YaST/Modules/Scanner

From openSUSE

General

SANE

SANE stands for Scanner Access Now Easy. That is the project created few years ago to solve the problem of scanner support in Linux. The SUSE Linux and openSUSE scanner support is based on SANE.

Automatic configuration

means that scanner is recognized and configured with minimal user interaction.

User starts YaST Scanner module, which performs automatic recognition and configuration. At the end user confirms result with Next. Currently this is possible for:

• USB scanners,
• SCSI scanners,
• scanners in HP all-in-one devices, and
• remote scanners connected to a another computer in network.

Semiautomatic configuration

means that scanner is not recognized automatically or recognition is not performed at all, and user has to select the scanner form the list and then YaST Scanner will attempt to load driver and configure scanner. This is how it works for:

• Parallel port scanners and
• network scanners (i.e. scanner that has built in network interface and doesn't need host computer to be connected to network.)

Note: The list of scanners contain all known scanner models, both, supported and not supported. Read all information provided about each model that you consider to select. It will save your time.

The most current list of scanning devices can be found on SANE project web page:

http://www.sane-project.org/sane-supported-devices.html

Note: This list can be newer and not used by your current YaST Scanner module, but it will be included in next openSUSE release.

Not supported

Even if your model is listed as not supported, some scanners can be configured manually. For more information see:

• http://www.sane-project.org/
• the documentation in the package "sane-backends", and
• Parallel port scanners article.

Troubleshooting

USB

A normal USB scanner should be detected automatically. If it was not detected or if there are unexpected results, try Other and Restart Detection. It may also work to proceed with Add. In particular, HP all-in-one devices, such as OfficeJets and PSCs, are not detected, but can be configured this way. If difficulties arise, connect it directly with a short USB cable to the computer and check whether it appears in the output of the command lsusb. If it is not listed there, the USB system cannot communicate with the scanner.

SCSI

SCSI scanners are normally detected. If difficulties arise, check whether your scanner is shown by the command lsscsi. If not, the SCSI system cannot communicate with the scanner. Verify that an appropriate kernel module for the SCSI host adapter is loaded and that the cable connection and termination is correct.

Common

If a driver is set up but no scanner is recognized by the driver or if the test via Other and Test fails, possible reasons are:

• The scanner is not connected or switched off.
• The driver is not the right one for the particular model (even small differences in model names or internal differences in the same model series may require different drivers).
• There are low-level device communication problems like a low-level USB problem or a low-level SCSI problem.

Remote Scanners

Some notes regarding using a remote scanner via another host in the network (Other and Scanning via Network):

If you have locally connected scanners and want to make them accessible via the network, set up the saned network scanning daemon so that your host becomes a server. Specify which client hosts are permitted to access saned on your server. If saned is activated, xinetd is also activated and set up for saned. Clients contact saned via the sane-port (TCP port 6566) but scanning data is transferred via an additional random port. The default firewall settings during system installation protect your host from external access. This is not a problem when using scanners in an internal network (when the network interface belongs to the internal network zone) unless you have firewall protection enabled for the internal zone. Allowing access from an external network does not make sense because scanning documents requires physical scanner access.

If you want to access scanners connected to other hosts (servers where saned is running), set up the net metadriver to access them via the daemon running on the servers.

See Also

• YaST
• HCL/Scanners
• Configuring Scanners from SUSE LINUX 9.2

External Links

• YaST at Novell