Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with imaging

HR-Filter: How does the temp agency you work for store its secure documents?

griphus — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 05:56:46 -0800

Document Imagine/HR-Filter: How does your large company store its secure documents? Okay, so I work on the admin end of a temp agency (i.e. not as a temp.) I'm in charge of document imaging. Rather, I'm in charge of creating a document imaging infrastructure. My boss said I can purchase any software I need so that we may retain the documents the temps fill in when they register. We have a lot of registered temps/day (>100) but this is a small non-profit with a limited budget, so software over a couple of thousand is out of the question. Bonuses for software companies w/ discounts for non-profits. Getting a consultant for this or speaking to a lawyer regarding any of these matters is also out of the question.

So, what system do you recommend for retention of Federal (I-9/W4) and HIPAA documents? By the rules, it has to be secure and able to track all reads and writes of/to the scanned documents.

I don't really need indexing software because we don't have an industrial scanner and because all incoming files are checked by hand.

Finally, if you have a company in NYC that has such a system set up, I would have no problem showing up to your offices for a tour. In fact, I'll take you out to lunch or something for the privilege. (Mods, please delete this request if it is against the rules)

Examples of image zooming/enhancement cliché from movies/tv.

dunk — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:30:01 -0800

I'm looking for examples of the film and tv cliché where images from surveillance video or photos are magnified and enhanced (usually to a ridiculous degree). I know about Enemy of the State and this clip from CSI (I'm guessing one of many examples from that show) is what made me think of compiling a list. They don't necessarily have to be things that are impossible in the real world, I'm more interested in the dialogue than the image being enhanced. If I get enough good ones I may make a supercut.

Help Me Move From Pro Tools To Logic Without Losing My Mind!!!

2oh1 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:59:48 -0800

ProAudioFilter! Help a long-time Pro Tools user switch to Logic. My major concern is audio EDITING more than creating. Bonus Question: I have Logic Pro 8 and I'm considering upgrading to 9 if it's worth it. Is it? I've done quite a bit of searching online, but most of what I find is focussed on creating songs with Logic (which makes sense). I'm trying to learn editing. For example, here's a typical project for me: Let's say I'm creating a :30 commercial for an upcoming concert. I already have dry voicework, some sound effects and four songs to be used in the spot, plus various other audio stuff.

I'm really dying here as I try to work in Logic's edit window.

How did you make the leap from Pro Tools to Logic? Where can I find info that will help me make sense of this different way of doing things? I'm really excited about using Logic, but wow am I frustrated too.

It's what's inside that counts.

elektrotechnicus — Fri, 29 May 2009 19:53:29 -0800

I just had an MRI and MRA in response to these issues, and the radiologist's report should be relayed to me in a day or two. I've already had one normal CT scan. I received a copy of all the images from this scan - should I look at them? On the one hand, I have no medical training and if I'm not sure what if anything I could glean from looking. On the other hand, there is a ton of reference material on the web and I feel like I could at least reassure myself that there are no gross structural defects or abnormalities. Then again, if there were anything "obvious" it would have been seen on the CT, right?

If I do decide to look, what should I look for?

Do you know of any museums which watermark their online images?

COBRA! — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:58:19 -0800

I need a list of museums which watermark (or otherwise alter for the purpose of control) the images they make available online. Actually, I'm arguing that it's rarely done, and I don't find a lot of examples. But I worry about being wrong and missing a bunch.

Good gel imaging system?

sickinthehead — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:06:07 -0800

I'm looking for a good system to take pictures of gels stained with either Ethidium Bromide or Coomassie. Can any one suggest one with good quality and value? It would be nice if it had an overhead UV light to cut bands out of gels.

Now...In 3-D!

mattdidthat — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:10:00 -0800

With what imaging software was the new Sci-Fi Channel logo created? The logo looks like it was built from cardboard or HD polyurethane foam and then photographed, but I'm certain it's not that simple, and I don't think its creators used Photoshop--I think they used a 3-D modeling program. Note the different lighting effects and shadows here, and here.

What 3-D modeling programs would I use to create those effects? Are they compatible with Illustrator CS4? I'm on a Mac.

