In response to questions about TWAIN, let me give my understanding of
it. You can read about it in detail at the Web-site
(http://www.twain.org/).
TWAIN is a standard adopted by the makers of digital scanners for
organizing the output from the scanners. TWAIN-standardized data
includes not only the digital image file produced by the scanner but
also meta-data, such as the name of the scanner (model), date, and
scanner settings/readings used in making each digital image file, such
as
Mode: Gray-Scale
Bits per color: 8 bits
Original: Reflective
Scan Resolution: 87 ppi
Output Resolution: 150 lpi
Scale Factor: 58%
Left: 0.32 inch
Top: 0.35 inch
...
Size: 465.3 Kb
etc.
Some software programs display this meta-data. I saw this at CHS with
an Arcus II scanner, its accompanying Fotolook software package, and
Adobe Photoshop.
As I understand what happens: the technician connects Fotolook to Adobe
Photoshop; places the original image on the scanner bed and starts the
scan. When the scan is complete, the technician can observe the
resulting digital image in a Fotolook window (within an Adobe Photoshop
window). On the side of the screen (beside the image) there is a button
labeled something like "Information." When the technician clicks on it,
another window opens displaying the meta-data with labels.
The technician has the option of deleting this meta-data or saving it.
If he chooses to "save," the meta-data is saved automatically into a
".txt" file named with the same basic label as the digital image
filename.
If catalogers want to incorporate some of this meta-data into catalog
records (or into other finding aids/databases) for use in collection
management, it would be nice if we could find a way to route the data
automatically into place. So I'm looking for software that does
something with the meta-data besides saving it as a ".txt" file.
Thanks for ideas, suggestions, etc. As you can see, I'm new to this.
Linda
-------------------
Linda J. Evans, Ph.D.,
Chief Cataloger, Chicago Historical Society
1601 North Clark St., Chicago, IL 60614-6099
telephone: 312-642-5035 ext. 311 (voice mail)
fax: 312-266-2077
email: [log in to unmask]
Enjoy the historical society's website: http://www.chicagohistory.org
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