Installation & Help
FrontierBridge · Macintosh Edition
FrontierBridge · Downloads · Beta signup · Community · Bugs & suggestions
Install FrontierBridge
Use a Mac running macOS 15 or later. Current universal beta builds include Apple silicon and Intel. Keep the scanner’s existing Windows controller and normal scanning software. FrontierBridge replaces the separate receiving workstation in supported setups.
Download your approved beta build. Let current scans finish and quit the old app normally.
Open the DMG and drag FrontierBridge into Applications. Eject the DMG and launch the installed app. Run only one copy per Mac.
Read the beta licence and EULA in the app. Import the separately emailed .frontierlicence file from Licence → Import Licence.
Choose Set Up This Mac or Set Up / Update Scanner Access and follow the guided steps. Keep bridges, listening and probes stopped while updating. Approve the macOS requests. If an Apple NetBIOS port conflict is identified, review Resolve Conflict before confirming. No pasted Terminal command is required.
Connect your Mac and scanner controller to the same trusted local network; Ethernet is preferred. Allow requested local-network and selected-folder access.
In Home, open Add Scanner / Scanner Setup. Choose the scanner network interface and Start Listening before reconnecting the scanner application. Select the observed request, confirm its requested server name and actual model, enter a scanner name, choose a dedicated writable folder and save.
Select the saved scanner and Start Bridge. Connect using the scanner’s normal software, then scan a small non-critical order. Verify image count, orientation, destination and normal completion on the scanner. Repeat with a second small order.
Keep independent backups and your previous working setup available during the beta. A saved profile or quiet status does not prove a successful scanner connection or completed order.
The app help manual
The following topics mirror the app’s Help section. Labels can vary between beta builds. Use your browser’s Find command to search this page.
Home: your daily scan workflow
Choose one saved scanner and get ready to scan on this Mac. Learn the daily Home workflow, readiness checks and what to verify on your first roll.
Home → Select scanner → Start Bridge → Scan in A1 → Check Photos
Home uses one selected saved scanner. Milestone 2 beta includes live-tested SP-2000 and SP-3000 support; check your own scanner software and workflow with a test roll.
Set up once, then use the saved scanner card. Stop the bridge before changing scanner, editing settings or removing a profile.
Use Change scanner to select a saved scanner or add a new one. Confirm the model, requested server name and image folder.
Start Bridge in the main window, connect from A1, then check Photos and normal A1 order completion.
What happens to my Lab choices?
They stay saved but are inactive in Home. Home uses only its selected scanner. Switch to Lab for multiple enabled profiles or coordinated Macs.
Does changing the folder move old images?
No. Check the new destination with a test order. Existing images remain where they were saved.
Duplicate MAC address
The warning names the existing saved scanner. Edit that profile instead of creating a duplicate identity.
Remember: Use non-critical test material and independent backups. A saved card does not mean the scanner is connected.
Network setup & port conflicts
Prepare this Mac and resolve an identified Apple NetBIOS conflict through guided setup.
Stop bridge and listening → Set Up This Mac → Approve helpers → Resolve conflict → Finish
Choose Set Up This Mac. Keep the bridge, Scanner Setup listening and network probes stopped while preparing or updating services.
Install any missing helper and approve the macOS requests. Scanner ports are checked during the guided setup.
If Apple NetBIOS is blocking scanner ports, choose Resolve Conflict and review the confirmation. File Sharing can be off while Apple still reserves UDP 137.
Wait for the ports-available confirmation, then choose Done and Finish Setup. An already resolved conflict does not need to be resolved again.
If another process owns a port or resolution fails, use Send Report in Diagnostics and include the exact message.
Why two helpers?
The scanner helper provides the scanner network listeners. The separate setup service checks ports, resolves the identified Apple NetBIOS conflict after confirmation, and runs passive diagnostic capture.
Do I need Terminal?
The guided setup handles the supported Apple NetBIOS conflict after your approval; no pasted Terminal command is required.
Can I undo the change?
Stop the bridge and listening, open FrontierBridge Network Setup, and use Undo NetBIOS Change. This may make scanner ports unavailable again.
What about my NAS?
Accessing a NAS is separate from this Mac sharing its own folders. Check the selected destination remains mounted and writable.
Remember: Resolution affects Apple's legacy network-name discovery. Other port owners are not stopped automatically.
Secondary windows and photo keys
Open a workspace on another display while keeping the sidebar available. Learn how secondary windows behave and which keys control photo viewing.
Open view → Header pop-out → Move window → Select image → Arrow keys
Click a sidebar row, including its text or icon, to navigate normally.
