Scanning Team
The rôle of the Scanning Team is to create a digital file in Adobe's Portable Document Format that contains a scanned image of the text to be keyboarded. When WEBBS first started, it was necessary to take a printed publication and physically take it apart in order to send a few pages to each keyboarder. Today, we are able to use scanning equipment to take a digital "photograph" of each page. These scans are then compiled into a single PDF document and sent out to Team Leaders for distribution to their keyboarders.
As a member of this team you will, of course, need to have a scanner, but you may also find that some additional software utilities can be very useful. When you click on the main button below, you will open a PDF document that will give advice and guidance on scanning Scripture or other books, and on how to compile a PDF document containing the scans. If you do not already have Adobe's Acrobat Reader, you will need to start by downloading and installing it on your computer. You can use the direct link to Adobe from this site.
Creating PDF Files
Useful FREE software utilities
Click on any heading below to see the recommended software applications and to find a direct link to websites from which you can download them. Most of the utilities are for the Windows operating system, but there is a second tab with a couple of versions that are available for Mac users.
Windows
These applications are available for the Windows operating system. Click on a white heading to open that particular section.
PDF Merge
This application allows you to merge multiple, single PDF files into one document. Click on the button below to open a website from which you can obtain this program.
PDF Merge
PDF Tools
This application provides several utilities that can be used to merge, split, crop or rotate individual PDF files. Click on the button below to open a website from which you can obtain this program.
PDF Tools
Self-extracting ZIPs
ZIP files are a particular type of file "archive". The ZIP software compresses a single file, or a whole collection of files, into a single file of much smaller size. There are a number of compression programs available, but the ZIP format is perhaps used most commonly, particularly on the Windows operating system. Your computer almost certainly has WinZip or some other variant installed already, and most people are familiar with "unzipping" a compressed file. However, there is a utility available from Coffee Cup that can create a self-extracting ZIP file which makes the whole process a little simpler. Click on the button below to obtain this program.
Coffee Cup Zip Wizard
Scan Tailor
This is a free software application that provides an interactive tool for the post-processing of pages scanned as image files. It allows you to cut or crop pages, to compensate for skew angle, and add or delete content fields and margins. You begin with a raw scan and finish with a TIFF format file is ready for assembly and conversion into a PDF file. Click on the button below to open a website from which you can obtain this program. You will also find there a video user guide to help you through the process of using the software.
Scan Tailor
PRIMO file size reduction
This free application allows you to reduce the size of a PDF file. There are two buttons below: the first is a link to the website from which you can obtain this program whilst the second opens a PDF document that will explain how to use it.
Mac Users
These applications are available for the Apple Mac operating system. Click on a white heading to open that particular section.
PDF Merge
This application allows you to merge multiple, single PDF files into one document. Click on the button below to open a website from which you can obtain this program.
PDF Merge
Splitting and merging
This PDF document explains how to use built-in facilities on Mac systems to both split and merge PDF files. Click on the button below to open the document.
Splitting and Merging on a Mac
Converting TIFF to PDF
Again, on a Mac it is possible to use built-in facilities to convert a TIFF format file to a PDF file. Click on the button to open a document explaining how to do this.
Converting TIFF to PDF on a Mac
