# Simulate Scan Button in software?



## RonCam (Apr 10, 2007)

Is it possible to do a software simulation of pressing a Scan Button on a scanner? 
I want to pop up the 'registered imaging applications' box from an Icon on the Windows Desktop. Actually, in my OS, the box's title is "Event on Device."

Seems the newer HP scanners are _not_ backwardly-compatible with stimon.exe or stisvc.exe, according to HP's web site. These programs watch for a press of the Scan Button.

What's on the outside of the box, or documentation available in the store, says nothing about this, of course. You find out why the button won't work after you've bought the product, loaded the software, and come across the README file!! 

So, manually popping-up the box to launch an imaging application seems the only possiblity. Is there any utility program available for download from the 'net, that triggers whatever is needed to get this box to show?


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## asedt (Jun 18, 2008)

> Is it possible to do a software simulation of pressing a Scan Button on a scanner?


Maybe, it maybe helps if you know the scaners name.



> I want to pop up the 'registered imaging applications' box from an Icon on the Windows Desktop.


You only want to start the program that normaly starts when you press the scanner buttom?, I guess that for the program to run in the first place it's need to be installed somewhere so you can start it youself, but without the input from the scanner.


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## RonCam (Apr 10, 2007)

Thanks for your interest!


asedt said:


> You only want to start the program that normaly starts when you press the scanner buttom


The program? Do you mean one of the (several) imaging programs on the system, to received scanned input?

No, I'd like to start the _Registered Imaging Applications / Event on Device_ box.

When you have more than one registered scanning application, the Scan Button opens this box first, it's part of the Windows OS, and you then do a menu selection of the imaging program's name. It's generic to Windows, and not specific for any one scanning device.

This box tells Windows which imaging program the user wants to run. After you make a selection, the imaging program opens, not normally, but _at the point where it's ready to accept scanner input._ At least that's how it works, with my older (non-HP) scanner ...


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## asedt (Jun 18, 2008)

Ok

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms791815.aspx

You alredy sad that stisvc.exe didn't work, but maybe someone can find usefull information in that section on msdn.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms791886.aspx <- Look at that!

Btw, do you use windows 2000 as you profile says?
Then you need to take a look at this to:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms791865.aspx

Maybe can I try to put something togeter later if I have time left lol.


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## RonCam (Apr 10, 2007)

Yes, you are correct in your appraisal of the problem, and I am using Windows 2000 Pro. I think the HP All-In-One F2180 is looking for a WIA driver, only present in Windows ME and XP (and above), but not in 2000. When I push the Scan Button, the AIO's Power-Button light flashes for maybe 20 seconds, as if it's trying to connect with something, then goes out. 

Don't know if that only means the hardware is just looking for the HP software that links to the WIA driver, or if the HP software is also there and is looking for the driver itself. We would have to know exactly how much of the HP software gets installed when the install program sees Win2K, and nobody knows that, least of all HP tech support.

This is why I thought of a Desktop Shortcut, because with the above variables I don't know if anyone could get the Scan Button itself working ... although this would be ideal.

It would have been nice if HP had retained the ability for its software to talk with the stisvc service, as their previous models must have, in addition to the WIA service, in the event the latter wasn't available ...

Have looked at the links, good information. However, it seems more complicated that just typing a service's filename, plus a few parameters, into a normal Windows Shortcut ...


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## RonCam (Apr 10, 2007)

Perhaps it's time to bump this? Any help for anyone?

Still "googling" for a scan button solution.  I'm coming across my own questions of some months ago!!

Had to do a quick document scan with the HP this afternoon. What a drag!! Hit WinKey, look for scanning program; open application, go down menu for scan, click, Yes. Program stalls, cannot find scanner. Open scanner selection menu. The scanner with the (functional) Scan Button is still selected.  And so forth, so forth.

I'd very much like the new HP to work with as little trouble as the antique Logitech PageScan USB sheet-fed scanner. With this one, I just plug it in and hit the button ...

I think a scan-button simulation would be good for Vista users, based on what my Google search turned up. You have to read how HP tech support advised the use of _MS Paint_ as a work-around. Anyone think of a better solution?

Any help for us, from anyone?


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