PMGS Stampfix

Been using it on Windows 11 for a few months, no issues at all.

~Greg

New record, de-skewed 62 stamps in one click.

Old banger Win 7, 4096 Mb DDr
3Gb Phys Memory

New version (v1.58) uploaded that fixes a bug that was preventing files from being processed if all these conditions were met:

1. Batch Folder or Files
2. "Output to:" unchecked
3. Overwrite prevention checked
4. File extension set to "Same as Source"

A few observations.
V 1.36

Current estimate over 60,000 stamps deskewed.

I "drag and drop" in split screen, and as the program is working, I multi task and go on to other things.
(I have 2 computers and three screens)

I then found the pop up "success" or "warning"
is hidden behind the split screen.

I just found out clicking the stampfix pane, the pop up comes to the front.

----------------

2. I am still getting this with triangulars, not sure why?
(No big deal, I can do it manually with PICASA)

Rod,

Can you email me that scan? Also, I really recommend getting the latest version.

Rod,

WRT triangles, they work slightly differently because the app works by detecting the edges and then rotating them to square -- and of course triangles aren't square. The app can't read the face of the stamp to know what the correct orientation is, so it attempts to rotate until at least one edge is square. The edge(s) that is/are aligned will depend on how the stamp is oriented in the original scan. If it's not aligned to the edge you want, the fix is to add a rotation in the Fine-Tuning adjustment.

For example, this is the initial result for a similar image:

And this is it after applying a fine-tuning adjustment of 225 degrees (could also have done an Initial Rotation of 180 to get it right side up and then a Fine-Tuning of 45)

Also, I suspect the reason yours isn't perfectly square on two sides is because of the long perf. The fix to that is a couple degrees of counter-clockwise Fine-Tuning adjustment (maybe 4-5 degrees?).

Hi Postmaster,
thanks for responding,
Yes thought the long perf may have something to do with it,
albeit, it does happen often with Triangulars, and I usually employ PICASA
for simple fine tuning.

PICASA will not afford 225 degrees, it is not a lossless adjustment
and I'll download the latest, just did not want to lose my settings, which do about
95 % of all my stamps.

I'll email you the scan

PS nice to see a SHARJAH stamp, not seen before.

Rod,

Here's that scan with a 44 degree Fine-Tuning rotation adjustment.

It was the long perf that was causing problems. Here's what it looked like with stock settings (no Fine-Tuning adjustment) when I edited out the long perf.

As to upgrading, Windows should give you an option to either update the old installation or create a new one. If you select new, the app that is installed will be completely separate from the old version. It will come with defaults that you'll need to update to your preferred settings, but you'll still have access to the old version to refer back to as you do.

Alternatively, if you choose to update the old installation, your settings should get carried over, except that there are a couple new settings in the later versions to accommodate the bulk renaming feature.

As usual clear, precise instructions.
Thanks Postmaster.
I'll take screenshots of my settings, then install upgrade.

New version (v1.60) uploaded.

This version fixes the lack of resolution data (DPI) in TIFF files.  When you save as a TIFF, the resolution should now be correctly reflected in the metadata. This was a major pain to do, so please let me know if it doesn't behave as you expect. I had previously managed to get the DPI working with PNG and JPG, so this leaves BMP as the only one of the common scanner output formats that doesn't receive the proper DPI, and I doubt it ever will. BMP is virtually impossible to write metadata to without an insane level of coding.

As always, download is here.

New version (v1.62) uploaded.

This is a bug fix version. With v1.60, I added the ability to have the resolution properly set in the metadata if generating TIFF files. Or so I thought.

TIFF files can store resolution metadata in multiple ways. The method I was using in v1.60 to store the resolution in the metadata -- as the number of pixels per mm -- was the easier solution, but forced an app or OS opening the image to do some math to convert pixels/mm to pixels/in. Apparently, there are variations in how different apps and operating systems handle the rounding of infinitely repeating decimals when they do math, causing an annoying "bug".

I scan my stamps at 1200ppi, and when I opened the resulting images in Photoshop, Gimp, or Windows, the resolution was properly shown as 1200ppi. But in MacOS, which is my main OS, they showed as 1199ppi (actually, 1199.9999 repeating). My OCD couldn't let that go.

I think that's fixed now.

As always, download is here.

Hello,

I have just downloaded this program (v1.62) and am trying to use it in batch mode. Whenever I select a folder or a sequence of images I get the following error messsage:




The 2 images are single stamps. When I manually load them 1 by 1 the program works perfectly.

I tried putting multiple stamps in a single file and choosing the "image" batch option and that also is not working for me. The application simply does not do anything. I tried with the drag/drop target mode as well, and got the same results.

I am using Windows 11 if that is helpful. Since I am a new user this could easily be a problem with me not understanding how to use the program. Does anyone know what the problem might be?

stamperJD,

I need you to send me the images you're having trouble with. Email them to postmaster -at- the name of my website.

Stamper JD
I am a huge fan of "Stampfix" possibly around 20,000 stamps now deskewed.

This happens to me also, (but expected)
I have my settings set, so 95% of my stamps are successful,
BUT because my collection has the ripped , torn, abused along with mint stamps
some are not successful, and I prefer not to alter my settings.

Those few that fail, are easily managed by "Picasa 3" one can easily hand manipulate deskewing extra large images or those with bad perfs or black borders.

I can do them in seconds.

Note to self: Time due for my yearly donation to stampfix .

Thanks for the quick response Postmaster GS, email has been sent with the attached images.

I definitely see the value of the program Rod, I hope to become as frequent a user as you are. Making scans look straight is so difficult without this application, and even if I can't get batch to work I can and will still load things 1 by one.