Page 1 OmniForm User’s Manual For Windows 95 and NT CAERE CORPORATION 100 Cooper Court Los Gatos, California 95032-3321 USA...
Page 2 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. Please refer to Windows documentation if you have questions about how to use menu commands, dialog boxes, scroll bars, edit boxes, and so on.
Page 3 Chapter 1 Introduction OmniForm is the easy way to convert your paper forms to electronic forms. Use OmniForm to edit, design, and fill forms, manage information databases, and print and mail forms among other functions. This chapter gives an overview of the form creation and information management capabilities OmniForm provides, as well as an explanation of how to use the documentation.
Page 4: Omniform Features
OmniForm Features OmniForm Features OmniForm, an easy-to-use environment for working with forms, is more than just form-recognition software. OmniForm includes the following features: Form Input OmniForm uses Logical Form Recognition™ to convert your scanned paper forms or imported image files into electronic, editable forms. Design View Use OmniForm’s design view to design your own forms or edit existing forms.
Page 5: Using The Documentation
Using the Documentation Form Printing and Mailing You can print forms from OmniForm. You have a choice of printing just the form, or just the data entered in a form (useful when you have a preprinted form in your printer), or both the form and its information. Use electronic mail to send forms to other users if you have Microsoft Outlook/Exchange or Lotus cc:Mail/Notes installed.
Page 6: Courier Font
Using the Documentation Courier font • The Courier font indicates text that you are supposed to enter; for example, “Type Sample1 in the File Name text box and click OK.” • The Courier font is also used to distinguish file paths and file and folder names from the rest of the text;...
Page 7: Installation And Setup
Chapter 2 Installation and Setup This chapter describes how to install OmniForm and begin using it. It contains the following sections: • System Requirements • Installing OmniForm and OmniForm Filler • Registering OmniForm • Starting OmniForm Installation and Setup 1...
Page 8: System Requirements
(16MB recommended) and 12MB for Windows NT 4.0 (32MB recommended). OmniForm 3.0 for Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 is a 32-bit application and will not run on earlier versions of Windows. A 16-Bit version of OmniForm 2.01C is on your CD.
Page 9: Registering Omniform
Registering OmniForm The Add/Remove Programs Properties dialog box appears. • Click Install... in the Install/Uninstall tab. • Click Next> and then Finish. The OmniForm install screen appears. Select OmniForm. Follow all the instructions in the dialog boxes that appear. Dur- ing installation, you will be prompted to enter a serial number.
Page 10 Registering OmniForm To register OmniForm by telephone: Click the Register menu to open the Register dialog box. This dialog box appears automatically the first time you start OmniForm. Closes the Register dialog box without You will be asked to provide registering.
Page 11: Starting Omniform
Install your scanner and test it in Windows before using it with OmniForm. Consult your scanner documentation or the scanner manufacturer to resolve any scanner problems that may occur. To start OmniForm: Click Start in the taskbar and choose Programs Caere Applica- tions OmniForm 3.0. Installation and Setup 5...
Page 12 Starting OmniForm The Form Assistant dialog box appears. It contains six options. Each is a basic OmniForm procedure. Select an option and click Next>. Proceed to Chapter 4, OmniForm Procedures, for detailed information on the basic OmniForm procedures. Or, if you are new to OmniForm try the online tutorial.
Page 13: Form Usage
Chapter 3 Form Usage This chapter describes basic OmniForm concepts you should know before scanning, importing or designing a new form, including the following sections: • Using Form Assistant • Form Usage Options • International Settings Form Usage 1...
Page 14: Using Form Assistant
Using Form Assistant Using Form Assistant This section describes Form Assistant and its basic OmniForm functions. Form Assistant is a dialog box that appears when launching OmniForm. If you are new to OmniForm, you might prefer to use the Form Assistant, which makes decision-making easy when processing a form.
Page 15: Setting The Form Assistant Startup Option
Using Form Assistant The Form Assistant Options This section gives a brief description of each option in Form Assistant. Through a series of dialog boxes, the Form Assistant easily steps you through the process of converting your form into an electronic form. Scan a Form or Image File Select Scan a form or image file to scan a paper form or import an image file and to determine how you will work with the form in OmniForm.
Page 16: Choosing A Form Usage Option
Form Usage Options Form Usage Options This section describes form usage: how it affects the forms you scan in or import as image files, how to select form usage, and how to change it. This section contains the following topics: •...
