Scanning Options dialog

The Scanning Options dialog allows you to set several parameters for an application to use during scanning, online scoring, online conversion, and online editing.

CAUTION: The settings in this dialog affect only the currently selected application. Each application has its own Scanning Options settings. You should view and check the Scanning Options settings each time you select a different application, or configure the scanner differently with the same application.

This dialog can be accessed from both the Application Module and the Main Window.

• Application Module - On the Application Menu, select Settings. On the Application Settings dialog, click the Defaults button. On the Defaults dialog, click the Scanning button. When you access it from here, you are defining default values that will be used when the application is first selected after it has been installed in the Main Window.
• Main Window - On the Options Menu, select Scanning Options. When you access it from here, any changes take effect the next time you scan using this application. Settings made here override the default values that were defined from the Application module.

Scanning options are the only options used at scan time. The other ScanTools options are used only for post-scan actions:

• Editing uses Edit Options
• Scoring uses Score Options
• Converting uses Conversion Options
• Archiving uses Archive options

The Scanning Options dialog consists of two tabs - a File Names tab and a Scanner Control tab.

The following is an illustration of the File Names tab followed by the Scanner Control tab. Both illustrations contains "hot spots". Click in the area for more information and online help will jump to the appropriate supporting text.

File Names Tab

The File Names tab provides settings for the Data file, Score profile, Edit profile, Conversion profile, and Conversion output file fields.

Data File

The Data File group box names the file to which scanned data is written.

Use current - automatically selects the file name currently appearing in the File Bar.

Use selected - shows the file name list. Make the appropriate selection. Whatever you select here overrides the file name currently in the File Bar.

Use autoname - allows you to create a file name that does not change from scan to scan; or you can define an automatic naming template that enables ScanTools software to create a different file for each scan.

To select an automatic naming template, use the following steps:

1. Select the Use autoname check box.
2. Press the Define Autoname button (it appears only when Use Autoname is selected). The Automatic File Naming dialog box appears.

Score Profile

This group box names the score profile to be used for online scoring during scanning.

• >Use current - automatically selects the score profile currently appearing in the File Bar.
• >Use selected - shows the score profile list. Make the appropriate selection. Your selection overrides the score profile currently in the File Bar.

Edit Profile

This group box names the edit profile to be used. If editing will be performed after scanning, an edit profile must be selected during scanning so that the document can be flagged if editing is needed.

For Image Scanner Implementation Only: The Image clips acquired at scan-time and displayed later during post-scan editing are based on the edit profile selected at scan-time.

This group box names the edit profile to be used for online editing during scanning and lets you select online edit correction.

• >Use current - automatically selects the edit profile currently appearing in the File Bar.
• >Use selected - shows the edit profile list. Make the appropriate selection. Your selection overrides the edit profile currently in the File Bar.

The Online Edit Correction check box lets you correct failing document records while the scanner is scanning the forms. When this check box is checked, ScanTools shows the Edit Correction (dialog box).

Output Conversion

This group box lets you set up two items - a Conversion profile and an Output file box.

Select the conversion profile to be used for online conversion during scanning.

• >Use current - automatically selects the conversion profile currently appearing in the File Bar.
• >Use selected - shows the conversion profile list. Make the appropriate selection. Your selection overrides the conversion profile currently in the File Bar.

Select the output file that stores the converted data.

• >Use default name - uses the same name as the data file but adds a different extension. See Output Format - Conversion Profile.
• >Use other - use browse to select the appropriate conversion output file.

Data and Output conversion files

This group box applies to both data files and output conversion files. The following radio buttons let you determine how new data is stored in the data file and converted file.

Append

When Append is selected, new data is added after the last data record of the Data file or Converted file.

NOTE: The SPSS conversion format does not support appending to the converted output file. Instead, the converted output file will be replaced.

Replace

When Replace is selected, new data replaces (writes over) all the old data in the Data file or Converted f All old data in the Data file or Converted file is erased and cannot be recovered.vered.

Replace at S/N

NOTE: The Replace at S/N option is not available for online conversion.

When Replace at Serial Number (S/N) is selected, new data replaces (writes over) old data beginning at the Serial Number specified on the Scanner Control tab. To use this option, you must have Scanning Options checked in the Confirmations dialog which is accessed from the Configure Menu.

When you use this option with Confirmations on, the Scanning Options dialog appears when you begin scanning using the Scan button or Scan Action. At that time (just before scanning actually begins), under Serial Number, enter the serial number where you want the replacing to begin.

