Overview:
We had a client who wanted to scan documents into an Access database using a Brother DS600 mobile scanner. Our client wanted the scanned documents to be saved in PDF format. Rather than actually storing the documents in the database, we opted to merely store in the Access database the location of the PDF file that the scanner had saved on the client's file network share.
Challenges involved:
1) How to scan multiple page documents and turn them into a single file when using a single sheet fed scanner like the Brother DS600 mobile scanner?
2) How to output the scanned image as a PDF?
3) How to deal with different sized documents (letter versus legal)?
Solution:
See the VBA code below. Our solution involved creating a temporary jpg file for each page of the document, storing the name and location of each temporary jpg file in an Access database table, and then outputting an Access report linked to that database table to a PDF file. If the user scans a legal size document, this code will shrink the legal size document onto a letter size PDF, which was acceptable to our client.
Requirements to use the VBA code:
1) The scanner you use has to be a TWAIN compatible scanner.
2) In VBA, you must include reference to Microsoft Windows Image Acquisition 2.0 dll
3) This code was built for a single sheet scanner like the Brother DS600 mobile scanner. You may need to tweak this code for other types of scanners (such as a scanner that is an autofeed or a flatbed scanner). 4) This code only works with documents of up to 10 pages in length. To scan more than 10 pages into one document, you would need to tweak the code to allow it to do so.
5) Before you run the code, you must create an Access table called "scantemp". This table has 2 fields: an autonumber ID field, and a field called "picture" which is a hyperlink data type.
6) You must create an Access report called "rptScan" . This report's recordsource is the scantemp table. This report has only 1 object on it: an image field whose control source is the "picture" field in the scantemp table. This image field has been sized to fit the entire page (8.5 x 11).
7) The built in ability to output an Access report to a pdf file (see the "DoCmd.OutputTo acOutputReport, RptName, acFormatPDF, strFilePDF" line in the code below) only works I believe with Access 2007 and Access 2010.
VBA CODE:
Public Sub scan(size As String, strdocnumber As String)
'Size has two values: "Yes" and "No". A "yes" means that the user is scanning a legal size document.
'A "no" means that the user is scanning an 8.5 x 11 document
'strDocument normally says "1". Sometimes, our client has 2 versions of the same document.
'So users can change the strDocument to a "2" which would merely create a 2nd version of the same document
On Error GoTo Err_Handler
Dim strFileName As String
strFilename = "filename"
If strdocnumber <> "1" Then strFileName = strFileName & " Doc " & strdocnumber End If End If 'Now begin code for scanner 'Must include reference to Microsoft Windows Image Acquisition 2.0 dll Dim Dialog1 As New wia.CommonDialog, DPI As Integer, PP As Integer, l As Integer DPI = 600 PP = 4 'No of pages Dim Scanner As wia.device
Set Scanner = Dialog1.ShowSelectDevice(wia.WiaDeviceType.ScannerDeviceType, False, False) Scanner.Items(1).properties("6146").Value = 4 'Colour intent Scanner.Items(1).properties("6147").Value = DPI 'DPI horizontal Scanner.Items(1).properties("6148").Value = DPI 'DPI vertical Scanner.Items(1).properties("6149").Value = 0 'x point to start scan Scanner.Items(1).properties("6150").Value = 0 'y point to start scan Scanner.Items(1).properties("6151").Value = 8.27 * DPI 'Horizontal extent If size = "Yes" Then Scanner.Items(1).properties("6152").Value = 14# * DPI 'Vertical extent for legal ElseIf size = "No" Then Scanner.Items(1).properties("6152").Value = 11# * DPI 'Vertical extent for letter End If 'NOTE: the next 2 lines are optional. With the Brother DS600 mobile scanner, we found that the client's
'documents looked better if we tweaked the scanner's default settings for brightness and contrast
Scanner.Items(1).properties("6154").Value = -30 'brightness Scanner.Items(1).properties("6155").Value = 30 'contrast Dim img As wia.ImageFile Set img = Scanner.Items(1).Transfer(wia.FormatID.wiaFormatJPEG) Dim strFileJPG As String
'NOTE: calculatefilelocation is a subroutine that automatically calculates the
'appropriate path on the network to store the file
strFileJPG = calculatefilelocation & strFileName & ".jpg" If FileExists(strFileJPG) Then Dim FSO As New FileSystemObject FSO.DeleteFile (strFileJPG) Set FSO = Nothing End If img.SaveFile (strFileJPG)
'End scanner code for 1st page
'start variable to count pages
Dim intPages As Integer intPages = 1 'Prompt user if there are additional pages to scan
Dim Answer2 As String Dim MyNote2 As String MyNote2 = "Scan another page?" Answer2 = MsgBox(MyNote2, vbQuestion + vbYesNo, "???") If Answer2 = vbNo Then GoTo StartPDFConversion Else Dim img2 As wia.ImageFile Set img2 = Scanner.Items(1).Transfer(wia.FormatID.wiaFormatJPEG) Dim strFileJPG2 As String strFileJPG2 = CalculateFileLocation & strFileName & "2.jpg" If FileExists(strFileJPG2) Then Dim fso2 As New FileSystemObject fso2.DeleteFile (strFileJPG2) Set fso2 = Nothing End If img2.SaveFile (strFileJPG2) intPages = intPages + 1 End If 'Prompt user if there are additional pages to scan