Page 17: Where To Select Form Usage Options
Form Usage Options See Chapter 5, Designing a Form, for information on importing graphics, creating objects, and using other design techniques. See Chapter 6, Filling a Form, for information on filling fields in fill view. Where to Select Form Usage Options Different form usage options are available depending on whether you open Form Assistant or choose Scan Form...
Page 18: Changing Form Usage
Form Usage Options Scan Form Dialog Box You can choose to scan in or import either a designed form or a nondesigned form in the Scan Form dialog box after choosing Scan Form... in the File menu. Select this option for a designed form.
Page 19: International Settings
International Settings Select a form usage option. • Select Use Designed Form to view the form as it was designed by OmniForm on import along with any changes you have made to the form’s design. You can edit all text and fields, and add graphics to the form. •...
Page 20 International Settings Click Current Form. The Language drop-down list displays the language being used for the currently open form. If you have the International English or German version of OmniForm or multiple dictionaries, a dictionary in this language will also be used during a spell check.
Page 21: How Omniform Uses Language Selections
International Settings How OmniForm Uses Language Selections The Current Form language selection affects: • The formatting of currency, number, and date entries in the currently open form. • Which dictionary is used for spell checking. (The International English version contains all available dictionaries. Other users can call 800-654-1187 to order additional dictionaries.) •...
Page 22: The Allow Multiple Languages Option
International Settings Date If you select English (United States) as the Current Form language, the date 2/5/96 entered in an appropriately defined date field would display as February 5, 1996. If you select German (Standard) as the Current Form language, the date would display as 2.
Page 23 International Settings When you select Allow Multiple Languages, OmniForm turns off dictionaries during optical character recognition (OCR) so that all recognizable characters are allowed. If dictionaries were on, special characters such as umlauts might be discarded or questionable words in one language could be mistaken for words in another language.
Page 24 International Settings 12 Form Usage...
Page 25: Omniform Procedures
Chapter 4 OmniForm Procedures This chapter describes basic OmniForm procedures, including the following sections: • Scanning a Paper Form • Importing an Image File • Filling a Form • Printing a Form • Importing an Existing Electronic Form • Searching a Form •...
Page 26: Scanning A Paper Form
Scanning a Paper Form Scanning a Paper Form This section describes how to use the Scan Form... command to turn your paper form into an electronic form. You can also use the Form Assistant dialog box to scan a form. See “Using Form Assistant” on page 3-2. You can scan paper forms directly into OmniForm if you have a scanner.
Page 27 Scanning a Paper Form • Select an option under Page Size. Select Letter if the form is 8.5 by 11 inches. Select Legal if the form is 8.5 by 14 inches. Select A4 if the form is 21 by 29.7 centimeters (European). •...
Page 28 Scanning a Paper Form Select import options under the Settings options. • Select Auto Form Design to use Logical Form Recognition in order to recognize text and fillable fields in the form. This gives you full control over a form’s design. Graphics are not retained but you can import them.
Page 29 Scanning a Paper Form How your form appears depends on whether you chose Auto Form Design in the Scan Form dialog box. 10 Click the Save button in the standard toolbar or choose Save... in the File menu to name and save your file. 11 Begin to fill or edit your form.
Page 30: Importing An Image File
Importing an Image File Importing an Image File This section describes how to use the Scan Form... command to import an image file as a recognized OmniForm form. You can also use the Form Assistant dialog box to import a form. See “Using Form Assistant” on page 3-2.
Page 31: Using The Fill Command
Filling a Form Click OK. OmniForm imports the form. The OmniForm window displays the scanning, designing, and straightening progress if you have selected these options. How your form appears depends on whether you chose to have OmniForm design the form during import. Click the Save button in the standard toolbar or choose Save...
Page 32: Printing A Form
Printing a Form Printing a Form This section describes how to use the Print... command to print a form, how to print to OmniForm, and how to print a form as a macro. You can also use the Form Assistant dialog box to print a form. See “Using Form Assistant”...
Page 33: Importing An Existing Electronic Form
Printing a Form Select an option in the Data drop-down list. This option is only available if Form and Data or Data Only is selected in the Form/Data drop-down list. • Select Current Record Only to print just the current record. •...
Page 34: Printing Your Form As A Macro
Printing a Form Select OmniForm from the Name drop-down list. Click OK. OmniForm automatically scans in the form. The OmniForm window displays the scanning progress of the form. Your form opens in OmniForm. To make any corrections to the form, see Chapter 5, Designing a Form. Printing Your Form as a Macro OmniForm forms can be saved as a macro and then called as an overlay from a printer’s memory, flash memory, or hard disk.