Use the pop-out control in the top header to open the current view separately. You can also drag that control outside the source window; its preview identifies the view. Escape cancels the drag.
Move the new window to your second display. It shows that function with FB styling, without the main bridge corner control or status footer.
In Photos or Image Library, select a thumbnail and use arrow keys to move through images. Click the image area to return keyboard focus after using a text field.
Is this another bridge?
No. Windows share the same running app and scanner state. Start or stop the bridge from the main window.
Where is the sidebar pop-out button?
Pop-out is in the header, not the sidebar. Sidebar rows are for ordinary navigation.
Do arrow keys edit text?
When a text field has focus, use the keys for text editing. Select an image again to navigate the library.
Remember: Opening another window does not start another receiver or create an independent scanner assignment.
Scan progress and metadata
Follow images from receiving to preparation and saving. Read scanner identity, frame numbers and size information, and understand what completion means.
Receiving → Preparing → Saved → Inspect scan details
Watch Home or Lab Overview for receiving activity, image preparation and the number saved this session.
Open Photos or Image Library as frames arrive. Select a roll or image to see its scan details in the right sidebar. Rolls always show their pictures in frame-number order.
Compare model, serial, software, sort, carrier and A1 size preset with the actual scanner. Not every scan supplies every field.
Confirm expected image counts and completion on A1 separately.
Does 6x7 prove the film size?
An explicit size label such as 6x7 fills an unset film size automatically. Custom preset names are not guessed. A preset can be renamed on A1, so check the actual film if its label looks wrong.
Why is metadata missing on older images?
Only available information associated with a receipt is shown. Historical images are not filled with guessed scanner data.
Does saved mean the roll is finished?
It means images have been saved, not that every intended frame arrived or A1 acknowledged the final order. A pause is not a completion signal.
Remember: Progress is evidence of observed work, not an estimated frame total, remaining time or continuous scanner heartbeat.
Personal and Studio
Compare Personal, Studio and Beta workflows. See which modes are available and how licence limits affect bridge startup and sharing between Macs.
Import licence → Check tier → Choose mode
Personal supports Home mode with one saved scanner selected at a time. Save multiple profiles and switch between them.
You may install a Personal key on multiple Macs, but only one bridge per licence ID can run on a reachable local network. Stop the other bridge before moving. Personal licences are never broadcast.
Studio enables Home and Lab, including multi-scanner and multi-client workflows, and can share its licence with clients in the licensed organization. Beta also enables both modes while valid.
When Studio arrives from the network, review the licence holder in the prompt. Upgrade to Studio replaces the installed Personal key after backing it up. Keep Personal declines now; the saved offer remains on the Licence page for later acceptance, including after restarting.
Use Open Licence Backups and Import Licence to restore Personal. Neither upgrading nor restoring revokes either file. You may keep Personal when another Studio offer appears.
Must I reissue my existing key?
No. Single User files display as Personal; Enterprise files display as Studio. Signed type identifiers, major-version coverage and dates remain compatible.
Will changing licences stop my scan?
No. Finish current work and return any Lab assignments before switching to Home. A Personal key cannot start another Lab bridge.
Remember: LAN duplicate detection needs updated reachable clients. Older versions, separate networks and network partitions cannot be reliably checked.
Beta licence
Import your emailed licence and check its validity before scanning. Learn where to activate a licence and how to recognise a licence-related startup block.
Open Licence → Check status → Start bridge → Import licence when needed
This Beta has no automatic trial. Save the .frontierlicence attachment emailed to you, open Licence → Import Licence, and select that file before starting the bridge.
Check the Licence page for the current state. Reinstalling the app is not a trial reset.
A Beta licence must be within its signed validity dates to start a bridge. Expiry is checked at the next start and does not interrupt an already-running bridge session.
Import a valid licence through the normal Licence controls; do not change the system date or network settings to bypass a block.
Does a beta invitation reset the trial?
No. A signed Beta licence can provide evaluation access for its stated dates; every receiving client enforces the same expiry at the next bridge start.
Will an app update invalidate my paid licence?
New Single User and Enterprise licences cover every release of their licensed major version: all 1.x releases, for example. Version 2 requires a new licence. Existing legacy lifetime keys retain their original rights. Keep your licence file backed up.
Remember: Check the Licence page before a planned scanning session, especially near your Beta licence expiry.
Quit safely
Finish the current order before leaving the app. Understand scanner returns, coordinator handover and the checks that help another Mac continue safely.
Finish A1 order → Quit → Return scanners → Confirm handover
Finish the current order in A1 before quitting.
