Nuance OMNIFORM FILLER 2 REFERENCE FOR MACINTOSH

OmniForm Filler Reference

Version 2 for Windows 95/NT/3.1

CAERE CORPORATION

100 Cooper Court Los Gatos, California 95030

European Offices: Caere GmbH Innere Wiener Strasse 5 81667 Munich Germany

Please Note

In order to use this program, you should know how to work in the Microsoft Windows environment. Please refer to your Windows documentation if you have questions about how to use menu commands, dialog boxes, scroll bars, edit boxes, and so on.

OmniForm Filler Reference Version 2 for Windows 95/NT/3.1

Formonix is a trademark of Formonix, Inc.

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Such designations appearing in this manual have been printed in initial caps.

Product Serial Number:

_______________________________________________ (from Disk #1 label)

Chapter 1

Introduction

OmniForm Filler is the easy way to manage forms electronically. Use OmniForm Filler to fill forms, manage information databases, and print, fax, and mail forms to other users.

This chapter gives an overview of the form filling and information management capabilities OmniForm Filler provides, as well as an explanation of how to use the documentation.

This chapter contains the following sections:

• OmniForm Filler Features

• Using the Documentation

Introduction - 3

OmniForm Filler Features

OmniForm Filler, an easy-to-use environment for working with forms, includes the following features:

Form Filling

You can fill a form with the information you need and print, fax, or mail it. Information entered can easily be searched and sorted in the OmniForm Filler database.

OmniForm Filler Database

All information you enter into a form is stored as a part of an OmniForm Filler database. You can create, duplicate, search, and sort records, and import and export database information to and from other databases.

Field Validation

OmniForm Filler Features

A form can be set up by the person who created it to field automatically. For example, the validation could specify that a field must contain a specific type of information. OmniForm Filler would display a prompt if you tried to enter incorrect information.

Field Calculations

A form can be set up by the person who created it to perform calculations automatically and display the correct value as you fill the appropriate field(s) in the form. This automates data entry and reduces the possibility of errors.

Form Printing, Faxing, and Mailing

You can print forms or fax forms from OmniForm Filler. You have a choice of printing or faxing just the form, just the data entered in a form, or both the form and its information. If you choose to print just a form’s data, you can print it over a pre-printed form placed in your printer.

Form Mailing

Use electronic mail to send your forms to other users if you have Microsoft Exchange/Mail or Lotus cc:Mail/Notes installed. Microsoft Exchange/Mail users can also add routing slips to mailed forms.

validate

a fillable

Introduction - 4

Using the Documentation

This section explains the various instructional and formatting conventions used in this manual.

Screenshots and Instructions

Most screenshots in this manual were taken in Windows 95. Your dialog boxes and windows may look slightly different if you are using Windows NT or Windows 3.1. For example, dialog box titles in Windows 95 appear in the top left of the box. Dialog box titles in Windows NT and Windows 3.1 appear in the top middle of the box.

Both screenshot versions are displayed when they differ significantly. Instructions appropriate to each version of Windows are given where

necessary — for example, double-clicking an icon in a program group (Windows 3.1 and NT) versus using the Taskbar (Windows 95). Any instruction specific to Windows NT and 3.1 appears immediately after the Windows 95 instruction.

Online Help

OmniForm Filler has both online help and context-sensitive help. Use the commands in the Help menu to find information on OmniForm Filler topics and on using Help itself.

Using the Documentation

Click the Help button in the OmniForm Filler standard toolbar to turn your cursor into a question mark icon. Click any command, button, or portion of the window to open context-sensitive help for that topic.

Formatting

Two formatting conventions are used throughout the manual.

Italicized Text

• Labeled buttons, menu commands, dialog box text, and any text in an onscreen form are italicized; for example, “Choose the File menu.”

Menu titles, icon names, dialog box names, and unlabeled buttons are not italicized.

• A new term may be italicized the first time it is used; for example, “This is a Glossary section of the manual.

• Variable entries are italicized; for example, “The entry n must be between 4 and 18.”

field.” These terms and others are defined in the

fill text

Introduction - 5

Open

Courier font

Symbols

Using the Documentation

• The Courier font indicates text that you are supposed to enter; for example, “Type Sample1 in the

• The Courier font is also used to distinguish file paths and file and folder names from the rest of the text; for example, “Locate the Sample form in the OmniForm folder.”

