Ubuntu Manpage: xsane - scanner frontend for SANE

NAME

       xsane - scanner frontend for SANE

SYNOPSIS

       xsane  [--version|-v]  [--license|-l]  [--device-settings  file  |-d  file]  [--viewer|-V]
       [--save|-s]  [--copy|-c]  [--fax|-f]  [--mail|-m]  [--no-mode-selection|-n]   [--Fixed|-F]
       [--Resizable|-R]  [--print-filenames|-p]  [--force-filename  name  |-N name] [--display d]
       [--sync] [devicename]

DESCRIPTION

       xsane provides a graphical user-interface to control an image acquisition device such as a
       flatbed  scanner.   It allows previewing and scanning individual images and can be invoked
       either directly from the command-line or through The GIMP image manipulation program.   In
       the  former  case,  xsane  acts  as  a stand-alone program that saves acquired images in a
       suitable PNM format (PBM for black-and-white images, PGM for grayscale images, and PPM for
       color  images)  or  converts  the image to JPEG, PNG, PS or TIFF.  In the latter case, the
       images are directly passed to The GIMP for further processing.

       xsane accesses image acquisition devices  through  the  SANE  (Scanner  Access  Now  Easy)
       interface.  The list of available devices depends on installed hardware and configuration.
       When invoked without an explicit devicename argument, xsane presents a dialog listing  all
       known  and  available  devices.   To  access  an available device that is not known to the
       system, the  devicename  must  be  specified  explicitly.  The  format  of  devicename  is
       backendname:devicefile (eg: umax:/dev/sga).

RUNNING UNDER THE GIMP

       To  run xsane under the gimp(1), you should at first make sure that xsane is compiled with
       gimp support by entering "xsane -v" on a shell.  If xsane is compiled  with  gimp  support
       then  simply  set  a  symbolic  link  from the xsane-binary to one of the gimp(1) plug-ins
       directories.  For example, for gimp-1.0.x the command

              ln -s /usr/bin/xsane ~/.gimp/plug-ins/

       for gimp 1.2.x the command:

              ln -s /usr/bin/xsane ~/.gimp-1.2/plug-ins/

       and for gimp 2.0.x the command:

              ln -s /usr/bin/xsane ~/.gimp-2.0/plug-ins/

       adds a symlink for the xsane binary to the user's plug-ins directory.  After creating this
       symlink, xsane will be queried by gimp(1) the next time it's invoked.  From then on, xsane
       can  be  invoked  through  "Xtns->XSane->Device   dialog..."   (gimp-1.0.x)   or   through
       "File->Acquire->XSane->Device dialog..." (gimp-1.2.x and 2.0.x) menu entry.

       You'll also find that the "Xtns->XSane" or "File->Acquire->XSane" menu contains short-cuts
       to the SANE devices that were available at the time the  xsane  was  queried.   Note  that
       gimp(1)  caches  these  short-cuts  in ~/.gimp/pluginrc.  Thus, when the list of available
       devices changes (e.g., a new scanner is  installed  or  the  device  of  the  scanner  has
       changed),  then  it  is  typically  desirable  to rebuild this cache.  To do this, you can
       either touch(1) the xsane binary (e.g., "touch /usr/bin/xsane") or delete the plugin cache
       (e.g.,  "rm  ~/.gimp/pluginrc").   Either  way, invoking gimp(1) afterwards will cause the
       pluginrc to be rebuilt.

       When xsane is started from  the  gimp  then  it  is  not  possible  to  add  a  devicename
       explicitly.  You  have  to  make  the devices known to the system by configuring sane-dll,
       sane-net and saned.

OPTIONS

If the --version or -v flag is given xsane prints a version information, some information
about gtk+ and gimp version it is compiled against and lists the supported file formats,
then it exits.

when the --license or -l flag is given xsane prints license information and exits.

The --device-settings or -d flag reads the next option as default filename for device
settings. The extension ".drc" must not be included.

The --viewer or -V flag forces xsane to start in viewer mode.

The --save or -s flag forces xsane to start in save mode.

The --copy or -c flag forces xsane to start in copy mode.

The --fax or -f flag forces xsane to start in fax mode.

The --mail or -m flag forces xsane to start in mail mode.

The --no-mode-selection or -n flag disables the menu for xsane mode selection (viewer,
save, copy, fax, mail).

If the --Fixed or -F flag is given then xsane uses a fixed, non resizable main window.
The flag overwrites the preferences value.

If the --Resizable or -R flag is given then xsane uses a scrolled and resizable main
window. The flag overwrites the preferences value.

If --print-filenames or -p flag is given then xsane prints the names of created files to
the standard output.

When the flag --force-filename or -N is given then xsane reads the next option as default
image filename. The name should be of the format "name-001.ext". (or any other number
instead of 001) that 001 part will be used as a filename counter if xsane is so
configured. Beware that the number of digits must correspond to the configuration of
xsane. The selection box for filenames is disabled. This option normally should be used
with the option --no-mode-selection and --save.

The --display flag selects the X11 display used to present the graphical user-interface
(see X(1) for details).

The --sync flag requests a synchronous connection with the X11 server. This is for
debugging purposes only.

ENVIRONMENT

       SANE_DEFAULT_DEVICE
              is used to preselect the device in the device dialog. This way  you  only  have  to
              accept the device (<ENTER> or OK-Button).

FILES

       $HOME/.sane/xsane/xsane.rc
              This  files  holds  the  user  preferences.   Normally,  this  file  should  not be
              manipulated directly.  Instead, the user should customize the program  through  the
              "Preferences" menu.

       $HOME/.sane/xsane/devicename.rc
              For  each  device,  there  is  one  rc-file  that holds the saved settings for that
              particular device.   Normally,  this  file  should  not  be  manipulated  directly.
              Instead,  the  user should use the xsane interface to select appropriate values and
              then save the device settings using the "Preferences->Save Device Settings" menubar
              entry.

       /usr/share/sane/xsane/xsane-style.rc
              This system-wide file controls the aspects of the user-interface such as colors and
              fonts.  It is a GTK style file and provides fine control over the visual aspects of
              the user-interface.

       $HOME/.sane/xsane/xsane-style.rc
              This  file  serves  the same purpose as the system-wide style file.  If present, it
              takes precedence over the system wide style file.

AUTHOR

       Oliver Rauch <Oliver.Rauch@rauch-domain.de>

                                           15 Jun 2002                                   xsane(1)