Use the red Quit button in the header or Command-Q. Review the message, then choose Continue & Quit.
FrontierBridge waits for active transfers, processing and backup, stops its bridge and waits for scanner-return acknowledgments.
A coordinator with other lab clients must choose the next operator. Other clients must stop their bridges and return assignments before handover. The chosen operator must accept before this Mac quits.
Stay open cancels quitting but does not undo completed returns or restart the bridge.
How do I set up a scanner in Home?
Use Scanner Setup from Home when no scanner is selected, or use Change scanner on your Home scanner card to choose or add a scanner. It is the same guided setup used in Lab: listen for the requested server name, name your scanner and choose its image folder. Stop the bridge before opening setup.
What does app uptime mean on client cards?
It is how long that FrontierBridge app has been open, not proof that a scanner is currently connected. Remote bridge status is the last reported state.
Remember: When no other lab client is online, a coordinator can quit without starting another Mac for handover. Unreachable foreign scanner reservations are retained; follow any recovery confirmation shown.
Coordinator & lab clients
Choose a coordinator or join as a lab client. Understand who manages scanner assignments, where images arrive and how to recover an unavailable lab.
Second FB appears → Choose coordinator → Other Macs are clients → Request scanners
With one FB client, keep using Scanner Setup and Use this scanner. No role prompt is needed.
When a second client is discovered, choose a coordinator beneath the FB logo. Discovery needs a few seconds; all Macs must run a compatible build.
Choose Coordinate on this Mac, or ask another Mac. Its operator must accept the nomination. Simultaneous volunteers use a stable tie-break and wait for acknowledgements from visible clients.
Keep the coordinator available. It registers scanners and approves requests; it is not a relay for images.
To change coordinator, stop bridges, return all reserved scanners, and change the current coordinator to Lab client before selecting another.
On startup, a lone Mac returns to standalone after discovery settles if its saved assignments can be released safely. A stopped coordinator can release its own assignments; another Mac’s reservations must be returned first. Losing peers during an active lab session does not silently release ownership.
Where are role controls?
Click the role beneath the FrontierBridge logo in the upper-left sidebar.
Does every launch ask?
A saved coordinator preference cannot elect this Mac by itself. A lone Mac uses standalone setup after the initial network check, unless unresolved assignments need attention. Home opts out of lab roles. With multiple Lab clients, choose a coordinator.
Can there ever be two coordinators?
Visible updated clients resolve competing volunteers consistently. A network partition or older client can be invisible; Bonjour discovery is not a consensus or security guarantee. Stop and resolve a split lab before continuing.
Where do images go?
The scanner sends directly to its assigned Mac. That Mac chooses a local image folder. Folder paths, security bookmarks, passwords and images are not shared in the public scanner registry.
Remember: Multi-client operation is beta. Keep legacy MS01 servers with overlapping names out of the scanner network. A role is not proof that every possible server has been discovered.
Request & return scanners
Request a scanner, wait for approval and receive images on your Mac. Learn when to return it and how recovery differs from a normal handover.
Coordinator registers → Client requests → Coordinator approves → Folder + enable → Stop + return
Run Scanner Setup on the coordinator. Its saved scanner cards are published to lab clients without local save-folder credentials.
On a client, find the scanner card and click Request scanner. You can cancel a pending request. A scanner assigned elsewhere stays visible but cannot be selected for local use.
For this beta, stop all visible lab bridges before the coordinator approves a request. The requesting client must still be online. The coordinator can also assign an available scanner to itself.
After approval, choose a writable local image folder and click Use scanner on this Mac. This enables the assigned profile; it does not start the bridge automatically.
Start the bridge, wait for startup readiness, then initiate the scanner connection. New helper connections are restricted to assigned, enabled source IPs. Keep scanner addresses unique and stable.
To hand back: finish scanning, stop the client’s bridge, then click Return scanner. Wait until its card shows available before requesting it on another client.
To correct a scanner name, model or address, return it first and edit it through the coordinator’s Scanner Setup. Assigned registry records stay frozen until returned.
Why not hide the cards?
Clients need to see available scanners and who owns each one. The action changes from Request scanner to local folder/enable controls and Return scanner after approval.
What if the owner disappears?
Its reservation stays in place. Another client cannot take it merely because the owner stopped responding. Use Recover lab setup in the role picker if the old coordinator is unavailable. Other Macs’ reservations remain locked by default. The new coordinator can use Reclaim scanner for an unreachable owner only after explicitly confirming that the old Mac is shut down or disconnected from the scanner. An online owner must return its scanner normally. Before reconnecting a reclaimed scanner to the old Mac, stop its bridge and rejoin the current lab. A stopped owner can quit and save its own return receipt even without the coordinator; leave it online again so stale clients can receive that receipt.