Page 35: Searching A Form
Searching a Form Searching a Form This section describes how to use the Search... command to open a form in fill view and perform a search. You can also use the Form Assistant dialog box to search a form. See “Using Form Assistant” on page 3-2. Using the Search...
Page 36: Creating A New Form
To open a form: Click Start in the Taskbar and choose Programs Caere Applications OmniForm 3.0. Click Cancel in the Form Assistant dialog box if it appears. Click the Open button in the standard toolbar or choose Open... in the File menu.
Page 37: Mailing A Form
Mailing a Form The Open dialog box appears. Make sure OmniForm Form is selected in the Files of type drop- down list. Locate and select a file. Click Open. The form opens in the last view in which it was saved: design or fill.
Page 38 Mailing a Form The Options dialog box appears. Click the General tab and select an option under Mail System. Select either Lotus cc: Mail/Lotus Notes or Microsoft Exchange/ Outlook. OmniForm selects your installed mail application by default if you have only one installed. Click OK.
Page 39 Mailing a Form • Select Send the Form and Data to send all text, graphics, and any information in fillable fields. This option is available only in fill view. • Select Send the Data only to send just the information you have typed in the fillable fields.
Page 40: Saving A Form
Saving a Form Enter the appropriate information in your mail program’s dialog box. Refer to your mail program’s documentation for more information. The following box shows the Lotus CC: Mail application dialog box. 10 Click Send to mail your information as specified. Adding a Routing Slip Microsoft Exchange/Outlook users can add a routing slip to mail.
Page 41 This is useful if you have users with a 16-bit Filler. You save your form in 2.0 so that users of the 16-bit Filler can access the form. However, some features available in OmniForm 3.0 may not be displayed or printed in the 2.0 version.
Page 42 Saving a Form • Select Size line by Character Spacing in order to change the amount of space between the characters to fit the lines. Click OK. OmniForm converts your form to the Microsoft Word format. Open the converted form in Microsoft Word and select Page Layout in the View menu.
Page 43: Designing A Form
Chapter 5 Designing a Form This chapter discusses how to design new forms and edit existing ones in OmniForm. OmniForm contains numerous tools in design view that let you create fields and objects, define calculations, and decide how your form will look. This chapter contains the following sections: •...
Page 44: The Design Process
The Design Process The Design Process This section gives a brief overview of how to design a new form. A form can be as simple as you need or as complex as OmniForm allows. Although the steps below are not required, they are recommended. See “Redesigning Your Form”...
Page 45: The Design View Window
The Design View Window The Design View Window This section provides an overview of the design view window. If a form is open in fill view, click the Design button in the standard toolbar or choose Design in the View menu to switch to design view. To open a shortcut menu, click the right mouse button and choose Design in this menu.
Page 46: The Design View Toolbars
The Design View Toolbars The Design View Toolbars This section describes each toolbar in design view and defines its buttons. There are five toolbars: • The standard toolbar • The font/text toolbar • The drawing toolbar • The arrange toolbar •...
Page 47: The Font/Text Toolbar
The Design View Toolbars The Font/Text Toolbar Use the font/text toolbar to format text. This toolbar is only active when a fill text, comb, comb element, circle text, or table cell object is selected. Center Center Alignment Alignment Horizontal Justify Bold Underline Vertical Font...
Page 48: The Arrange Toolbar
Creating Objects The Arrange Toolbar Use the arrange toolbar to arrange and align objects on a form. Below is the toolbar and a brief explanation of each button’s function. These buttons correspond to the Align, Bring to Front, and Send to Back commands in the Format menu.
Page 49: Creating A Text Object
Creating Objects Click anywhere on the form to create an object of a default size, or hold down the mouse button and drag the tool to make the object the size that you want. While drawing, hold down the Shift key to: •...
Page 50: Creating An Oval Object
Creating Objects To rotate a line: Click the Selection tool and select the line to edit. A handle appears on each end of the line. Place the cursor over one handle. When the cursor turns into a crosshair, hold down the mouse key and drag the end of line where you want it.
Page 51: Creating A Graphic Object
Creating Objects Creating a Graphic Object Use the Graphic tool to create a rectangular object for your graphics. You can copy, import, or scan graphics into this object. This is useful when you want the same graphic (such as a company logo) to appear in every copy of the form.
Page 52 Creating Objects A corresponding box appears in the bottom window. Graphic box where graphic will be placed Graphic in original form With the object still selected, click the Object Definition button in the standard toolbar or choose Object Definition... in the For- mat menu.
