamrick.com/about-vuescan.html#newsletter

All about Scanning Photos!

Cathi Nelson is the author of Photo Organizing Made Easy; Going from Overwhelmed to Overjoyed as well as the founder of the Association of Personal Photo Organizers.

In this month’s newsletter, we are going to take a look at what the photo organizers recommend as the best practices for sharing your photos

Celebrate and Share - Best practices to enjoy your scanned photos

If you’ve been following along the past few months and have your photos scanned and organized, congratulations! Now you are ready for the fun and creative reward of having organized photos. A lot of time people lose sight of the purpose of managing their photo life. I believe, “Photo organizing is a means to an end and the real goal is to share and tell a slice of your life.” Read on for ideas on how you can share your photos, videos, and memorabilia.

Why is this important?

Telling your story is about so much more than posting photos and seeing how many likes you get. It’s more than a folder structure, neatly organized. Your photo collection is a window into your life; your values, your beliefs, the experiences that shape you and your hopes and dreams.

Family stories build self-esteem

The more children know about their family’s history, the stronger their sense of control over their lives and the higher their self-esteem. Your family photos and videos hold the key to your family narrative and serve a profound purpose. With your newly organized memory collection, you can curate your family stories into photo books, wall displays, video montages, online photo albums, and so much more.

Your story matters

If you’re thinking that no one is interested in seeing your photos, then this project isn’t for others, it’s for you! What do you care about? Did you uncover pictures of your pets or flowers in your garden? There is tremendous research on the value of remembering; think of this as a project for you. This is your opportunity to create something that brings you joy.

Let’s explore a few ways you can turn your photo collection into a lasting legacy.

CREATE PHOTO ALBUMS

When you create physical photo albums or photobooks, you increase the odds that your family story and precious memories will continue to be viewed! Printed photo books, scrapbooks, and photo albums don’t rely on technology to be enjoyed. You don’t need an internet connection, and you won’t need to migrate them to a new format to view them fifty years from now. When you combine images and words into a documentary-like narrative, you are creating a historical record for future generations with stories that you can celebrate and enjoy today.

There are lots of choices; scrapbook albums provide you with a creative outlet, pocket-page albums make it easy to assemble a collection quickly, and digital photobooks make it easy and efficient to use online tools and templates to auto-populate a photo book while you focus on the words that tell your story.

TIP FOR SUCCESS

Themes, rather than chronology, will make it easier to curate a story. Favorite topics include vacations, sports, family traditions, or events such as weddings, anniversaries, and birthdays. Choose the themes that are most common in your family and combine them into an album that spans over time. If you prefer a chronological timeline, choose ten to fifteen photos per month for an annual Family Yearbook. Or select ten to twenty pictures per year for a Celebration of Life. The greatest reward for your effort will be the joy on the faces of your loved ones enjoying your albums!

VIDEO SLIDESHOWS AND MONTAGES

When you combine photos, videos, oral narratives, and music into a slideshow or montage, you create a living album filled with emotion and fun. Video slideshows or montages are a fun way to bring photos and videos together to create a compelling and emotional story. When you add music or oral narratives or both, the result is a living album filled with movement and sound that triggers your senses.

WALL GALLERIES

Choose a collection of frames that suit your decor and create a feature wall in your home. This is an excellent way to showcase heritage photos, family weddings, a special event or vacation, or the growth of your kids.

DIGITAL DISPLAYS

This is an excellent choice for technology-challenged family members. This plug-and-play way to display image slideshows is perfect for people who want a quick, easy way to showcase their memories. Many photo organizers use NixPlay frames with great success.

PHOTO PRODUCTS

There are many ways to take your favorite photos and turn them into photo gifts for you or someone special. You can choose from photo blankets, wall calendars, mugs, puzzles, ornaments, smartphone covers and stationery, to name a few.

I hope you feel inspired to showcase all your hard work. Next month is the last article in our series, and I will share ways you can turn your passion into a career. Did you know that there are hundreds of professional photo organizers who offer their skills to clients who don’t have the time to do this work themselves? It’s a growing profession, and we need more photo organizing to meet the increasing demand.

Customer Comment

I just bought a Canon 9000F MK II to scan the negatives from my wedding photos. I set up the scanner, installed the Canon software and proceeded to try and scan my negatives. It wasn't even close to easy. Nowhere is there an option to scan negatives.

You need to go into the "custom" section and set it up. I tried to do that, and it then wanted me to do some scans first to help calibrate the scanner.

I'd danced with VueScan for quite a long time. I tried various demos all the way back to the early 2000s, but I never bought the product.

I installed VueScan demo and tried to scan a negative. About 30 seconds later I was looking at a watermarked image on my screen. At this point, I still hadn't gotten the Canon software to scan a negative.

I immediately uninstalled the Canon software, pulled out my credit card and bought VueScan Pro.

Canon should dump their software and include your product in the box.

Feel free to use this as a public testimonial, if you do such things on your website.

I am an extremely happy customer!

Andy P, Pennsylvania, USA