ElixirScan Setup

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ElixirScan is a raster-to-vector conversion tool that transforms paper-based documents into editable electronic forms.

To  make your job easier you need to start out by checking your default directory settings. You can do this with the Preferences option, located on the Main Menu bar.

  1. Choose Preferences and you will be presented with this dialog box.
  2. Next start with the Default Dir.
  3. Default Directory Setup Dialog Box

This dialog box has all the directory setup options that tell ElixirScan where your files are stored, and where you would like new files saved, after the recognition process is complete. And it also sets directory locations for Fonts, KMP, Logos, and Spell checker.

The initial values of options given on this dialog box are copied from the profile at start-up time. To modify the initial values of the options permanently, you have to use the Dialog Box - Preferences and its child dialog boxes. Listed below are all of the options and how to set them up.

Input Options

  • The directory ElixirScan searches for files to process. Type a new directory name or press the button D to use the Dialog Box - Find Directory to find a directory.

ELX Output Options

  • When Form Recognition process is completed for a file, ElixirScan checks this checkbox and decides whether to write an ELX output. If not checked, an ELX file is written to the directory specified here.
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  • To enter a new directory name, you type or click the D button.

FSC Output Options

  • When Form Recognition process is completed for a file, ElixirScan checks this checkbox and decides whether to write an FSC output. If not checked, an FSC file is written to the directory specified here.
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  • To enter a new directory name, you type or click the D button.

Good Images:

  • When Form Recognition process is completed for a file successfully, ElixirScan disposes of the input file according to the setting given here.
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  • If the option Retain has been chosen, nothing happens. If the Move to option has been chosen, ElixirScan moves the file to the new directory given here. If the Delete option has been chosen, the input file will be physically erased.

Bad Images:

  • When Form Recognition process is ended with an error, ElixirScan disposes of the input file according to the setting given here.
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  • If the option Retain has been chosen, nothing happens. If the Move to option has been chosen, ElixirScan moves the file to the new directory given here. If the Delete option has been chosen, the input file will be physically erased.
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  • If you interrupt the Form Recognition process, this does not count as an error. If the process ends because its time limit has been reached, it counts as an error.

Elixir Fonts

  • The location of Elixir font directory. This directory is used in Dialog Box - Edit Font Table.

Elixir KMPs

  • The location of Elixir KMP directory. This directory is used in the ELX character set combobox in Dialog Box - Output Control.

Elixir Logos

  • The location of Elixir logo directory. Logos extracted from raster input files in LP3 format will be stored in this directory. See the capture command in Tools - Graphic and the Dialog Box - Graphics Props.

Spell Checker

  • The location of files used by the Spell Checker. The files needed in this directory include CONFIG.HM, dictionary and hyphenation files (extension .DAT), personal dictionaries, and two DLLs - ELXICS1 and ELXICS1F.

Here are some more quick tips on using ElixirScan

  • Use 300 dpi as your default scanning resolution.
  • Scanning at higher resolutions won't net you any real benefits - it will actually slow the conversion process down. The exception is when you are scanning 5 point or smaller text. You should scan small text at 400 or 600 dpi.
  • If possible, remove scanner "noise" with a bitmap editor's filter option (like in the Elixir Graphics Editor) before running through ElixirScan. The better the input, the better the output. "Garbage In - Garbage Out. . ."
  • Map fonts that are the same size so you can maintain a documents fidelity. If you map an 8pt. Courier font to a 10pt. Helvetica, the resulting .ELX output will require additional editing to "adjust" the text and make the document presentable.
  • Create custom font maps for each customer/project you have and reuse the maps as needed.
  • Use the Batch Log processing option to improve monitoring of system status and to capture processing information for analyzing