Converting images to PDF (Image Funnel)

I scan in most of my mail, and convert the images into multiple page PDF files. This was fine under Linux, and I had a shell script using ImageMagick to do this.

But with moving to the Mac, this wasn't so easy. The original script drove the scanner and that seems to be the sticking point. I've farted about with various Darwin Ports etc of the SANE and TWAIN packages with nothing reliable.

I'm now using Vuescan to drive the scanner, and I've written a Java application that takes a bunch of graphic files and creates a PDF with one image per page. This application is called Image Funnel.

Screenshot here:
As you can see, it allows you to set a number of options for the document, such as author, title, subject and keywords. It also allows you to set different types of encryption and permissions on the document.

Currently I have it packaged as an OS X application and it can be downloaded from here. (NB: it's 1.8MB).

In the next few days (probably weeks due to Christmas) I'm going to set up a project for it on sourceforge.net.

Samsung ML-4500 Printer on Mac OS X

I have a samsung ml-4500 laser printer that I would like to use from a mac mini running os x 10.4.8 (intel core duo). It was a completely clean install so here is the process to get it working.

Before we start, it’s worth mentioning that the printer uses a Netgear print server, plugged into it’s parallel port so as far as the mac is concerned, it’s a networked printer.

I went to http://www.linuxprinting.org/macosx/samsung-gdi and installed the ESP Ghostscript package and the samsung-gdi-foomatic packages. Even though these are PPC packages, they install and work on intel macs as well.

Having done that, go to System Preferences->Print & Fax and add your printer. I add mine as an IP printer using LDP (because of the Netgear print server).

Set the IP address to the address of the print server and set the queue name to “P1” (this is required by the print server, not the printer). If you have a different queue name, or leave the queue name blank, it will not work.

Give it a name and a location.

Finally set the print driver to “Samsung ML-4500, Foomatic + GDI”. Print and it should work!