Nuance ScanSoft OmniForm Filler User’s Manual

OmniForm® Filler

User’s Manual

Version 3.0 for Windows 95 and NT

CAERE CORPORATION

100 Cooper Court

Los Gatos, California USA

95032-3321

Caere GmbH Innere Wiener Strasse 5 81667 München, Germany

Caere UK Information Centre Abbey House 4 Abbey Orchard Street Westminster, London SW1P 2JJ

Centre d’informations Caere

50 rue des Archives 75004 Paris, France

Please Note

To use this program, you should know how to work in the Microsoft Windows environment, and be aware of many of the universal keyboard shortcuts. Please refer to Windows documentation if you have questions about how to use menu commands, dialog boxes, scroll bars, or edit boxes.

OmniForm Filler User’s Manual Version 3.0 for Windows 95 and NT

800-1284-030, A

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 CD-ROM rear case)

Chapter 1

Introduction

OmniForm Filler is the easy way to manage forms electronically. Use OmniForm Filler to fill forms, manage information databases, print, 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 1

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, 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

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

You can print forms from OmniForm Filler. You have a choice of printing 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 preprinted form placed in your printer.

Form Mailing

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

validate

a fillable

2 Introduction

Using the Documentation

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

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.

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.”

fill text

Using the Documentation

Open

field.” These terms and others are defined in the

Courier font

• 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.”

File Name

text box and click

Introduction 3

OK.

”

Using the Documentation

Symbols

Two symbols are used in this manual to highlight text.

This symbol means Note. It introduces a tip or an item of note.

This symbol means Warning. It introduces cautionary text.

4 Introduction

Chapter 2

Installation and Setup

This chapter describes how to install OmniForm Filler and begin using it, including the following sections:

• System Requirements

• Registering OmniForm Filler

• Installing OmniForm Filler

• Starting OmniForm Filler

Installation and Setup 1

System Requirements

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

• Computer with an 80486 or higher processor.

• VGA or SVGA monitor.

• Windows-compatible mouse.

• CD-ROM drive.

• A minimum of 4MB hard disk space, with a maximum of 16MB.

• Total system memory of at least 8MB RAM for Windows 95 and 12MB for Windows NT 4.0.

• A compatible scanner if you plan to scan graphics into a form. Install your scanner and test it in Windows according to the

manufacturer’s instructions

OmniForm Filler 3.0 for Windows 95 and Windows NT is a 32-bit application and will not run on earlier versions of Windows.

using it with OmniForm.

before

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 5-11 for information on technical support.

2 Installation and Setup

Installing OmniForm Filler

This section describes how to install OmniForm Filler on Windows 95 and on Windows NT 4.0.

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

Installing on a Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0 System

1 Start Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0. 2 Insert OmniForm Filler’s CD in the CD-ROM drive.

The Setup program should start automatically. If it does not, click

The Control Panel appears.

• Double-click The Add/Remove Programs Properties dialog box appears.

• Click

• Click The OmniForm Filler install screen appears.

in the Taskbar and choose

Start

Install...

Next>

Add/Remove Programs.

in the

Install/Uninstall

and then

Finish

Installing OmniForm Filler

Settings

tab.

Control Panel



3Select 4 Follow all the instructions in the dialog boxes that appear.

OmniForm Filler

During installation, you will be prompted to enter a serial number. You can find the serial number on the label of the CDROM.

OmniForm Filler installs by default to the location c:\Program Files\OmniForm Filler. You can select another location if you wish.

Installation and Setup 3

Starting OmniForm Filler

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

To start OmniForm Filler:

1 Click

Applications

The OmniForm Filler window appears.

2 Click the Open button or choose

The Open dialog box appears.

in the Taskbar and choose

Start

OmniForm Filler 3.0



Programs

in the File menu.

Open...



Caere

4 Installation and Setup

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.

Chapter 3

Working With Forms

This chapter describes the basics of working with forms, including:

• Opening a Form

• The OmniForm Filler Window

• Moving Through Fields

• Filling Fields

• Spell Checking

• Saving Your Form

• Printing a Form

• Mailing a Form

• Form Usage Options

Working With Forms 1

Opening a Form

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

To open a form:

1 Click

Applications

2 Click the Open button in the standard toolbar or choose

in the File menu. The Open dialog box appears.