Two symbols are used in this manual to highlight text.

File Name

text box and click

OK.

”

This symbol means

It introduces a tip or an item of note.

Note.

Warning.

It introduces cautionary text.

Introduction - 6

Chapter 2

Installation and Setup

This chapter describes how to install OmniForm Filler and begin using it. It contains the following sections:

• System Requirements

• Registering OmniForm Filler

• Installing OmniForm Filler

• Starting OmniForm Filler

Screenshots in this chapter were taken in Windows 95. Your dialog boxes and windows may look slightly different if you are using Windows NT or 3.1.

Installation and Setup - 7

System Requirements

To install and run OmniForm Filler, you need the following setup:

• Computer with an 80386 or higher processor.

• VGA or SVGA monitor.

• Windows-compatible mouse.

• 1.44MB high-density floppy disk drive and internal hard disk.

• A minimum of 7MB hard disk space for the US version; 10MB for the International English version.

• Total system memory of at least 4MB RAM for Windows 95 and Windows 3.1; 12MB for Windows NT (version 3.51 or later).

• At least a 4MB permanent swap file for Windows 3.1.

• MS-DOS 5.0 or above for Windows 3.1.

• To be able to scan graphics into a form, you need a TWAINcompatible scanner.

Install your scanner and test it in Windows according to the manufacturer’s instructions

using it with OmniForm.

before

System Requirements

OmniForm Filler 2.01 for Windows 95 and Windows NT will not run on earlier versions of Windows.

Registering OmniForm Filler

Registering your copy of OmniForm Filler entitles you to technical support, notification of special offers and upgrades, and the lowest price offered on the next OmniForm Filler upgrade.

Please complete and send in the registration card included in your OmniForm Filler package.

See “Caere Product Support” on page 79 for information on technical support.

Installation and Setup - 8

Installing OmniForm Filler

This section describes how to install OmniForm Filler on Windows 95, and on Windows NT and 3.1.

OmniForm Filler automatically decides which version of the program to install. If you are running Windows 3.1, for example, OmniForm Filler installs the 16-bit Windows 3.1 version of OmniForm Filler.

Close all applications — including screen savers and mail applications — to free up memory before installing OmniForm Filler.

Installing on a Windows 95 System

1 Start Windows 95.

Installing OmniForm Filler

2 Click

The Control Panel appears.

3 Double-click

The Add/Remove Programs Properties dialog box appears. 4 Click 5 Insert OmniForm Filler disk #1 in your computer’s floppy

drive and follow the instruction in the dialog boxes.

Windows fills the

automatically and the InstallShield Wizard appears to guide

you through the setup process. 6 Follow the instructions in each dialog box that appears, and

insert other installation disks as prompted. (Installation may

not require all the disks provided.)

OmniForm Filler installs by default to the location

c:\Program Files. You can select another location if you

wish.

in the Taskbar and choose

Start

Add/Remove Programs.

Install...

in the

Install/Uninstall

Command line for installation program

Settings

tab.

Control Panel



text box

Installation and Setup - 9

Installing on a Windows NT or 3.1 System

1 Start Windows NT or 3.1 and open the Program Manager

window. 2 Insert OmniForm Filler disk #1 in drive a: (or b:) of your

computer.

Installing OmniForm Filler

3 Choose

The Run dialog box appears. 4Type a:\setup (or b:\setup) in the

and click OK.

The InstallShield Wizard appears to guide you through the

setup process. 5 Follow the instructions in each dialog box that appears.

OmniForm Filler creates a Caere Applications folder if

necessary. You can select another folder in the Select Program

Folder dialog box if you wish. 6 Insert other installation disks as prompted. (Installation may

not require all the disks provided.)

An OmniForm Filler icon is added to the Caere Applications

program group when installation is complete.

in the Program Manager File menu.

Run

Command Line

text box

Installation and Setup - 10

Starting OmniForm Filler

This section describes how to launch OmniForm Filler and open a form.

To start OmniForm Filler:

Starting OmniForm Filler

1 Windows 95 users: click

Programs

Windows NT and 3.1 users: double-click the OmniForm Filler

icon in the Caere Applications folder.

