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Core concepts
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‎_articles/core-concepts/Dynamic-Web-TWAIN-Service.md‎

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---
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layout: default-layout
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needAutoGenerateSidebar: true
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needGenerateH3Content: true
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noTitleIndex: true
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title: Dynamic Web TWAIN Core Concepts - Dynamic Web TWAIN Service
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keywords: Dynamic Web TWAIN, Documentation, Plugin, Service, Concept
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breadcrumbText: TWAIN
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description: This page gives a general introduction to Dynamic Web TWAIN Service, which makes it possible to access imaging devices in the browser.
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---
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# Dynamic Web TWAIN Service
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Dynamic Web TWAIN Service (previously known as Dynamsoft Service prior to version 19) is a local service installed on end-user devices to make it possible to access imaging devices in the browser. It also provides other functions like image processing, caching, barcode reading, OCR and system function calls.
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![architecture](/assets/imgs/core-concepts//local-scan-architecture.svg)
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To use Dynamic Web TWAIN in the browser, you have to install the service beforehand.
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## Other Ways of Accessing Scanners in the Browser
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Previously, technologies like ActiveX for Internet Explorer and NPAPI plugins for older versions of Chrome allowed scanner access directly in the browser. However, these technologies are now deprecated. Modern browsers lack built-in APIs for document scanning. While Chrome offers an experimental WebUSB API, it has limited functionality. Therefore, using a local service is currently the most viable solution.
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## Related Articles
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* [Setting up Dynamic Web TWAIN Service](/_articles/extended-usage/dynamsoft-service-configuration.md)
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* [FAQs Related to Dynamic Web TWAIN Service](/_articles/faq/index.md#project-deployment-and-end-user-installation)
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* [End-User Guide](/_articles/end-user/index.md)
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‎_articles/core-concepts/TWAIN.md‎

