Scanning Guidelines For all images uploaded to CM/ECF

It is critical that CM/ECF users configure their scanning software correctly. The major consequence of incorrectly configured scanning software is significantly increased file size. In some instances, files may be as much as 20 to 40 times larger. These massive files cause various problems:

• Vastly increased file storage requirements at the user's PC and server as well as a general slowness in handling such files.
• Vastly increased network traffic both locally and through the user's Internet Service Provider, resulting in extremely long file upload times. Files may be rejected due to size or the system may time out due to excessively large files.
• A very slow response time from CM/ECF during file upload, delay in obtaining confirmation of successful receipt, or rejection of the file.
• A very slow file download and opening time when attempting to read large files already uploaded into CM/ECF.

All of these problems can be avoided by ensuring scanning software is correctly configured:

• Resolution should be set to 200 dpi (DO NOT exceed 300dpi).
• Image type should be set to black and white (NOT gray scale, NOT color)
• Scanned image output or "save as" format should be TIF (ideally compressed CCITT4). Check your scanner software manual or Help for information on how to set output type.

Test your scanner setup and convert a file to PDF prior to uploading to CM/ECF. The PDF conversion can be done with several software packages. A good example is Adobe Acrobat 5.0 (full package not just the Reader). The result should be a file no larger than approximately 50KB per page for a document that is mostly text and no larger than 200KB per page for a document that contains graphics. File size can be checked by viewing the "Properties" of the file (right click on the file and choose "Properties").

Approximate PDF file size of this page after scanning
At 200 dpi 35KB
At 300 dpi 52KB