Hi - has anyone tried this hardware for scanning slides/film? A friend of mine is thinking of buying this to scan some slides that are 30+ years old. He has a lot of slides - wasn't doing any prints back then - so they need to be printed for memory albums etc. Any feedback on this vs using a scanner - like Epson 1650/1660? Thanks, Kay

Hi list Thanks to all those who responded to my request for information on this subject. I am now trying out all the suggestions. Bob KIRK Dukinfield Cheshire Interests Are: KIRK (Crewe & Manchester) DAWSON (Manchester) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob Kirk" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, January 17, 2003 8:06 PM Subject: [SP] Digital camera software > Is there anyone with experience of using a Digital Camera to take > photographs of Old Church Records. I cant us a flat bed scanner as the > record books would not stand up to the handling. > > What I need to finish up with is a Black on White image. The subject matter > is quite often on discoloured paper and in various colours of ink. On a > flat bed scanner you can set the parameters to B &W diagram or FAX and the > required effect is achieved. > > Does anyone know if this can be done using a Digital Camera on the Fly so to > speak? > > I have managed so far by taking each Photograph in turn, importing it into > Paperport or Paintshop Pro and applying various filters etc. to achieve the > final picture. This is a time consuming process and it would help if it > could be done direct from the Camera. > > I have been using borrowed Cannon G2 and G3 cameras and am looking to > purchase one that will do the job. > > > Bob KIRK > Dukinfield > Cheshire >

Thanks to all who replied. Problem solved and I am so thankful. i bought XP for Dummies but it never has precisely what is needed.... Barb Austin

Hi Barb, Make a new folder on your PC to hold the photos. Copy the files from the CD into the new folder. Then in Windows Explorer, right click on the new folder. Select "Properties" (at the bottom of the list) Uncheck the "Read only" box. Click until the box is empty (not checked or shaded). Click on "OK" On the next screen, check the box that says that you want this change to apply to this folder, sub folders, and files. Then click "OK". This should remove the "Read only" attribute from all of the files that are in this folder. Dave Hanna Georgetown, TX [email protected] wrote: > I have 600-800 photos, each a separate file. I >suppose you mean I must do each one separately..... > >And to those of you who replied, I have already >tried all the suggestions, to no avail. > >Barb > > > > >

Selecting all images in a folder on the hard drive should allow the read-only setting to be changed. Read-only setting for a picture doesn't seem to make any difference on my system. I can view in Paint Shop Pro or edit or link to a genealogy program. Properties cannot be changed on the CD, only when files are copied to the hard drive. FTM allows data files to be read directly from CD-ROM and I often set files on the hard drive to read-only for checking without changing the file date. Elizabeth, using Win XP Home ----- Original Message ----- > I have 600-800 photos, each a separate file. I > suppose you mean I must do each one separately.....

I have 600-800 photos, each a separate file. I suppose you mean I must do each one separately..... And to those of you who replied, I have already tried all the suggestions, to no avail. Barb

A good source of information, hints and tips on recording from gravestones can be found at: http://www.gravestonestudies.org/more_information.htm This is the website for the Association of Gravestone Studies. Lance -----Original Message----- From: E.Rodier [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Saturday, 18 January 2003 4:53 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [SP] photographing documents and source items [SNIP] Unexpected problem at the cemetery last weekend was a thick layer of ice on a flat stone. Each photo trip seems to have a unique challenge. Some stones show lettering better after a rain, grass needs to be trimmed, bushes in the way, morning or afternoon sun. Heritage home was easily found but hidden behind a high wall with a locked door beside the sidewalk, no high vantage point. Elizabeth --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.443 / Virus Database: 248 - Release Date: 10/01/2003

If you need to add "notes" to any image (or file) there is a neat little add-on program called FILE NOTE. This program simply adds an option in the right click menu called FileNote. Selecting that option opens Note Pad and you can enter anything you choose about the image or file. When you are finished and click "Save", it creates a ".TXT" file bearing the same name as the image or file. Find it and several other useful utilities at: http://www.moonsoftware.com/freeware.asp (just scroll down the page a bit). Lance -----Original Message----- From: wis1848 [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, 19 January 2003 4:06 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [SP] Organize images & search via keyword I am searcing for a program for archiving my digital images - but I specifically want to be able to input a fairly long description & then be able to search the archive via a keyword search. Does anyone have any suggestions what program will do this? Shari --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.443 / Virus Database: 248 - Release Date: 10/01/2003

