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OmniPage Pro
for Macintosh
User’s Manual
CAERE CORPORATION
100 Cooper Court
Los Gatos, California
95032-3321 USA
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Please Note
To use this program, you should know how to work in the Macintosh environment. Please refer to your Macintosh documentation if you have questions about how to use menus, dialog boxes, or scroll bars.
OmniPage Pro for Macintosh
Version 8 800-1267-030
Copyright© 1998 Caere Corporation
All rights reserved. Caere, OmniPage, OmniPage Pro, AnyPage, True Page, Language Analyst, and 3D OCR are registered trademarks of Caere Corporation. AnyColor and OCR Proofreader are trademarks of Caere Corporation.
Other brands and their products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and should be noted as such. Such designations appearing in this manual have been printed with initial capitalization.
2
Welcome
Welcome to OmniPage Pro, and thank you for buying our software! The following documentation has been provided to help you learn about OmniPage Pro.
6DEI User’s Manual
This manual provides information on features and procedures. It includes an introduction to OmniPage Pro, installation and setup instructions, task-oriented instructions, ways to customize tools, settings guidelines, and technical information.
OmniPage Pro Guide
This provides online information on features and procedures. See “Getting Online Help” on page 1-13 for more information.
Release Notes
This contains last-minute information about OmniPage Pro. Please read this before installing the application.
Scanner Setup Notes
This contains the latest information about supported scanners and scanner setup.
Welcome - 3
Using This Manual
This manual is written with the assumption that you know how to work in the Macintosh environment. Please refer to your Macintosh user’s manual if you have questions about how to use dialog boxes, menus, scroll bars, and so on.
The following conventions are used in this manual.
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Welcome - 4
Chapter 1
Introduction to
OmniPage Pro
You probably do most of your business correspondence and other written projects on your computer. However, certain sources of information may not be immediately usable on a computer.
For example, if you want to incorporate information from a magazine article into a document in your word processor, you somehow have to get the text from the article into your computer. Painstakingly retyping the article is not an appealing solution.
OmniPage Pro offers a smart solution to increase your work productivity. OmniPage Pro’s optical character recognition (OCR) technology accurately and easily converts scanned paper documents and image files into editable text for use in your favorite computer applications. You do not have to retype anything — OmniPage Pro automatically does it for you.
Please continue reading this chapter for information on these topics:
•What Is Optical Character Recognition (OCR)?
•The OmniPage Pro Interface
•Getting Online Help
•Product Support
Introduction to OmniPage Pro - 5
What Is Optical Character Recognition (OCR)?
What Is Optical Character Recognition (OCR)?
Optical character recognition (OCR) is the process of turning an image into computer-editable text. An image is an electronic picture of text such as a scanned paper document or an electronic fax file. Images do not have editable text characters; they have many tiny dots (pixels) that together form a picture of text.
During OCR, OmniPage Pro analyzes an image and defines characters to produce editable text. This is also called recognizing text. After OCR, you can export the recognized text to a variety of word-processing, page layout, and spreadsheet applications.
About OmniPage Pro OCR
In addition to text, OmniPage Pro can retain the following elements in a document during OCR.
Graphics
Photos, logos, and drawings are examples of graphics.
Text formatting
Font types, font sizes, and font styles (such as bold or italic) are examples of text formatting.
Page formatting
Column structure, paragraph spacing, and placement of graphics are examples of page formatting.
OmniPage Pro recognizes printed text characters only. However, it can retain handwritten text, such as a signature, as a graphic element.
The graphics, text formatting, and page formatting elements that OmniPage Pro retains depend on the settings you select for your document before OCR. See Chapter 4, OmniPage Pro Settings, for more information.
Introduction to OmniPage Pro - 6
What Is Optical Character Recognition (OCR)?
Basic Steps of OmniPage Pro OCR
These are the basic steps of OmniPage Pro’s OCR process:
1Bring a document image into OmniPage Pro.
You can scan a paper document or load an image file. The resulting image appears in the Image View.
See “Bringing Document Images into OmniPage Pro” on page 27 for more information.
2Create zones to identify the parts of the document you want to recognize as text or retain as graphics.
Zones are borders that enclose the parts of a document image that will get processed. You can create zones manually, automatically, or with a template. Any areas not enclosed by zones are ignored during OCR.
See “Creating Zones on a Page” on page 29 for more information.
3Perform OCR to convert image information into editable text characters.
During OCR, OmniPage Pro defines text characters in an image. After OCR, you can check for and edit any errors. See “Converting Images to Text” on page 37 for more information.
4Export the document to the desired location.
You can save your document to a specified file format or place it on the Clipboard.
See “Exporting Documents” on page 57 for more information.
