+
+ + We appreciate any help we can get. Here are some topics on which you can work: +
+ ++ Are you a manufacturer or vendor of scanners and one of your scanners is not supported by SANE + yet? In this case please have a look at our information for manufacturers. +
+ ++ If you can provide more information for one of the scanners that's listed as "unsupported" in + our current list of unsupported + scanners or even want to add a new scanner, please send all information you have to us. + If you own an unsupported scanner, please send as much information as possible. Especially the + output of sane-find-scanner -v -v and/or cat /proc/scsi/scsi (for SCSI + scanners) or cat /proc/bus/usb/devices (for USB scanners) can help. If you dare to + open the scanner, have a look at the text that's printed on the chips. That may help to + identify the chipset. If you know that the scanner is similar to another one (e.g. supported + by the same Windows driver), please also mention this fact. Contact us by using using the form for + adding an unsupported device or by sending mail to the sane-devel mailing list. If you think anything in the list or + on this web page is wrong, please also contact us or file a bug + report. +
+ ++ If your scanner is unsupported by SANE, please consider writing a + backend for it. As scanners are very different to each other, you can't + expect the SANE developers to write the backend for you. If your scanner + is similar to one that already works, it may be easy to add support. But + if it's necessary to write a completely new backend, it's up to you. +
+ ++ The time and skills needed for writing a backend depends on the + "intelligence" of the scanner. If it's rather high-level, + i.e. understand commands like "scan-at-600-dpi", it may be possible to + write a basic driver in 10-20 hours. If the protocol is more low-level + (e.g. move-motor-one-step), it can take much longer. +
+ ++ You don't need to be an experienced programmer. Backends are usually + written in C, so some basic knowledge of this language helps. You need a + lot of patience, however, especially if you can't get programmer's + documentation from your scanner's manufacturer. +
+ ++ If you intend to write a backend: contact the sane-devel mailing + list and let us know. Get all the information about your scanner that's available: chipset + application manual (sometimes it's on the web), Windows drivers used (sometimes they tell + which chipset is used), programmer's information (if the manufacturer provides those). If you + don't have enough information about the protocol used by the scanner, try to find out what the MS Windows + driver does. For basic information about how SANE works, get the latest development version of SANE, read man sane and + doc/backend-writing.txt. Also have a look at existing backends, e.g. one of the USB backends, + if you want to support a USB scanner. +
+ ++ There are already some very capable frontends. So helping + with improving the existing frontends may make more sense than to write yet another one. On + the other hand there may be reasons to start writing a completely new frontend, like support + for a specific widget set, a programming language or a special type of devices (e.g. cameras, + slide scanners). In any case, keep the sane-devel mailing + list informed of your plans. +
+ + ++ If you think something in SANE isn't working as it should, please don't hesitate to file a bug report Please provide as many details as possible. Describe + which software you are using (operating system + version, distribution, version of + sane-backends and of the frontend you use). Explain exactly what doesn't work, is wrong or + missing. +
+ ++ If you found a bug in any documentation (man pages, web site, READMEs), please contact us + using the sane-devel mailing list or file + a bug report. Also write us if you think some documentation is missing. Please include a + patch in this case, if possible. Don't hesitate to send spelling and grammar mistakes. Most of + us are not native English speakers. +
+ ++ The options of the backends can be translated. For some languages, the translations are almost + complete, but some are lacking a lot of words and for most languages there is no translation + at all. If you want to help to translate the options to your native language (or a language + you speak fluently), contact the sane-devel mailing list and + have a look at the po/ directory in the source code. +
+ ++ If you had success using SANE we want to know about that, too. Especially if your scanner is + not in the lists yet or is marked "untested". Please send an email to the sane-devel mailing list or file a bug + report. +
+ +
+ SANE homepage
+ Contact
+
+ $Date$ $Author$ +
+ + + diff --git a/index.html b/index.html index a2400438..60ccc33e 100644 --- a/index.html +++ b/index.html @@ -99,9 +99,10 @@- SANE stands for "Scanner Access Now Easy" and is an application - programming interface (API) that provides standardized access to any - raster image scanner hardware (flatbed scanner, hand-held scanner, - video- and still-cameras, frame-grabbers, etc.). The SANE API is public domain and its discussion and - development is open to everybody. The current source code is written - for UNIX (including GNU/Linux) and is available under the GNU General - Public License (the SANE API is available to proprietary - applications and backends as well, however). Ports to MacOS X, OS/2 and Microsoft - Windows are either already done or in progress. + SANE stands for "Scanner Access Now Easy" and is an application programming interface + (API) that provides standardized access to any raster image scanner hardware (flatbed scanner, + hand-held scanner, video- and still-cameras, frame-grabbers, etc.). The SANE + API is public domain and its discussion and development is open to everybody. The current + source code is written for UNIX (including GNU/Linux) and is available under the GNU General + Public License (the SANE API is available to proprietary applications and backends as + well, however). More details about the license can be found on Ports to MacOS X, OS/2 and Microsoft Windows + are either already done or in progress.
