Runtime Parameters Options - Download

If you selected Runtime Parameter Options from the Confirmations, this dialog box appears when you select the Parameters Button from the Download Utility main window or Download Runtime Parameters from the Actions menu of the main window.

In addition, you can access it by selecting Runtime Parameters from the Options menu of the main window.

From this dialog box, you specify the parameters that govern the scanning run. Download software creates a file containing these parameters in the ScanTools Data Files directory (The default directory is C:\Program Files\Scantron\ScanTools Plus\Data Files. Your directory may be different). The file has the same name as the associated application, with a .RTP extension.

If you want to set all fields to their default values, select the Defaults button.

App Number

This is the number of the application that was used to create the command file.

This parameter is downloaded to the scanner even though it does not appear on this dialog box.

First Serial Number

In this field, you enter the serial number you want to give to the first document scanned.

Each document scanned is assigned a serial number. The first serial number is assigned to the first document scanned. Each document after the first one is given a number one greater than the number of the document that preceded it. If you are adding data to a file that already contains data from scanning, the serial number assigned to the first document scanned will be one greater than the serial number of the last record in the file, unless you change it.

The default value for this field is 1. Download software accepts 0 through 9999 as valid values.

Batch Number

In this field, you enter the batch number you want to give to the sheets in the batch that is about to be scanned.

A batch is a group of sheets that are related to one another and are scanned at the same time, one after another. Sheets in a batch should be given a Batch Number to identify them as members of the same batch. If you are adding data to a file that already contains data from scanning, the batch number assigned to the scanned sheets is automatically the same as the batch number of the records in the data file.

The default value for this field is 1. Download software accepts 0 through 999 as valid values.

Run Number

In this field, you enter the run number you want to give to this scanning run.

The run number identifies documents that are scanned together in the same scanning "run." If your scanner has a transport printer, you can use the run number to control where messages are printed on sheets (see Scanning Options for information print positions).

The default value for this field is 1. Download software accepts 0 through 9 as valid values.

Mark Threshold

In this field you can adjust the mark threshold for the documents being scanned. The mark threshold determines how dark a mark must be on a form before the scanner detects it.

• Light causes ScanTools to accept very light marks.
• Normal is the setting to use for most normal scanning tasks.
• Dark causes ScanTools to accept only very heavy marks.

For most documents, a Normal mark threshold level is appropriate. You can adjust this level if necessary when scanning batches of problem forms.

You must enter the numeric value that corresponds to these read levels.

See Scanner Read Levels for the numeric value that corresponds to the read level you want.

The default value for this field is 5. Download software accepts 3 through 10 as valid values.

Discrimination Cutoff

In this field you can set the discrimination cutoff. The discrimination cutoff is the point at which two marks are both dark enough to be considered valid marks.

The default value for this field is 10. Download software accepts 10 through 15 as valid values.

Discrimination Margin

In this field you set the Discrimination margin. The discrimination margin is the number of read levels darker one mark must be than another mark to be recognized as valid (while the other mark is disregarded).

These are the possible settings:

• Low regards only marks within a narrow range of darkness as acceptable.
• Medium is the setting used for most typical scanning tasks.
• High accepts marks within a wide range of darkness.

In most cases, a discrimination margin of Medium works best.

You must enter the numeric value that corresponds to these discrimination margins.

See Scanner Read Levels for the numeric value that corresponds to the discrimination margin you want.

The default value for this field is 3. Download software accepts 3 through 15 as valid values.

Form ID/Litho Threshold

In this field you set the Form ID mark or litho-code threshold. Form ID marks are the small black squares on a form that identify it. Litho-codes are pre-printed, machine readable numbers on a form that identify it. This field allows you to set the read threshold for the type of identifier on your form (form ID mark or litho-code).

You must enter the numeric value that corresponds to the threshold.

See Scanner Read Levels for the numeric value that corresponds to the threshold you want.

The default value for this field is 8. Download software accepts 6 through 8 as valid values.

When you have set the runtime parameters to the values you want, click OK. When you click OK, the parameters are downloaded to the scanner (unless you accessed this dialog box from the Options list).