Linking scanned documents into access forms

Hi Scott:

As I understand DB-Pix, it doesn't do OCR, so it cannot convert digital raw data into editable text that can be placed into textboxes. The IRIS scanner (and similar products) do that, with their proprietary software of course.

I don't understand how one can use DB-Pix with MS Access- wouldn't storing the numerous pictures & images bloat a backend very quickly?

The way I handle associated images- Word, PDF, and all images is to let Windows handle them. In fact, my new HP scanner comes with its own scanning software included with the price (which does OCR using IRIS software, but naturally doesn't integrate with Access). It does let you choose the format of the scan, which is pretty nice. I scan everything into a particular Windows folder.

I then use a simple Access applet that I wrote years ago to scoop up all the URLs in that folder, then list them in hyperlink format, activated. It looks like this:

It can be downloaded here- Handouts Hyperlinks Form-_final.accdb

For an example of how you can browse to a file, a scanned document in your case, and insert its path into a control in a form, you might like to take a look at BrowseDemo.zip in my public databases folder at:

https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=44CC60D7FEA42912&id=44CC60D7FEA42912!169

Note that if you are using an earlier version of Access you might find that the colour of some form objects such as buttons shows incorrectly and you will need to  amend the form design accordingly.

In the demo the form is unbound, but it would work in exactly the same way with a bound form, allowing you to store a separate path with each invoice record.  Note that you can open the file, or print it directly from the form without opening it first.

To replicate the demo's functionality in your database you would need to import the basBrowse and basShellExecute modules from the demo into your database.

If you want to show the scanned image in the form, you can do so by adding an Image control to the form, and setting its ControlSource property to the name of the field in which the path is stored.  Images.zip in the same OneDrive folder includes examples of this.  The Images_Simple.accdb file illustrates how a single image per record can be shown in the form, while the two other files in the zip archive allow multiple image files to be associated with each record.

Add a text field to your database with the full path to where the scanned document is saved. You can then open and print the scanned file.

Sure. Since the path to the image is stored as part of the invoice record, the specific image is associated with the invoice.

Will try this when I get home but will this allow me to do multiple invoices when I start to do a batch and each one having it's own invoice and po attached...I will forever be indebted to you..may need help if I get stumped