NOTE: If you scanned in the 1900’s, and then in the next century (2000’s), select Append or Replace at S/N to add records to the data file; the two-digit year for date scanned can be converted only to either 19xx or 20xx. This is done using a conversion profile, NCS Header Year Format - Conversion Profile You cannot achieve a mix of 19xx and 20xx dates in the converted file header.

Scanner Control Tab

The Scanner Control tab provides the capability for setting the Stop Scanner On, Batch Data, Transport Printer, and Read Parameters fields.

NOTE: You should view and check these settings each time you change the scanner configuration (either a different scanner, or different equipment on the same scanner) with the same application.

Stop Scanner On

• System Errors - When this check box is checked, ScanTools software stops scanning whenever any error is encountered.

When the currently configured scanner does not have a select stacker, stopping on any error is mandatory. In this case, this option is always checked; it is disabled and you cannot change it.

When the currently configured scanner has an integrated select stacker or has an optional select stacker installed and configured, you can uncheck this option. In this case, when one of the system errors listed below is encountered, the sheet will go to the select stacker and scanning continues to the next sheet. "System Error" will be displayed in the Scanning Progress dialog for the selected sheet.

• Form ID mark error
• Timing mark error

NOTE: For OpScan 3/4/4U and OpScan iNSIGHT 4 scanners, determine whether the scanner has a select stacker and check or uncheck the Select Stacker option in the Scanner Configuration dialog as needed. If ScanTools' knowledge of your scanner configuration is incorrect and it is told there is a select stacker when there is not one, it may result in unrecognized sheets being ignored when the Stop Scanner On System Errors check box is unchecked.

• Thickness Errors (scanner controls errors) - The default value is checked (ON). This causes the scanner (not the ScanTools application) to control thickness checking and stop scanning when a thickness error is detected.

NOTE: If this option is ON, you cannot scan a batch of forms that vary in thickness.

If this box is NOT checked, the ScanTools application controls thickness checking based on the Sheet Thickness value defined in the New Document or Select Document dialog. For more information, see Sheet Thickness Checking.

• iNSIGHT20 and iNSIGHT 30 Scanners: This setting is ignored by the iNSIGHT 20 and iNSIGHT 30 scanners. The iNSIGHT 20 and iNSIGHT 30 scanners do not perform thickness checking, whether or not this is checked or if values are defined in the application.
• EZData Scanner: This setting is ignored by the EZData scanner. The EZData scanner does not perform thickness checking, whether or not this is checked or if values are defined in the application.
• Litho-code Errors - When this check box is checked, ScanTools software stops scanning when a Litho-code error is encountered by the scanner, and an error message appears. If this is not checked, Litho-code are not checked, and no errors are reported. A Litho-code is an optional binary-coded serial number that is unique to every form. They are pre-printed grids that check that all sheets in a booklet are from the same individual document.

Batch Data

The data in these fields is recorded in the NCS Header of each document record.

• Serial - a unique number associated with each document record. This number increments as each document is scanned.
• Batch - a unique number associated with each batch of documents you scan. The number increments each time you start to scan a new batch of documents. You can modify the number if you want. You can also use the Autoname function's scan sequence number as the batch number.
• Run - a single-digit that you set manually. You can use this field to identify a group of batches.

CAUTION: If you do not change the Print Position, the print string prints over the current position, probably making it illegible. If you set the run number to greater than one, the Print Position does NOT automatically change. We recommend that you change the print position setting when the run number is greater than one.

• Date - the date on which you scanned the documents. This field can contain:

The word Today, indicating that your PCs system date is used as the scan date.

Any other date, in the general form m/d/y. The range of valid Date years is 1980 - 2099. If you enter an abbreviated value for the year, ScanTools software converts it as follows:

The scan date is always stored in the NCS Header as six characters (mmddyy).

Transport Printing

The check boxes in this area specify what you want printed. In addition to the items listed below, printing can also be defined in the application Output Field Entry dialog, the edit profile On Failure dialog, and the score profile Print Scores dialog - Score Profile.

See Transport Printing for more information about how printing is implemented in ScanTools software. Refer to your scanner Operator’s Manual for the specific capabilities of the transport printer on the scanner you are using; this includes the number of characters that can be printed on a sheet, and the location on the sheet where the printing can occur.