Introduction to OmniPage Pro - 7
The OmniPage Pro Interface
The OmniPage Pro Interface
The main parts of OmniPage Pro’s user interface include:
•The AutoOCR Toolbar
•The Document Window
•The Thumbnail Window
•Zone Info and Tool Palettes
•The Settings Panel
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Introduction to OmniPage Pro - 8
The OmniPage Pro Interface
The AutoOCR Toolbar
The AutoOCR Toolbar® contains buttons that can activate each step of the OCR process. Choose Show Toolbar in the Window menu to open the AutoOCR Toolbar if it is closed.
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the current operation or |
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Proofread |
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do next. Click the small |
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arrow to show or hide the status line.
•The AUTO button allows you to activate automatic processing.
•The next four buttons — Image, Zone, OCR, and Export — have various commands that can be set for the operations you want to perform. You can set commands in the pop-up menus beneath each button.
•The last two buttons — Settings Panel and Proofread OCR — are shortcuts for opening the Settings Panel and checking for errors in a recognized document.
See “Basic Steps of OmniPage Pro OCR” on page 25 for more information on OCR procedures.
The Document Window
The Document window allows you to view and work with pages in the current document. Original images are displayed in Image View and recognized text is displayed in Text View.
Choose Image View in the Window menu (or M) to display a document’s Image View and make it active. Choose Text View in the
Introduction to OmniPage Pro - 9
The OmniPage Pro Interface
Window menu (or J) to display a document’s Text View and make it active.
Image View |
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Drag this splitter to the left or right to resize a view.
You can select options in the Document section of the Settings Panel to specify how views in the Document window are displayed. See “Document Display Settings” on page 74 for more information.
Introduction to OmniPage Pro - 10
The OmniPage Pro Interface
The Thumbnail Window
The Thumbnail window displays miniature pictures (thumbnails) of page images in the current document. You can use thumbnails to change pages, rearrange pages, and drag copies of images into other applications.
Choose Show Thumbnails in the Window menu to open the Thumbnail window if it is closed.
The thumbnail of the currently displayed page has a shaded background.
The bars beneath each thumbnail indicate what has been done to the image. Three bars indicate the image has been recognized. Two bars indicate zones have been created. One bar indicates that the image has been loaded.
See “Working With Documents” on page 48 for more information on working with thumbnails.
Introduction to OmniPage Pro - 11
The OmniPage Pro Interface
Zone Info and Tool Palettes
The Zone Info and Tool palettes are displayed when the Image View of a document is active.
Choose Show Tool Palette in the Window menu if the Tools palette does not appear when the Image View is active.
Use the Tool palette to draw zones, modify zones, reorder zones, erase parts of the image, zoom in or out, rotate, or straignten an image.
Choose Show Zone Info Palette in the Window menu if the Zone Info palette does not appear when the Image View is active.
Use the Zone Info palette to select zone types, zone contents, zone styles, and style sets.
You can move the palettes anywhere on your desktop as you work in the Image View. The palettes are automatically hidden whenever the Text View is active.
See “Creating Zones on a Page” on page 29 for more information on zones.
Introduction to OmniPage Pro - 12
Getting Online Help
The Settings Panel
The Settings Panel is the central location of OmniPage Pro settings. You can click the Settings Panel button or choose Settings Panel in the Settings menu to open it.
The Settings Panel has six different sections of settings. Each section can be displayed by clicking its icon on the left.
Click each icon to view and select different settings.
Scroll to see more options.
Getting Online Help
You can use OmniPage Pro’s balloon help and online reference guide to learn about features and procedures. These are available in the Guide menu after you install and launch OmniPage Pro.
The Guide menu is located in the upperright corner of your screen.
Choose Show Balloons to display balloon help for items in the interface.
Choose OmniPage Pro Guide to get information about features and procedures.
If you are using Macintosh OS 8 (or later), the Guide menu has been renamed as the Help menu, and appears as the right-most menu selection in the OmniPage Pro application. The OmniPage Pro Guide follows the conventions of the standard Apple Guide. Please refer to your Macintosh user’s manual for more information on using Apple Guide.
Introduction to OmniPage Pro - 13
Getting Online Help
Balloon Help
Balloon help consists of “balloons” that pop up on screen to explain the function of icons, menus, commands, dialog box options, and other items in an application interface.
To turn balloons on, choose Show Balloons in the Guide menu. Different balloons appear as you move the mouse pointer over items in the interface. Choose Hide Balloons in the Guide menu when you want to turn off balloon help.
OmniPage Pro Guide
Choose OmniPage Pro Guide in the Guide menu to get online reference information for features and instructions for common tasks.
Click this to show a general list of subjects.
Click this to show an alphabetical list of subjects.
Click this to do a search on a particular word or phrase.
