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Cosmetic issue: Multipage TIFF shown as single page when created by scanning

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    no bug Cosmetic issue: Multipage TIFF shown as single page when created by scanning

    Hi,

    There's a rather cosmetic issue in IrfanView. Pure data regarding the issue:

    Environment:
    - WinXP SP3
    - IrfanView 4.35
    - scanner (reproduced using XPCTWAIN Elite and also with physical scanner)

    Steps to duplicate:
    1. Start IrfanView Acquire/Batch scanning.
    2. Select Multipage scanning, TIFF format and check 'Save as multipage image'.
    3. Scan a multipage document.

    Results: When the scanning process is over, IrfanView shows the last scanned page and the paging buttons on the toolbar are disabled. This suggests the user that the result is a single page, so he/she keeps scanning again and again...

    Fact: The TIFF is saved in the background and it is actually a multipage image.

    Workaround: Close IrfanView and open the saved TIFF.

    #2
    This is "By Design."

    Each scan is sent to the IrfanView window, just as a clipboard paste would be sent. It is not a multipage image. Multipage images are created by appending each scan to the file on disk.

    If you save the last scan as a TIF file, you will overwrite the saved multipage TIF with the last page only.

    To reload the multipage TIF after appending each scan would just slow everything down without any benefit. Once you know how IrfanView works, then you know that you need to open the multipage TIF after completing the scan if you want to check that is correct. There is no need to close IrfanView to do that.
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      #3
      Thanks for your quick response.

      It is understandable that this behavior comes from the method IrfanView handles multipage scanning. Still, it's not logical from the end-user's point of view. They scan and they don't see the resultant file, but see the last state of a clipboard operation they are not aware of.

      However this is something that can be learned so I acknowledge it as a non-bug.

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        #4
        It is confusing and I doubt that Irfan made it so intentionally, so I think it is reasonable to flag it up. Unlike after single scans the caption bar at the top shows the actual file name and it is understandable that a user might then think that they are looking at the real multi tiff file and not just a scan of the last page.
        When they try to close or move away from that image it is also quite likely that they will see a warning message asking if they want to save the displayed image first. In most cases they should not do that since they may well overwrite the real multi tiff file.

        I never use multipage tiffs myself so I cannot claim it is a problem for me, nor does it seem to be a problem for the OP. It would be much easier to persuade Irfan to do something about it if we could find someone who has been confused by it, especially if they have lost the file they have just created as a result.

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          #5
          Some facts and more test results:
          - I'm an IT guy and I have been confused while I tried to show someone how to scan a multipage TIFF. So if someone's needed, it's me.
          - The status bar shows 'Not a file' during scanning and at the end. This notices the awaken user, that it's not the TIF he is looking at. However, the title bar shows the filename (without the TIF extension).
          - IrfanView does not warn if I try to close it.
          - If I try to save it, it will save in the last file extension used to the last target directory used (JPG/My Documents in my case). If I change the extension to TIF and the target directory to the one where I scan, then it warns if I really want to overwrite. Saying yes will wipe the full TIF and save the last page into it.

          So it's quite safe, but definitely not straight. Fixing title bar naming or reopening the multipage TIF upon finishing scanning process would help a lot.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by jnehrer View Post
            ..... IrfanView does not warn if I try to close it.
            ..... If I change the extension to TIF and the target directory to the one where I scan, then it warns if I really want to overwrite.
            So it's quite safe....
            Both Ask on program exit or file/image change and Ask to overwrite file are options which may or may not have been selected.
            So it's not always safe.

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