Easy, step by step guide

How to scan large pages

1) You need Photoshop

– HELP > Here is a Photoshop Action (script) that take you through it automatically. Instructions at foot.

2) Scan your images in two halves (or 4 if extra large) making sure you have good overlap. Note: they do not need to be straight, they no not need to be the same way around, Photoshop will deal with that.

Scanning ...

- Scan at 400dpi. 300dpi is enough usually but to read into text some small type or the that is reversed (white on black - the extra 100dpi will help)

- HELP! If the scanned magazine has a strong spine, then add weight to the scanner hood on the top (I use a pile of books)

3) Open Photoshop and open you two images (or however many images)

4) Go to: File menu > Automate > Photomerge > (then in Window) > Click “Add Open Files”.
- Choose “Auto”, but if you have any issues choose “Reposition” > Click OK

5) You image will open as a new perfectly joined up image .. but not aligned and not rotated - Yet!

6) Rotation: >Image Menu > Image Rotation > “Choose option” of clockwise or anti-clockwise 

7) Flatten image: Layer Menu > Flatten

8) Straighten image: Menu Box down the left hand side > Choose ruler tool (click on the fifth symbol down and it will open up other tools)

9) Draw a straight line vertically or horizontally along the edge of text or a photo on the page > Click “Straighten” in the menu bar at the top which has appeared

10) WARNING: Photoshop may also crop the image. Go to > Edit Menu, and > go back one step (undoing the crop). See History menu to check.

11) Choose > the Crop tool above the Straighten tool… and in the tool menu which will appear at the top check > the perspective button. 

12) Use the Crop tool and crop near the corners moving each point individually > Click Crop

13) Make the image size best for PDF. Go to > Image Menu > Image Size and choose 4000px height and 350 dpi

14) Save the images as JPGs (as they are best for capturing the text) in sequence 1..2..3..4...5 
If there ar eissues on any pages with text capture (OCR), then that page can be changed. We use software that embeds the text inside the PDF.

Upload any jpgs you want to donate here ../Downloads/Downloads-articles.html. It leads to BMCs Dropbox.

– HELP > Here is a Photoshop Action (script) that take you through it automatically.

1) Download

2) Go to Photoshop > Windows Menu > Actions palette. In the Actions Pallette there is a small button with a menu in the top right > Click > scroll down to > Load Actions > Load this action. 

3) First: Open your two images. Then run/click the script. It will walk you though bringing up menus and actions automatically for you to adjust.