Introduction to OmniPage Pro - 14
Product Support
Product Support
For the fastest and easiest way to get help, please look for solutions in this manual or in the OmniPage Pro Guide.
If you need additional help, product support and information are also available to registered users through the services listed in this table.
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World Wide Web site |
http://www.caere.com |
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Download Service (BBS) |
(+1) 408-395-1631 |
(patches, updates) |
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Automated Fax Response Service |
(+1) 408-354-8471 |
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Telephone Support |
(+1) 408-395-8319 |
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For international phone numbers, please refer to the Caere Product Support insert in your OmniPage Pro package.
Please have the following information ready for the most efficient service when you call Caere Product Support:
•OmniPage Pro version and serial number
The serial number is printed on the label of the first installation disk or the CD case. To get the version number, choose About OmniPage Pro... in the Apple menu when OmniPage Pro is open. Or, select the OmniPage Pro icon in the installation folder and choose Get Info in the File menu in the Finder.
•The make and model of your computer system and peripheral devices (scanner, printer, monitor, and so on)
•The amount of memory in your system
To get information about your computer system and memory, choose About This Computer... in the Apple menu when the Finder is active.
•The amount of free disk space
To check the amount of free disk space, open your hard disk folder and check the number in the upper-right corner. You must view the folder by Icon or by Small Icon to see the number.
Introduction to OmniPage Pro - 15
Chapter 2
Installation and Setup
This chapter provides information on installing OmniPage Pro and selecting a scanner to use with it.
Please also read the Release Notes and the Scanner Setup Notes included in your OmniPage Pro package. These provide the most up-to-date information concerning installation and setup issues.
Please continue reading this chapter for information on these topics:
•System Requirements
•Installing the Software
•Selecting Your Scanner
•Starting OmniPage Pro
•Registering OmniPage Pro
System Requirements
To install and run OmniPage Pro, you need the following setup:
•A Power Macintosh or compatible computer
•System 7.5 or later
•10MB RAM if virtual memory is turned off (or at least 8MB free RAM if virtual memory is on) to install OmniPage Pro
•640x480 resolution display or better
•At least 25MB available hard disk space for OmniPage Pro files and temporary storage while OmniPage Pro is running
•A supported scanner if you plan to scan documents
See the supported scanner list in the Scanner Setup Notes. Your scanner and the driver supplied by its manufacturer, if any, must be installed on your system according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Installation and Setup - 16
Installing the Software
Installing the Software
Before you install OmniPage Pro:
•Make sure your scanner is working on your system by using the scanning software supplied by the manufacturer.
•Turn off any virus-protection software. This is often a Control Panel device. Refer to your virus-protection software manual.
•Some versions of OmniPage Pro are designed only for customers upgrading from previous versions of Caere OCR software. To install these special upgrade versions, you may be prompted to enter the serial number of your previous product.
•Some components of the previous version of OmniPage Pro can be reused. Previous setting files, the test TIFF image file, and zone templates will not work with the newer version of OmniPage Pro. OmniPage Pro 7 style sets and user dictionaries will work with your new version.
Installation and Setup - 17
Installing the Software
To reuse your OmniPage Pro user dictionary:
1From the Settings menu, select Edit User Dictionary...
2From the dialog box that appears, select the user dictionary you want to preserve to use with the new version of OmniPage Pro and click on Open.
3Save your dictionary to a location external to the OmniPage folder.
4Once you have successfully installed the new OmniPage Pro, select Edit User Dictionary from the Settings menu.
5Click Import...
To reuse your previous style sets:
1Remove the style set files from the Styles folder.
2Add them into the new Styles folder after OmniPage Pro installation.
To install OmniPage Pro:
1Insert the OmniPage Pro CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive. (Or, insert disk #1 in the disk drive.)
2Double-click the installer icon and then click Continue.
3Read the license agreement and then click Accept.
4The Install dialog appears.
To install the full OmniPage application click Install.
Installation and Setup - 18
Installing the Software
This must be selected to install just the application.
If you just want to install individual components of OmniPage Pro, click the Custom button and select the items that you want to install in the Installer dialog box.
To select more than one item, hold 
down the Command key (=) as you click each item.
5Click Install to proceed with installation.
A dialog box appears that enables you to choose where the OmniPage Pro files will be installed. If you have a previous version of OmniPage (Limited Edition or Pro), install your new version into a new folder.
6Choose the drive and folder and click Install to proceed with installation.
OmniPage Pro 8 Folder is the name of the default installation folder.
7If you are performing a standard installation or if you picked Scanners during a custom installation, a dialog box appears,
Installation and Setup - 19
Installing the Software
prompting you to choose the manufacturer settings for the scanners you will use with OmniPage Pro.