Dim Answer3 As String Dim MyNote3 As String MyNote3 = "Scan another page?" Answer3 = MsgBox(MyNote3, vbQuestion + vbYesNo, "???") If Answer3 = vbNo Then GoTo StartPDFConversion Else Dim img3 As wia.ImageFile Set img3 = Scanner.Items(1).Transfer(wia.FormatID.wiaFormatJPEG) Dim strFileJPG3 As String strFileJPG3 = CalculateFileLocation & strFileName & "3.jpg" If FileExists(strFileJPG3) Then Dim fso3 As New FileSystemObject fso3.DeleteFile (strFileJPG3) Set fso3 = Nothing End If img3.SaveFile (strFileJPG3) intPages = intPages + 1 End If 'Prompt user if there are additional pages to scan Dim Answer4 As String Dim MyNote4 As String MyNote4 = "Scan another page?" Answer4 = MsgBox(MyNote4, vbQuestion + vbYesNo, "???") If Answer4 = vbNo Then GoTo StartPDFConversion Else Dim img4 As wia.ImageFile Set img4 = Scanner.Items(1).Transfer(wia.FormatID.wiaFormatJPEG) Dim strFileJPG4 As String strFileJPG4 = CalculateFileLocation & strFileName & "4.jpg" If FileExists(strFileJPG4) Then Dim fso4 As New FileSystemObject fso4.DeleteFile (strFileJPG4) Set fso4 = Nothing End If img4.SaveFile (strFileJPG4) intPages = intPages + 1 End If 'Prompt user if there are additional pages to scan
Dim Answer5 As String Dim MyNote5 As String MyNote5 = "Scan another page?" Answer5 = MsgBox(MyNote5, vbQuestion + vbYesNo, "???") If Answer5 = vbNo Then GoTo StartPDFConversion Else Dim img5 As wia.ImageFile Set img5 = Scanner.Items(1).Transfer(wia.FormatID.wiaFormatJPEG) Dim strFileJPG5 As String strFileJPG5 = CalculateFileLocation & strFileName & "5.jpg" If FileExists(strFileJPG5) Then Dim fso5 As New FileSystemObject fso5.DeleteFile (strFileJPG5) Set fso5 = Nothing End If img5.SaveFile (strFileJPG5) intPages = intPages + 1 End If 'Prompt user if there are additional pages to scan
Dim Answer6 As String Dim MyNote6 As String MyNote6 = "Scan another page?" Answer6 = MsgBox(MyNote6, vbQuestion + vbYesNo, "???") If Answer6 = vbNo Then GoTo StartPDFConversion Else Dim img6 As wia.ImageFile Set img6 = Scanner.Items(1).Transfer(wia.FormatID.wiaFormatJPEG) Dim strFileJPG6 As String strFileJPG6 = CalculateFileLocation & strFileName & "6.jpg" If FileExists(strFileJPG6) Then Dim fso6 As New FileSystemObject fso6.DeleteFile (strFileJPG6) Set fso6 = Nothing End If img6.SaveFile (strFileJPG6) intPages = intPages + 1 End If 'Prompt user if there are additional pages to scan
Dim Answer7 As String Dim MyNote7 As String MyNote7 = "Scan another page?" Answer7 = MsgBox(MyNote7, vbQuestion + vbYesNo, "???") If Answer7 = vbNo Then GoTo StartPDFConversion Else Dim img7 As wia.ImageFile Set img7 = Scanner.Items(1).Transfer(wia.FormatID.wiaFormatJPEG) Dim strFileJPG7 As String strFileJPG7 = CalculateFileLocation & strFileName & "7.jpg" If FileExists(strFileJPG7) Then Dim fso7 As New FileSystemObject fso7.DeleteFile (strFileJPG7) Set fso7 = Nothing End If img7.SaveFile (strFileJPG7) intPages = intPages + 1 End If 'Prompt user if there are additional pages to scan
Dim Answer8 As String Dim MyNote8 As String MyNote8 = "Scan another page?" Answer8 = MsgBox(MyNote8, vbQuestion + vbYesNo, "???") If Answer8 = vbNo Then GoTo StartPDFConversion Else Dim img8 As wia.ImageFile Set img8 = Scanner.Items(1).Transfer(wia.FormatID.wiaFormatJPEG) Dim strFileJPG8 As String strFileJPG8 = CalculateFileLocation & strFileName & "8.jpg" If FileExists(strFileJPG8) Then Dim fso8 As New FileSystemObject fso8.DeleteFile (strFileJPG8) Set fso8 = Nothing End If img8.SaveFile (strFileJPG8) intPages = intPages + 1 End If 'Prompt user if there are additional pages to scan Dim Answer9 As String Dim MyNote9 As String MyNote9 = "Scan another page?" Answer9 = MsgBox(MyNote9, vbQuestion + vbYesNo, "???") If Answer9 = vbNo Then GoTo StartPDFConversion Else Dim img9 As wia.ImageFile Set img9 = Scanner.Items(1).Transfer(wia.FormatID.wiaFormatJPEG) Dim strFileJPG9 As String strFileJPG9 = CalculateFileLocation & strFileName & "9.jpg" If FileExists(strFileJPG9) Then Dim fso9 As New FileSystemObject fso9.DeleteFile (strFileJPG9) Set fso9 = Nothing End If img9.SaveFile (strFileJPG9) intPages = intPages + 1 End If 'Prompt user if there are additional pages to scan Dim Answer10 As String Dim MyNote10 As String MyNote10 = "Scan another page?" Answer10 = MsgBox(MyNote10, vbQuestion + vbYesNo, "???") If Answer10 = vbNo Then GoTo StartPDFConversion Else Dim img10 As wia.ImageFile Set img10 = Scanner.Items(1).Transfer(wia.FormatID.wiaFormatJPEG) Dim strFileJPG10 As String strFileJPG10 = CalculateFileLocation & strFileName & "10.jpg" If FileExists(strFileJPG10) Then Dim fso10 As New FileSystemObject fso10.DeleteFile (strFileJPG10) Set fso10 = Nothing End If img10.SaveFile (strFileJPG10) intPages = intPages + 1 End If StartPDFConversion: Dim strFilePDF As String strFilePDF = CalculateFileLocation & strFileName & ".pdf" 'Check for existing PDF file
