I cannot use my HP 6978 to scan to a searchable pdf

[FrancisBanks]

I have wasted hours on this problem.  Using Smart, I only have the options to save as a basic pdf or an image.  From the printer or HP Scan I can save as editable text, so the ocr software is working, but I cannot save as searchable pdf.  Why on Earth not? Surely if it can produce a text document it ought to be able to produce a searchable pdf!  This is soooo frustrating!  Combined with ink problems, I am just about ready to switch to another printer brand, although I have used HP for many years.  The installation process is also far from transparent, which adds to the frustration.  For example, which piece of software is the best on to start with?  It appears to be the last one in the list of apps on the software web page rather than the first!  When installing, one doesn't always know what the cancel button does.  Does it cancel the whole install process (which it did) or just the part that I am on?  When there is no back button and the stage one is on is making no progress, what can one do but click on cancel?  And then windows are not always clear about which program they belong to, and that can be very confusing.

[Dragon-Fur]

@FrancisBanks 

Welcome to the HP Community.

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@FrancisBanks wrote:

1.  I have wasted hours on this problem. 

2.  Using Smart, I only have the options to save as a basic pdf or an image. 

3.  From the printer or HP Scan I can save as editable text, so the ocr software is working, but I cannot save as searchable pdf. 

4.  Why on Earth not? Surely if it can produce a text document it ought to be able to produce a searchable pdf!  This is soooo frustrating!  Combined with ink problems, I am just about ready to switch to another printer brand, although I have used HP for many years. 

5.  The installation process is also far from transparent, which adds to the frustration.   For example, which piece of software is the best on to start with?  It appears to be the last one in the list of apps on the software web page rather than the first! 

6.  When installing, one doesn't always know what the cancel button does.  Does it cancel the whole install process (which it did) or just the part that I am on?  When there is no back button and the stage one is on is making no progress, what can one do but click on cancel? 

7.  And then windows are not always clear about which program they belong to, and that can be very confusing.

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Answers...

2.  Essentially correct - HP Smart provides basic Scan for Documents and Photos / Images.

HP Smart > Shortcuts can create a searchable PDF file from some content.

The ability might be printer model dependent.  ?

3.  True - The Full Feature Software / full driver includes HP Scan - HP Scan includes OCR

Not sure why saving the file would not work though there might be something specific going on with the particular content you are scanning.  Save failures of this type are not something for which the HP Scan software can provide any troubleshooting.

Comment:

I might not understand your context.

OCR implies searchable / editable PDF file content.

No?

For those reading, a couple of reference articles...

NOTE:  Articles are not an endorsement of any particular product.

Types of PDFs 

Foxit - Search and edit scanned documents with OCR 

If you do not like, cannot use the OCR options offered in the full driver printer software,

You can purchase / obtain OCR solutions.

OCR Scan Software - Examples

7 Best Free OCR Software Apps to Convert Images into Text - 2019

Best OCR software of 2020: scan and archive your documents to PDF

10 Best OCR Software of 2021 (Free and Paid Tools)

5.  True - in my opinion - the method to find and install the Full Feature Software is not as transparent as would be nice.  For example, the full driver is needed for many print and scan operations.  When available, the "Full Driver" should be installed in addition (or even in place of) other print and scan applications.

"First in place" does not always signify the best option for a given situation.

Personally, I install both the HP Smart application AND the Full Driver printer software for every printer on which the options are available.

Example - HP Easy Start Software wrapper - Installation choices (printer model / OS version dependent)

Easy_Start_Full_Driver_2

6.  My experience is that if you manage to "Cancel" or kill an operation, the coding in that software dictates whether the entire operation is killed or if the "cancel" retreats to a previous screen.  I do not think I can answer your concern on this.   "Do and See" , I think.  Every coded program and application follows its own rules for how the exits are handled.  If you truly need "kill and destroy" level control, Find and Kill the running process in the Resource Monitor.  Be careful - killing processes can crash the system (might be the goal in extreme circumstances).