Click to select one (or more) manufacturer settings, and then click OK to proceed with the installation.
8If you are performing a standard installation or if you picked Languages during a Custom installation, a dialog appears, prompting you to select the languages you wish OmniPage Pro to recognize.
Click to select one (or more) languages and click OK to proceed with the installation.
OmniPage Pro will always install some Portuguese language files and one English file in the Main Dictionaries folder. This is normal, and these files should not be deleted. The OCR engines needs these data files.
Installation and Setup - 20
Starting OmniPage Pro
9Enter the serial number, if you are prompted to do so, and click
OK.
The serial number will be on the back of the OmniPage Pro CD jewel case in the lower right-hand corner under the Caere logo.
10Select your country and click OK.
11Insert the other installation disks as instructed (if you are installing from disks).
OmniPage Pro continues with installation and notifies you when it is complete. Restart your Macintosh if you are prompted to do so after installation. Remember to turn any virus-protection software back on.
Starting OmniPage Pro
To start OmniPage Pro:
1Open the OmniPage Pro Folder (or whatever installation folder you selected).
The installation of OmniPage Pro leaves the OmniPage Pro Folder open.
2Double-click the OmniPage Pro 8.0 application icon.
3Type in the licensee and company name in the dialog box that appears.
This information will appear in OmniPage Pro’s About box.
4Click OK.
A registration dialog box appears the first time you run OmniPage Pro.
Use this dialog to register your OmniPage Pro software.
Registering OmniPage Pro
Registering your copy of OmniPage Pro entitles you to technical support, notification of special offers, and special prices on OmniPage Pro upgrades.
You can use OmniPage Pro for up to 25 sessions without registering it.
After that, the Registration dialog box appears when you launch
OmniPage Pro. The program exits if you do not register at that time.
Installation and Setup - 21
Selecting Your Scanner
If you have access to the World Wide Web, you can register your copy of OmniPage Pro at Caere's Web site. To do so, go to www.caere.com and click the Support tab. Click Online Product Registration and follow the onscreen instructions.
Selecting Your Scanner
To use a supported scanner with OmniPage Pro, you select one (or more) scanner manufacturers during software installation. Before scanning, you must use the OmniPage Pro application to select and verify the scanner that is connected to your Macintosh. See the Scanner Setup Notes included in your OmniPage Pro package for more information on scanner support.
Use the OmniPage Pro installer program to install driver extensions for additional scanners if you change to a different brand of scanner. You only need to select your scanner manufacturer in the list; you do not need to reinstall the OmniPage Pro 8.0 application.
To select a scanner for OmniPage Pro:
1Make sure that the OmniPage Pro application is running on your Macintosh.
2Choose Select Scanner in the Settings menu. The Select Scanner dialog appears.
The Select Scanner dialog displays names of installed scanner extensions.
3Click to select the manufacturer and model of scanner connected to your Macintosh.
Installation and Setup - 22
Selecting Your Scanner
For a list of supported scanners, see the Scanner Setup Notes.
4The SCSI ID number of your scanner may appear in the Scanner Connection side of the Select Scanner dialog. Click Verify to confirm that your scanner is properly connected and recognized by OmniPage Pro.
5On the Verification window, click OK, then click OK to close the Select Scanner dialog and confirm your settings.
Scanner selection is now complete.
To register OmniPage Pro by telephone:
1Choose Register OmniPage Pro in the Apple menu to open the Registration dialog box.
This dialog box appears automatically the very first time you start OmniPage Pro and each time you start it after the first 20 unregistered sessions.
Enter here the registration number that the Caere operator gives you.
2Select your country in the pop-up menu if it is not already selected.
3Call the phone number listed to the right of your country.
An operator will ask you to provide the serial number and key number that appear at the bottom of the Registration dialog box. The operator will then give you a registration number.
4Enter the registration number in the Registration Number text box in your Registration dialog box and on the line provided below.
You will need to enter it again if you ever reinstall the software.
Registration number __________________
5Click OK.
You are now a registered user of OmniPage Pro.
Installation and Setup - 23
Chapter 3
Processing Documents
This chapter describes how to process documents in OmniPage Pro from start to finish. It explains the basic steps of OCR and provides instructions for other tasks you can do with your documents.
There are different ways to accomplish the same tasks in OmniPage Pro. For example, you can use toolbar buttons or menu commands to start certain procedures. You can also have OmniPage Pro do certain OCR jobs automatically, or you can step through the jobs manually.
Please continue reading this chapter for information on these topics:
•Basic Steps of OmniPage Pro OCR
•Selecting Process Commands
•Bringing Document Images into OmniPage Pro
•Creating Zones on a Page
•Converting Images to Text
•Scheduling OCR
•Direct Input: Pasting Text into Other Applications
•Working With Documents
•Exporting Documents
Processing Documents - 24
Basic Steps of OmniPage Pro OCR
Basic Steps of OmniPage Pro OCR
These are the basic steps of OmniPage Pro OCR:
1Bring a document image into OmniPage Pro. See page 27 for more information.