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---
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layout: default-layout
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needAutoGenerateSidebar: true
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needGenerateH3Content: true
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noTitleIndex: true
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title: Dynamic Web TWAIN Core Concepts - TWAIN
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keywords: Dynamic Web TWAIN, Documentation, TWAIN, Concept
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breadcrumbText: TWAIN
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description: This page gives a general introduction to TWAIN, the document scanning API that Dynamic Web TWAIN exposes to the browser environment.
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---
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# TWAIN
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TWAIN is a standard for interacting with image devices, like document scanners and cameras. It was created by a small group of software and hardware companies in response to the need for a proposed specification for the imaging industry. Without TWAIN, we have to program for every device. With TWAIN, we only need to create an application that knows TWAIN and it can have access to thousands of TWAIN-compatible devices.
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## Architecture
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The architecture of TWAIN consists of four layers:
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* Application - Dynamic Web TWAIN executes at this layer.
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* Protocol - There is a Source Manager working between the application and the Sources.
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* Acquisition - The software elements written to control acquisitions are called Sources and reside
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primarily in this layer.
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* Device - This is the location of traditional low-level device drivers.
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## Files
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The following files are required to use TWAIN.
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### Source Manager
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The implementation of the Source Manager differs between the supported systems:
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* On Windows
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* The Source Manager is a Dynamic Link Library (TWAINDSM.DLL or twain_32.dll for old TWAIN versions).
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* The Source Manager can manage simultaneous sessions between an application and many
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Sources.
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* On Macintosh: The Source Manager is a Mach-O framework (TWAIN.framework, TWAINDSM.framework).
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* On Linux
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* The Source Manager is a shared library (/usr/local/lib/libtwaindsm.so).
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* The Source Manager can manage simultaneous sessions between an application and many
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Sources.
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Normally, the system has the libraries built-in. Dynamsoft have the DLLs included in its Windows installer by default.
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### Source
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The implementation of the Source is the same as the implementation of the Source Manager:
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* On Windows: The Source is a Dynamic Link Library (DLL) with a .ds extension. You can find the files after installing the driver under "C:\Windows\twain_32" and "C:\Windows\twain_64".
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* On Macintosh: The Source is implemented as a bundle (preferably Mach-O) with a .ds extension.
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* On Linux: The Source is a shared library (.so) with a .ds extension.
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## TWAIN Capabilities
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One of TWAIN's benefits is it allows applications to easily interact with a variety of acquisition
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devices. This is done using TWAIN capabilities.
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TWAIN capabilities are divided into three groups:
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* **CAP_xxxx**: Capabilities whose names begin with CAP are capabilities that could apply to any
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general Source. Such capabilities include use of automatic document feeders, identification of
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the creator of the data, etc.
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* **ICAP_xxxx**: Capabilities whose names begin with ICAP are capabilities that apply to image
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devices. The "I" stands for image.
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* **ACAP_xxxx**: Capabilities whose names begin with ACAP are capabilities that apply to
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devices that support audio. The "A" stands for audio.
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Here are some capabilities for example:
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* **CAP_DEVICEONLINE**: If TRUE, the physical hardware (e.g., scanner, digital camera, image database, etc.) that represents the image source is attached, powered on, and communicating.
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* **CAP_FEEDERENABLED**: If TRUE, Source must acquire data from the document feeder acquire area and other feeder capabilities can be used.
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* **ICAP_AUTOMATICBORDERDETECTION**: Turns automatic border detection on and off.
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You can use this online demo to get and set the capabilities with Dynamic Web TWAIN: <https://demo.dynamsoft.com/web-twain/capabilities>.
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You can learn more about TWAIN by reading its specifications: <https://github.com/twain/twain-specification>.
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## Other Document Scanning APIs
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Through time, Dynamic Web TWAIN added support for other APIs as well: WIA, SANE, ICA and eSCL. They can be used with the same set of JavaScript APIs.
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Here is a table of the APIs and platforms Dynamic Web TWAIN supports.
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| | Windows | macOS | Linux |
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|-----------|---------|-----|-------|
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| **TWAIN** | X | X | |
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| **WIA** | X | | |
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| **ICA** | | X | |
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| **SANE** | | | X |
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| **eSCL** | X | X | X |
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‎_articles/core-concepts/resource-files.md‎