Hello Beth, Saturday, January 18, 2003, 7:17:16 PM, you wrote: B> If anyone has XP (my PC crashed --permanently) B> does he/she know how to make Read Only files stop B> being Read Only. They contain the work I brought on CD-R B> from RI to CA this winter and I want to get them on my B> new PC. I changed a folder and it asked if I wanted this to B> apply to the folder or also to the files and folders within it. B> I said yes and it told me access was denied. What B> next................ B> Desperate Barb Austin, who never, ever wanted XP in B> the first place I have XP, although I'm very new to it. However, when I was on Win95B, my nephew told me to right-click a file that I wanted to change from Read Only and select Properties. At the bottom are some boxes, one of which says Archive. Uncheck that box. This worked in Win95. Have not had occasion to try it yet in WinXP. The files I was unchecking were jpegs, which my sister could not open. I began unchecking the archive box before sending, and no more problem for her. It is also true that she could have right-clicked on the received jpeg file, selected Properties, and unchecked the Archive box herself. At the time, neither of us knew about this. -- Best regards, Mary

Helen, Most of the family pictures were identified by older relatives in 1970. A few are 1890sSurname.jpg and included in the scrapbook of the earliest known owner. Received a CD-ROM recently with a copy of the 1893 wedding picture of Uncle Fred and Aunt Lizzie. Mum was named Elizabeth after her. Look for clues written on the back of snapshots, size of trees, known individuals, vehicles that can be dated. How about an example for 50+ years of pictures showing Grandpa's favorite house at 602 Grey Crescent? The FTM scrapbook is real, file names made up for a quick reply. Wish I'd thought about taking a picture of the model of the house, it was like a doll's house and probably had a lift off roof. Snapshot albums are a "goldmine" of details for family history. Grandma often wrote on the back of pictures and kept a diary for several trips to visit relatives. I visited the house at least once a week while growing up and Mum remembered more details. Grandpa drew up the construction plans for several family homes and also sketched the plan of his childhood home & town 65 years after moving to Canada. Mum and I made a tour of family landmarks with a camera. Her old school pictures are dated to go with stories, not the date they were photographed. 1948construction602.jpg 1949sidewalk602.jpg 1950cousinT,age3.jpg (cousin T was born Feb 1947) 1955-02-06bicycleBirthdayT.jpg 1957-06-30newCar.jpg 1963-07-15anniversaryFlowers.jpg 1964cousinGraduation.jpg family moved away but we still walked by the house occasionally 2002-07-15flowers602.jpg The real set has about 50 pictures. All color slides were taken after July 1952 when Grandpa got a new camera. Cars changed, trees grew, people visited, house was painted, house was modified to make a double garage. Sometimes a view picture showed a known building that could be dated by checking city directories. Cousin born 1947 and some trees grew taller and then shorter in a few pictures with the original guess dates. Those were soon modified and the FTM scrapbook sorted by date. -- Elizabeth ----- Original Message ----- From: "Helen Allen" > How do you name the photos when you can only estimate the year and hope it > is fairly close?

Elizabeth How do you name the photos when you can only estimate the year and hope it is fairly close? ----- Original Message ----- From: "E.Rodier" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, January 18, 2003 12:51 PM Subject: Re: [SP] Organize images & search via keyword > Collected many replies to similar questions since 1996, from various mailing > lists about pictures and genealogy software. The answer is that *everyone* > uses a different software product or method. Some create their own Access > database. One fellow mentioned that his favorite $300 product was no longer > available, don't know if he had to re-enter all the details in a new product > or just hope that the old one product continued to work on future computers. > > If you plan to try a special program for image details, consider how the > database will be updated and moved to new equipment over time or split if > the original project becomes too large for one location. Make sure that > backups can be restored on different computers. I just discarded a set of > CD-R backups that didn't work after a WinXP computer was serviced. > > Windows XP has some of the functions that used to require add-on products > for viewing individual pictures and slide shows. Simple Windows folders for > groups of images with logical file names can have matching _plain text > files_ that are easily searched. Regional history archive uses an expensive > professional program that requires highly trained staff to enter data. > Surname search might bring up all the pictures but hard to know if John E. > Citizen (doctor) in one picture is the same person as J.E. Citizen (pilot) > in another, a relative or just a neighbor with the same surname and > initials. > > My favorite image editing product allows Creator Information to be entered > for each picture but I don't use it. A picture archive is similar to a > numbered document management project that becomes increasingly complex. > Almost any method seems to work for 1000 images. Several people found their > first method unsuitable by the time they reached 2000 images and had to > start over with a new system. > > My images have names like 2003-01-18Subject.JPG for a snapshot with the date > taken and 1890-01-18Subject.TIF for a scan of a source document. Family Tree > Maker scrapbooks are used to sort images by date and category with detailed > captions. When a branch of names is copied to a new FTM file, all the > pictures go along. > > One copy of an image is not enough. Progressive, organized copies of images > in sets are better. Copies of images on DVD-R are working well without > copying back to the hard drive. CD-RW can be used for temporary backups > between DVDs or CD-Rs. > Elizabeth > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "wis1848" > > I am searcing for a program for archiving my digital images - but I > > specifically want to be able to input a fairly long description & then be > > able to search the archive via a keyword search. Does anyone have any > > suggestions what program will do this? -- Shari > > > >