2Create zones to identify the parts of the document you want to recognize as text or retain as graphics.
See page 29 for more information.
3Perform OCR to convert text information into editable text characters.
See page 37 for more information.
4Export the document to the desired location. See page 57 for more information.
OmniPage Pro can go through these steps automatically, or you can start each step individually.
Selecting Process Commands
You can set different commands for the Image, Zone, OCR, and Export operations you want OmniPage Pro to perform. For information on specific commands, see “AutoOCR Toolbar Settings” on page 62.
You can set commands in two locations:
•Select commands in the pop-up menus beneath the Image, Zone, OCR, and Export buttons.
Image |
Zone |
OCR |
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•Choose Process Settings in the Process menu and then choose commands in the submenu.
Pictures in the AutoOCR Toolbar buttons and menu commands in the Process menu change as you set different commands. You can activate a command by clicking the toolbar button or choosing the command in the Process menu.
Processing Documents - 25
Automatic Processing
Automatic Processing
You can use the AUTO button to process a new document from start to finish or finish processing an open document. The operations that occur when you click AUTO depend on the currently set Image, Zone, OCR, and Export commands.
AUTO button
For example, OmniPage Pro can scan a stack of pages in a scanner’s automatic document feeder (ADF), create zones on all pages, recognize the pages, and then save them as a file.
To do so (assuming that you have checked Scan until empty in the Settings Panel and have a scanner with an ADF), you would set Scan Image, Multi-column, OCR & Proof, and Save As... as the commands. After clicking AUTO, you would first be prompted to select save options for the document. Then, each page would be automatically scanned, zoned, recognized, and saved.
Large documents take longer to save, especially if they contain color.
You can also click AUTO (again, assuming that you have checked Scan until empty in the Settings Panel) to finish processing pages in an open document. OmniPage Pro processes each unfinished page in the document according to the current commands. For example, if all pages already have zones but have not been recognized, OmniPage Pro will immediately begin processing according to the selected OCR command.
To process a document automatically:
1Set the desired Image, Zone, OCR, and Export commands in the AutoOCR Toolbar.
See “Selecting Process Commands” on page 25.
2Choose Settings Panel... in the Settings menu and make sure that the settings are appropriate for your document.
See Chapter 4, OmniPage Pro Settings, for more information.
3Click AUTO or choose Auto in the Process menu.
•If no document is open, each page of a new document is processed in order.
Processing Documents - 26
Bringing Document Images into OmniPage Pro
•If a document is open, each unfinished page is finished in order. OmniPage Pro creates zones on any unzoned pages automatically or with a currently selected zone template. It then continues with the selected OCR operation.
Auto Save and Auto Paste are the only Export commands that can be activated automatically. (Auto Paste is only available in Direct Input mode.) OmniPage Pro stops automatic processing after the OCR operation if you have Save As or To Clipboard set as the Export command. In this case, click the Export button to activate the command.
Bringing Document Images into OmniPage Pro
This section describes how to bring images into OmniPage Pro. It includes instructions for:
•Scanning Pages
•Loading Image Files
•Opening Documents
Scanning Pages
You can scan a paper document to convert it to an electronic image. See “Starting OmniPage Pro” on page 21 for more information.
To scan pages into OmniPage Pro:
1Place your page in your scanner.
You can scan a stack of pages if you have an automatic document feeder (ADF).
2Set Scan Image as the command in the Image button’s pop-up menu.
3Choose Settings Panel in the Settings menu and click the Scanner icon to make sure the appropriate settings are selected for your page.
If you want to sequentially scan all pages in an ADF, make sure that Scan Until Empty (default setting) is selected. Otherwise, you must click the Image button to scan each subsequent page.
4Click the Image button in the AutoOCR Toolbar or choose Scan Image in the Process menu.
Pages are scanned in order and the resulting images appear in the Image View. Scanned pages become your working
Processing Documents - 27
Bringing Document Images into OmniPage Pro
document if a document is not currently open. If a document is currently open, the page images are added as new pages.
Loading Image Files
You can load TIFF and PICT image files into OmniPage Pro. An image file is an electronic picture of text, such as a fax or scanned image, that is saved in an image file format. After you load an image file into OmniPage Pro, it appears in the Image View.
To load image files into OmniPage Pro:
1Set Load Image as the command in the Image button’s pop-up menu.
2Click the Image button or choose Load Image... in the Process menu.
The Load Image dialog box appears.
This button changes to Load (from Done) when a file is added to
the Selected Files list.