What if the coordinator disappears during a scan?
Permission renewal for new connections stops when coordination becomes unavailable. Existing TCP transfers are not forcibly closed, but retries needing a new connection can wait or fail. Restore coordination; do not force reassignment.
Does Return delete my scans?
No. It releases the coordinator’s reservation after the client reports its bridge stopped. Existing files and local folder settings remain.
Is this protected against hostile computers?
No. The beta presence channel assumes a trusted lab network. Source-IP admission is not authenticated hardware identity. Do not expose it to untrusted networks.
Remember: Returning a scanner is an acknowledged action, not a timeout. There is no automatic takeover of an offline reservation. Manual reclaim depends on the operator confirming the old Mac is shut down or disconnected; network discovery cannot verify that confirmation. Install the updated helper on every participating Mac.
Competing MS01 / FB servers
Recognise competing server names and startup warnings. Check which machine should serve the scanner before changing settings or starting another bridge.
Start bridge → Query selected names → Block detected conflict → Monitor while running
Before opening scanner listeners, FB queries the configured server names on the selected network.
A competing response blocks startup and shows the reported name and address. It may be a real MS01 server or another FB client.
Give independent legacy servers distinct names and configure the corresponding scanners, or isolate their networks. Do not rely on a Claim button to silence MS01.
While running, FB checks periodically. A warning does not abruptly stop active transfers. Finish safely and resolve the conflict before reconnecting scanners.
A warning remains visible for the run because a silent server is not proof the problem is fixed. Stop, resolve the issue, and start again to recheck.
Does no warning mean no other server exists?
No. Broadcast loss, network isolation, firewalls or a quiet server can hide it. The check detects positive replies; it cannot prove exclusivity.
What about updated coordinated FB clients?
Their helper replies only to admitted scanner source IPs. They may therefore not answer a probe from another Mac. Their assignment registry and helper admission are separate safeguards; the broadcast check primarily catches other responding servers.
Can an existing connection jump servers?
An established TCP connection has a specific destination. The danger is discovery or reconnection choosing the wrong server, not packets automatically mixing between two connections.
Remember: No safety claim is made for a disconnected or mixed-version lab. Test the complete connection, transfer and next-order workflow on real hardware before production use.
Your first scan
Prepare a scanner connection and start your first test roll. Follow readiness checks, watch incoming images and verify the result before a larger job.
Connect → Set up → Start bridge → Scan in A1 → Check images
Connect the Mac and scanner PC to the same local scanner network. Start with one scanner and one active FB bridge while confirming the connection.
Complete Set Up This Mac, select Home and open Scanner Setup. Start Listening first, then start the scanner or retry its connection.
Select its requested server name, give the scanner a friendly name, choose its model and image folder, then save.
Review the Home scanner card and resolve blocking messages before choosing Start Bridge in the main window.
Use the scanner’s A1 application to select its scanning service and scan one non-critical test image.
Wait for transfer completion. Check the image in Photos (Home) or Image Library (Lab) and confirm A1 returns to the next order.
What does FrontierBridge replace?
FB provides compatible network services that the scanner expects from an imaging-controller computer. A1 still controls the scanner. FB receives and organizes the resulting files; it does not turn your Mac into the scanner’s hardware controller.
Home or Lab?
Home uses one selected saved scanner and its server name and image folder. Other Lab selections remain saved but inactive. Home hides lab roles, Lab Network and Customer Orders. Stop the bridge before switching; outstanding assignments on other Macs must be returned first. Lab supports coordinated workstations. Both keep the same saved scanners and images.
Which scanners are verified?
SP-2000 has real scanning evidence. SP-3000 is beta-supported and has been tested with a real scanner in Lund, including image reception. Additional scanner software and DICII configurations are being tested in the beta programme. SP-500 currently has a separate folder-import workflow, not live network scanning.
Remember: A successful connection is not proof of a completed scan. Check both the received image and A1’s next-order state.
Network & server names
Understand the scanner’s Ethernet connection and requested server name. Check addresses and server identity when a scanner cannot find the intended Mac.
Scanner PC → Local Ethernet / switch → Mac + FB
Connect the scanner PC and Mac to the same local Ethernet/broadcast network.
Choose the Mac network interface that reaches the scanner in Scanner Setup.
Let the wizard observe the name the scanner requests rather than guessing FRONTEND or FE-FRONTEND.
Keep other servers advertising that same legacy name out of this test connection.