diff --git a/manufacturers.html b/manufacturers.html new file mode 100644 index 00000000..ef9f397c --- /dev/null +++ b/manufacturers.html @@ -0,0 +1,96 @@ + + + +
+
+ + Are you a manufacturer or vendor of scanners and one of your scanners is not supported by SANE yet? As Linux and other Unix systems become more and more popular, many + people check for SANE support when buying scanners. A logo "Supported by SANE" or "Runs on + Linux" or similar would be nice, wouldn't it? Also an existing SANE backend would mean that + your scanner is no longer listed as unsupported in our lists and you could add + "Linux support" to the list of features on your website. +
++ As you are the manufacturer of the device, you have all the information necessary to write a + SANE backend (driver). That makes it much easier for you to do it than for any other + person. Most probably you only need to port your MS Windows code to SANE. You can ignore all + the graphical interface code as SANE already provides a variety of frontends (scanning applications). You only need the code for + accessing the scanner. For details on how to write a driver see our contributing page. +
++ I recommend to use the GPL + SANE exception license for your + code. So it can be included in the SANE distribution and your driver will come with most Linux + distributions. Furthermore you can use the existing code for USB and SCSI access and many + helper functions so you don't need to think about the low level details. And your scanner will + be supported not just on one operating system and platform but on everything SANE runs on (see + our platforms page). Providing source code makes it easier for + other developers to give feedback and send patches for bugs. +
++ If you can only release binary SANE backends that's better than nothing but still not + recommended. The SANE standard itself is public domain, so you are free to use it. But keep + in mind that you must adhere to our license if you use parts of the + SANE code. Binary-only drivers mean you can't get help from us or any SANE users because + nobody can debug your code. Binary-only drivers can not be included in the official SANE + releases. +
++ Yet another option is to publish complete programming information or the source code of the + scanner drivers for MS Windows. With this information it's much easier for a free software + developer to create a backend. Some manufacturers don't like to publish this information but + give it to selected developers only. That's possible, but the backend code will be GPL most + likely so at least part of the information will be public anyway. If you intend to publish + programming information, you may want to ask on the sane-devel mailing list if anyone is + interested in programming a driver. But keep in mind that providing programming information is + not a guarantee that a driver will ever be written. +
+ ++ The most important part is communication: Please tell us what you intend to do. We are also + interested in partial information, e.g. if some scanners use the same chipset as others. That + may help to write backends for a variety of devices. Also tell us if any of the information in + our lists is missing or wrong. So please contact the sane-devel + mailing list with your information and ideas. If you don't want to subscribe to this list, + please write to Henning Meier-Geinitz (henning@meier-geinitz.de). +
+ +
+ SANE homepage
+ Contact
+
+ $Date$ $Author$ +
+ + +