The OmniForm Filler window appears.

2 Click the Open button or choose

The Open dialog box appears.

OmniForm Filler



in the Taskbar and choose

Start

Open...

in the File menu.

3 Select a form to open and click 4 Press the Tab key to place the cursor in the first fillable field

and type information in that field.

See Chapter 3, Working With Forms, for detailed information on what you can do with your form.

Open.

Installation and Setup - 11

Chapter 3

Working With Forms

This chapter describes the basics of working with forms. This chapter contains the following sections:

• Opening a Form

• The OmniForm Filler Window

• Moving Through Fields

• Filling Fields

• Spell Checking

• Saving Your Form

• Printing or Faxing a Form

• Mailing a Form

• Form Usage Options

• Menu Commands

Most screenshots in this chapter were taken in Windows 95. Your dialog boxes and windows may look slightly different if you are using Windows NT or Windows 3.1.

Working With Forms - 12

Opening a Form

This section describes how to open a form. You can open multiple forms in OmniForm Filler.

To open a form:

Opening a Form

1 Windows 95 users: click

Programs

Windows NT and 3.1 users: double-click the OmniForm Filler

icon in the Caere Applications folder. 2 Click the Open button in the standard toolbar or choose

in the File menu.

The Open dialog box appears.

3Make sure

Files of Type

4 Locate and select a file.

OmniForm Filler



OmniForm Form

in Windows NT and 3.1) drop-down list.

in the Taskbar and choose

Start

is selected in the

Files of Type (List

Open...

5 Click

The form opens.

You can have a maximum of 20 forms open at one time.

Open

Working With Forms - 13

The OmniForm Filler Window

This section describes the OmniForm Filler window and its standard toolbar.

A full standard toolbar appears in the OmniForm Filler window after you open a form. Use the toolbar’s buttons as shortcuts to commonly used menu commands.

The standard toolbar

The OmniForm Filler Window

Fillable fields

Status bar: displays current activity and settings.

A form contains

You can enter information in a field, such as text

fields.

in a Name field or a check mark in a check box field. By default, fillable fields are highlighted in yellow. Choose

in the View menu to turn field highlighting on and off.

Areas

Highlight Fill

How the form appears in the window depends on how it was created. See “Form Usage Options” on page 35 for more information.

Working With Forms - 14

The Standard Toolbar

All buttons in the standard toolbar correspond to menu commands of the same name. Clicking a button is the same as choosing its corresponding menu command.

The OmniForm Filler Window

Open

Preview

Cut

Paste

Copy

Highlight Fill Areas

Zoom

In Windows 95, you can drag the standard toolbar to any other location in the OmniForm Filler window.

The Standard Toolbar Commands

This section gives a quick explanation of each button’s function. See “Menu Commands” on page 37 for information on other commands.

Open

— Click the Open button to open an OmniForm Form.

— Click the Print button to print the current form on a printer or to disk as a file. If you have a fax modem, you can use the command to send faxes as well.

Print Preview

will look before you print it.

Spelling

— Click the Spelling button to perform a spell check of

information entered in the form.

Cut

— Click the Cut button to remove the current selection and copy it

to the Clipboard.

— Click the Print Preview button to see how your form

Record

First

Record

Number

Record

Last

Print...

New

Record

HelpSpelling

Copy

— Click the Copy button to copy the current selection to the

Clipboard.

Paste

— Click the Paste button to place the current contents of the

Clipboard at the cursor location.

Zoom

Highlight Fill Areas

— Click the Zoom button to zoom in or out of a page.

— Click the Highlight Fill Areas button to turn

field highlighting on and off.

First Record

— Click the First Record button to move to the first record

in a database.

Working With Forms - 15

The OmniForm Filler Window

Previous Record — Click the Previous Record button to move to the record before the one you are viewing.

Record Number — This text box displays the current record number. Highlight the number in the Record Number text box, type a new one, and press Enter to move to that record.

Next Record — Click the Next Record button to move to the record after the one you are viewing.

Last Record — Click the Last Record button to move to the last record in a database.

New Record — Click the New Record button to create a new record with empty fields.

Help — Click the Help button to turn your cursor into a question mark icon. Click on any command, button, or portion of the window to open context-sensitive help for that topic.