Scanner server name versus computer name
The requested scanner server name is the identity the scanner is trying to find. Other Windows-style identity fields are separate settings. Do not assume editing one changes all the others; use the wizard and preserve working settings.
Does Wi-Fi work?
A Mac being able to reach a NAS does not prove it receives the scanner’s broadcast discovery. Routers and network isolation can prevent discovery. Use the known working local scanner-network arrangement for the beta.
Why not two servers with the same name?
Both may answer discovery. A scanner claim does not suppress the other server’s replies. Do not run FB and MS01 with a competing identity during a test.
Remember: Do not expose legacy scanner services to the public Internet or add router port forwarding.
Scanner Setup, explained
Add or edit a saved scanner using the setup guide. Review its observed connection name and destination folder before applying the profile.
Choose → Listen → Select request → Review → Save
In standalone mode, run setup on this Mac as usual. In a coordinated lab, run it on the Lab coordinator; clients request registered scanners instead.
Choose Add a new scanner, or edit an existing saved scanner. Return any coordinated assignment before changing its connection details.
Start Listening before starting the scanner’s connection attempt. Perform only one initial setup at a time in the lab.
Select the detected request. The large server name is what the scanner is looking for—not the scanner’s friendly name.
Review the IP and MAC evidence, enter a descriptive name, explicitly choose the scanner model, and select a writable image folder. Name and model are required before saving. Each assigned client chooses its own folder separately.
Review whether settings will be applied. Save, finish setup, then start the bridge separately.
Why might the scanner say it cannot connect?
Setup is passive: it observes discovery requests but deliberately does not answer as an imaging controller. That warning can be expected while listening. Normal connection happens after saving and starting the bridge.
Does discovery identify the model?
A name request alone does not prove a model. Choose the model in setup. Once the running bridge receives a scanner status file, its reported model appears on the card.
What if no MAC appears?
FB does not invent a MAC address. Missing evidence is shown as unavailable. Do not identify a different physical scanner as the same one just because a name or IP looks familiar.
Can I edit without rediscovering?
An existing profile can keep its connection details when no new request is selected. Check the folder and model before saving; stop the bridge and probe before switching configuration.
Remember: Saved does not mean connected. Discovery is also not a full authentication or scanning test.
Scanner cards & assignments
Manage saved scanner cards in Home and Lab. Understand enabled profiles, assignment status and which scanner identity is active for your next scan.
Saved profile → Match source IP → Reported status → Assignment
Find the scanner by its friendly name. Saved cards remain while offline; a saved card is not proof of a live connection.
In Home, the selected scanner has its own card. Stop the bridge before using Change scanner, Edit or Remove. Change scanner lets you choose another saved scanner or add one. Removing a profile keeps received photos.
In Lab mode on a standalone Mac, select Enabled on this Mac for the saved scanners this Mac should receive from. Multi-scanner profiles are part of the normal Lab workflow; there is no Beta toggle. At least one profile must be enabled before starting.
In a coordinated lab, the coordinator runs setup. Clients retain the cards but request a scanner first. See Request & return scanners for the approval and handback flow.
Lab profile-mode reception saves under Scanners/<profile ID> inside the local selected folder. In Home, check the selected scanner folder and any configured order subfolders. Routing uses saved source IPs, so keep addresses unique and update the coordinator after changes.
Read timestamps in Activity and Diagnostics. Historical receipts keep their original scanner and folder identity.
The old Claim Scanner notice in standalone mode is advisory only. It is not the coordinated Request scanner workflow.
How do I edit or delete a scanner?
Click Edit on the scanner card. It flips to details where you can change its name, scanner PC IP address and requested scanner server name, or choose Delete scanner. Stop the bridge first. Shared lab edits are made on the coordinator after returning the scanner and stopping all lab bridges; all clients need this build. Saved images are kept. Use Scanner Setup for model, folder or hardware discovery.
Replacing a VM profile with a real scanner?
Delete the old VM card and run Scanner Setup for the real scanner. Changing only the IP leaves the VM hardware address attached to the profile. Deletions are remembered across coordinator changes; only a deliberate new setup restores a deleted identity.
Claim versus Request scanner
Claim is the older advisory notice in standalone mode. Request scanner asks the coordinator for a persisted reservation, then the helper restricts new connections to assigned source IPs. Legacy MS01 and older FB builds do not obey that registry.
How are reports matched?
Current display matching uses a unique saved IP address. Changed or reused addresses require care; this is not authenticated physical identity.
