Comment 213 for bug 85488

Had the same problem with a Umax Astra 3400 (uses the Plustek backend). The scanbuttond workaround works a treat. For Corsaire, who was worried about his parents having to run it from a command line do this:

Use Text Editor to create a new text file and enter the script as suggested by Nicolas M:

scanbuttond -r 1000000
xsane
killall scanbuttond

save this to the Desktop with the name 'scanner'. In your parent's home folder create a new folder called '.scanner' (note the preceeding dot). You then have to select 'Show Hidden Files' from the View menu to be able to see it (folders whose name starts with a dot are normally not visible). Copy the text file 'scanner' into the folder '.scanner'. Finally, right click the file and select 'Properties' and on the 'Permissions' tab place a check mark next to 'Execute' (Allow executing file as program).

Right-click on 'Applications' on the launch bar and select 'Edit Menus'. Select the 'Graphics' menu and then click on '+New Item'. In the dialgue box that appears you need

Type: Applcation
Name: Scanner
Command: /home/Loz/.scanner/scanner
Comment: Launch scanner

(Obviously, change my user name (Loz) for you parents' in the above command!). You can also click the big 'No Icon' button and select a suitable icon from those presented. Click 'OK' and make sure there is a check mark against your newly created 'Scanner' entry - you may also want to uncheck Xsane Image Scanner, until such times as this is fixed properly. Lastly, click 'Close'.

Now, when your parents want to scan they simply go to the Applications>Graphics menu and click 'Scanner' - totally GUI! (The reason for all the messing about with hidden folders is so that they don't accidently delete it!)

This is actually much quicker to do than the time it's taken me to type it all up!