Working With Forms - 16

Moving Through Fields

You can click in any field to place the cursor there or you can use the following keyboard commands to move the cursor within a form.

Place the cursor in a field:

When a form first opens, press the Tab or Enter key to place the cursor in the first field.

Next field:

Press the Tab or Enter key.

Previous field:

Press Shift-Tab or Shift-Enter.

Next line in a fill text field:

Press Ctrl-Enter to move to the next line in a multiple-line fill text field.

End of a line in a fill text field:

Press the End key.

Beginning of a line in a fill text field:

Press the Home key.

Moving Through Fields

End of all text in a fill text field:

Press Ctrl-End.

Beginning of all text in a fill text field:

Press Ctrl-Home.

Next word in a field:

Press Ctrl-right arrow.

Previous word in a field:

Press Ctrl-left arrow.

Select text in a field:

Double-click a word to select it or hold down the mouse button and drag the cursor over the text to select. You can use the

commands in the Edit menu when text in fields is highlighted.

Delete

Text in a filled field is also highlighted when you tab to that field.

Copy, Cut, Paste,

Working With Forms - 17

and

Filling Fields

This section describes each type of fillable field in OmniForm Filler, how to fill it, and how to check spelling. It contains the following topics:

• Fill Text

•Comb

•Check Box

•Circle Text

•Table

• Fill Graphic

• List Fields

• Fields Defined by a Calculation

• Field Validation

• OLE Objects These instructions assume that the cursor is already in a field. The way information is displayed in a field depends on the current form

language selection. See “Checking the Form Language Selection” on page 26.

Fill Text

Comb

Enter characters in a fill text field: letters, numbers, symbols, dates, and so forth. Fill text fields can contain any sort of textual information. The example below shows

Enter characters in a comb field: letters, numbers, or symbols appropriate to the field. Phone numbers and zip or postal codes are commonly used comb fields. A comb field consists of individual comb

elements.

prefill

element

Each element can contain a different number of characters.

3-character

element

First Name

prefill

element

and

Last Name

8-character

element

fill text fields.

Working With Forms - 18

You do not have to tab from element to element in a comb field. Just type the required amount of information and OmniForm Filler automatically moves the cursor to the next element as appropriate.

Check Box

Click a check box field to fill it. A check box field can contain one of three marks: a check mark, an X, or a fill.

Filling Fields

Check boxes are commonly used for an item in a group, as in the two examples below:

Check boxes may be Selecting one check box automatically deselects another checked box in the group as in the example below.

Circle Text

Click a circle text field to fill it. A border appears around the filled field. A circle text field can contain text and other characters, or it can function much like a check box (see “Check Box,” above).

Check Fill

grouped;

questions and for selecting

Ye s/ N o

this means that only one can be selected.

Table

A table field consists of individual default. Enter characters in these cells just as you would in fill text fields.

. Table cells are fill text fields by

cells

Working With Forms - 19

A table cell can also contain any other type of field, even multiple fields of the same or different types. In the example below, the table cells on the right contain check box fields.

You would click this cell to fill it in the same way as a check box field.

Fill Graphic

A fill graphic field contains a graphic you select. You can import an existing graphic, or you can use a TWAIN-compatible scanner to scan an image directly into the fill graphic field. This section describes both options, as well as how to delete an imported graphic from a form.

To import an existing graphic:

Filling Fields

1 Click the fill graphic field or tab to the field and press the Space

bar. The

Fill Graphic

dialog box appears.

2Select

3 Enter a file name in the

• Click

Graphic File

Browse

in the

if you need to locate a file.

drop-down list.

Source

File Name

text box.

Working With Forms - 20

Filling Fields

• Select a file format in the

Files of Type

drop-down list.

• Select a file and click OK to return to the Fill Graphic dialog box.

The file name appears in the

4 Select an option in the

•Select

Maintain Original Size

Options

File Name

drop-down list.

to import the graphic without

text box.

changes.

•Select

Scale Proportionally

to fit the graphic in the fill graphic

field while keeping its exact proportions.

•Select

Stretch to Fit

to change your graphic’s original shape

and size to fit in the fill graphic field.

Depending on the shape of the fill graphic field, your graphic may be stretched or compressed. You might want to use this for special effects.