If FileExists(strFilePDF) = True Then Dim Answer As String Dim MyNote As String MyNote = "A file already exists. Do you want to overwrite it?" Answer = MsgBox(MyNote, vbQuestion + vbYesNo, "???") If Answer = vbNo Then 'Code for No button Press Exit Sub Else Dim fso44 As New FileSystemObject fso44.DeleteFile (strFilePDF) Set fso44 = Nothing End If Else End If DoCmd.SetWarnings False
'NOTE: scantemp in the following lines is a table in your Access database used just for this process
DoCmd.RunSQL "delete from scantemp" DoCmd.RunSQL "insert into scantemp (picture) values ('" & strFileJPG & "')" If intPages >= 2 Then DoCmd.RunSQL "insert into scantemp (picture) values ('" & strFileJPG2 & "')" End If If intPages >= 3 Then DoCmd.RunSQL "insert into scantemp (picture) values ('" & strFileJPG3 & "')" End If If intPages >= 4 Then DoCmd.RunSQL "insert into scantemp (picture) values ('" & strFileJPG4 & "')" End If If intPages >= 5 Then DoCmd.RunSQL "insert into scantemp (picture) values ('" & strFileJPG5 & "')" End If If intPages >= 6 Then DoCmd.RunSQL "insert into scantemp (picture) values ('" & strFileJPG6 & "')" End If If intPages >= 7 Then DoCmd.RunSQL "insert into scantemp (picture) values ('" & strFileJPG7 & "')" End If If intPages >= 8 Then DoCmd.RunSQL "insert into scantemp (picture) values ('" & strFileJPG8 & "')" End If If intPages >= 9 Then DoCmd.RunSQL "insert into scantemp (picture) values ('" & strFileJPG9 & "')" End If If intPages >= 10 Then DoCmd.RunSQL "insert into scantemp (picture) values ('" & strFileJPG10 & "')" End If DoCmd.SetWarnings True 'Now let's run an Access report called rptScan and output it to a PDF file on the network
'rptScan is an Access report whose recordsource is the scantemp table
Dim RptName As String
RptName = "rptScan" DoCmd.OpenReport RptName, acViewDesign, , , acHidden DoCmd.Close acReport, RptName, acSaveYes DoCmd.OutputTo acOutputReport, RptName, acFormatPDF, strFilePDF 'Now delete all the temporary jpg files
Dim fso46 As New FileSystemObject fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG If intPages = 2 Then fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG2 ElseIf intPages = 3 Then fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG2 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG3 ElseIf intPages = 4 Then fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG2 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG3 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG4 ElseIf intPages = 5 Then fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG2 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG3 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG4 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG5 ElseIf intPages = 6 Then fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG2 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG3 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG4 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG5 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG6 ElseIf intPages = 7 Then fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG2 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG3 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG4 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG5 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG6 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG7 ElseIf intPages = 8 Then fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG2 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG3 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG4 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG5 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG6 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG7 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG8 ElseIf intPages = 9 Then fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG2 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG3 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG4 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG5 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG6 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG7 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG8 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG9 ElseIf intPages = 10 Then fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG2 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG3 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG4 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG5 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG6 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG7 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG8 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG9 fso46.DeleteFile strFileJPG10 End If
Set fso46 = Nothing MsgBox "Done!"
Err_Handler:
If Err.Description = "The user requested a scan and there are no documents left in the document feeder." Then MsgBox "Please insert paper into the scanner.", vbCritical, "Warning" Resume Else
Debug.Print Err.Description Exit Sub End If End Sub |
VBA >