HP Solution Center disabled without Flash - Command line switches for hpqkygrp.exe

[jp_Oz]

Does anyone know the correct command-line arguments to launch hpqkygrp.exe, the  HP CUE-Scanning Flow Component?

I cannot get hpqkygrp.exe (the scanning flow controller) working, it pops up an error "The scanning software was launched with improper command-line arguments" and extended info "8[(-1, 0, 0)].

Like most others, I have tried several solutions from the forum now that Flash has been disabled and killed the HP Solution Center, but Hp Smart cannot find my USB connected device, and HP Scan and Capture does not offer OCR, which I need.I have used up lots of time installing/uninstalling the above components, to no avail, and am reluctant to possibly waste even more time on them.

I have settled on a very clunky work around by using HPPSdr.exe, which is HP's printer and scanner doctor. This finds my device and starts the HP CUE-Scanning Flow Component correctly and performs scans as if it was directed by the defunct HP Solution Center, reporting no errors. This gives me back the functionality I need, but is somewhat time consuming each time I use it.

My BIG question is, how is HPPSdr.exe calling hpqkygrp.exe without triggering the error message? It seems to me that it must use the correct command-line arguments to succeed, sooooo - does anyone know what the required command-line arguments are? And if so, could they please post them for us to use?

Thank you for any assistance you may offer.

[CatalanGlitch]

Hi. I am new to this community. I  have already sent a response about this to another post:

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Scanning-Faxing-Copying/hpiscnapp-exe-command-line-switches/m-p/795540...

In case the system does not allow to go to that link, I duplicate below the relevant part of the other post:

My printer is an HP Officejet 4500 G510n-z, and I can now scan in Windows 10, using the profiles I had created before the Flash discontinuation, by calling:

hpqkygrp.exe -n"#Hewlett-Packard#HP Officejet 4500 G510n-z#1598391139" -a"SCAN" -f"SCAN_DOCUMENT"

for documents, and:

hpqkygrp.exe -n"#Hewlett-Packard#HP Officejet 4500 G510n-z#1598391139" -a"SCAN" -f"SCAN_PICTURE"

for images.

I can select one of the existing profiles (which tell dpi, color/gray/bw, etc.) in the window that open on execution. I have not tried yet to create new profiles.

I found the command syntax, the printer-name and 10-digit number passed as parameter -n somewhere in the file:

C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\HP\ScLogs\SolutionCenter.htm

Note that the 10-digit number was different between my two Windows installations (Win7, Win 10) even when both use the same printer, so yours will be another number (as will be different the printer name).

I have 'automated' the calling by putting the command lines into two batch files (I'm from the old MS-DOS school).

Hope this helps you.

[CatalanGlitch · Accepted solution]

UPDATE: Thanks to user Wstack, now I know that the data for parameter -n comes from the Windows Registry entry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Print\Printers\{Your Printer Name}\PrinterDriverData\SoftwareCUEContextID
See post:
https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Scanning-Faxing-Copying/HP-Solution-Center-does-not-work/m-p/7933933/h...
where there is more info about this problem.

[jp_Oz]

Thank you so much CatalanGlitch, you have given me back the functionality I needed. The extra note about finding the command line from TaskManager by showing the CommandLine column made editing my shortcut easy.

In case anyone else hasn't noticed, we can also use this shortcut to scan images/pictures by clicking on the "Scan Type" at the top of the Scan Shortcut Settings group box, as per the image below. I hope this helps too.

[jp_Oz]

It looks like my image is not showing correctly, so here is another try to make it show correctly.

 

[CatalanGlitch]

You're welcome Jp_Oz. I think all of us were heading in the right directions to bypass this problem, but surely user Wstack got first to the solution. Too bad that HP has not come with a solution (perhaps rewriting the 'launcher' part of Solutions Center?) instead of promoting inferior programs such as "HP Scan and Capture" and "HP Scan Extended".

Since I have a Windows 7 machine where Solutions Center is still fully functional (don't know why), I have used the Task Manager + Command Line column method to capture the switches for all the scanner-related buttons in Solutions Center, so now, in my Windows 10 machines, I have replaced Solutions Center with shortcuts to hpqkygrp.exe with appropiate command-line switches. I reproduce the switches below for you and any other person interested.

hpqkygrp.exe command-line switches set by "HP Solutions Center" buttons related to scanning

"Home" buttons:
-a"SCAN" -f"SCAN_PICTURE" = Scan image
-a"SCAN" -f"SCAN_DOCUMENT" = Scan document

"Scan Settings & Preferences" buttons:
-a"SETTINGS" -f"SCAN_PICTURE" = Image scan settings
-a"SETTINGS" -f"SCAN_DOCUMENT" = Document scan settings
-a"SETTINGS" -f"SCAN_PREFERENCES" = Scan preferences
-a"SETTINGS" -f"MANAGE_SCAN_SHORTCUTS" = Manage scan shortcuts
-a"SETTINGS" -f"DEST_LIST" = Scan to... configuration
-a"SETTINGS" -f"FP_BUTTONS" = Front Panel scan button setup
-a"SETTINGS" -f"DIR_BUTTONS" = Solutions Center scan button setup

[jp_Oz]

Thanks once more CatalanGlitch, we can all have the equivalent of a fully functional Solution Center once more. I have just put all of those shortcuts into a simple Windows .Net form, so I can start things up with a single shortcut from the Start Menu, so I am ready to rock again.