Loading and Scanning Images

With EDS IV, you have the ability to perform on-screen digitizing. Before you can do that you may want to have an image on the monitor screen. This can be done by scanning a new design or loading an existing graphic image file.

Loading

You can load an existing graphic image with the Insert function under the File Menu or click on the insert toolbar button .

The other option is to scan an image directly into EDS IV. You can load and save bitmaps in the following formats:

After selecting "Insert", you may browse the directories to find the desired graphic file.

Scanning

The scanning function allows you to scan a design directly into the monitor screen for on-screen digitizing. This function works with any scanner which complies with the “TWAIN” scanning industry standard communications format. You may buy any TWAIN compatible scanner to implement scanning in EDS IV.

Note 1: TWAIN 32 compatible scanners are not the same as TWAIN compatible scanners and can not be implemented from the EDS IV program.

Note 2: Be advised that Melco cannot and does not support any scanners in the market place. Any technical assistance that may be required with the scanner you purchase must be obtained through the scanner dealer.

If you attempt to use a scanner which does not comply with TWAIN, you will not be able to access the scanning program directly from the EDS IV program. You must go into the scanning program independent from EDS IV to perform the scanning operation. Then you will be able to “load” any properly saved graphic files that have been scanned with that scanner.

The only requirement for loading a graphic file is that the file format is one of the formats supported by EDS IV. The graphic load and save functions support most industry standard graphic formats. See the above section on loading for information on which formats are supported.

An additional feature in the On-Screen Digitizing and Scanning option allows you to import graphical data from the clipboard to the EDS IV Layout window. This feature allows you to import graphics from any Windows based application.

Once loaded into the Layout window, images can be scaled, rotated, dimmed, and zoomed to give you the maximum flexibility in displaying your image for digitizing a design on screen.

Select Scanner

This function need only be performed when you start the scanning process for the first time. You will not need to return to this function unless you add a scanner or want to change to a different scanner that already exists with the system. The last scanner you select in this function will remain the “default” scanner indefinitely.

1. If you have just opened EDS IV, click on File in the menu bar and then click on New in the drop down menu. If already in a View Window go to step 2 to start a graphic load.

2. In the new View Window click on the File Menu then click on Select Scanner.

The Select Source dialog box will appear showing the available TWAIN compatible scanners associated with your system.

If your scanner does not appear in the Sources list, refer to the following discussion:

• For the Select Scanner function to identify the available TWAIN compatible scanners attached to the computer system, the TWAIN software which came with your scanner must first be properly installed and configured for your system.

• Melco has found that a common mistake is the failure to add the path for your scanner to the autoexec.bat file.

• Refer to your scanner manual and the Microsoft Windows user’s Guide for information on modifying the autoexec.bat file.

3. Click on the source you wish to scan with to highlight the desired source.

4. Click on the Select button to choose the scanner and return to the current EDS III Layout window.

Each time you open EDS IV and perform the Scan function from this point forward, the scanner you just selected will remain the selected scanner. The scanner you select will remain the “default” scanner until you go into the Select Scanner function and select a different scanner.

Scan

EDS IV does not directly interface with any scanner. When you select Scan you are telling EDS IV to load the selected scanner’s software to perform the scan and return the image to EDS IV. As a result, the screen that you see when you select Scan will depend on the software that came with your scanner. When the TWAIN driver you selected is finished, it will return the image to EDS IV for display. At that point you can change the scale or orientation, etc.

• In the View Window click on the File Menu then click on Scan image.

The selected scanner manufacturer’s operating software will appear on the screen and the scanning operation will begin. You will be able to work inside the scanner operating software just as if you had opened it independent of the EDS IV program.

Tips for Successful Scanning

1. High resolutions (such as 300 dpi) will consume lots of memory, and may slow down your system.

2. Color images may significantly slow your system and make it harder to see your stitches, even with Dull Graphic.

3. If you use color, use no higher color resolution than the driver you have installed in Windows. If your Windows uses 256 colors, then scanning a graphic as a 24 bit graphic makes it larger than it needs to be! Check your scanner manual for instructions to select your color resolution.

After the scanning operation is completed and you close the scanner manufacturer’s software program, the screen returns to the active EDS IV program and you may begin to perform some of the available image modifications or go directly to digitizing in the View Window.