[sane-devel] Intend to write driver(s)

[Gerhard Jaeger]

On Samstag, 16. Juni 2007, Étienne Bersac wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I'm pretty much in the same case. I have two device without driver. I
> sent one device to Gerard Jeager who nicely add support for this
> device in plustek. I also own another device, but this time, i would
> like to add sane support for this device (IRIS IBCR II), but i'm quite
> lost in the process. I don't own any Windows(r). Would be nice to
> provide a kind of "tutorial" or any documentation helping new backend
> writer.

Hi guys,

I'm afraid that there is nothing like a "easy to use without reading
anyting" framework for writing a backend :(

You will have the SANE Standard document, you will have the 
doc/backend-writing.txt file and much more better a big bunch
of various backends to read and understand. There is also the
test backend...

One essential step is to find out what hardware resides inside
the scanner. Then you could try and get some hardware documentation.
Another step will be to setup a windoze box and snoop the USB 
transfers, analyze the protocol - okay it's some PITA but in fact
the only way to make the device work.

You could also try to ask the vendor to supply you with windoze
driver sources - but this is more or less a useless approach,
as often enough they won't answer :(

Ciao
Gerhard

BTW: Etienne, the calibration seems to work now as well, I need
now to do some cleanup work, checkin and then I'll send you
back the device (a little bit late - i know - sorry)