RE: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP
Hi guys, Back onto the original topic. I spoke to my potential client this m orning and they were just looking for the scanning steps to be recordable in the CMS - which my CMA already does. Thanks for all the positive suggestions and nice to see me starting a useful conversation for once. Cheers George in Oxford -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
RE: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP
On Tue, June 27, 2006 9:33 am, Arno Kuhl wrote: > Stut, that's an interesting point you raised. I know it's moving off > the > original topic, but when you say "by no means limited to being used on > a > server never mind on a web server", what is it that interprets the > code and > where does the output go to, or the input come from? I also thought it > always had to be run under a web server, and would be interested to > know > what the other options/opportunities are. Well... Here are a couple interesting non-web applications I know of... There was this guy who used to attend Chicago PHP User Group meetings who builds custom cabinets (like for your kitchen). He was all impressed about his website having page after page of FORMs to let him know exactly what to build for them... I found the fact that he AUTOMATICALLY send the output from all the FORMs into the ASCII input on his PROGRAMMABLE TABLE SAW, so the shop worker would literally just follow the on-screen instructions to throw the right chunk of wood up, and the web-site *drove* the table saw, for all intents and purposes, to be far more interesting, personally. :-) Another one that I'm not sure it's all THAT interesting is in my sound booth which is not a web server, but has a several PHP scripts to control the conversion of raw .wav files to MP3s and upload them to a back-end caching server system behind: http://uncommonground.com/radio_hifi.m3u so that our web radio works. The website doesn't REALLY have 150 Gigs of server space for MP3s -- It just seems like it does :-) PHP GTK alone has all kinds of nifty possible applications with no webserver in sight. -- Like Music? http://l-i-e.com/artists.htm -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
Re: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP
On Tue, June 27, 2006 7:16 am, George Pitcher wrote: > I have been asked to look at extending one of my CMS systems to > incorporate > integration to a library management system, as well as LDAP and Active > Directory. http://php.net/ldap should help, though I understand that there is some stupid "gotcha" with Active Directory that trips up every user and they have to Google to find out how to fix it. > The requirement also asks for scanning and OCR of documents > to be > controlled by the CMS. > > Does anyone have any experience of implementing the scanning into a > PHP > application? I think if you Google for "PHP COM Port" you'll find hacks to control the data going out to an old-school COM Port scanner. You're on your own with fancy new USB ones. As far as the OCR goes, you could probably exec() gocr/jocr or Omni if you can afford it and it runs on your OS. If not, you could roll your own with GD, http://php.net/imagecolorat, and about 10 years of effort. I assume you realize that there is no friggin' way you can mess with the client's (browser-computer) scanner and that you need the scanner hooked up to the web-server for any of this to be meaningful. -- Like Music? http://l-i-e.com/artists.htm -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
RE: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP
[snip] You can do the cron job thing and call it from the command line. [/snip] You can also execute a 'command line' php script from other applications as well. Even though 'command line' PHP scripting has some additional features we used to run PHP scripts from the command line before the 'command line' version came out. YMMV -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
RE: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP
At 11:33 AM 6/27/2006, Arno Kuhl wrote: -Original Message- From: Stut [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 27 June 2006 03:11 To: Peter Lauri Cc: 'George Pitcher'; php-general@lists.php.net Subject: Re: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP Peter Lauri wrote: > Probably nobody, as PHP is a Server Side Scripting Language. If there's one thing I hate it's needless pigeonholing. PHP is not a "Server Side Scripting Language". It is a scripting language for sure, but is by no means limited to being used on a server never mind on a web server. -Stut - Stut, that's an interesting point you raised. I know it's moving off the original topic, but when you say "by no means limited to being used on a server never mind on a web server", what is it that interprets the code and where does the output go to, or the input come from? I also thought it always had to be run under a web server, and would be interested to know what the other options/opportunities are. Cheers Arno Arno, You can do the cron job thing and call it from the command line. You can also write GUI apps using PHP-GTK+. It's sort of in transition now between version 1 and version 2. Did this for a client as there was some database work we wanted to do on the local machine, fetching information from time to time from the database on the web. Works quite well and is saving them a lot of time. By now we're way OT on the scanner question. Cheers - Miles Thompson -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.9.5/376 - Release Date: 6/26/2006 -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
Re: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP
