LaserSoft Imaging

Here's a cadre of issues.....

First off, this is the system (under test:)

Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
Latest Adaptec ASPI drivers:
-ASPI32.SYS v4.71.2
-WOWPOST.EXE V4.6 (1021)
-WINASPI.DLL V4.6 (1021)
-WNASPI32.DLL V4.71.2
2.4GHz P4
1 Gig RAM
Photoshop 7.0.1
SilverFast Ai SFE-6.0.1r36A(Acer) IT8
Acer (Benq) ScanWit 2720S (SCSI)
The scanner is the only device on the SCSI chain, and is terminated.

Problems with LaserSOft SilverFast Ai IT8 ver6:

1) The color calibration process does not work. I've used the color calibration with Ai v5.5 for the Mac, so I'm familiar with the process. I've tried orienting the cal slide in all configurations. And I've re-downloaded the reference file (E011023.txt), which matches the calibration slide. The calibration "wizard" goes through its steps, but errors out during the last step. The error message reads, "Error: Color patch sampling unacceptable! Please cancel and correct the current frame position!" I've followed the literature for the selection by selecting only the color patches and the grayscale at the bottom. And I've endlessly tweaked the selection to try and get it to operate. The cal slide is clean, and I've got it in the scanner as straight as possible. Again, I've used your calibration software in the past with success, and this is why I think it's a software bug.

2) Prescan doesn't come up working about half the attempts. When using Prescan it either hangs and freezes Photoshop 7.0.1, or it errors out with nothing happening within SilverFast. Prior to the errors, a dialog box comes up indicating that calibration and focusing is being attempted. But, an error occurs during focusing. Following the focusing error, an additional error message indicates SilverFast could not start the scan.

3) The frame previewer has troubles prescanning, and if a prescan does occur, then some of the frames appear black even if there is a slide with good density present for the blackened preview frame.

4) The Focus preview sometimes does not initiate the manual or auto focus.

5) The focus preview zooms to the point focus in the default slide orientation, but when flipping the slide orientation to landscape, the focus preview does not zoom to the point focus. Instead it squishes the entire landscape oriented frame into the bottom of both the before and after preview windows. The lack of zoom for this orientation is pain because the focus cannot be determine when completely zoomed out.

6) Autofocus does not work when left in the auto mode for focus. It does work when in the focus preview window. But, when left in the auto mode, the scans don't use the autofocus. I can hear the scanner performing the autofocus, but this adjustment is not applied to the preview scan. I have to leave it in point focus for the focus offset to be applied.

Fixes attempted with no luck that I haven't already addressed:

1) Downloaded the lastest version of SilverFast

2) Trashed the files within the prefs directory inside the the SilverFast directory. This fix didn't work and is unacceptable because of my preferred settings, registration info, and color cal data is lost.

3) Restarting Windows, PC, Scanwit, and Photoshop. There is no given sequence for these listed restarts. And to get SilverFast to operate correctly seems to be completely random.

Sorry, this is a user forum not a support hotline. Please attend LaserSoft Support at support@silverfast.com

Dear Eric -
Just I tried to confirm your reported bugs. I used the same condition you have, together with SF 6.0.1r36(A) and the SCSI card: Acard 6712TU.
If the scanner works correct, I cannot find the bugs you descibed.
- Calibration: the frame position has to be a little bit inside the target - that means, it should not touch the edge of the target and the calibration will be successful.
- Overview - prescan - focus - autofocus and scan are working propper. Only once I fond the stange reaction you descibed under no. 5) but I never could reproduce this a second time. If you insert the frame holder not correct, you will get the problems you descibed under no.2 and 3, like black thumbnails or error messages. The best way I found out is: start the scanner without a frame holder - if it is ready start the computer and open SilverFast. Than insert the frame holder. Never send a command to the scanner until it brings the previous command to the end and stops.
Hopefully I could help you

with regards

Christoph

In response to the following:

"Sorry, this is a user forum not a support hotline. Please attend LaserSoft Support at support@silverfast.com"

Prior to posting in the user forum, I tried this method with very limited response.

After blindly hacking, I have fixed most of the problems. The culprit was the Acard SCSI card. For some reason the Acard was not compatible with my system and/or Windows 2000. I replaced it with an Adaptec AVA-2906 SCSI card, removed the existing driver, and installed the Adaptec 2906 driver.

At first, some of the problems still remained. After trashing the Silverfast preferences, and re-entering the serial number (again), everything works like a champ (so far)! I'm able to prescan, color calibrate, and perform all of the other functions.

Auto focus still seems to have problems. And the point focus preview windows still has the issue talked about before:

"5) The focus preview zooms to the point focus in the default slide orientation, but when flipping the slide orientation to landscape, the focus preview does not zoom to the point focus. Instead it squishes the entire landscape oriented frame into the bottom of both the before and after preview windows. The lack of zoom for this orientation is pain because the focus cannot be determine when completely zoomed out. "

Dear Eric-
I am sorry - I am not able to find what you descibe. I tried everything - but without success. Please will you be so kind: make a screen shot or better two and descibe really slowly step by step what you are doing, which button you hit and which slider you move until the bug appears.
Please send it to me or the forum and I will take care of it.

with regards

Christoph