# Re: Parallel Scanners (UMAX Astra 1220P)

From: Jerome Hettich (sane@hettich.demon.co.uk)
Date: Fri Jun 09 2000 - 02:23:46 PDT

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  I have seen somewhere (I don't remember where now) that the umax 1220P uses
  the same command protocol as the 1220U scanner (the USB version).
  Unfortunately neither are supported by the SANE umax backend either since
  UMAX will only release their SCSI command protocol.

  However there is a driver available for the 1220U scanner, on Linux with a
  patched version of the 2.3.99pre3 kernel, written by one of the Linux USB
  development groups (Paul Mackerras). If you were considering attempting to
  write a backend for the 1220P then perhaps this may be of help. I may
  however be misinformed and this may be of no use whatsoever. It should be
  available from:
  ftp://linuxcare.com.au/pub/paulus/umax1220u.tar.gz

  Perhaps Oliver Rauch would know more about this as I believe he is
  responsible for the umax backend. He has told me that there are no plans to
  support the USB and parallel scanners as the protocol is not released.
  However I was thinking about attempting to set about trying to get my 1220U
  scanner supported in SANE this summer. Since there is a driver available but
  no documentation could anyone comment on how hard they think this might be
  and perhaps give me a rough guide as to what I would need to do?

  Jerome

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: "Michael Franz" <mvfranz@hotmail.com>
  To: <sane-devel@mostang.com>
  Sent: Thursday, June 08, 2000 1:57 PM
  Subject: Re: Parallel Scanners (UMAX Astra 1220P)

  >
  > Assuming that I did have the specifications (which I don't) where would I
  > start?
  >
  > >From: Doug Alcorn <doug@lathi.net>
  > >Reply-To: sane-devel@mostang.com
  > >To: sane-devel@mostang.com
  > >Subject: Re: Parallel Scanners (UMAX Astra 1220P)
  > >Date: 07 Jun 2000 10:14:37 -0400
  > >
  > >"Michael Franz" <mvfranz@hotmail.com> writes:
  > >
  > > > It seems that only the epson and mustek scanners are supported
  > > > either directly or by treating the scanner as a SCSI device. How do
  > > > I get started with the UMAX scanners?
  > >
  > >There are two pieces to using a scanner in Linux. First, the kernel
  > >must be able to communicate with the device. This is rarely a
  > >problem; even with USB scanners. The real problem comes with what
  > >sane calls the "backend". This is the piece that goes between the
  > >actual scanning user interface and the kernel itself. The backend
  > >must know how to control the scanner. This is different than just
  > >talking to the scanner.
  >
  > O.K. How do I do this? I have tried the load module method, but since
  the
  > UMAX is not supported I don't know if I was on the right path. I tried
  > parport, ppSCSI, ppa,...
  >
  > >
  > >Here's the bad news: UMAX doesn't release the command protocol for
  > >controlling their parallel or USB scanners. I have the UMAX 2000U
  > >scanner. The developement kernels (2.3.x) can recognize the scanner,
  > >but sane has no idea what to say to it.
  > >
  > >You have two options. First, write a polite letter to UMAX requesting
  > >the scanner control information. This is probably a dead end. I have
  > >been doing this every so often for the last six months. The second is
  > >to reverse engineer the command language. I don't really know how to
  > >do this. I guess you would have to tap into the line (either USB or
  > >parallel cable) and sniff out what commands are sent under what
  > >situations. I think this would be very usefull (to me at least) but
  > >very difficult. Someone much smarter than me can comment on this.
  >
  > I tried to do this briefly, but the program I was using did seem to give
  me
  > enough information. It told me that I was sending unsigned longs to the
  > port, but not the value. The next thing I was going to try was to look at
  > the actual drivers and see if they left anything in them.
  >
  > Any one have any tips on this? A good snooping program?
  >
  >
  > >--
  > >Doug Alcorn | Fire Todd Dickinson, reform the US Patent Office
  > >doug@lathi.net | http://www.andovernews.com/cgi-bin/news_column.pl?533
  > >www.lathi.net |
  > >
  > >--
  > >Source code, list archive, and docs: http://www.mostang.com/sane/
  > >To unsubscribe: echo unsubscribe sane-devel | mail majordomo@mostang.com
  >
  > Michael
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  >
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  - Next message: abel deuring: "Re: Problems with sane-scsi"
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  - In reply to: Michael Franz: "Re: Parallel Scanners (UMAX Astra 1220P)"
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