Hi Barb Unless you have these files on a CD-RW, they will be read only. Copy them to your hard drive and then change the attributes there. Regards NY George ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, January 18, 2003 8:17 PM Subject: [SP] Win XP anyone? If anyone has XP (my PC crashed --permanently) does he/she know how to make Read Only files stop being Read Only. They contain the work I brought on CD-R from RI to CA this winter and I want to get them on my new PC. I changed a folder and it asked if I wanted this to apply to the folder or also to the files and folders within it. I said yes and it told me access was denied. What next................ Desperate Barb Austin, who never, ever wanted XP in the first place.

If anyone has XP (my PC crashed --permanently) does he/she know how to make Read Only files stop being Read Only. They contain the work I brought on CD-R from RI to CA this winter and I want to get them on my new PC. I changed a folder and it asked if I wanted this to apply to the folder or also to the files and folders within it. I said yes and it told me access was denied. What next................ Desperate Barb Austin, who never, ever wanted XP in the first place.

Windows upgrades are a fact of life if you want to deal with pictures, large sets of files and fast USB 2 backup products. Highlight any set of files in Windows Explorer, right click and mark or unmark read only. If someone else uses the computer, the Administrator setting might make a difference for loading programs. Anti-virus software also affects some programs. Some of my friends are using old computers with overcrowded hard drives, old versions of Windows, scanners with limited image editing software, and large family book projects. Read-only versions of Family Tree Maker can be viewed without changing the file date, and also viewed directly on CD-Recordables. I often set multiple files as read only on the hard drive when checking backups. Elizabeth ----- Original Message ----- > If anyone has XP (my PC crashed --permanently) > does he/she know how to make Read Only files stop > being Read Only. They contain the work I brought on CD-R > from RI to CA this winter and I want to get them on my > new PC. I changed a folder and it asked if I wanted this to > apply to the folder or also to the files and folders within it. > I said yes and it told me access was denied. What > next................ Desperate Barb Austin,

PLEASE, PLEASE **DO NOT*** use shaving cream -- This has been mentioned on every list I've ever touched on. Shaving cream will destroy the stones!!!!This site was on the list recently http://www.gravestonestudies.org/more_information.htm This is the website for the Association of Gravestone Studies. Arlene ----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Rawlins" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, January 18, 2003 9:11 AM Subject: Re: [SP] photographing documents and source items > > Try coating tombstones with foam shaving cream and carefully wiping it off to reveal lettering. It has worked for me. > Steve > "E.Rodier" <[email protected]> wrote:Lighting documents is a challenge with or without flash, inside or out. Be > sure to experiment at home with similar items. A Sony camera with memory > stick can be used along with a Sony Clie (Palm OS) to view larger digital > pictures on the handheld device before leaving a source that might be > difficult to visit. Card from another camera fits in Pocket PC. > > I prefer scanning most items that fit on the scanner glass, even keepsakes. > A friend prefers to use a digital camera and copy stand with lights. If > possible, try the same items different ways -- flash, available room light, > near window, portable lights or outside. > > Unexpected problem at the cemetery last weekend was a thick layer of ice on > a flat stone. Each photo trip seems to have a unique challenge. Some stones > show lettering better after a rain, grass needs to be trimmed, bushes in the > way, morning or afternoon sun. Heritage home was easily found but hidden > behind a high wall with a locked door beside the sidewalk, no high vantage > point. > Elizabeth > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Bob Anderson" > > And some will not allow the use of a flash on old documents so you might > > need to have a light source. > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "E.Rodier" > > > Some archives charge the photocopy rate for each digital picture taken > and > > > some do not allow cameras at all. Ask in advance when planning a trip. > > > > > > --------------------------------- > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now > >

A small hand-held mirror will "throw" light onto the stone and help those letters stand out. Arlene ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob Anderson" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, January 18, 2003 1:17 AM Subject: Re: [SP] Digital camera software > And some will not allow the use of a flash on old documents so you might > need to have a light source. > Bob Anderson at Apple Valley, Minnesota > [email protected] > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "E.Rodier" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, January 17, 2003 9:58 PM > Subject: Re: [SP] Digital camera software > > > > Some archives charge the photocopy rate for each digital picture taken and > > some do not allow cameras at all. Ask in advance when planning a trip. > > Elizabeth > > > > >