•Select

Specify Width & Height

Enter measurements for your graphic in the text boxes under

The size of the fill graphic field is

Size.

to specify the graphic’s size.

and

Width

Height

displayed at the bottom of the Fill Graphic dialog box.

Working With Forms - 21

Filling Fields

If you enter a size larger than the fill graphic field, only part of the graphic will be visible.

5 Enter offset measurements under

Offset

if you want

This is useful if you want to position a graphic exactly in the field, crop a large graphic, or move the graphic away from a field border that would interfere with its design.

• Enter a number in

to specify how far away from the left

Left

side of the field to place the graphic.

• Enter a number in

to specify how far away from the top of

To p

the field to place the graphic.

6 Select or deselect

•Select

Transparent

Transparent.

if you want to be able to see information

behind the graphic. Whether a graphic prints transparently depends on your

printer driver. See your printer documentation for information.

• Deselect

Transparent

if you want the graphic to be opaque.

You will not be able to see information behind the graphic.

7 Click

OK.

OmniForm Filler imports the graphic and displays it in the fill graphic field.

To import a graphic from a TWAIN source:

1 Click the fill graphic field or tab to the field and press the Space

bar. The Fill Graphic dialog box appears.

2Select

TWAIN

in the

drop-down list.

Source

Working With Forms - 22

Filling Fields

List Fields

3 Click 4 Select your TWAIN source and click

5 Type a file name in the

6 Follow steps 4–6 beginning on page 21 and then return to step 7

7 Place the page with the graphic you want in your scanner,

8 Click

To delete an existing graphic:

Select

None

graphic field empty.

Fields can contain a list of selectable entries. A drop-down list arrow appears when the cursor is in the field.

Select Source

Graphic dialog box.

This is the file name the graphic will have after it is scanned and saved automatically by OmniForm Filler.

• Click

• Set a path in the Browse dialog box, type a name for the file,

on this page.

making sure it is aligned correctly.

OmniForm Filler scans the graphic and displays it in the fill graphic field.

Browse

and click OK to return to the Fill Graphic dialog box.

OK.

to delete an existing graphic from the form and leave the fill

to open the Select Source dialog box.

to return to the Fill

File Name

if you need to locate a path for the file.

text box.

Click the arrow to open the list

Select an entry. The entry appears in the field.

Working With Forms - 23

Fields Defined by a Calculation

The only time you would notice a calculation in fill view is when a field fills in automatically.

Filling Fields

In the example below, the amounts entered in the first and second fields. The increase if the third and fourth fields were filled as well.

Field Validation

Fill text fields can be configured by the creator to:

• Require that you enter information in a field and do not leave it blank.

• Require that you enter specific information in a field.

• Require both of the above.

This is consistent. For example, you may be required to enter a date in a validated OmniForm Filler if you attempted to enter anything other than a date.

field validation

TOTAL

and ensures that information entered in a form is

field. You would receive a reminder prompt from

Date

field automatically added the

TOTAL

would

• Click No to return to the field and enter the expected information.

• Click

to override field validation.

Ye s

Working With Forms - 24

OLE Objects

Your form’s creator may have inserted OLE objects in the form. OLE stands for usually will appear as icons, pictures, or text. Usually, these objects have been inserted to provide the form with more information. For example, you may see an icon in your form such as the one pictured below.

In the OmniForm program, this object could be launched as a document in Microsoft Word. You can only view the icon in OmniForm Filler, however. See the OmniForm you want to know more about OLE objects.

object linking and embedding.

Reference

Filling Fields

In OmniForm Filler, OLE objects

manual or your form’s creator if

Working With Forms - 25

Spell Checking

Checking the Form Language Selection

Spell Checking

Use the spell-checking feature to verify that field entries are correct.

Before you check spelling make sure you have the correct dictionary for the form’s language as described below.

1 Choose

The Options dialog box appears.

Options...

in the Tools menu.

2 Click the

The

Dictionaries for all supported languages are included in the International English version of OmniForm Filler. The United States version has a standard English dictionary. You can call 800-654-1187 to order additional dictionaries. You must have a dictionary that matches the language of a form to spell check it.

3 Click OK to close the Options dialog box.

International

Language

selection is grayed out but readable.

tab.

Working With Forms - 26

+ 59 hidden pages