7. Agreed - the topography of the Windows Operating System is not always simple and clear cut.  (This assertion is true for most any Operating System, in fact.)

Software and Applications can be intertwined in the Operating System to some extent.

In general (without too emphasis or mention of the device level details)...

Software is installed in Control Panel > icon view > Programs and Features

Applications are obtained from the particular "Apps Store" linked to that Operating System.

For example, Windows provides applications in the  Microsoft Store

HP Smart is an application that you "get" from the Store.

An article on the subject:

Learn the Difference Between Software vs Application

Applications are listed

Windows Start (Windows key) > All Apps

AND

Settings > Apps > Apps and Features

Just to make it interesting and a bit fuzzy at the edges, "Software" might also be listed in Apps and Features.

If you are unsure, Check Programs and Features

If the item you are seeking is not listed in Programs and Features, chances are that item is an application.

HP Printer Home Page - References and Resources – Learn about your Printer  - Solve Problems

 “Things that are your printer”

NOTE:  Content depends on device type and Operating System

Categories:  Alerts, Access to the Print and Scan Doctor (Windows), Warranty Check, HP Drivers / Software / Firmware Updates, How-to Videos, Bulletins/Notices, Lots of How-to Documents, Troubleshooting, Manuals > User Guides, Product Information (Specifications), more

HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 All-in-One Printer 

Thank you for participating in the HP Community.

The Community is a separate wing of the HP website - We are not an HP business group.

Our Community is comprised of volunteers - people who own and use HP devices.

Click Thumbs Up to say Thank You.

Question / Concern Answered, Click "Accept as Solution"

[FrancisBanks]

This is the original questioner here.  Thanks for such a comprehensive reply Dragon-Fur, though I cannot declare the problem solved.  Strangely, I cannot see an option to reply directly  to  Dragon-Fur, nor can I see his answer from the page where posts are created.  More frustration.  Although the HP Scan software gives me the option of saving rich text, it does not give me the option of saving a searchable pdf.  It is not easy to find, either.  One has to open the HP OfficeJet Pro 6970 software. Perhaps I have been wasting so much time on things because it used to be so easy with my previous HP all-in-one printer, whose name I cannot remember now.  It came with a different piece of software which was very easy to use, produced searchable pdfs by default, and was one of the main reasons I decided to buy another HP all-in-one, but I have been very disappointed!  I am not sure whether I have installed the full-featured software, but I think so.  The I.R.I.S. engine is definitely installed.  In order to overcome the problems I installed NAPS2 and Tesseract scanner software (whose development was started by HP, it seems).  Tesseract is a command line program, and rather buggy - it can't handle spaces in file names, for example, so it is not very easy to use, but gives pretty good text from rather poor scans.  You can't use it to turn a basic pdf into a searchable one directly though.  You have to turn it into a jpg, a tif or whatever first.

[Dragon-Fur]

@FrancisBanks 

You are welcome.

If you cannot find the printer software in Programs and Features, the full driver software is not installed.

That said, you remark that you are using HP Scan - this is a subset of the full Feature Software.

Conclusion:  Software is installed.

Yes, Naps2 is a popular choice.

Yes, some of the "old" software might have been better, different, better for the task.

Honestly, I don't know if other brands of printers come with a different OCR solution.

I believe the solution provided in HP printers is based on (or is purely) I.R.I.S

For those reading:

More information

Well written and easy to read / comprehend

Introduction to OCR and Searchable PDFs: An Introduction to OCR 

Reprint from previous post 

Foxit - Search and edit scanned documents with OCR 

Need more help? 

Open your favorite browser and search for help.

Sample questions

What is the difference between OCR and searchable pdf

OCR searchable pdf

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Install the Full Feature Software / full driver printer software

The full driver provides the foundation on which other programs and printing software depend.

Preparation - Printer Software

If you have not done so,

In addition to the HP Smart application,

Install the Full Feature Software / full driver printer software for the printer.

