scanning a text image & saving it in a file???

I am running Windows XP, & have an all in one printer, Lexmark X83. I want to scan a text image & have followed the directions, but on selecting the text (OCR) button, after saving it to a file, the file is not reading (just a bunch of jibberish). How can I get the file the same as the image I am scanning???
Help please !
I am fairly new to this & I don't know what to do next.
Hoping someone can help me out with this problem
Thank you,
Lucy

 

I have the same computer and printer. It's been awhile since I saved a text file. Let me ask you a few questions and we will see if we can't fix you up.

What resolution do you have it set up to scan at? I usually use around 150 or less. Makes the file easier to read as it's not so huge! Do you have your panel set up to preview the scanned item before it saves it? Bring up your Control Panel and follow this path:

FILE/SETUP/PAGE. Now check the box that says: PREVIEW IMAGE BEFORE OUTPUT.

This will give you a chance to see exactly what you scanned and if it doesn't look right then you don't have to save it or you can just delete it and try working with different resolutions so it looks how you want it to.

If this doesn't work, holler back and give me the step by step you used to make your scan and I'll duplicate it on mine and see what's going on.

Good luck.

 

Panda:
Not sure what you mean after I bring up control panel
Go into properties on my printer???
Where do I find FILE/SETUP/PAGE.
Sorry if I not making myself clear, but even tried with OCR-Abbyy Fine reader, & still the file came out in symbols & #'s. Weird????
I basically just want to scan a text document & save it to a file.
I use the text button & my printer does not read the text???
Appreciate your reply back, & hope that with your help, I can solve this problem.
Thanks again,
Lucy

 

Panda:
Just figured out what you meant ! you mean in the file set up on my printer box. Don't think this will make any difference as I have tried it both ways. & always I get this strange page, that is not reading the text that I am scanning.
Hoping that you have some more suggestions,
Thanks,
Lucy

 

Rats! For the life of me, I can't remember what the fix is for this one!!! I even tried looking for answers at the Lexmark site and couldn't find anything relating to this problem. The only thing I can think of to do right now is maybe uninstall it and reinstall it. Did you install it correctly? Have to ask as this one installs different than other brands. You have to wait until it tells you to plug in the usb part way through the install and not before like other types.

If all else fails, then maybe you can send Lexmark Support an email and explain the problem to them. They were very helpful with me when I had a major problem last year with another model.

So sorry I couldn't help you right now. Maybe someone else out there will have a solution. Keep trying!!!

 

Hi Panda,

Yes we definitely installed it correctly. I am Lucy's daughter and was the one who originally installed the printer and software. When we look at the preview- everything looks fine, but when we complete the scan that is when the file comes up as jibberish. We did another document a while ago with no problems. We're really having a hard time figuring this one out.

 

Hey Lucy,

If all you want to do is to copy text and save it as is then treat it as a photograph.

When you use OCR, the software is expecting you to modify the text and tries to read it and present it in a way for you to edit. The characters get in all manner of gibberish according to how good the OCR program is.

 

Bill:
Thanks for the help, this whole procedure is turning into a nightmare!!! Me thinks (& what do I know???) being a newbie to all of this, is that the document I am trying to copy is laid out sideways. It was a copy that was sent to me by post, & I'm just trying to copy it so that I can send it on to people who want to see this document.
Sorry if I am not making myself clear. Have copied it as a photo rather than a text document, but I assume that the document that you are copying selecting the text button on my printer, will not be able to read it as it is laid out sideways.
If any of this makes sense to you, please let me know, if not I give up, at least for the time being.
Thanks again,
a very confused,
Lucy

 

Lucy,

Open your document and rotate it to upright position and save it.
Your image software should have editing options so that you can crop, rotate, touchup, etc. before printing or sending as an attachment in EMail.

When you tell it to print, it will be just like printing a picture.

 

Bill: Yes, I did that, but the quality suffered. (Don't ask me why??)
I finally ended up copying it folded, so that the text would be right side up. When I tried to rotate the document in Abby Fine Reader, when it was a text file, it would not let me rotate it horizontally. Why, I do not know???
Anyway, it's not that important, I managed to convert it to a text document in notepad.
I'm sure I could spend an entire week in front of my computer trying to figure out all these options etc., but for now I will leave this particular problem rest for the time being.
Thanks again Bill, I appreciate your time & effort.
Lucy

 

Sorry I wasn't any help and glad you got the problem solved...sort of, anyway.

One of these days I'm going to sit down and read the whole HELP folder for my digital camera and printer and photo program so that one day I will actually KNOW what the heck I am doing with them!

Have a great day!

 

Panda:
Sometimes that only confuses the issue.
If only what they tell you to do works, it would be a lot simpllier!!
Thanks, & if I have any more problems, I will be sure to contact you. Me thinks it has a lot to do with the program you are using in relation to your digital camera.
Lucy