Remember: Profile reception supports multiple names and separate image destinations, but simultaneous scanning and next-order completion still need real-hardware beta validation. Start with one non-critical scan; do not assume a successful VM connection proves image delivery.
Read status & activity
Read scanner status and recent activity with confidence. Separate fresh events from older reports and distinguish a connection from a completed order.
Scanner event → Time + name + model → Latest action → Diagnostics
Look at Bridge running/stopped to see whether FB’s service is running.
Read the one-line event: timestamp, saved scanner name, model and latest diagnostic action.
Click that line to open Diagnostics, or use Activity for more history.
On scanner cards, inspect Model, A1, Carrier, Mode and Sort alongside the last-received time.
Where do those facts come from?
A1 publishes an STS status file through the running bridge. FB decodes the scanner model, A1 software version, carrier, operating mode and sort number. A manually chosen profile model is not the same as a scanner-reported model.
What does Sort mean?
It is the scanner’s reported SortNo value for its workflow. It is not a command to sort your Mac files, and should not be assumed to be FB’s customer order ID.
Is this a live heartbeat?
No. The line updates when recorded events arrive and can retain the last event during silence. Scanner status is also last-received information, not a continuous online test.
Does response generated mean received?
No. A generated reply is not proof that A1 received or accepted it. Follow later events, image completion and the scanner screen before concluding success.
Remember: The compact line shows only the latest recorded event. Fast events can pass too quickly to read; use Diagnostics for history.
Scanner services
Review the PIC_SCAN service offered to your scanner.
Scanner policy → PIC_SCAN → Received images
Select the intended scanner or recognise that you are viewing app defaults.
Review whether PIC_SCAN is advertised.
Keep the existing service settings when testing connection problems.
Use advanced compatibility details only when investigating exact catalogue rows.
What is PIC_SCAN?
It is the scanning service identifier exposed through the compatibility catalogue. It is not the name of your physical scanner.
Why are there legacy rows?
They describe the catalogue FB returns to scanner software. They are diagnostic compatibility details, not extra scanners in your lab.
Remember: Turning off PIC_SCAN removes the scan-to-computer service. Changing services is not a cure for network discovery problems.
Customer Orders & rolls
Organise customers, projects and individual film rolls. Check incoming job associations, naming previews and delivery status as work moves through the lab.
Customer order → Roll → Scanner work → Received images → Delivery
Create an order and enter recognisable customer/project details.
Create separate rolls so multiple films are not combined into one anonymous group.
Review the expected order name and any explicit scanner order/roll assignment before scanning.
Check the folder and filename preview. Confirm the resulting received files belong to the correct order.
Advance delivery status only after checking the files and export.
Folder templates
Placeholders such as {customer}, {project}, {labOrder} and {roll} build the destination path. The preview explains the expansion. Avoid changing organisation in the middle of a live transfer.
Filename templates
Tokens such as {fujiOrder} and {frame} produce per-image names. Sanitisation and collision handling help protect files, but verify roll/order association on a test job.
Does Lab sharing transfer ownership?
Do not treat shared order visibility as a network-wide lock. Customer-order ownership/handoff is not the approved first-beta workflow.
No matching order
Inspect Diagnostics and recovered/quarantined transfer information. Do not delete partial files to make the list look clean; preserve evidence and resolve the association first.
Remember: An order being listed is not evidence that all its frames arrived. Compare expected and received image counts.
Image Library & inspection
Select a roll or image to inspect and edit its details. Browse frames in order, tag a whole roll and find originals or export images to another app.
Completed transfer → Library receipt → Roll group → Inspect → Export
Images can appear individually as they are received and prepared; you do not need to wait for the entire roll. A visible image does not prove A1 completed the order.
Use search and folder/roll grouping to find the received job. Click a roll title or empty space inside its border to select it; click a thumbnail to inspect one picture. Frames inside each roll are ordered automatically.
Open the large preview or pixel inspector. Check orientation, dimensions, bit depth and colour profile.
Use Reveal in Finder from the toolbar, context menu or inspector. Edit film stock on a selected roll to tag every picture in it. Scanner identity and recognised film sizes come from scan details; a size-change warning highlights differing image dimensions.
Use Scanner originals to re-export available RAW files from the scan folder, without setting up an archive. Verify counts and integrity before delivery. The configured Photomator handoff opens an export folder in the app.
Why doesn’t a file in the folder appear?
The library is receipt-driven. FB lists completed recorded scanner transfers; it does not import every unrelated image placed in the destination folder.
What does the checksum mean?
SHA-256 can detect that bytes changed after the recorded receipt. It does not prove correct colour, correct scanner attribution or that the scanner captured every intended frame.