HP Smart and other print software / applications benefit from having the full driver installed.

Printer Software Check

Notes

If the full driver printer software is installed, you will see the printer listed in Control Panel > icon view > Programs and Features.

The installation of the printer software adds two shortcut icons to the Desktop.

The Printer Assistant is named for the printer and provides access to Print , Scan , and Tools

HP Scan is named for itself and provides a direct call to the HP Scan software.

Programs_and_Features_Printer_Desktop_Icons_4

Printer software not installed - OR - (still) installed but not working?

NOTE:  If the printer software shows installed but is not working as expected,

Uninstall the printer software from Control Panel > icon view > Programs and Features

Restart the computer and log in

Reminder:  If using USB, disconnect the USB printer cable between the printer and the computer before installing software.  (Re)Connect the USB cable when instructed to do so near the end of the installation procedure.

Install a fresh copy of the Full Feature Software / Full Driver printer software

Restart the computer and log in

Method - Use the Easy Start Wrapper to Install the Full Feature / Full Driver Software

For printers that support the option,

Use the Easy Start wrapper to install and configure the printer software.

• Home Page - HP Easy Start 
• Open Category Software and Drivers 
• Topic: Software-Utility 
• Download-and-Save  the current version of the Easy Start wrapper to install your print software 
• If using USB:  Disconnect the USB cable between the printer and computer before installing the software.

• Right-Click on the downloaded package and "Run as Administrator" to start the installation

• When asked, Select to install the “Full Driver” / “Full Feature Software”
• If using USB:  Connect the cable when instructed to do so (near the end of the installation process).
• After the software is installed, Restart the computer and log in.

Notes >> Easy Start... The Journey

1. Full Administrator Rights are required to complete the HP Software installation.
2. About 2/3 of the way through the setup, you will be given the opportunity to select the software - select the "Full Driver" set (as opposed to the basic driver or other application).
3. You can skip / ignore suggestion(s) that you add the HP Account – you’ll need the account at some point, for now, you can skip this suggestion (as many times as it insists it’s a good idea) during the full driver software installation.
4. If you see it, you can skip / ignore suggestion(s) regarding Instant Ink subscription.  Instant Ink subscription is NOT mandatory.
5. Full driver includes print and scan functions supported by your printer and provides the printer features on which other applications / software might depend.

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NAPS2 – “Not Another PDF Scanner” (Free – Donations gladly accepted by the NAPS2 organization)

• Download-Save-Install >  NAPS2 
• Not another PDF Scanner – free program scans PDF files and image(s) as .jpeg or PDF file(s).
• Not always simple “Plug and Play”, nonetheless, this free software is powerful and configurable.

Notes

• Includes an OCR feature – may need Ghostscript add-on (See NAPS2 forum entry)
• Read the Support pages for information
• Read the Getting Started guide
• Combining files?  Read the Command Line Usage guide > Select Combining and Converting Files

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Thank you for participating in the HP Community.

The Community is a separate wing of the HP website - We are not an HP business group.

Our Community is comprised of volunteers - people who own and use HP devices.

Click Thumbs Up to say Thank You.

Question / Concern Answered, Click "Accept as Solution"

[FrancisBanks]

At last a solution!  In HP scan, select Save as pdf in the left hand list.  In the right hand part of the window under Desination open the drop down list and select "Searchable pdf".  I am not sure if this option was there before, since I have been doing things such as rolling back the firmware for the printer, and then installing the latest version etc. etc.  I think that I would have seen it if it had been.

[Dragon-Fur]

@FrancisBanks 

True - there you go.

Example - HP Scan - Main Menu - Save as PDF

9025_HP_Scan_Menu_PDF_6

Example - HP Scan > Save as PDF > More > Destination

9025_HP_Scan_Menu_PDF_More_Destination_3

Thank you for participating in the HP Community.

The Community is a separate wing of the HP website - We are not an HP business group.

Our Community is comprised of volunteers - people who own and use HP devices.