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Pixma G4200

sb2323
Apprentice

I just got a Pixma G4200 printer.  It seems astoundingly unintuitive and convoluted.  I have looked for solutions in online help, in the forum, and on the support pages, as well as doing Google searches for my issues.  Maybe I am just missing the obvious.  Before I give up in frustration and go back to using my old HP printer, I have a few questions:

 

  • When scanning, do I use the Canon quick menu, the IJ Scanning Utility, or something else?  I keep reading about this IJ scanning utility, but why do I need to go into a completely separate utility just to scan?  And why is the name "Canon" nowhere in the title, making it much more easily searchable if so?
  • Along the same lines, why is there both an IJ Scanning Utility and the Canon quick menu, and what is the difference?
  • How can I choose what name to save the scanned file as, and where to save it?  It keeps saving to windows/user/username/documents with some random file name but I want to be able to specify the path for each scan I do as well as the name of the file itself and the format (example:  onedrive/workpresentations/123 main street.pdf or onedrive/specific properties/123 main street/title company paperwork/survey order.pdf).  Or even just to default to .pdf instead of .img.  Right now I have to open and find it in a folder I never use (windows/users/username/documents), copy it, paste it into the correct folder, make a duplicate fille with the correct extension, rename it, then delete the one that I originally copied.  Way too much work. 
  • Why does the scan bed lid lift off in a strange hinge-like fashion, like I could put a stack of papers on the scan bed?

My laptop does not have a CD drive so I can't use the installation CD.  When I go to download the drivers and other software or otherwise look for basic setup help online, I find it confusing and hard to find what I am looking for.  I have been using this printer for about a week and nearly every time it is a headache.  Am I missing something, or is it really that challenging to work with?

1 REPLY 1

Ramona
Authority

Hi sb2323,

 

The IJ Scan Utility program is the program that comes with the printer that can be used to assist you with scanning, and the Canon Quick Menu is a utility software that allows you to easily start the IJ Scan Utility and other applications and manuals supplied with the printer.  The Quick Menu can also help you quickly access online product information.

 

To install the printer on your computer, you will want to download and install the FULL DRIVER AND SOFTWARE PACKAGE file from the DRIVERS section of the webpage for the printer here.  This file will download and install the drivers, applications and manuals you need to set up the full functionality of your product.

 

By default, items scanned with the IJ Scan Utility are saved to your DOCUMENT/MY DOCUMENTS folder; if you would like to choose the save location and filename each time a scan is performed, you can do so by following these steps:

 

1. Open the IJ Scan Utility.  Go to your START menu, then select ALL PROGRAMS (or ALL APPS if Windows 10), then CANON UTILITIES, then  IJ SCAN UTILITY (folder), then IJ SCAN UTILITY (program).  You can also access the IJ Scan Utility program from the Canon Quick Menu.

 

2. Click the SETTINGS button at the bottom of the window.

 

3. Select the PHOTO SCAN, DOCUMENT SCAN or SCANGEAR option from the left side of the window, depending on what you will be scanning, then in the SAVE SETTINGS section, ensure that the CHECK SCAN RESULTS checkbox is checked.

 

4. Select any other desired settings in the window, then click the OK button to save the changes and return to the main IJ Scan Utility window.

 

5. Please click the PHOTO, DOCUMENT or SCANGEAR button, depending on what you are trying to scan, to initiate the scanning process. Once the scan is completed, a SAVE SETTINGS window will appear with a preview of the document/image that has been scanned.

 

6. Enter a filename for the scanned item, select a data format and save location in the window, then click the OK button. If the desired save location/folder is not listed in the SAVE IN drop-down box that is displayed, you can click the ADD.. button and then create and select the desired folder/save location.

 

7. Once all settings have been made in the SAVE SETTINGS window, please click the OK button to save the changes. The item will be saved to the location specified with the modifications you have made, then the save location of the scanned item will automatically be launched.

 

Please note, once the CHECK SCAN RESULTS setting is selected in Step 3, that setting will be saved until you go in and change it; as such, the next time you want to scan, you can just launch the IJ Scan Utility, then start with Step 5 if no changes are needed.

 

The scan bed lid was made to accomodate items that may be placed on the platen glass of the printer up to a maximum of .20 of an inch (5 mm).  More information on the specifications of the originals that are supported by the printer can be viewed here.

 

Hope this helps!  Should you need further assistance, we ask that you please contact a Canon technical support representative here for further assistance.  A representative will be happy to assist you free of charge.

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