Microsoft KB Archive/241466

= PI2000: Six Methods to Troubleshoot Scanning Problems =

Article ID: 241466

Article Last Modified on 10/31/2003

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Picture It! 2000 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Picture It! Express 2000

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This article was previously published under Q241466



SUMMARY
If you scan a picture in Picture It! and the scan stops responding, quits unexpectedly, or the final image is unsatisfactory, you can try these two workarounds:

 Upgrade the scanner driver

-or-

 Change the scanner options in Picture It!

This article explains how you can resolve scanning problems by changing scanning options in Picture It!. Once you find scanning options that work for you in Picture It!, you should not need to change them again.



MORE INFORMATION
Because Picture It! is capable automating the scanning process, all you must do is click Smart Task Scan. However, this only works if the scanner driver provided by the scanner manufacturer supports automatic scanning. Some scanner drivers do not.

The following are six methods you can use to scan in Picture It!:


 * Smart Task Scan, Enhanced Mode (Flatbed scanners only)
 * Smart Task Scan, Normal Mode (Flatbed scanners only)
 * Your Scanner Software, Enhanced Mode
 * Your Scanner Software, Normal Mode
 * Scan to a different TWAIN-aware application
 * Run your scanner's software from Windows and scan

Method 1
If you are scanning with a flatbed scanner, Picture It! uses Smart Task Scan in Enhanced Mode. If this works, keep this setting.

Method 2
If Smart Task Scan does not work, change the Performance setting for the scanner from Enhanced to Normal, then scan again. The advantage of this is that if it works, you can continue to use Smart Task Scan, which is the easiest way to scan.

To change the Performance setting for a scanner:


 * 1) Make sure that a scanner is listed when you click Get Picture and then click Scan Picture.
 * 2) On the View menu, click Options.
 * 3) Click the Scanner/Camera Options button at the bottom of the dialog box.
 * 4) In the Scanner Performance box, click Normal or Enhanced.
 * 5) Click OK, and then click OK again.

NOTE: The performance setting you choose applies to all of your scanners if you have more than one scanner attached to this computer.

Method 3
If Smart Task Scan in Normal mode does not work, click Get Picture, and then click Scan Picture. Proceed to Step 3 of the Scan Picture wizard and then click Your Scanner Software. You may have to give your scanner instructions on how to scan, such as how many colors to use and what area to include in the final scan.

Method 4
If the Your Scanner Software scan works, increase the Scanner Performance to Enhanced.

To do this, follow the steps in Method 2 earlier in this article.

Method 5
If the Your Scanner Software scan does not work, scan from outside of Picture It!.

If you want to use TWAIN (scanning from inside a program), start any of the following TWAIN-aware Microsoft programs installed on your computer and try to scan in it:


 * Microsoft Image Composer
 * Microsoft Imaging for Windows
 * Microsoft Photo Editor
 * Microsoft PowerPoint
 * Microsoft Publisher
 * Microsoft Word

If scanning into one of these program works, either copy and paste the picture into Picture It! or save the picture in a format Picture It! recognizes and then open the file.

Method 6
If you use TWAIN in another application and it does not work, or if you do not have another TWAIN-aware program, try to scan directly from your scanner's software. If this works, either copy and paste the picture into Picture It! or save the picture in a format Picture It! recognizes and then open the file.

If this does not work, contact your scanner manufacturer and inform them that you cannot scan using their software in Microsoft Windows.

If you find that you cannot use Smart Task Scan with your current scanner and driver combination, try upgrading to a newer scanner driver. The newer driver may be able to support Smart Task Scan.

To upgrade your scanner driver, click the Help menu in Picture It! and then click Scanner and Digital Camera Help. This topic contains a link to a topic called "Finding scanner and digital camera manufacturers on the WWW."

Follow the instructions in this topic to find your scanner manufacturer's Web page and download and install the driver they recommend, or call your scanner manufacturer's technical support line.

Additional query words: pi2k pictureit scans blocky jagged tshoot ts kbimu

Keywords: kbhowto kbhardware kb3rdparty KB241466

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