http://askubuntu.com/questions/94137...or-simple-scan
seems so simple, I clicked every menu button but nothing.

1. Open simple-scan
2. Go into the Document menu.
3. Select Preferences
4. You will now be able to adjust your settings.
jdk

I cant even find the document menu

here is a screen shot, what do I click?

I ended up installing xsane so I can adjust the settings.

I find it amazing how often the instructions are just click to open something when the something does not exist. I guess I need very detailed instructions, which is why sometimes I find a youtube video that takes you step by step. I still cant find it.

another writeup showing the just open the preferences page, but does not say how to open the preferences.
Is there a secret key - combo to do that?
https://lwn.net/Articles/377063/

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Sorry, my mistake. I think I gave you instructions for Xsane, not simple-scan. For simple-scan click on the Icon to the left of buttons along the top of the window.Select the menu item Preferences and you will be able to adjust the settings. My simple-scan looks somewhat different from yours but I guess you should click on the icon just to the left of the "Scan" icon. I have pointed to the icon on my simple-scan below.
jdk

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That is just a new document icon, it tells simple scan to I suppose start again.
Hovering over gives caption 'start a new document'

Is my simple scan defective? Missing some icons? I am running ubuntu 14.04

I just did an uninstall purge and then install, but still no preferences that I can see.

I am using version 3.17.4 of simple-scan. I run Ubuntu 14.04 on my laptops and I notice that it uses version 3.12.1-0ubuntu1. I can't test the icon on the left since the laptop is not plugged into the scanner. What version of simple-scan are you using? Have you every actually clicked on that icon rather than simply hovering over it?
I always use xsane in any event. Is there any reason why you don't use it since it will let you change the settings?
jdk

update: I just did a search for "simple-scan settings". This article (4.5 years old) explains what's going on. In short, absence of settings was considered a "feature" rather than a flaw. I guess enough people complained about this feature to cause the devs to add settings in later versions. So your options are:
a. upgrade simple-scan to 3.17 or
b. stick with xsane

yes, clicked on it and clicked all buttons multiple times.
I am running the 3.12 version also.
I am surprised there is no preferences menu in this version. 14.04 is a LTS version which I was planning on sticking with.
Do you think the ubuntu developers will upgrade this package?

using xsane is ok, but I want to know the why of something, like why I can't select preferences when all the instructions about a program tell me I can when I can not.

Did you read the article I linked to in my previous post? I believe you can find the answer there. Basically they were trying to keep SIMPLE-scan as simple as possible.
jdk