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.NET TWAIN image scanner

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12 May 2002Public Domain2 min read 7.2M   132.2K   421   996
Using TWAIN API to scan images

Sample Screenshot

Abstract

In Windows imaging applications, the most used API for scanning is TWAIN www.twain.org. Unfortunately, the new .NET Framework has no built-in support for TWAIN. So we have to work with the interop methods of .NET to access this API. This article doesn't explain this interop techniques, and good knowledge of the TWAIN 1.9 specifications is assumed! The sample code included doesn't present a finished library, only some essential steps for a minimal TWAIN adaption to .NET applications.

Details

First step was to port the most important parts of TWAIN.H, these are found in TwainDefs.cs. The real logic for calling TWAIN is coded in the class Twain, in file TwainLib.cs.. As the TWAIN API is exposed by the Windows DLL, twain_32.dll, we have to use the .NET DllImport mechanism for interop with legacy code. This DLL has the central DSM_Entry(), ordinal #1 function exported as the entry point to TWAIN. This call has numerous parameters, and the last one is of variable type! It was found to be best if we declare multiple variants of the call like:

C#
[DllImport("twain_32.dll", EntryPoint="#1")]
private static extern TwRC DSMparent(
    [In, Out] TwIdentity origin,
    IntPtr zeroptr,
    TwDG dg, TwDAT dat, TwMSG msg,
    ref IntPtr refptr );

The Twain class has a simple 5-step interface:

C#
class Twain
{
    Init();
    Select();
    Acquire();
    PassMessage();
    TransferPictures();
}

For some sort of 'callbacks', TWAIN uses special Windows messages, and these must be caught from the application-message-loop. In .NET, the only way found was IMessageFilter.PreFilterMessage(), and this filter has to be activated with a call like Application.AddMessageFilter(). Within the filter method, we have to forward each message to Twain.PassMessage(), and we get a hint (enum TwainCommand) back for how we have to react.

Sample App

The sample is a Windows Forms MDI-style application. It has the two TWAIN-related menu items Select Source... and Acquire... Once an image is scanned in, we can save it to a file in any of the GDI+ supported file formats (BMP, GIF, TIFF, JPEG...)

Limitations

All code was only tested on Windows 2000SP2, with an Epson Perfection USB scanner and an Olympus digital photo camera. The scanned picture is (by TWAIN spec) a Windows DIB, and the sample code has VERY little checking against error return codes and bitmap formats. Unfortunately, no direct method is available in .NET to convert a DIB to the managed Bitmap class... Some known problems may show up with color palettes and menus.

Note, TWAIN has it's root in 16-Bit Windows! For a more modern API supported on Windows ME/XP, have a look at Windows Image Acquisition (WIA).

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under A Public Domain dedication


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Comments and Discussions

 
QuestionPreview image stream without standart window [modified] Pin
Victor VP6-Nov-06 0:32
Victor VP6-Nov-06 0:32 
QuestionProgrammatically capturing the image Pin
lifesabirch.org31-Oct-06 3:31
lifesabirch.org31-Oct-06 3:31 
QuestionHow can I display the scanner settings dialog without starting the scan process? Pin
DJM16-Oct-06 0:36
DJM16-Oct-06 0:36 
AnswerRe: How can I display the scanner settings dialog without starting the scan process? Pin
gabegabe25-Apr-07 10:32
gabegabe25-Apr-07 10:32 
GeneralAutocrop Pin
MrPieGuy12-Oct-06 7:59
MrPieGuy12-Oct-06 7:59 
GeneralRe: Autocrop Pin
duwke16-Oct-06 16:35
duwke16-Oct-06 16:35 
GeneralRe: Autocrop Pin
MrPieGuy17-Oct-06 3:42
MrPieGuy17-Oct-06 3:42 
GeneralRe: Autocrop Pin
cmchuan29-Oct-06 22:53
cmchuan29-Oct-06 22:53 
GeneralRe: Autocrop Pin
nsk_saravana21-Nov-11 18:28
nsk_saravana21-Nov-11 18:28 
GeneralRe: Autocrop Pin
nsk_saravana21-Nov-11 18:30
nsk_saravana21-Nov-11 18:30 
QuestionEnhancement to your application Pin
bijulsoni11-Oct-06 2:32
bijulsoni11-Oct-06 2:32 
Questionwat if this application is to be run in ASP.net Pin
madx_hu11-Oct-06 1:45
madx_hu11-Oct-06 1:45 
Generalseems to be bug if scanner is locked Pin
Bartosz Wegielewski7-Oct-06 23:57
Bartosz Wegielewski7-Oct-06 23:57 
GeneralMessages disappear on Win2000 Pin
jorn_e18-Sep-06 3:44
jorn_e18-Sep-06 3:44 
GeneralRe: Messages disappear on Win2000 Pin
cmchuan18-Sep-06 16:25
cmchuan18-Sep-06 16:25 
GeneralAutomatic Document Feeder - Multiple document Pin
ajlaluan30-Aug-06 15:03
ajlaluan30-Aug-06 15:03 
GeneralRe: Automatic Document Feeder - Multiple document Pin
duwke16-Oct-06 16:30
duwke16-Oct-06 16:30 
QuestionConfiguring Scanning Resolution Pin
mosquets30-Aug-06 4:44
mosquets30-Aug-06 4:44 
AnswerRe: Configuring Scanning Resolution [modified] Pin
cmchuan13-Sep-06 18:01
cmchuan13-Sep-06 18:01 
QuestionRe: Configuring Scanning Resolution Pin
Victor VP7-Nov-06 21:23
Victor VP7-Nov-06 21:23 
GeneralScan once, but not twice Pin
Bastid27-Aug-06 11:20
Bastid27-Aug-06 11:20 
GeneralConfiguring scan area Pin
sbayeta22-Aug-06 12:00
sbayeta22-Aug-06 12:00 
GeneralRe: Configuring scan area Pin
cmchuan13-Sep-06 19:24
cmchuan13-Sep-06 19:24 
GeneralRe: Configuring scan area Pin
cmchuan18-Sep-06 16:23
cmchuan18-Sep-06 16:23 
QuestionRe: Configuring scan area Pin
yo ncv15-Oct-06 23:00
yo ncv15-Oct-06 23:00 

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