3Make sure

down list. 4 Locate and select a file. 5 Click

The form opens.

in the Taskbar and choose

Start

OmniForm Filler 3.0



OmniForm Form

Open

Programs

is selected in the

Caere



Files of Type

Open...

drop-

2 Working With Forms

The OmniForm Filler Window

This section describes the OmniForm Filler window and its standard toolbar. The Filler window contains a standard toolbar and seven menus.

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 3-22 for more information.

Working With Forms #

The OmniForm Filler Window

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.

Open

Preview

Spelling

Cut

Paste

Copy

Zoom

Highlight

Fill Areas

First

Record

Number

Record

All these corresponding menu commands are explained in online help. You can also drag the standard toolbar to any other location in the

OmniForm Filler window.

Last

New

Record

Help

4 Working With Forms

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.

Action Key Combination

Moving Through Fields

Place the cursor in a field

Next field Press the Tab

Previous field Press Shift-Tab

Next line in a fill text field

End of a line in a fill text field

Beginning of a line in a fill text field

End of all text in a fill text field

Beginning of all text in a fill text field

Next word in a field Press Ctrl-right arrow

Previous word in a field

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

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

Press the End key

Press the Home key

Press Ctrl-End

Press Ctrl-Home

Press Ctrl-left arrow

Working With Forms #

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:

• Type Ahead

• 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 3-14.

Type Ahead

Fill Text

6 Working With Forms

As you begin to enter a word in a fill text object, OmniForm Filler will automatically complete the word. This works only when there is previously filled information that matches the word you are entering. This option also works for dates, times, and pop-up lists.

1 Choose

The Options dialog box appears. 2 Click the

•Select

• Deselect

3 Click OK.

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

Options...

Filling

Enable Type Ahead

in the Tools menu.

tab.

if you want this option.

Enable Type Ahead

First Name

and

if you do not want this option.

Last Name

fill text fields.

Comb

Filling Fields

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.

Each element can contain a different number of characters.

prefill

element

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.

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

Check boxes may be To move through grouped check boxes, use the arrow key on your keyboard. Selecting one check box automatically deselects another checked box in the group as in the next example.

3-character

element

Check Fill

prefill

element

grouped;

8-character

element

questions and for selecting

Ye s/ N o

this means that only one can be selected.

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 the previous topic “Check Box”).

Working With Forms #

Filling Fields

Table

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

A table cell can also contain any other type of field, even multiple fields of the same or different types. In the next example, 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.

. Table cells are fill text fields by

cells

8 Working With Forms

To import an existing graphic:

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

bar.

The

Fill Graphic

2Select

Graphic File

dialog box appears.

in the

drop-down list.

Source

Filling Fields

3 Enter a file name in the

Or, click

to return to the Fill Graphic dialog box.

if you need to locate a file; select a file, and click

Browse

The file name appears in the

4 Select an option in the

•Select

Maintain Original Size

File Name

Options

changes.

•Select

Scale Proportionally

to fit the graphic in the fill graphic

field while keeping its exact proportions.

text box.

drop-down list.

to import the graphic without

•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

Size.

to specify the graphic’s size.

and

Width

The size of the fill graphic field is

Height

displayed at the bottom of the Fill Graphic dialog box. If you enter a size larger than the fill graphic field, only part of

the graphic will be visible.

Working With Forms #

Filling Fields

5 You can also enter offset measurements under

Offset.

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.

10 Working With Forms

2Select 3 Click

TWAIN

Select Source

in the

drop-down list.

Source

to open the Select Source dialog box.

4 Select your TWAIN source and click

Graphic dialog box.

to return to the Fill

Filling Fields

List Fields

5 Type a file name in the

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

6 Follow steps 4–6 “To import an existing graphic:” on page 3-9

and then return to step 7 on this page.

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

making sure it is aligned correctly.

8 Click

To delete a graphic from a fill graphic field:

Select

None

form and leave the fill graphic field empty.

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

OK.

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

in the Fill Graphic dialog box to delete a graphic from the

if you need to locate a path for the file.

Browse

File Name

text box.

Click the arrow to open the list

Select an entry. The entry appears in the field.

Working With Forms #

Filling Fields

Fields Defined by a Calculation

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

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.

• Require that you choose from a list of choices.

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

12 Working With Forms

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

• Click

to override field validation.

Ye s

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 you want to know more about OLE objects.

object linking and embedding.

OmniForm Reference

Filling Fields

In OmniForm Filler, OLE objects

manual or your form’s creator if

Working With Forms #

+ 52 hidden pages