Mac deployment/imaging options that don't require rocket scientists

mecran01 — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 12:10:41 -0800

I am a novice mac lab manager. I was using the popular Netrestore to roll out images to our mac lab. I discovered that the software has been discontinued, and furthermore it now breaks when I try to use it.
So I guess I need to know what the easiest alternative to Netrestore/firewire drives is for imagine our two labs. Previously, I was using five firewire hard drives to image our lab. Bombich suggests using Deploy Studio as an alternative to the retired netrestore but a)it feels like overkill and b)I can't figure it out.

I have 22 more intel-based mac minis to install, and I was wondering if there is a relatively painless way for me to image them, or if I just need to take the blue pill and learn to be a real sysadmin at this point, and learn Deploy Studio.

I'm just an English teacher--this isn't my main gig.

Monitor suitable for imaging

captainsohler — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:00:55 -0800

I'm looking for a great imaging monitor for around $400-500 bucks. It needs to have at least a 170 degree viewing angle and at least 24 inches or more. (26'' would be ideal) I'm running a P.C. I am a little wet behind the ears on this, though I am looking for professional gear. The local pro photo shop is at a loss for the price point of $500 bucks because of a problem with their distributor. I do know that the viewing angle is a must. [ I am seeing specs that list a horizontal and a vertical for viewing angle. How do I decifer this? ] I am a little flexible on the price. Links appreciated. Thanks everybody.

Corrupted Ghost Image; NEED TO EXTRACT FILES!

Zeker — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:58:53 -0800

Corrupted Ghost 8.0 image! Is there a way to at least extract files off one of the img files? We used Ghost 8.0 on an (sigh) important client's machine. This resulted in a total of 7 files (imgfile.ghs, imgfile001.ghs thru imgfile006).

An integrity check showed all the files to be ok, and the backup appeared successful. Only after formatting the HD, shipping the unit to and from the original manufacturer, and attempting to install the image did ghost tell us that the image was corrupt.

Ghost Explorer is an utter failure. We can't explore a single image unless all the images are mounted. From what we've been able to find out, imgfile002.ghs seems to be the corrupted image. Our client wants her files (pics, music, docs) back and we can't seem to find any program that will allow us to explore a single selected image file.

This forum directed me to a small executable (ghofixup.exe) that could be used to mess with the header files of the image, but without the desired results.

Please help guys! Any insights or instructions that have worked for you to solve this issue or at least extract files, please please let me know.

Thanks in advance!

What's the best way to create a 3D model from the "average" shape of real-world objects?

itchi23 — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:57:17 -0800

I'm beginning a project where I need to construct a 3D model based off the "average" shape (I'm not sure that's exactly the proper term) of a number of similar real-world objects, and I'm not sure on the best workflow or process. Example: I have 25 bananas and I want to create a 3D model based off the average shape of all these bananas. There are a few options I've explored, and I'm trying get some advice on the best route to pursue before I'm up to my neck in "data" and find that there's a more efficient way.
- One option is to make 3D models of each object, then find a way to construct an average 3D model based off the source models. I don't have much 3D modeling software experience, so I'm not sure if this is even possible using the software my university has license to (Cinema 4D and Maya.) I am planning to use photo-modeling software (where you construct 3D models from a series of calibrated photos) to create the models, so...
- Another option would be to create an average image for each angle required by the photo-modeling software, but I'm unclear on how to do this. I've seen some imaging research done that constructs an average image based off two source images, but I don't know if this research allows for multiple (maybe...20?) input sources. Also, I've only seen this research while surfing my rss feeds, and I don't know if I saved the article, so I don't have a www to refer to.
- Alternately, instead of using this imaging research, I thought of using image-morphing in After Effects (I know - cheezy 90's movie effects...) to find a mid-point between two images. I'd output that mid-point, run the morph on another two images, output that mid-point morph, and then run a morph on the two previous output images...and repeat the process.
This last option seems most plausible process, but it also seems to be the most time-consuming as well. Are there any options I might not be thinking of? Is there a process that seems most efficient/time-saving than another? Does anyone have experience doing something remotely similar to this? :) Thanks meta.mind!

Measuring overlap in graphical objects

Blazecock Pileon — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 17:17:07 -0800

SVG or Java: Measuring the overlap of graphic objects If I have two overlapping objects, say two circles, is it possible to measure the overlap between them as a fraction of the enclosed area of either object?

Can this be done within SVG, and if not, is this kind of measurement possible with the Java AWT Graphics package, or another framework I can plug into Java?

