Scanning using PhotoShop 4.0

This documentation gives basic information on scanning. The assumption is that you will be using Mellon One and its scanner in a CTW Mellon Faculty Development Site; however, the basic steps for scanning are the same on similar computers. More complete information is available in the Photoshop 4.0 manuals in each FDS.

For scanning materials from transparencies, see below

Step 1. Turn on the scanner

• For scanning materials from books, paper, or other non-transparent materials, the lower switch (on the base) should be in the "1" (on) position, and the upper switch (on the lid) should be in the "0" (off) position.

Step 2. Turn on the computer

Step 3. Open Adobe PhotoShop

• Under the Apple menu at the top left of the screen, click and hold down on the item "Applications." Do not release the mouse button yet.
• When the menu of applications appears, slide the mouse to the right and down to "Adobe PhotoShop." You may now release the mouse button, and PhotoShop will load.

Step 4. Pre-scanning the Image

• Open the lid of the scanner and place the item to be scanned on the glass, lined up as indicated by the green arrow and rulers on the scanner. (It's a lot like lining up a document on the glass of a photocopier.)
• From Photoshop's "File" menu, choose "Import," followed by "Twain - Acquire..."
• A window titled "DeskScan II" will appear, complete with a preview of the item you're scanning. This window allows you a variety of options.
• From the "Type" drop-down menu, choose the description that best suits your original.
• If you're scanning line art (like a black and white drawing or cartoon, for example) "Sharp Black & White Drawing" is probably the most appropriate.
• If your original is a photograph, painting, or other item in color, choose "Sharp Millions of Colors"
• From the "Type" drop-down menu, indicate the way people will be looking at this image.
• If you will be printing the image you're scanning in, you need to choose the type of printer you will be using. If you eventually plan to print on the printer in the Mellon Faculty Development Site or one similar to it, choose "Other LaserJet 4 Series" from the "Path" drop-down menu.
• If your image will be used primarily on-screen (as part of a computer presentation or on the Web, for example), choose "Screen" from the "Path" drop-down menu.
• The Brightness, Contrast, and Scaling controls can be adjusted at your discretion, or, left alone, the computer will control them automatically. See the PhotoShop 4.0 documentation in the FDS for more information.

Step 5. Fine-tuning for the final scan

If you wish to scan a larger or smaller portion of the original than what's already been framed, you may use the mouse to draw a new frame around it.

1. To remove the currently drawn frame, point and click in an area of the preview image outside the current frame.
2. To draw a new frame, click in any corner of your image and drag the pointer to the corner diagonally opposite the one with which you started.
3. When you're happy with the placement and size of your frame, release the mouse button, and click on the "Zoom" button at the bottom of the DeskScan II window to get a better look at what you have framed.
4. If you don't like the changes you've made thus far, you can return to the original preview image by clicking the "Preview Button."
5. You can repeat these steps as many times as you like until the portion of the image inside the frame is what want to scan.

Step 6. The final scan

Step 7. Saving your scanned image.

1. Choose "Save" from the "File" menu. A dialog box will appear.
2. To store the file in your personal folder in the "Users" folder on Mellon One:
3. Click the "Desktop" button.
4. Double click "Mellon One" from the list of files and folders.
5. Scroll down to the "Users" folder and double-click on it.
6. Double-click on your personal user folder.
7. Click in the box titled "Save this document as:" and change the name from "Untitled-1" to something meaningful to you.
8. Below the file name box is a "Format" drop-down box. Choose from this box a file format appropriate to the purpose for which you intend to use the image.
• If you will be using this image ERRATA or HyperCard, choose "PICT File".
• For World Wide Web documents, choose "Compuserve GIF" or "JPEG".
9. Click the "Save" button.

That's it! You have just scanned an image and saved it!

Don't forget to...

• Retrieve your original from the scanner.
• Take your digitized materials with you. You can put them on a diskette or on a Zip or Jaz cartridge or move them across the network to your office machine. Please ask the Assistant Director or one of our Technology Support Specialists for help.
• Quit Adobe PhotoShop by choosing "Quit" from the "File" menu.
• Turn the scanner and the computer off when you're done with them.

Scanning a transparency or slide:

• Turn on the scanner. Note that there are two switches on the right side of the scanner toward the back. They should both be in the "1" (on) position.
• Place you original on the glass, making sure that the top of your original is at least 1.75 inches from the top of the glass.
• Cover the rest of the area with something black (or at least opaque) so the scanner does not get confused by too much light.
• Follow the instructions for Adobe PhotoShop scanning (from step 2).

Troubleshooting:

• I scanned in an image as a "Millions of colors" or "Sharp millions of colors", but I can't save it as a GIF.

You will have to use GraphicConverter to convert the image. In Adobe PhotoShop save the image as a PICT. Open GraphicConverter (at Trinity) on "Mellon One" open "Mellon Application", "Multimedia", "GraphicConverter 3.1" folders and then click on the Graphic Convertericon to start the program. With GraphicConverter open your image (PICT), select "Open" from the "File" menu. Next, from the "File" menu select "Save As". Then, from the "Format" drop down select "GIF" and save.


• I scanned in an image as a "Black and white drawing" or "Sharp black and white drawing", but I can't save it as a JPEG.

You will have to use GraphicConverter to convert the image. In Adobe PhotoShop save the image as a PICT. Open GraphicConverter (at Trinity) on "Mellon One" open "Mellon Application", "Multimedia", "GraphicConverter 3.1" folders and then click on the Graphic Convertericon to start the program. With GraphicConverter open your image (PICT), select "Open" from the "File" menu. Next, from the "File" menu select "Save As". Then, from the "Format" drop down select "JPEG" and save.