[sane-devel] Sane API

[Ralph Little]

Hi,

On 2020-10-20 11:43 a.m., Alexander Pevzner wrote:
> On 10/20/20 9:00 PM, Jürgen Mellinger wrote:
>>> Basically, they all behave the same: allow to choose scanner from
>>> the list, allow to edit scan options, then press Scan button, which
>>> either starts scanner or opens an error message box.
>>
>> OK, that’s the bare minimum, but wouldn’t it be more elegant to give
>> the user some feedback that the problem is solved, e.g. by
>> auto-closing the error message box, or by changing the status line?
>
> I don't think it's really needed. Installing paper into ADF is a
> physical action. I don't think user needs a confirmation from computer
> that paper was actually installed; user knows it by feeling from its
> fingers.
>
> BTW, some users missing push-mode scan, totally missed from SANE. But
> it requires the whole image logistics to be rethought: user presses
> some buttons at scanner, scanner connects the computer, some daemon
> accepts this connection, then somehow GUI popup should occur with a
> question, how to handle received image.
>
> It doesn't fit well the UNIX multiuser model. At what desktop this
> popup should be open? (unlike UNIX, on Windows current terminal
> session has a very special role in respect to other system).
>
Although I have not used it before, but there is a scanbd daemon that I
believe allows actions to be linked to button presses.
The problem is that it ties up the device so hardly a great solution as
it stands in a multi-user environment.

As ever, wiring something up behind the scenes is one thing. Making it
usable for ordinary Joe and Jane Public with GUIs and the like to set up
actions on button presses is the bigger issue. Most people don't like
poking around in config files. :(

Cheers,
Ralph