Some older scanners may no longer work with macOS Catalina because their software hasn't been made ... [+]
The first thing many Mac users noticed after upgrading to Catalina macOS 10.15 was that many of their app icons appeared to be covered with a white prohibited symbol and the software was rendered useless. This is due to the withdrawal by Apple of support for 32-bit software in Catalina. To be fair to Apple, the company has been warning software developers to update their apps to 64-bit for years, but many chose not to and so programs are now orphaned.
The withdrawal of 64-bit support hasn’t just affected applications, many peripherals such as scanners that rely on 32-bit drivers and software have been rendered obsolete and some very expensive kits has been turned into scrap. For many users, this will come as a shock and they now face the expense of having to buy a new scanner that does come with 64-bit drivers and scanning applications.
Thankfully, enterprising software developer Hamrick could save millions of these older scanners from being sent to landfill. Hamrick launched VueScan back in 1991 and it’s probably the best-known and only agnostic scanning software on the market. The latest version of VueScan can resurrect scanners such as Fujitsu ScanSnap document scanners, most Canon DR-series document scanners, many older Epson flatbed and film scanners, plus older Canon scanners and most PIE and Reflecta film scanners that no longer work with Catalina.
Some of the software for older scanners such as this Fujitsu ScanSnap iX500 won't work with Macs ... [+]
According to Hamrick, VueScan is the world’s most widely used scanning software with a customer base of around 800,000 users, which is set to grow as more people discover their beloved scanner can be rescued.
Ed Hamrick, President of Hamrick Software, says “One of the main things that Apple has done in Catalina is to remove support for running 32-bit programs. Scanners don’t wear out and people like to use their scanners for a long time, sometimes for 10 or 15 years. However, most vendor-supplied scanner drivers are 32-bit programs on Mac OS and don’t work on Catalina. VueScan lets people continue using their scanners on Catalina, saving the environment and saving money.
Currently, VueScan supports more than 6000 different scanners from 42 manufacturers across Windows, Mac OS X and Linux operating systems. The software also includes a range of advanced features for document, photo and film scanning. For those who might be unsure if VueScan can support their scanner, they can try it out before they buy as there’s a full trial version available for download.
Catalina is the latest version of macOS and no longer supports 32-bit software. This means some ... [+]
VueScan is targeted at all levels of user and includes three operating modes: Basic, Standard, and Professional. There’s also an easy-to-use auto button which will make scans with all the settings adjusted automatically.
The software also has some advanced features like batch scanning and multi-page PDF output, plus options for scanning faded slides and prints where colors are adjusted automatically for optimum color balance. VueScan also has built-in IT8 color calibration for scanners to ensure that scans are “color accurate”.
Pricing: VueScan is available in two editions, Standard Edition ($49.95) and Professional Edition ($99.95). Both licenses are for life and support up to four computers. The Professional Edition adds unlimited free upgrades, support for film scanning, document feeders, and some other advanced features.
More info: A trial copy of VueScan can be downloaded from www.hamrick.com