Document management on a shared hosting server?

sprocket87 — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 12:43:18 -0800

Help me find an online document management system / digital asset management system. I'm looking for a document management system (DMS) / digital asset management system (DAM) for my scanned documents. I plan to store all of my important documents, from credit card statements to bills to receipts to insurance info, etc, digitally. I'll be using a scanner with ADF & duplexing to digitize my papers. I need a management system to organize and archive them.

Ideally, I'd like to have some software that can be set up on Dreamhost for a hosted solution. However, to allow for more flexible responses, here are my overall stipulations:

1. Must be free or inexpensive. See 2.

2. Must be hosted online. I don't trust local copies (hardware failure/fire/theft/etc). This applies to portable (DVD, etc) media as well. It does NOT need to be a hosted system per se, in that Company X provides the DMS/DAM software and hosts it. I am willing / would prefer to use a 3rd party host, such as Dreamhost, for cost reasons. They are much more flexible in that they offer tons of storage and bandwidth and whatever else you want for a much lower cost. I don't want to pay $X/mo just for an online DAM. I am willing to pay $X/mo for a shared host that allows me to host anything else I want as well though.

3. Must be somewhat easy to install, configure and use, whether it is a provided & hosted service or a service I set up on a shared host.

4. Does not have to control my scanning experience; I can use a separate tool to get the files digitized but I'm looking for the DSM/DAM service to organize them. Obviously an online service wouldn't have much control over my hardware anyway :)

5. Should have the usual DMS/DAM features: File indexing for a wide array of filetypes (doc/pdf/all images/tiff/archives/etc), support OCR if possible, allow categories and advanced naming/file control, exporting, etc.

I love the looks of Linux DMS tools like DocMGR, but the setup looks somewhat overwhelming. I'm comfortable with basic Linux tasks, but configuring a shared host is a bit confusing to me. Is there any way to even set up such services on a shared host? For instance, is it possible to install DocMGR on Dreamhost? I suspect not, as it uses PostgreSQL and Dreamhost uses MySQL. But beyond this limitation, how does one go about installing their own applications on a shared host? I mean, Dreamhost provides a shell prompt, but not root - are you even allowed to install software? And what about dependencies, etc?

I know Dreamhost offers several "One-click" installable services, like MediaWiki, Wordpress, Joomla, etc, but I don't think any of these are exactly what I'm looking for. I'm assuming it's possible to set up some other service, albeit with more work, but I'm not having much success finding documented "How To's" for this. For instance, how to set up docmgr/doxfs/etc on a shared host.

Also, I know there are some basic Windows tools like PaperPort and Docsvault that do a great job of managing local copies of digital files, but I want them online. I understand I could simply backup a directory to an online host, but I'm thinking a hosted database would be preferable for advanced administration, etc.

Obviously I have a lot of "wants" so this is pretty wide open. Understand that I'm not a corporation and don't need any huge DAM solutions, but I'd like something a little more advanced than a basic client-side software.

I can't get this open!

keep it tight — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 06:20:40 -0800

I have a customer that is using a document imaging system that has a web search capability. They are having issues opening the images...of course there's The system is a SQL backend with a client. They also have a browser based search capability that will allow them to query the database and get a result list. When they click on an item in the list, it only gives them the option to Save or Cancel...no open. If they hit the same application on MY server, when they click an item, it gives them Open, Save and Cancel.

What in either Pearl or IIS would prevent the Opne option from showing up?

Is Onbase the right base?

keep it tight — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 05:37:33 -0800

HAs anyone out there had any good or bad experiences with the OnBase Imaging software from Hyland? Our company is looking at becoming a reseller and I am just looking for different perspectives.... Thanks Gang!

Wide-format vs Pictrography

Blazecock Pileon — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 14:15:47 -0800

Wide-format printers: best models and per-print pricing? Or to go with a Pictrography? I am considering the purchase of either a Fuji Pictrography 4000 printer or wide-format printer for an imaging facility for biological sciences.

The wide-format printer would be used for printing research posters and the like, while the Pictro 4000 would be used for printing images for submission to journals. It can print fairly large, which is why I might consider this over a wide-format unit.

I'm pretty familiar with the Pictro 3000 model, and imagine the 4000 model would not be too different, but for its print size.

Specifically regarding wide-format printers:

• What are the best printers out there?
• What features should I look for?
• Cost-recovery: How much should I charge end users per print, to be able to recoup consumables costs?

Can I drop consideration of a wide-format printer, and instead have end users use a Pictro 4000 for building research posters? Is this realistic? Perspectives from research scientists would be useful here.

