Scanning with vb.net

[Begginnerdev]

I have a question.

Does anyone know of a way to scan an image into vb.net, and then save that image as a multipage tiff?

I would need a redistributable.

I have been looking for a library that will do this, but every one I have found does not meet my needs without costing $500 or more.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Reverend Jim]

The Windows Imaging Automation component might do it for you. http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=18287

The Windows Image Acquisition Automation Library v2.0 provides basic image acquisition and manipulation functionality to Visual Basic and Scripting applications.

[ChrisPadgham]

WIA is your best bet if your scanner drivers support it. Otherwise you will need to use TWAIN. There is a product called EZITWAIN which I have used at a client where WIA did not work.

[Begginnerdev]

Will check both out, thanks for the help guys.

[Begginnerdev]

The WIAAL page said:

Windows Image Acquisition Automation Library v2.0 is only supported on Windows XP with Service Pack 1 installed.

Is this an old article, or is it just Microsoft being....well....Microsoft?

[Reverend Jim]

Probably means "officially" supported. Try it anyway. If there is a problem then set your program to run in XP compatibility mode.

[Begginnerdev]

I am not having any luck with scanning multiple pages from the ADF. I have scoured the net from top to bottom looking for an article similar to what I am needing, but to no avail. It is starting to get frustrating.

So far I have this:

Dim CD As New WIA.CommonDialog
        For i = 0 To 1000
            Try
                F = CD.ShowAcquireImage(WiaDeviceType.ScannerDeviceType)
                F.SaveFile("C:\Users\***********\Desktop\" & DocumentNameTextBox.Text & ".tif")
            Catch ex As Exception
                If InStr(ex.Message, "Exception from HRESULT: 0x80210003") Then
                    Exit For
                Else
                    MsgBox(ex.Message)
                End If
            End Try
        Next

This works, but I don't need the select device prompt every time. I just want to select the ADF once, therefore, the ADF will be used to scan until the feeder is empty.

I have also tried numerous open source libraries that say they use the ADF but in reality they use the flatbed. -_-

I am beginning to get very discouraged about finding a solution that doesn't cost major cash.

[Begginnerdev]

Bump..

Anyone have any clue what I am doing wrong? I have scoured the internet all day for the last 4 day looking for a reference. Is it safe to assume it is a lost cause?

[Reverend Jim]

The only time I had to scan a large number of items was when I converted all my photo albums to digital. I just bit the bullet and got a scanner with a document feeder (and the software to drive it). I'm out of suggestions. Sorry.

[Begginnerdev]

Ah ha!

I have found the answer.

Import the wia library.

imports wia

'declare needed components.
dim dev as device
dim cd as commondialog


'use in form load or button click
dev = cd.showselectdevice(wiadevicetype.scannerdevicetype, false)

'This is the best part....MULTIPAGE TIFFS WITHOUT TROUBLE!
cd.showaquisitionwizard(dev)

'This will open the wizard with all functionality for the scanner.

Makes life MUCH easier.

[jdfrazier]

Do you have any ideas on not prompting the color/gray scale prompt screen every time?

[Begginnerdev]

First, please start a new thread for help. Don't hijack dead threads.

Second,I had found an open source library from here.

I have modified it to allow the user to save last scanner/settings/savelocation.