Please! Please! Please! Don't use anything other than a little water on grave stones. You don't know what subsequent damage other solutions might cause and remember you descendants may want to read the image later. Removing grass/turf is generally accepted so long as its replaced as it actually protects the stone. Lichen is a protected species in the UK so don't remove it. Take along a sponge and a bottle of water. Dabbing the stone with a fairly dry sponge works best. Reason: When the stone was cut the grain in the area around the chisel was filled with fine dust and this shows up differently with just a little water. If you poor the water on it doesn't work the same. Sorry to go on but we need to do as much as possible to protect these records. Bob KIRK Dukinfield Cheshire Interests Are: KIRK (Crewe & Manchester) DAWSON (Manchester) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Rawlins" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, January 18, 2003 2:11 PM Subject: Re: [SP] photographing documents and source items > > Try coating tombstones with foam shaving cream and carefully wiping it off to reveal lettering. It has worked for me. > Steve

Coating headstones with shaving cream is detrimental to the stone. Phillip ----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Rawlins" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, January 18, 2003 6:11 AM Subject: Re: [SP] photographing documents and source items > > Try coating tombstones with foam shaving cream and carefully wiping it off to reveal lettering. It has worked for me. > Steve > "E.Rodier" <[email protected]> wrote:Lighting documents is a challenge with or without flash, inside or out. Be > sure to experiment at home with similar items. A Sony camera with memory > stick can be used along with a Sony Clie (Palm OS) to view larger digital > pictures on the handheld device before leaving a source that might be > difficult to visit. Card from another camera fits in Pocket PC. > > I prefer scanning most items that fit on the scanner glass, even keepsakes. > A friend prefers to use a digital camera and copy stand with lights. If > possible, try the same items different ways -- flash, available room light, > near window, portable lights or outside. > > Unexpected problem at the cemetery last weekend was a thick layer of ice on > a flat stone. Each photo trip seems to have a unique challenge. Some stones > show lettering better after a rain, grass needs to be trimmed, bushes in the > way, morning or afternoon sun. Heritage home was easily found but hidden > behind a high wall with a locked door beside the sidewalk, no high vantage > point. > Elizabeth > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Bob Anderson" > > And some will not allow the use of a flash on old documents so you might > > need to have a light source. > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "E.Rodier" > > > Some archives charge the photocopy rate for each digital picture taken > and > > > some do not allow cameras at all. Ask in advance when planning a trip. > > > > > > --------------------------------- > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now > >

Collected many replies to similar questions since 1996, from various mailing lists about pictures and genealogy software. The answer is that *everyone* uses a different software product or method. Some create their own Access database. One fellow mentioned that his favorite $300 product was no longer available, don't know if he had to re-enter all the details in a new product or just hope that the old one product continued to work on future computers. If you plan to try a special program for image details, consider how the database will be updated and moved to new equipment over time or split if the original project becomes too large for one location. Make sure that backups can be restored on different computers. I just discarded a set of CD-R backups that didn't work after a WinXP computer was serviced. Windows XP has some of the functions that used to require add-on products for viewing individual pictures and slide shows. Simple Windows folders for groups of images with logical file names can have matching _plain text files_ that are easily searched. Regional history archive uses an expensive professional program that requires highly trained staff to enter data. Surname search might bring up all the pictures but hard to know if John E. Citizen (doctor) in one picture is the same person as J.E. Citizen (pilot) in another, a relative or just a neighbor with the same surname and initials. My favorite image editing product allows Creator Information to be entered for each picture but I don't use it. A picture archive is similar to a numbered document management project that becomes increasingly complex. Almost any method seems to work for 1000 images. Several people found their first method unsuitable by the time they reached 2000 images and had to start over with a new system. My images have names like 2003-01-18Subject.JPG for a snapshot with the date taken and 1890-01-18Subject.TIF for a scan of a source document. Family Tree Maker scrapbooks are used to sort images by date and category with detailed captions. When a branch of names is copied to a new FTM file, all the pictures go along. One copy of an image is not enough. Progressive, organized copies of images in sets are better. Copies of images on DVD-R are working well without copying back to the hard drive. CD-RW can be used for temporary backups between DVDs or CD-Rs. Elizabeth ----- Original Message ----- From: "wis1848" > I am searcing for a program for archiving my digital images - but I > specifically want to be able to input a fairly long description & then be > able to search the archive via a keyword search. Does anyone have any > suggestions what program will do this? -- Shari

Does anyone have this scanner and if so are you pleased with its results? I have a chance to pick one up for $90; it has the Document feeder as well. I am wondering if this is an older scanner. Kathy