HP Issue relating to .bmp format

Forums › Digital Imaging › HP Issue relating to .bmp format

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#304202 13-Apr-2023 12:13

I'm at loggerheads with Hewlett Packard. They don't accept my complaint and I think their excuse is a cop-out. But who
is right ? I welcome others opinion.

After buying their Scanjet Pro 2600 f1 entry level scanner (and this is not an el cheapo) I ran into a problem.
The first .bmp image I scanned was loaded into Paint Shop Pro 7 which went straight to error with This is not a valid BMP/DIB/RLE file.

So I tried it in Photoshop and its fine.

I contacted HP support to ask why they'd changed the .bmp file format, and first got a speal about a Windows update causing it. After getting past this the problem became my
PSP7 is too old. I agree its old, but its also the app I want to use. And (after some more testing) find its quite happy with .bmp files from Brother and Epson scanners. And previous models of HP scanners.

So my conclusion is the 2600 f1 is at fault for making a 'different' or non-compatible .bmp file. HP say the 2600 f1 is ok and the problem is PSP7. So who's right?

As a workaround I can load it into something like Photoshop, save it, and that file is then ok in PSP7. I have to do this with every scan
otherwise how can I know anyone I give it to will have the 'right' app to use it?

Shouldn't all .bmp files adhere to the same specification or format? This my main gripe, and it's a poor show, imo, when HP blame someone else's software when it s their product/file that's at fault.

Silvrav

469 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified

#3063214 13-Apr-2023 12:47

is there options to adjust the scan output? ie 24 vs 48bit scanning?

Can you scan directly from PSP7? maybe is an HP software issue?

HP can argue that if its opening up in some apps that their product is working

djtOtago

1149 posts

Uber Geek

#3063223 13-Apr-2023 13:05

I assume you are talking about Paint Shop Pro 7 from Corel. That version is over 12 years old. Pre dates Windows XP.
Probably can only handle 8 bit colour may be 16 bit if you are lucky.

Most modern Scanners and software will be using at least 30 bit colour depth.

Edit

When Paint Shop Pro 7 was released in September 2000 it was by Jasc software. Corel acquired Jasc software in 2004

bagheera

539 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3063230 13-Apr-2023 13:27

so a 23 year old program is having issue with a new scanner output of bmp - and you think it hp fault? as people has said, it will be the colour depth that the issue

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3063236 13-Apr-2023 13:37

HP did connect to my comp to try scanning from PSP without success. But I just tried again now and did get it working. It will scan but not Preview where it hangs and needs End Task on Thunking WIA APIS from 32 to 64 Process

Yes it is old Jasc PSP, still works in Win 10. You may be under estimating it a bit, colour depth is 32 bit and its fully compatible with those other brands I mentioned.

So cheers for the suggestion....to use Acquire. Nice solution. Preview isn't critical.

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3063294 13-Apr-2023 17:24

Not to prolong this, but if the PSP7 app was too old/not good enough (as seems to be the standard excuse) how would you explain it being ok with .bmp's from other scanners ?

Here are the specs for a file that fails in PSP7

Dimensions: 1440 x 1444 Pixels
4.797x 4.810 Inches
Pixels Per Inch: 300
Pixel depth/colors: 24/16 Million
Bit depth 24

and an image that does work in PSP7

Dimensions: 1440 x 1444 Pixels
4.790 x 4.804 Inches
Pixels Per Inch: 300
Pixel depth/colors: 24/16 Million
Bit depth 24

There has to be some other difference. Anyone got any ideas?

yitz

2074 posts

Uber Geek

#3063355 13-Apr-2023 21:59

Maybe it isn't actually a BMP file and other programs are auto detecting the file format rather than going by the file extension?

You could try compare file headers and metadata, could be some online tools that do this if file contents is not overly confidential.

xpd

Geek @ Coastguard NZ
13765 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3063358 13-Apr-2023 22:04

Open the file in a text editor such as Notepad++ and check the header as mentioned above compared to a working one.

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

LinkTree

Equinox IT

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Bee

732 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3063455 14-Apr-2023 07:28

Lots of old programs from windows 95 will still work, but commercial companies usually only support the last few versions of programs, e.g. made in the last 2 or 3 years, So Imho HP is saying what any other company would. Having said that, you have come to the right place to get advice on how to work around that and make it work :)

Doing your best is much more important than being the best.

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3063594 14-Apr-2023 11:11

I did look at both good and bad files in a Hex Editor but without knowing what to look for, I couldn't see anything obvious. It could be just one bit that's different.. PSP7 doesn't even try to load the file - it instantly reports the error.
But lets put to bed the myth that PSP7 is too old, it designed to open a .bmp file. That's what it does, given a standard bmp. Something has changed in HPs one causing it to fail.
The workaround to acquire rather than load nicely gets around the immediate problem but yes, it would be very interesting to find what's different about them. If known it may be very easy to write a patch to fix it.