Arno Kuhl wrote: Stut, that's an interesting point you raised. I know it's moving off the original topic, but when you say "by no means limited to being used on a server never mind on a web server", what is it that interprets the code and where does the output go to, or the input come from? I also thought it always had to be run under a web server, and would be interested to know what the other options/opportunities are. You can run it from the command line (http://php.net/manual/en/features.commandline.php). I use it all the time for everything from cron'd admin scripts to mail processing systems. PHP is an extremely powerful language in any environment. As for where the output goes and where input comes from it's up to you. Anything you print/echo/output in any way from a CLI script will be displayed on the screen, but this can be redirected if needed. Input can come interactively from the user (http://php.net/readline), from a file or from a number of other sources. When you're thinking about PHP as a general programming language it's no different from any other language in terms of how it deals with input and output. As somebody else has already mentioned, GUI functionality can come from GTK (http://gtk.php.net/) or you can do a certain amount with the win32std PECL extension (http://pecl.php.net/package/win32std). Hope that encourages you to consider PHP for use outside the web environment. -Stut -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
RE: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP
> I also thought it always had to be run under a web server, > and would be interested to know what the other options/ > opportunities are. You can run it from the command line. See http://us3.php.net/manual/en/features.commandline.php thnx, Chris -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
Re: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP
Arno Kuhl wrote: -Original Message- From: Stut [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 27 June 2006 03:11 To: Peter Lauri Cc: 'George Pitcher'; php-general@lists.php.net Subject: Re: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP Peter Lauri wrote: Probably nobody, as PHP is a Server Side Scripting Language. If there's one thing I hate it's needless pigeonholing. PHP is not a "Server Side Scripting Language". It is a scripting language for sure, but is by no means limited to being used on a server never mind on a web server. -Stut - Stut, that's an interesting point you raised. I know it's moving off the original topic, but when you say "by no means limited to being used on a server never mind on a web server", what is it that interprets the code and where does the output go to, or the input come from? I also thought it always had to be run under a web server, and would be interested to know what the other options/opportunities are. Cheers Arno On example of a none web-server based application is kind of as a perl (or insert other scripting language here) substitute i.e. it can run from the command line as a cron job for instance to spit out reports based on database data, and then stream it into an XML document to send *data feeds* There are also some plug-ins or one-offs that use PHP to create VB-like applications that run on end user desktops.. http://winbinder.org/index.php Just a few of many examples I suppose. -brad -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
RE: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP
-Original Message- From: Stut [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 27 June 2006 03:11 To: Peter Lauri Cc: 'George Pitcher'; php-general@lists.php.net Subject: Re: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP Peter Lauri wrote: > Probably nobody, as PHP is a Server Side Scripting Language. If there's one thing I hate it's needless pigeonholing. PHP is not a "Server Side Scripting Language". It is a scripting language for sure, but is by no means limited to being used on a server never mind on a web server. -Stut - Stut, that's an interesting point you raised. I know it's moving off the original topic, but when you say "by no means limited to being used on a server never mind on a web server", what is it that interprets the code and where does the output go to, or the input come from? I also thought it always had to be run under a web server, and would be interested to know what the other options/opportunities are. Cheers Arno -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
RE: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP
Stut, You are correct. PHP can be used in much more extent, but my tiny box where I use PHP has never touched that area though :) I did truly enjoy the continuing of the thread, because I learned that PHP is much more then a Web Server Scripting Language :) /Peter -Original Message- From: Stut [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2006 8:11 PM To: Peter Lauri Cc: 'George Pitcher'; php-general@lists.php.net Subject: Re: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP Peter Lauri wrote: > Probably nobody, as PHP is a Server Side Scripting Language. If there's one thing I hate it's needless pigeonholing. PHP is not a "Server Side Scripting Language". It is a scripting language for sure, but is by no means limited to being used on a server never mind on a web server. As to the OPs question, assuming you are aware that PHP cannot control anything on the client-side if used on a web server, and assuming you are talking about a Windows-based machine, you will probably find there are COM objects you can use to control scanners. From the PHP side check here: http://php.net/com. For the actual interface to scanners I suggest you Google. Sounds like a fun project, enjoy. -Stut -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
Re: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP
