Epson Perfection 1240U

Steps to Scan in Brief

1. Log in to the computer
2. Lift the lid and place your document on the scanner, face down, upper right corner.
3. Launch the Software
4. Scan
5. Edit image as needed

Which Software Can I Use?

Although there are pros and cons to each program, when you consider the features of each, in the long run it does not matter which one you use to scan.

• Adobe Photoshop
  • this program is not installed locally, the program is run from one of our servers
  • thus when you click on the shortcut on the desktop, the program launch may take a minute or two
• Microsoft Photo Editor
• Microsoft Image Composer
• any of the Microsoft Office products

Adobe Photoshop

This is by far my favorite program, perhaps because I am most familiar with it.

• Insert the object to be scanned into the scanner.
• To acquire an image via Photoshop, click FileImportEpson Twain 5
• Allow the scanner to warm up if necessary. It will then perform a quick preview scan of the contents of the scanner.
• After it finishes, simply click and drag a box around the portion of the image you wish to save.
• On the top left of the screen, select the resolution you wish to scan the image at
  • 300 if you wish to archive a copy of this picture
  • 110 if you simply intend to publish it to the web or use in a PowerPoint
• If the image is purely black and white, you may wish to change the default image type from Color Photo to something more appropriate.
  • This is accomplished via the drop down box above resolution
  • If the picture is extremely light or dark, you may wish to adjust the exposure via the settings button (labeled with a wrench and screwdriver)
• Once you have everything set, simply click the large Scan button at the bottom to complete the scan of your image
• When it is finished scanning, you may edit your image via Photoshop (see the Photoshop tutorial on Spider for assistance with this)
• After that, you may save your image by clicking FileSave As and choose a location (hard drive, Y drive, zip disk, etc.)

Microsoft Photo Editor

This is a rather simplistic photo editing software, but it gets the job done.

• First, you need to tell the software which scanner drivers to use
  • This is a “once only setup“ that you only need to check before you scan your first image
  • To check choose FileSelect Scanner Source and select the Epson Twain 5 driver
• Next select FileScan Image
• Allow the scanner to warm up if necessary. It will then perform a quick preview scan of the contents of the scanner.
• After it finishes, simply click and drag a box around the portion of the image you wish to save.
• On the top left of the screen, select the resolution you wish to scan the image at
  • 300 if you wish to archive a copy of this picture
  • 110 if you simply intend to publish it to the web or use in a PowerPoint
• If the image is purely black and white, you may wish to change the default image type from Color Photo to something more appropriate.
  • This is accomplished via the drop down box above resolution
  • If the picture is extremely light or dark, you may wish to adjust the exposure via the settings button (labeled with a wrench and screwdriver)
• Once you have everything set, simply click the large Scan button at the bottom to complete the scan of your image.
• You may now use Photo Editor to perform some simple editing operations, such as cropping, rotating, etc.
• When you are finished, click FileSave As and choose a location (hard drive, Y drive, zip disk, etc.).

Microsoft Image Composer

I still prefer Adobe Photoshop over all others, but this software is better than Photo Editor (in that it gives you more editing options). To scan via Image Composer

• Choose FileScan ImageSelect Scan Source
  • This need only be checked before the first scan, but make sure that Epson Twain 5 is selected
• Choose FileScan ImageAcquire Scan
• Allow the scanner to warm up if necessary. It will then perform a quick preview scan of the contents of the scanner.
• After it finishes, simply click and drag a box around the portion of the image you wish to save
• On the top left of the screen, select the resolution you wish to scan the image at
  • 300 if you wish to archive a copy of this picture
  • 110 if you simply intend to publish it to the web or use in a PowerPoint
• If the image is purely black and white, you may wish to change the default image type from Color Photo to something more appropriate.
  • This is accomplished via the drop down box above resolution
  • If the picture is extremely light or dark, you may wish to adjust the exposure via the settings button (labeled with a wrench and screwdriver)
• Once you have everything set, simply click the large Scan button at the bottom to complete the scan of your image
• You may now use Image Composer to perform any necessary editing operations, such as cropping, rotating, etc.
• When you are finished, click FileSave As and choose a location (hard drive, Y drive, zip disk, etc.). 

Microsoft Office Products

You may scan an image to place directly into any Microsoft Office product (Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc.) without having to use a separate piece of software. If the image you have needs little or no editing after scanning, then you can:

• Position your cursor at the location you would like to insert the picture
• Choose InsertPictureFrom Scanner or Camera
• Select Custom Insert. Allow the scanner to warm up if necessary. It will then perform a quick preview scan of the contents of the scanner.
• After it finishes, simply click and drag a box around the portion of the image you wish to save
• On the top left of the screen, select the resolution you wish to scan the image at
  • 300 if you wish to archive a copy of this picture
  • 110 if you simply intend to publish it to the web or use in a PowerPoint
• If the image is purely black and white, you may wish to change the default image type from Color Photo to something more appropriate.
  • This is accomplished via the drop down box above resolution.
  • If the picture is extremely light or dark, you may wish to adjust the exposure via the settings button (labeled with a wrench and screwdriver).
• Once you have everything set, simply click the large Scan button at the bottom to complete the scan of your image.
• Your picture will be inserted into your document at the position of the cursor.

Using Photoshop to Edit Your Picture

Rotating, Resizing, or Cropping Your Image

• To rotate
  • Choose ImageRotate Canvas and choose your angle of rotation

Special note: if an image was placed on the scanner bed slightly off kilter, try doing a custom rotation of 0.5 degrees
Repeat as needed until it is perfectly aligned.

• To resize
  • Choose ImageImage size
    • This will bring up a dialog box that will let you change the size of your picture
    • MAKE SURE THE CONSTRAIN PROPORTIONS BOX IS CHECKED, or else you’ll end up with a fun-house mirror effect
    • From this dialog box you may also lower the resolution of your image, but keep in mind that once you’ve lowered it, raising it will not bring back that lost quality
• To crop
  • Use the selection tool (top left tool of the toolbar) to select the rectangular area that you wish to keep
  • Now click ImageCrop
• Oops, I wanna undo that!
  • Choose WindowShow History (if it’s not already showing)
  • The history will allow you to undo anything up to the last save or when you first scanned the document
  • In the history window, simply click on the step above the one you wish to undo; this will undo everything you did after that step

Saving Your File

• Choose FileSave As
• Select a location (such as your Y:/ drive)
• Name the file something descriptive instead of using the default name.
• Change the file type from the Photoshop file type (*.PSD, .PDD) to the JPEG file type (*.JPG, *.JPE)
  • JPEG images are the universal standard that most every program (such as PowerPoint) can accept and incorporate.

If you want to use PhotoShop to do some editing of your images, click here or contact Chris Bond.

Questions? Contact the Help Desk

Copyright©2003
last updated June 02, 2003