3Open the folder where your image files are located.
4Select the file you want to load and then click Add. Or, doubleclick the file.
The file appears in the Selected Files list.
•To add all image files from an open folder, click Add All.
•To remove an image file from the Selected Files list, select the file and then click Remove.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 to add image files from other folders. An
OmniPage Pro document can contain up to 999 images.
5Click Load after you have selected all the files you want to load. Image files are loaded in the order selected and combined into one working document. If a document is currently open, the image files are added as new pages.
Opening Documents
You can open image files and OmniPage Documents using the Open command in the File menu.
Processing Documents - 28
Creating Zones on a Page
An OmniPage Document is a file that is saved in OmniPage Pro’s proprietary format. OmniPage Documents can be saved with original page images, zones, and recognized text. You can continue to reopen an OmniPage Document in OmniPage Pro, make edits to it, and save it in other supported file formats. If an OmniPage Document is saved with its original page images (the default setting), you can retain graphics, compare recognized text with the original image, and rerecognize pages.
OmniPage Pro can only have one working document open at a time. If you try to open another file while you have a document open, you are prompted to close the current document. However, you can add pages to your current document using the Load Image or Scan Image command in the Image button or Process menu.
To open an OmniPage Document or image file:
1Choose Open... in the File menu. The Open dialog box appears.
2Open the folder where your OmniPage Document or image file is located.
3Double-click a file to open it immediately. Or, select the file and click Open.
An image file opens in the Image View. An OmniPage Document opens with its original image (if saved) in the Image View and recognized text (if any) in the Text View.
Creating Zones on a Page
Page images are displayed in OmniPage Pro’s Image View. This is where zones are created before OCR. Zones are bordered areas that identify parts of a page that will be recognized as text or retained as
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Creating Zones on a Page
graphics. Any part of a page not enclosed by a zone is ignored during OCR.
There is only one zone on this page image. All other areas will be ignored during OCR.
You can create zone templates to use when you process documents with the same zoning requirements. Zone templates remember the shape, position, order, type, contents, and style of zones. For more information, see “Creating Zone Templates” on page 102.
This section describes how to create and modify zones including:
•Creating Zones Automatically
•Specifying Zone Types
•Drawing Zones Manually
•Modifying Zones
A useful feature of OmniPage Pro is that it allows you to first draw zones manually (perhaps of a graphic), and then click on the Zone button to have the rest of a page zoned automatically. This sometimes produces better results for compound documents with graphics and text.
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Creating Zones on a Page
Creating Zones Automatically
OmniPage Pro can create zones automatically for you. To do so, it uses the selected page layout to analyze the page and break it into ordered sections.
To create zones automatically:
1Choose a setting in the Zone button’s pop-up menu that most closely matches the format of your document.
You can One Column, Multicolumn, Tables, Mixed, or a template of your own. See “Zone Button Commands” on page 4-10 for more information on these settings.
2Click the Zone button in the AutoOCR Toolbar or choose Zone Image in the Process menu.
OmniPage Pro automatically draws zones on the current page. Each zone has a number indicating the order in which it will be recognized. The color of the zone border indicates the zone type.
Make sure zones are identified correctly before performing OCR. For example, if you want to retain an area as a graphic, that area should be identified as a Graphic zone type as described in the following section.
Specifying Zone Types
All zones are identified as a particular type. This determines the way they are treated during OCR. You can specify zone types using tools in the Zone Info palette. If the Zone Info palette does not appear when the Image View is active, choose Show Zone Palette in the Window menu.
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Automatic zone type:
OmniPage Pro detects if the zone contains text or graphics. Any side-by- side columns detected within a zone are treated as flowing text (starting
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Creating Zones on a Page
from the top of the first column, going down the column, and then back up to the next column). Automatic zones have purple borders.
Text zone type:
OmniPage Pro treats all contents as one block of text; it does not detect graphics. Tabs are inserted between any side-by-side columns detected within a zone, so this zone type is recommended only for zones that contain tables or single columns of text. Text zones have blue borders.
Graphic zone type:
OmniPage Pro treats all contents as a graphic area; it does not attempt to convert the zone to text. Graphic zones have green borders and display a graphic icon.
Ignore zone type:
OmniPage Pro ignores the zone entirely. This is useful if you want OmniPage Pro to draw zones automatically but first want to identify areas to ignore. Ignore zones have red borders and stripes.
You can change the zone type of individual zones any time before OCR. For example, suppose zones are created automatically on a page and the results include a Text zone which contains two columns of text. If you do not want tabs inserted between the two columns, you can reidentify the zone type as Automatic. The columns will be recognized as flowing text.
To specify a zone type:
1Click the Draw/Select Zones tool in the Tool palette if it is not already selected.