Is the histogram the full original?
Some inspection statistics use a bounded preview. Treat them as inspection aids, not a complete scientific analysis of every original pixel.
Supported viewing formats
The library supports common TIFF, BMP, JPEG, PNG and HEIC/HEIF images. A supported extension alone does not make an unrelated file a received scanner image.
Remember: Preserve the Fuji-rendered master. Make delivery corrections and exports as separate derivatives.
Scan Finishing
Adjust colour and tone while preserving the received master. Compare changes, review manual repairs and export a separate finished image for delivery.
Choose frames → Adjust → Compare original → Review repairs → Export derivative
Open a roll’s finishing workspace and select the frame or frames you intend to edit.
Adjust density, contrast, saturation and colour-balance axes in small steps.
Compare with the original and use reset when you need a neutral starting point.
For dust or scratches, paint only the affected area and inspect the repair at useful zoom.
Export a derivative and check its orientation, size, colour and repaired detail.
Selected frames versus whole roll
Check the selection before applying changes. A roll-wide adjustment is useful for consistent conditions but can be wrong for frames with different lighting.
Manual repair versus ICE
Manual masks are operator-authored repairs. They are not infrared ICE. Do not assume SP-3000 ICE data or any automated defect identification has been validated.
Are these exactly MS01 corrections?
The controls are MS01-inspired, not a verified guarantee of identical rendering. Compare outputs where exact matching matters.
TIFF or JPEG derivatives
TIFF export can preserve a high-bit-depth working derivative. JPEG is convenient for delivery but lossy. Inspect the actual export rather than relying only on its preview.
Remember: Repairs can remove real detail. Review grain, wires, stars and fine textures carefully.
Folders, export & backup
Find scanner files, delivery exports and backups. Choose reliable destinations and verify that files are recoverable before removing your only copy.
Scanner folder → Verified master → Delivery copy → Verified backup
Choose a writable image folder during scanner setup; different saved scanners may use different folders.
Before switching scanners, stop the bridge/probe and apply the intended saved profile.
Export selected images or orders to the destination required by your customer.
Configure a separate backup destination in Settings and run Back Up Now.
Check backup results and verify files are recoverable before deleting anything elsewhere.
External or network disks
They must be mounted and writable when used. A saved path does not guarantee availability; review storage errors and free-space warnings.
What is backed up?
The verified image-backup workflow preserves recorded images and manifests. Do not assume it is a complete portable backup of every setting, licence, order, attachment and diagnostic record.
Delivery exports
Delivery folders can contain images, provenance manifests, checksums and contact sheets. Inspect the chosen export’s contents and recipients before sharing customer information.
Apple Photos and other apps
Exports may require macOS permission or a configured application. Exporting is separate from scanner receipt; check the target app rather than assuming a successful transfer means successful export.
Remember: A second folder on the same failing disk is not an independent backup. Keep originals until delivery and backup checks are complete.
Scanner Care
Keep maintenance notes, imported logs and parameter archives together. Review a scanner’s history and preserve useful records for future service work.
Identify scanner → Record work → Attach evidence → Archive → Verify
Confirm which scanner the maintenance record concerns before entering work.
Record the date, technician, work performed, counters and parts where known.
Attach the relevant local manual, photograph or service document.
Import supported scanner logs for inspection, or choose a staged PARAM folder for archiving.
Keep the archive and its verification manifest in a safe location.
Archive Staged PARAM Folder
This accepts a folder already mounted or copied to the Mac. It preserves the directory tree and a SHA-256 manifest. It is not the same as automatically downloading PARAM from the scanner.
Why preserve PARAM?
It can contain machine-specific settings and calibration data. A clean application installer is not a substitute for that scanner’s parameter backup.
Can FB restore it to the scanner?
The preservation workflow is read-only toward the scanner. Do not use it as a restore procedure; restoring machine parameters requires the correct service process.
Offline records
Saved history is not proof the scanner is reachable. Current identity associations have limitations, especially after network-address changes.
Remember: Do not upload or overwrite scanner calibration files as part of troubleshooting an FB connection.
Diagnostics & Send Report
Record a problem and prepare one email attachment with scanner evidence and an optional description.
Start listening or bridge → Reproduce → Send Report → Create Email → Review and send
Start Listening in Scanner Setup or Start Bridge when ready to reproduce the problem. Opening the app alone does not start recording.
FB records the selected scanner interface for up to five minutes or 10 MB, whichever comes first. Include startup, connection attempts and a scan if relevant.
Open Diagnostics and press Send Report at the top. Optionally describe what happened, including the scanner-side message and time.
