LaserSoft Imaging

I am having trouble getting Portfolio 7 to catalog and generate thumbnails for scans generated with Silverfast 6.4.2 on an Epson 4870. When I catalog these scans (of old photos), I end up with a thumbnail that looks like a piece of patterned matboard with no image at all. I have tried it with all Scan types with the same result.

I am wondering if Silverfast and Portfolio have basic incompatibilities. When I scan with the Epson software all seems OK. Obviously, I have asked this question of Extensis Portfolio, but given their lack of customer support--my best chance is on this forum.

Is anybody using these 2 products and can anybody explain my problem.

Dear tucsonjohncc

there are two ways of using SilverFast - either as a TWAIN or as a Photoshop Plugin.
TWAIN is a standard technology providing general access to image aquisition devices, but not very high quality. A TWAIN plugin can be started from most graphics manipulation software, if this adheres to the TWAIN standard as well as SilverFast does.

The usage of the Photoshop plugin is, however, preferable. Not only does the Photoshop plugin architecture allow to make use of some of Photoshop superb routines, but also employs a color management system which TWAIN lacks.

The Photoshop Plugin installer automatically installs a small little programme to your desktop called SF_Launcher. This is a helper programme to start the photoshop plugin without needing Photoshop installed on your computer.

If your graphics software doesn't support TWAIN well enough to work with SilverFast, there still is the option to use SilverFast as a stand-alone, scan & save, and then load the images into your graphics programme.

Best regards
Sonny Noack
- Manager Technical Support, LaserSoft Imaging AG -

Dear tucsonjohncc

however, I asked our testing center to run a short test with the available demo of Extensis Portfolio:
=> There was no problem to be found.

Perhaps another error cropped up here if you had been using the 6.4.2r2 release of SilverFast. If so, please simply update and try again.

In the unlikely case the error still occurs, please inform me about the exact settings of your scan which is unsuccessful:
https://www.silverfast.com/problemreport/en.html
How to help support staff to help you: https://www.silverfast.com/faq/1058/en.html
Thank you in anticipation of your kind co-operation.

Best regards
Sonny Noack
- Manager Technical Support, LaserSoft Imaging AG -

Thanks for the followup response. I am not sure what my problem was, but an update suggested by technical support seemed to solve the problem.

John