Thanks!

How do I post-process?

patr1ck — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 11:29:46 -0800

Where can I go and what can I do to learn how to properly post-process my digital photography? On a budget? I'm an amatuer photographer, and I want to try and take my work to the next level by learning how to produce the same sort of stunning effects (obviously using Photoshop, Aperture, or some other software) seen on photoblogs like the ever popular Chromasia and Durham Township.

I'm a student, so I don't have a ton of cash to throw at this, but I would be willing to pay a fair bit, it all depends on what's involved. Are there good books that can teach me what I need to know, or is taking a class the way to go?

Any insight appreciated, thanks!

iphoto to bridge?

philmas — Sat, 17 Sep 2005 07:54:14 -0800

I want to create a photo library in Photoshop CS2 Bridge by transferring files from iphoto. How can it be done cleanly? I want to do all my editing in Photoshop now and don't want to be jumping back and forth btwn. PS and iphoto. I'm trying to figure out how to drag all the files into Bridge, with folders, and be able to see all my files in thumnail format, kinda like iphoto. It seems that the only way I can see all the files in Bridge is to remove them from the folders they reside in in my iphoto library. I know this is a bit of a neophyte question but I need help. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Document Imaging/Management

gnz2001 — Tue, 12 Jul 2005 10:15:55 -0800

I’m tasked with finding an appropriate Document Imaging/Management solution for my company. We’re an engineering/environmental consulting firm with several offices, amounting to about 300 users. The ones I’ve looked at so far are Questsys , Docstar , Laserfiche and, (the really cheap solution) PaperPort . Does anyone have any experience with these solutions, or can you recommend another solution that you have implemented?

Simple BMP Smoother/Res'er

ZenMasterThis — Fri, 17 Jun 2005 07:34:20 -0800

Need a simple Win XP utility to increase the resolution and then smooth curves and angles on some monochrome .BMPs. Preferably freeware. Suggestions? Thanks!

Concentric circles going wavy

Space Coyote — Sun, 10 Apr 2005 00:52:56 -0800

Is there a name for the phenomenon of concentric circles in computer images creating weird wavy distortions when you shrink the image? Example here: big / small.

Is there a scanner that can scan sketchbook pages without ripping them out?

eileen — Wed, 09 Feb 2005 08:25:46 -0800

Searching for a specific type of book scanner....maybe it only exists in my imagination, but I would like to scan sketchbook pages without ripping them out...{mi} Basically I'm looking for something portable...so smaller than a big "flatbed scanner" ...but the "portable" scanners where you feed a sheet in will not work either. What I'm imagining is something you can place on top of a sketchbook page...almost like a mini version of the lid of a copy machine. 5x7 or 8x10 would be ideal. I've searched everywhere for "book scanners" and "portable scanners" and not found anything. Any help would be appreciated! Maybe I just don't know what they might be called. Thank you :)

Is it possible to convert or otherwise use Photshop plugins from Windows to Mac?

ooklah — Thu, 27 Jan 2005 13:54:50 -0800

Is it possible to convert or otherwise use Photshop plugins from Windows to Mac? I have lots of legacy plugins and effects from the old Windows PC here at work. We switched to Mac but many of the plugins are not available for Mac.

What are some computer languages for describing/generating graphics?

freebird — Fri, 10 Sep 2004 11:48:21 -0800

What are some computer languages for describing/generating graphics? Not libraries and tools, but actual languages? Not languages that are good for graphics, but whose primary subject is graphics.

The only ones I could think of immediately were Logo and Postscript. I don't know enough about "processing" to know for sure if it counts. It looks to me like a normal language with lots of builtin stuff for graphics, but I could be wrong.

Tools for removing the notebook lines from scanned docs

Hildago — Thu, 08 Apr 2004 23:30:08 -0800

Has someone come up with a tool for removing notebook lines from scanned documents? Invariably, the only time I ever ~~sketch~~ doodle anything worth keeping is when it's on notebook paper, in class, when I'm supposed to be taking notes. If I want to keep it permanently, I have to scan it in, but then I end up with these blue and red (college-ruled!) lines through my picture of a dinosaur wearing a sombrero (or what have you) that I would like to get rid of.

Without having to go into photoshop and find the right color to replace each pixel with, is there anything I can do to clean up these images? Has somebody made a filter for this?