Choose Create Email, then review and send the prepared ZIP attachment. If email is unavailable, export the support bundle and attach it manually.
Send the report before another listening or bridge start replaces the retained capture. The saved capture survives an app relaunch.
Use Show network capture in the event viewer to show or hide the latest 200 packet-header summaries. This changes the display only; recording and report attachments continue.
What gets recorded?
Before a scanner is known, capture keeps local discovery and excludes public IPv4 internet traffic outside local networks. With saved scanners, it follows their MAC/IP identities on all ports. Unfamiliar scanner requests are retained. Positively recognized image bodies are omitted, but uncertain content can remain.
Is five minutes guaranteed?
No. A busy capture can reach 10 MB earlier, especially during broad setup listening. The beginning is kept rather than overwritten. Logs and email encoding add to attachment size.
What about privacy?
Structured logs omit image payloads and credentials. The separate raw capture can still contain image contents, customer information and legacy login traffic. Keep reports private and review before sharing.
Does email send automatically?
No. FB prepares a draft for you to review and send. It does not upload reports to a FrontierBridge server.
Do I need Wireshark?
Built-in capture is included in Send Report. Use the scanner helper and Setup Service supplied with the current app.
Replay Golden Transaction
This is an offline development aid, not a live scanner test.
Remember: Include the scanner's exact message. A discovery request alone does not prove successful connection or image transfer.
Install & update helpers
Install and approve the scanner helper and Setup Service used by this Mac.
Copy app to Applications → Set Up This Mac → Approve → Check ports → Finish
Quit the previous FB copy, copy the intended signed app to Applications, and open that copy.
Choose Set Up This Mac and install any missing components. Approve macOS prompts; Open Login Items is available when approval is pending.
The scanner helper handles legacy scanner listeners. The separate Setup Service handles guided network preparation and passive packet capture.
For an upgrade, stop the bridge and listening. Follow the release instructions for replacing the scanner helper in Settings and choose Update Setup Service in Network Setup when offered.
Return to FB, check scanner ports and finish setup. Import the separately emailed Beta licence before starting the bridge.
Why update both?
The main app and background services have separate installations. Updating only the app can leave an older service running, even if scanning still works.
Already installed?
Installed and approved means no new installation is needed for that component. Follow the next incomplete setup step.
Approval or signature error
Keep the exact message and build number, then report it. Do not disable macOS security or repeatedly change networking settings.
Remember: Finish transfers before updating helpers or changing scanner identities and destinations.
Something isn’t working
Start with the symptom you can see and follow focused checks. Gather useful evidence before changing a working setup or retrying a failed operation.
Observe → Check readiness → Preserve files → Collect evidence
Read the actual error rather than repeatedly pressing Start Bridge.
Check network, helper, licence, scanner selection and image-folder readiness.
Keep partially received files and diagnostic evidence intact.
If a controlled retry fails, export diagnostics and report the exact sequence.
Wizard finds nothing
Check the selected interface and scanner subnet. en0/en1 does not by itself identify Wi-Fi or Ethernet. If the scanner is 192.168.1.97 with mask 255.255.255.0, its Mac interface needs an unused 192.168.1.x address with the same mask; 192.168.12.x or a self-assigned 169.254.x address is a different subnet. Wi-Fi internet access may stay on, but select the scanner-facing interface. Listen before initiating the scanner connection. Avoid simultaneous initial setups and competing legacy servers.
Bridge will not start
Read the blocking readiness message. Check helper approval, selected scanner/model, network availability and writable storage. Opening Diagnostics alone does not mean the scanner is broken.
Bridge running, but no image
Running means the service is up. Check whether A1 connected, selected a service and sent an order. Follow Activity and Diagnostics; the library lists completed transfers only.
Wrong name or model
Edit the saved profile through setup. Scanner-reported model and manually selected model are different evidence. Current card/event matching uses source IP, so verify reused or changed addresses.
A1 waits after sending
Do not assume an image appearing means acknowledgement completed. Preserve the diagnostic timeline and report the A1 message; avoid repeated changes to the working identity or deletion of spool files.
Export or email appears to do nothing
Check for a save dialog or mail composer behind the window, permissions and an available destination. Preserve the error and report it if no result appears.
Only one of two FB clients gets the scanner
Check Lab assignments and enable the scanner only on its assigned Mac. Keep scanner addresses unique. A competing MS01 server is outside FB assignment control; stop the competing receiver for a controlled single-client test.
Remember: Do not repeatedly restart, force quit or delete files while a transfer is active unless following a deliberate recovery procedure.