On Tue, 2006-06-27 at 10:31 -0300, Miles Thompson wrote: > George, > > You always have the interesting challenges served to you. > > Is this at the client or the server end? Controlled through the browser? > Only at the browser on the server? > I think there's a discussion about .com objects in the manual. > I did a solution a few years back controlling barcode scanners with dio PHP extension. You can also use a combo of text files and parsing from stdin through something like minicom, but with image scanners that may be a bit too tricky. Sounds cool though, wish I had some time to play --Paul -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
Re: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP
George, You always have the interesting challenges served to you. Is this at the client or the server end? Controlled through the browser? Only at the browser on the server? I think there's a discussion about .com objects in the manual. Have fun - Miles At 09:16 AM 6/27/2006, George Pitcher wrote: Hi, I have been asked to look at extending one of my CMS systems to incorporate integration to a library management system, as well as LDAP and Active Directory. The requirement also asks for scanning and OCR of documents to be controlled by the CMS. Does anyone have any experience of implementing the scanning into a PHP application? MTIA George -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.9.5/376 - Release Date: 6/26/2006 -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
Re: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP
On 6/27/06, George Pitcher <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Hi, I have been asked to look at extending one of my CMS systems to incorporate integration to a library management system, as well as LDAP and Active Directory. The requirement also asks for scanning and OCR of documents to be controlled by the CMS. Does anyone have any experience of implementing the scanning into a PHP application? There *might* be something on the gtk side of things: http://gtk.php.net/ I highly doubt it, but worth a look. That's not going to help you do anything from a web server though, php-gtk apps run from a desktop. -- Postgresql & php tutorials http://www.designmagick.com/ -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
Re: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP
Peter Lauri wrote: Probably nobody, as PHP is a Server Side Scripting Language. If there's one thing I hate it's needless pigeonholing. PHP is not a "Server Side Scripting Language". It is a scripting language for sure, but is by no means limited to being used on a server never mind on a web server. As to the OPs question, assuming you are aware that PHP cannot control anything on the client-side if used on a web server, and assuming you are talking about a Windows-based machine, you will probably find there are COM objects you can use to control scanners. From the PHP side check here: http://php.net/com. For the actual interface to scanners I suggest you Google. Sounds like a fun project, enjoy. -Stut -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
RE: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP
Maybe JavaScript can do it for you? -Original Message- From: George Pitcher [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2006 8:01 PM To: Peter Lauri Subject: RE: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP Peter, I take it you have spoken to everyone on the list then? I know that PHP is a server side language, but that doesn't mean that nobody has been able to do what I need to do, just that they've used other non-php tools. George > -Original Message- > From: Peter Lauri [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: 27 June 2006 8:56 am > To: 'George Pitcher'; php-general@lists.php.net > Subject: RE: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP > > > Probably nobody, as PHP is a Server Side Scripting Language. > > -Original Message- > From: George Pitcher [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2006 7:16 PM > To: php-general@lists.php.net > Subject: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP > > Hi, > > I have been asked to look at extending one of my CMS systems to > incorporate > integration to a library management system, as well as LDAP and Active > Directory. The requirement also asks for scanning and OCR of > documents to be > controlled by the CMS. > > Does anyone have any experience of implementing the scanning into a PHP > application? > > MTIA > > George > > -- > PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) > To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php > > -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
RE: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP
[snip] I have been asked to look at extending one of my CMS systems to incorporate integration to a library management system, as well as LDAP and Active Directory. The requirement also asks for scanning and OCR of documents to be controlled by the CMS. Does anyone have any experience of implementing the scanning into a PHP application? [/snip] Will the scanner be connected to a server running PHP? -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
RE: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP
Probably nobody, as PHP is a Server Side Scripting Language. -Original Message- From: George Pitcher [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2006 7:16 PM To: php-general@lists.php.net Subject: [PHP] Controlling a scanner with PHP Hi, I have been asked to look at extending one of my CMS systems to incorporate integration to a library management system, as well as LDAP and Active Directory. The requirement also asks for scanning and OCR of documents to be controlled by the CMS. Does anyone have any experience of implementing the scanning into a PHP application? MTIA George -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