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---
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layout: default-layout
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needAutoGenerateSidebar: true
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needGenerateH3Content: true
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noTitleIndex: true
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title: Dynamic Web TWAIN Core Concepts - Resource Files
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keywords: Dynamic Web TWAIN, Documentation, Resource Files, Concept
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breadcrumbText: TWAIN
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description: This page gives a general introduction to Dynamic Web TWAIN's resource files.
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---
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# Resource Files
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Resources files are the files your web application needs to use.
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There are two formats of resources files.
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Format 1 is for the traditional vanilla JavaScript development. You can find the files in the [SDK installer](https://www.dynamsoft.com/web-twain/downloads/) or official samples' zip files.
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```
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Resources
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│ dynamsoft.webtwain.config.js
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│ dynamsoft.webtwain.initiate.js
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│ dynamsoft.webtwain.install.js
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│ Readme.txt
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│
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├─addon
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│ dynamsoft.upload.js
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│ dynamsoft.webtwain.addon.barcodereader.js
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│ dynamsoft.webtwain.addon.pdf.js
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│ dynamsoft.webtwain.addon.webcam.js
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│
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├─dist
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│ DynamicWebTWAINServiceSetup-arm64.deb
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│ DynamicWebTWAINServiceSetup.deb
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│ DynamicWebTWAINServiceSetup.msi
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│ DynamicWebTWAINServiceSetup.pkg
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│ DynamicWebTWAINServiceSetup.rpm
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│ LICENSE
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│
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└─src
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dynamsoft.lts.js
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dynamsoft.webtwain.css
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dynamsoft.webtwain.viewer.css
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dynamsoft.webtwain.viewer.js
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```
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Format 2 is for usage with package managers and frameworks or CDN references. You can obtain the files via `npm install dwt`.
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```
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dwt
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│ dwt-openapi.yaml
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│ legal.txt
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│ LICENSE.txt
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│ package.json
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│ README.md
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│
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└─dist
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│ dynamsoft.webtwain.min.js
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│ dynamsoft.webtwain.min.mjs
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│
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├─dist
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│ DynamicWebTWAINServiceSetup-arm64.deb
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│ DynamicWebTWAINServiceSetup.deb
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│ DynamicWebTWAINServiceSetup.msi
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│ DynamicWebTWAINServiceSetup.pkg
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│ DynamicWebTWAINServiceSetup.rpm
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│ LICENSE
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│
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├─src
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│ dynamsoft.lts.js
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│ dynamsoft.webtwain.css
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│ dynamsoft.webtwain.viewer.css
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│ dynamsoft.webtwain.viewer.js
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│
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└─types
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Addon.BarcodeReader.d.ts
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Addon.OCR.d.ts
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Addon.OCRKit.d.ts
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Addon.OCRPro.d.ts
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Addon.PDF.d.ts
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Addon.Webcam.d.ts
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Dynamsoft.d.ts
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Dynamsoft.Enum.d.ts
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Dynamsoft.FileUploader.d.ts
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index.d.ts
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RemoteScan.d.ts
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RemoteScan.Viewer.d.ts
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tsconfig.json
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tslint.json
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WebTwain.Acquire.d.ts
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WebTwain.Buffer.d.ts
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WebTwain.d.ts
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WebTwain.Edit.d.ts
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WebTwain.IO.d.ts
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WebTwain.Util.d.ts
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WebTwain.Viewer.d.ts
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```
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For more detailed information on these files, please refer to the following articles:
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* [Loading Library Resources](/_articles/general-usage/resource-loading.md)
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* [What are the Resources files? ](/_articles/faq/what-are-the-resources-files.md)
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‎_articles/core-concepts/scanner.md‎