• Serial Number - Print the Serial Number you specified in the Serial field.
• Batch Number - Print the Batch Number you specified in the Batch field.
• Run Number - Print the Run Number you specified in the Run field.
• Scan Date - Print the Scan Date you specified in the Date field.
• Offset Edit Printing - Select this check box if you don’t want batch data to overwrite edit failure data. You select batch data to be printed (serial number, batch number, run number, or scan date) on this Scanning Options dialog. You select edit failure data as part of the edit profile On Failure dialog. The edit failure data prints on the first scan of the document. After correcting the document, you scan the document the second time, printing the batch data ahead of the edit failure data to avoid overprinting. For example:

• Pass 1. If a document is rejected during the first pass, only the edit failure data (error message or field value) set up in the On Failure dialog will print. Batch data will NOT be printed until the next pass.
• Pass 2. After you fix the problem on the document, you can re-scan the document. The batch data, output field contents, and scores (if selected) will be printed.

• Four-character Year - If this box is checked, the scan date is printed in the format mm/dd/yyyy.

If this box is not checked, the scan date is printed in the format mm/dd/yy.

This option is available only when the Scan Date print option is checked.

NOTE: This setting is used only for printing, not for storing the year in the NCS Header. The NCS Header always stores the year as two digits, using the last two digits (mmddyy).

• Print Position - the Print Position counter specifies the beginning location of the print string. The print string can include the first serial number, batch number, run number, and scan date. The print position setting is especially important if you have a run number greater than one.

NOTE: We recommend that you change the print position setting when the run number is greater than one. If you do not change the Print Position, the print string prints over the current position, probably making it illegible. If you set the run number to greater than one, the Print Position does NOT automatically change.

iNSIGHT 20 and iNSIGHT 30 Scanners: The iNSIGHT 20 and iNSIGHT 30 scanners do not have a Transport Printer. Any items checked will be ignored when scanning with that scanner.

EZData Scanner: The EZData scanner does not have a Transport Printer. Any items checked will be ignored when scanning with that scanner.

Read Parameters

Read parameter controls are located in both the Read Controls dialog and the Read Parameters section of the Scanning Options dialog. The controls provided in these two dialogs are similar and they are, in fact, interrelated. The key considerations regarding how they work together are:

• Read Controls are set during application development only. They enable the application developer to either set the read parameters and/or to define how much control the application user has over read parameters at scan-time.
• Scanning Options, including Read Parameters, are available during application development and at scan-time:
• When accessed from the Application Module during application development, they enable the application developer to set the initial scan-time read parameters for the application user.
• When accessed from the Main Window at scan-time, they enable the application user to set scan-time read parameters to whatever degree allowed by the developer.

The Read Parameters box allows you to adjust the appropriate mark threshold and discrimination margin levels of OMR Bubbles, Check Marks, and Tick Marks for the documents being scanned. The values are originally set for the application in the Read Controls dialog.

• Bubble - an approximately round response area (circle or oval). The round area is filled in to indicate a response.
• Check Mark (For Image Only) - an approximately square response area where an X, check, or other mark indicates a response.
• Tick Mark (For Image Only) - a rectangular response area approximately as wide as a normal OMR position, but only as high as a thick pencil mark. A single horizontal stroke is used to indicate a response. Also known as line read.

The Read Parameters are enabled only if the application Read Controls dialog, Scan Time Read Parameters Control is set to Keyword Level Control or Absolute Level Control.

The Read Parameters are disabled if the application Read Controls dialog, Scan Time Read Parameters Control is set to None, which means you cannot change the values at scan-time.

For most documents, a threshold level of Normal and a discrimination level of Medium are appropriate. You can adjust these levels (if necessary) when scanning batches of problem forms.

• Threshold - determines how dark a mark must be on a form before the scanner detects it.

Light detects very light marks.

Normal is the setting to use for most normal scanning tasks.

Dark detects only very heavy marks.

• Discrimination - determines the degree of difference in darkness that is permitted for valid marks.

Low causes ScanTools software to pick one mark over another, even if they are very similar.

Medium balances picking one mark over another based on their differences, without requiring moderate differen Medium is the setting to use for most normal scanning tasks.tasks.

High causes ScanTools software to pick one mark over another only if they differ significantly.

EZData Scanner: This setting is NOT used by the EZData scanner.

Some application definitions enable you to select numeric values for threshold and discrimination. Refer to your scanner's user guide for information on appropriate values. Also see Scanner Read Levels.