OSX 10.3.9, Canon and TWAIN

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OSX 10.3.9, Canon and TWAIN

I previously posted in the Leopard forum about this issues, as it affected OSX 10.5 too. But eventually, through a few updates, and a few experiments with a good quality USB cable I have a less than satisfactory answer for my Mac Pro.

What I still need to establish is if there is any hope for applications in OSX 10.3.9 using TWAIN to grab images from a Canon MP600R. Just a quick summary of my progress:
OSX 10.5 connected with USB cable works a treat in Image Capture, nearly all the promised functionality is available.
OSX 10.5 connected by Ethernet (why I bought it over the cheaper MP610) requires the naff Canon ScanGear software, but works, even though most of the advertised functionality is lost.
OSX 10.3.9 connected by either method can see the scanner, can usually force a Preview (or Overview as it's called in OSX 10.5 Image Capture) and can perform the scan, but nothing is returned to the calling application.
This is the same as when we share the USB connected scanner from OSX 10.5 (shared using Image Capture) and connect to it from OSX 10.3.9 Image Capture. Preview works fine, but an actual scan produces nothing.
Did try running the OSX 10.4 Image Capture in OSX 10.3.9, but it doesn't even start.

Does anyone have any success with Canon scanners, particularly scanners from multifunction devices, using TWAIN from within applications in OSX 10.3.9 ? Typical apps are Image Capture, GraphicConverter, MS Word, etc, anything that can import direct from a scanner.

The specs state full support from OSX 10.2.8 so any success in Jaguar too would also help me.

MDD 2x1GHz; MacPro 2xQC; 23 & 17 Cinema;17" PBG4;32GB iPodTouch, Mac OS X (10.3.x), Mac SE; iMacG3; Aston Martin V8; AppleTV v1.1

Posted on Jul 25, 2008 12:18 PM

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Answer 1

Jul 25, 2008 1:18 PM in response to Simon Teale

I have a different model Canon scanner. When I scan using a graphic app, I select ScanGear CS 7. I have never used TWAIN.

Here's the software download page for your scanner. http://software.canon-europe.com/products/0010397.asp

ScanGear is one of the items listed. I would have thought that your Canon install CD would have installed ScanGear CS.

 Cheers, Tom 😉

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Answer 2

Simon Teale Author

Level 5

4,684 points

Jul 25, 2008 2:34 PM in response to Texas Mac Man

TMM,

Yes, the install discs did install it, and I may have referred to i above as "naff".
As said, it works fine in OSX 10.5, but in OSX 10.3.9, when it is initiated by the "Acquire" within GraphicConverter. it does the scan but nothing is presented back in GC (v5.2.2 and v5.9.5).

Do I need a different app, or a different version ?

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Answer 3

Jul 25, 2008 8:02 PM in response to Simon Teale

In 10.3, I use Photoshop Elements as my graphic app for scanning. In PE I can select the ScanGear to scan. I opened up GraphicConverter and only had the TWAIN options, which didn't work. I then reinstalled ScanGear but it did not show up in the GraphicConverter scan options.

 Cheers, Tom 😉

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Answer 4

Simon Teale Author

Level 5

4,684 points

Jul 26, 2008 12:23 AM in response to Texas Mac Man

TMM,

Which version of PE do you use with 10.3 ?
I've received PE v3 and PE v4 (I think, or it could be two copies of PE v3 😟 ) free with magazine subscriptions and buying a Mac or two over the years. But I stuck with GC because I love the scripting power and I'm usually converting to JPG to GIF.

But for scanning I could consider a different app. I ued to use primarily Epson Scan, or Epson Scan within GC, to scan previously. I loved it, it had all the key features required. I'm finding ScanGear is rather light in useful features, and would be more suited to a $30 scanner rather than a $400-$500 top-end consumer effort.

Many thanks

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Answer 5

Jul 26, 2008 10:12 AM in response to Simon Teale

I'm using PEv2 with OS 10.3. When I select Import I can select ScanGear CS 7.0. The ScanGear just does the scanning with PE open & you use PE to do all the enhancing. I have a Canon LiDE 30 scanner & I've scanned over a thousand B&W & color pictures. With PE you can change a JPG to GIF.

 Cheers, Tom 😉

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