Scanning docs into Access

[Thomas Kroljic]

All,
I'm looking for recommendations on the best approach to scanning
documents and associating them to data records in Access. Ideally, when I
open a record via a form in Access, I would like to have a command button
(with vba code) that would allow me to scan a document and tie it to the
currently displayed record.

If anyone has any suggestions or know of any articles that I can read, I
greatly appreciate it.

Thank you,
Thomas

 

[Arvin Meyer [MVP]]

At one time the Kodak ActiveX Imaging controls shipped with Office. They
haven't for some time now so you'll need a third-party control to do the
scanning. Rather than trying to store the documents within Access, I suggest
that you store them as separate PDF files, and store the path to those files
within Access. Access can then open them in a PDF reader.

In any case, you will not be able to use Access to activate a scan with just
any scanner. I'd research scanners and see if there are any that can be
activated by software. Other than Barcode scanners, I am not familiar with
any, but I'm sure that there must be. Almost always, you activate the
scanner first, then use the software to store the resulting data or file.
Here is one easy possibility:

http://keyscan.com/index.php?lang=en

which offers a keyboard scanner. Once the scan is made however, it is easy
to use Access to recall and open the file. A simple ShellExecute function
should open the file in your preferred PDF reader:

http://www.mvps.org/access/api/api0018.htm

 

[Tom van Stiphout]

On Sat, 10 May 2008 10:06:20 -0400, "Arvin Meyer [MVP]" <[email protected]>
wrote:

Look for a TWAIN-compatible scanner, which can be controlled
programmatically. PaperPort is another option that's easy to work
with.
-Tom.

 

[Arvin Meyer [MVP]]

Most scanners are TWAIN compatible and their output can be controlled
programmatically. Scanning, involves a source document which must be in
place before it can begin, so it matters little if the button is pressed on
the screen or on the machine. High-speed document scanners can be set up to
store large quantities of documents in a specific folder, where upon
something like DocMgr can be altered to grab their filenames and store them
in Access.

http://www.datastrat.com/Download/DocMgr_2K.zip

 

[Daniel Pineault]

Here are 2 useful links I found a while back when I was looking into this
ubject myself.

http://www.issociate.de/board/post/291567/How_to_control_scanner_from_Access?.htm
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...de6-91c2-b7ea32537e29&DisplayLang=en#filelist
--
Hope this helps,

Daniel Pineault
http://www.cardaconsultants.com/
For Access Tips and Examples: http://www.devhut.com/index.php
Please rate this post using the vote buttons if it was helpful.

 

[Pete D.]

I use a combination of directory structure and then a directory search using
VBA to build hyperlinks in access to the files. Quick, easy, can pick one
file to add or scan all directories recursive. Keeps the datafile light and
I can pull all the file details. Even deals with other than pdf files as
any file windows can identify is automatically opened in the correct
aplication. No drive mapping is needed. Currently I manage around 4k worth
of documents with some that change frequenently so it is easy to just
download the updated document to the same location and no other action is
required. Only catch was when I moved to Access 2007 filesearch is no
longer supported but Allen Brown's site had a solution to fix up my short
lived filesearch disaster. File locations are indexed by filename with
master list so once titles are loaded and related to vehicles (repair,
parts, TSB's and such) I don't have to do anything but download the updates
unless they are completely new. Pete D.

 

[Thomas Kroljic]

All,
Thank you very much for all the responses. I really do appreciate the
information and will check out all the links provided.
Has anyone heard of a product call RemoteScan? Getting knowledgeable in
working with Access and Scanners is my first hurdle, the next hurdle is
getting all this to work in a Terminal Services environment with the Scanner
connected to a Remote PC while running an Access application on the TS.

Thanks again.
Thomas

 

[IDALINA AFONSO]

All,
Thank you very much for all the responses. I really do appreciate the
information and will check out all the links provided.
Has anyone heard of a product call RemoteScan? Getting knowledgeable in
working with Access and Scanners is my first hurdle, the next hurdle is
getting all this to work in a Terminal Services environment with the
Scanner connected to a Remote PC while running an Access application on
the TS.

Thanks again.
Thomas