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---
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layout: default-layout
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needAutoGenerateSidebar: true
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needGenerateH3Content: true
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noTitleIndex: true
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title: Dynamic Web TWAIN Core Concepts - Scanner
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keywords: Dynamic Web TWAIN, Documentation, Scanner, Concept
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breadcrumbText: Scanner
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description: This page gives a general introduction to document scanners, which Dynamic Web TWAIN interacts with.
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---
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# Scanner
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Scanners are the major object which Dynamic Web TWAIN interacts with. We are going to give a brief introduction to it, focusing on what matters to Dynamic Web TWAIN.
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## Scanner Types
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### Flatbed Scanner
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A flatbed scanner is a type of scanner that provides a glass bed (platen) on which the object to be scanned lies motionless. The scanning element moves horizontally beneath the glass, capturing either the entirety of the platen or a predetermined portion.
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![Epson v850](/assets/imgs/core-concepts/Epson_V850_scanner_open_20230920.jpg)
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Most flatbed scanners work in a reflective way, which shines white light onto the object and reads the intensity and color of light reflected from it. Some flatbed scanners also have transparency adapters (for scanning films and slides). These work differently: the light passes directly through the scanned object. In the scanning application, you can select whether to use the transparent unit or not.
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### Sheetfed Scanner
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A sheetfed scanner, also known as a document feeder scanner or ADF (Automatic Document Feeder) scanner, uses motor-driven rollers to move individual sheets of paper past a stationary scanning element (or two for duplex scanning). Unlike flatbed scanners, sheetfed scanners are not designed to scan bound materials such as books or magazines, nor are they suitable for materials thicker than standard paper. Their primary advantage is the ability to scan multiple documents quickly and automatically, making them much faster than flatbed scanners for high-volume tasks.
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![ScanSnap iX500](/assets/imgs/core-concepts/ScanSnap_iX500.jpg)
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### All-in-One Scanner
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All-in-one scanners, commonly found in Multi-Function Printers (MFPs), integrate both a document feeder and a flatbed, offering the versatility of both scanner types in a single device.
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![Ricoh 5055](/assets/imgs/core-concepts/500px-Ricoh_5055_MFP.jpg)
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### Camera-Based Scanner
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Camera-based scanners use one or more digital cameras to capture a document image all at once, typically with an overhead design.
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![CZUR ET Series](/assets/imgs/core-concepts/ET_Series_Book_Scanner.png)
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Unlike traditional scanners that scan line-by-line in a controlled environment, camera-based scanners are faster and can handle various materials, including bound books and fragile documents. However, they may be susceptible to issues like perspective distortion, shadows, and inconsistent lighting.
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## Special Scanners
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There are also scanners designed for specific use cases.
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### Check Scanners
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Check scanners are equipped with a Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) unit, which reads the magnetic ink characters printed on checks.
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![Epson TM-S1000](/assets/imgs/core-concepts/A41A266001_Scanners_Epson%20TM-S1000_PT.png)
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With Dynamic Web TWAIN, you can not only retrieve the scanned image but also obtain the MICR data from the check.
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### Scanners with Imprinter / Endorser
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Many production scanners can be integrated with a printer or endorser module. This allows them to print text or barcodes directly onto the scanned documents during the scanning process, which is useful for document routing or post-scan sorting.
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![fi-7160](/assets/imgs/core-concepts/FI-7160.2.jpg)
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## Connectivity
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Most modern scanners use USB for connection, while older models may use SCSI or a parallel port. Network connectivity (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) is also common, especially in office environments.
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## Application Programming Interface
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Standardized Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) enable software to communicate with scanners. The most common ones include:
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* **TWAIN** – The industry standard API widely used by scanners, especially on Windows.
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* **WIA** (Windows Image Acquisition) – An API provided by Microsoft for image acquisition.
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* **SANE** (Scanner Access Now Easy) – A free/open-source API primarily used on Linux and macOS.
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* **ImageCaptureCore** – A native API provided by Apple for macOS and iOS.
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* **ISIS** (Image and Scanner Interface Specification) – A high-performance API often used with high-speed production scanners in enterprise environments.
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* **eSCL** – A vendor-neutral, RESTful-based protocol for driverless scanning over a network, commonly used by modern networked scanners and MFPs.

‎_articles/index.md‎

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- [System Requirements]({{site.introduction}}system-requirements.html)
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- [Imaging Hardware]({{site.introduction}}imaging-hardware.html)
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- [Supported File Formats]({{site.introduction}}supported-file-formats.html)
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- Core Concepts
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- [Scanner](/_articles/core-concepts/scanner.md)
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- [TWAIN](/_articles/core-concepts/TWAIN.md)
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- [Dynamic Web TWAIN Service](/_articles/core-concepts/Dynamic-Web-TWAIN-Service.md)
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- [Resource Files](/_articles/core-concepts/resource-files.md)
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## Developer Guide
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‎_data/full_tree.yml‎

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path: /introduction/imaging-hardware.html
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- name: Supported File Formats
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path: /introduction/supported-file-formats.html
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- name: Core Concepts
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childList:
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- name: Scanner
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path: /core-concepts/scanner.html
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- name: TWAIN
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path: /core-concepts/TWAIN.html
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- name: Dynamic Web TWAIN Service
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path: /core-concepts/Dynamic-Web-TWAIN-Service.html
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- name: Resource Files
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path: /core-concepts/resource-files.html
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- name: Developer Guide
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isCategory: true

‎assets/imgs/core-concepts/500px-Ricoh_5055_MFP.jpg‎

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‎assets/imgs/core-concepts/A41A266001_Scanners_Epson TM-S1000_PT.png‎

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‎assets/imgs/core-concepts/ET_Series_Book_Scanner.png‎

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