If the Tool palette is closed when the Image View is active, choose Show Tool Palette from the Window menu.
2Select the zone you want to identify by clicking it.
•Shift-click to select additional zones.
•Double-click the Draw/Select Zones tool or choose Select All in the Edit menu to select all zones on the current page.
3Click the desired zone type in the Zone Info palette.
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The zone type will change accordingly.
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Creating Zones on a Page
Drawing Zones Manually
You can draw and modify zones using tools in the Tool palette. If the Tool palette does not appear when the Image View is active, choose Show Tool Palette in the Window menu.
Polygon tool
Draw/Select Zones tool
Order Zones tool
Rotate buttons
Erase Image tool
Modify Zones tool
Zoom tool (Option-click to zoom out)
Straighten button
You can use the tab key to cycle through zone tools when the Image View is active.
To draw a rectangular zone:
1Click the Draw/Select Zones tool in the Tool palette if it is not already selected.
The mouse pointer in the Image View becomes a drawing tool.
2Click the appropriate zone type in the Zone Info palette.
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For example, click the Graphic type if you are going to draw the zone around a graphic such as a photo. See “Specifying Zone Types” on page 31 for more information.
3Enclose an area of the image you want as a zone by holding down the mouse button and dragging the drawing tool to form a rectangular box.
4Release the mouse button when you are done.
After drawing a zone, you can resize it by dragging its handles.
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Creating Zones on a Page
5Repeat steps 2–4 until you have finished drawing zones around each area that you want to process.
You can draw up to 64 separate zones. A number appears within each zone indicating the order in which it will be recognized.
Overlapping Zones. When you draw a zone over an existing zone, the borders of the new zone will wrap around the boundaries of the existing zone. The zones will not overlap.
You can use the Polygon tool to draw a zone one side at a time. This is useful for drawing non-rectangular zones.
To draw a zone one side at a time:
1Click the Polygon tool in the Tool palette.
The mouse pointer in the Image View becomes a drawing tool.
2Click the appropriate zone type in the Zone Info palette.
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3Position the drawing tool where you want to start drawing the first side of the zone.
4Click the mouse button once.
5Drag the drawing tool to form the first side of your zone.
6Click the mouse button again when you have drawn the desired line length.
A line appears.
7Draw a perpendicular line in either direction to form the next side of the zone.
8Repeat steps 6 and 7 to finish drawing each side of your zone.
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Creating Zones on a Page
You will not be allowed to draw a line if it constitutes a restricted shape. The following zone shapes are restricted:
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Modifying Zones
Zones can always be modified before OCR takes place. You can move, copy, resize, reorder, extend, connect, divide, and delete zones.
You can also reverse the black and white elements on a page image. See “Inverting an Image” on page 54 for more information.
To move or copy zones:
1Click the Draw/Select Zones tool in the Tool palette if it is not already selected.
2Place the mouse pointer inside a zone.
3Hold down the mouse button and drag the zone where you want to move it.
•You can also press the arrow keys to move the zone.
•You can copy the zone by holding down the Option key while you drag it.
Only the zone borders are moved or copied. The contents of the page image remain as is.
To resize zones:
1Click the Draw/Select Zones tool in the Tool palette if it is not already selected.
2Select the zone you want to resize by clicking it. Handles appear on the zone border.
3Select a handle, hold the mouse button down, and drag the mouse pointer in the direction that you want to enlarge or reduce the zone.
4Release the mouse button when you are done.
The zone border changes to display the modified zone area.
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Creating Zones on a Page
To reorder zones:
1Click the Order Zones tool in the Tool palette. The numbers in the zones disappear.
2Click within the zone you want to recognize first. The number 1 appears in the zone.
3Click within the next zone you want recognized. The number 2 appears in the zone.
4Continue until all the zones are appropriately ordered.
If you do not number all the zones, they will be automatically numbered for you when you select another tool or start OCR. Unless you are using the True Page style set, the order of zones determines the order in which text will be placed on a recognized page.
To extend an area of a zone:
1 Click the Modify Zones tool in the Tool palette.
2Position the mouse pointer over the area of a zone that you want to extend.
The mouse pointer is above the zone
3Hold down the mouse button and drag the mouse pointer in the direction that you want to extend the zone.
The zone border changes to display the modified zone area.
The left area of this zone has been extended downward
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Converting Images to Text
To remove an area of a zone, hold down the Command key (=) while using the Modify Zones tool.
To connect two or more zones:
1 Click the Modify Zones tool in the Tool palette.
2Position the mouse pointer in one of the zones you want to connect.
3Hold the mouse button down and drag the mouse pointer onto the zones you want to connect.
4Release the mouse button when you are done.
The zone border changes to display the modified zone area.
To divide a zone:
1 Click the Modify Zones tool in the Tool palette.
2Position the mouse pointer at the point where you want to divide the zone.
3Hold down the Command key (=) and the mouse button while dragging the mouse pointer over the area where you want the separation to occur.
4Release the mouse button when you are done.
The zone border changes to display the modified zone area.
To delete zones:
1Click the Draw/Select Zones tool in the Tool palette if it is not already selected.
2Select the zone you want to delete by clicking it. Handles appear on the selected zone.
•Shift-click to select additional zones.
•Double-click the Draw/Select Zones tool or choose Select All in the Edit menu to select all zones on the current page.
3Press the Delete key or choose Clear in the Edit menu.
The selected zones disappear, but the page image itself remains the same. Any part of a page image not enclosed by a zone is ignored during OCR.
Converting Images to Text
Performing OCR on an image converts it to editable text. This is also referred to as recognizing text. After OCR, you can proofread for recognition errors and misspelled words before you export the text to another application.
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Converting Images to Text
This section describes the following procedures:
•Performing OCR
•Proofreading OCR Results
•Verifying Recognized Text
•Displaying Color Markers
•Getting Page Information
Performing OCR
Before performing OCR, make sure the current zones and settings are appropriate for your document. For example, to retain graphic zones during OCR, you must select Retain Graphics in the OCR section of the Settings Panel. See “Settings Guidelines” on page 79 for more information.
OmniPage Pro only recognizes printed text characters, such as laserprinted or typewriter text. However, it can retain handwritten text, such as a signature, as a graphic element. See page 77 for guidelines on retaining graphics.
To perform OCR:
1Set Perform OCR as the command in the OCR button’s pop-up menu.
The default command, OCR & Proof, prompts you to check for errors after OCR.
2Click the OCR button or choose Perform OCR in the Process menu.
The page is recognized according to the current zones and settings. If there are no zones on the page, zones are created automatically or with a currently selected zone template. Recognized text appears in the Text View.
Proofreading OCR Results
Recognized text appears in the Text View after OCR so you can check for errors and misspellings in the text before exporting it to another application.
Error checking starts automatically after OCR if you chose OCR & Proof as the OCR command.
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Converting Images to Text
You can select dictionaries and other error checking options in the Spelling section of the Settings Panel. See “Spelling Settings” on page 72 for more information.
To check and correct errors in recognized text:
1Click the OCR Proofreader button in the AutoOCR Toolbar or choose Proofread OCR... in the Edit menu.
If Language Analyst is on, OmniPage Pro will stop at the following:
•Words with suspect or questionable characters (marked in green)
•Language Analyst corrections (marked in blue), and
OmniPage Pro will stop at the following if Language Analyst is on or off:
•Unrecognizable characters marked by a red reject character, (~ is the default)
•Words not found in the main or user dictionary
When OmniPage Pro stops on a word, it highlights the word in the Text View. The Proofread OCR dialog box shows the original image of the word in the context of the original page.
Click in this window to enlarge the view of the original image. Optionclick to reduce the view.
Click
Options to select errorchecking options.
Drag corner to change window size.
2Select one of these options for the word:
•Click Ignore to allow the word to remain as is.
•Click Ignore All to ignore all instances of the word.
•Click Change to replace the word with the word in the Change to edit box.
You can either type a word in the Change to edit box or select a word in the Suggestions pop-up menu.
•Click Change All to replace all instances of the word with the word in the Change to edit box.
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Converting Images to Text
•Click Change & Add to replace the word with the word in the Change to edit box and to add the word to the current user dictionary.
OmniPage Pro will still stop at future instances of the word in the current document if the word contains a suspect character or a Language Analyst correction.
After you select an option for the word, OmniPage Pro automatically continues to find the next possible spelling error.
3 Click Done to save all changes and exit the operation.
The OmniPage OCR engine can only perform a spelling check on words that it has recognized. It cannot check words that you have manually typed in the text view side of the document window.
If you cannot see the original images of words in the Proofread OCR dialog box or Verification window, it is likely that Save Page Image in OmniPage Document is deselected in the Document section of the Settings Panel. In this case, the image is discarded if you change pages.
Verifying Recognized Text
You can compare recognized text against its original image to make sure that text was recognized correctly.
To verify text against its original image:
1Make sure the Text View is active.
2Hold down the Option key and double-click the word you want to verify. Or, select the word and choose Verify Text in the Edit menu.
The Verification window opens and shows a clear close-up of the original word and its surrounding area in the image.
Close button
Click the Verification window to zoom in for a closer view. Option-click to zoom out.
The image of the selected word is highlighted.
You can type in a new word to replace the selected word in the Text View.
3Click the standard Close button to close the Verification window.
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