Page 53 Creating Objects The screen splits to show the form both as it was designed with Logical Form Recognition and as it was originally scanned. Designed form without graphic Horizontal bar Original form with graphic Each view window has its own scroll bar so that you can scroll to the same place in each form.You can use the horizontal bar in-between the two windows to resize the view.
Page 54 Creating Objects To create a square graphic object, hold down the Shift key as you draw. The Graphic Definition dialog box appears. Select Graphic File in the Source drop-down list. Type a file name in the File Name text box. Or, click Browse...
Page 55: Creating A Fill Text Object
Creating Objects • Select Scale Proportionally to fit the graphic in the fill graphic field while maintaining its exact proportions. • Select Stretch to Fit to change your graphic’s original shape and size to fit in the fill graphic field. This option does not maintain a graphic’s original propor- tions.
Page 56: Creating A Comb Object
Creating Objects To create a square field, hold down the Shift key as you draw. Creating a Comb Object Use a comb field to separate information into separate groups of elements while maintaining the field as a whole. For example, United States forms typically require that you enter zip code numbers in five or nine separate boxes.
Page 57: Creating A Table Object
Creating Objects Click the Circle Text tool in the drawing toolbar. Draw a circle text object. To create a circle instead of an oval, hold down the Shift key as you draw. With the object still selected, type the text that you want to replace the number in the object.
Page 58: Creating A Fill Graphic Object
Defining Objects To create a square table, hold down the Shift key as you draw. Creating a Fill Graphic Object Use a fill graphic object as a way to illustrate text (such as a diagram), or as a design element (such as a company logo). You can only fill a fill graphic in fill view.
Page 59: Defining A Graphic Object
Defining Objects Click the Object Definition button in the standard toolbar or choose Object Definition... in the Format menu. To open a shortcut menu, click the right mouse button over the selected object. Choose Object Definition... in this menu. The dialog box that appears varies depending on the selected object. See the following sections for descriptions of the definition options available for each type of fillable object in a form.
Page 60 Defining Objects Type a unique name in the Name text box. Each object must have a unique name. A descriptive name such as Address makes a field easy to find when sorting, searching, defining calculations, and so forth. Select a field type in the Type drop-down list. The field type will be displayed in the status bar in fill view when the cursor is in that field.
Page 61 Defining Objects • Enter help messages that will appear in the status bar in fill view. Select List of Choices if you want to be able to select a field entry from a drop-down list of choices in fill view. •...
Page 62 Defining Objects • If you select Can be Filled, then an empty field can be filled and a filled field can be changed in fill view. The Can be Filled option, when deselected, overrides the Must be Filled in option when it is selected in the Validation tab. You can either select or deselect the Tab Stop.
Page 63 Defining Objects • Select the highest and lowest number to specify the highest and lowest number that a user can enter. Select Must be Filled in to display a prompt in fill view if the user does not fill the field. The Can be Filled option in the Filling tab, when deselected, overrides the Must be Filled in option when it is selected.
Page 64: Defining A Comb Object
Defining Objects Select or deselect Allow user to override validation. If you deselect this option then you force the user to enter data in the selected field. Otherwise, users can choose to override the warning that appears if they enter either no or inappropriate information in a field (such as five instead of 5 in a Number field).
Page 65 Defining Objects A specific Interpret As setting is not necessary when you define the correct prefill elements in a comb object, such as a decimal point. OmniForm would know the entry in this case is a decimal number even if you select the General option in the Interpret As drop-down list. Element Options You have three element options: number of elements, width of elements, and inter-element spacing:...
Page 66: Defining A Comb Element Object
Defining Objects Defining a Comb Element Object Choose Object Definition... in the Format menu to open the Comb Element Definition dialog box when a comb element is selected. This dialog box allows you to: • Designate the border height of the element. •...
Page 67: Defining A Check Box Object
Defining Objects Defining a Check Box Object Choose Object Definition... in the Format menu to open the Check Box Definition dialog box when a check box object is selected. This dialog box allows you to set property, filling, and validation options for your selected check box.
Page 68: Defining A Circle Text Object
Defining Objects Set Filling Options Click the Filling tab. Select a mark for the check box: a check mark, an X, or a fill. Deselect Can be Filled so an empty field cannot be filled and a filled field cannot be changed in fill view. Select Tab Stop so that the cursor automatically moves to the selected field when the user presses the Tab key.
Page 69: Defining A Table Object
Defining Objects Defining a Table Object Choose Object Definition... in the Format menu to open the Table Definition dialog box when a table object is selected. This dialog box lets you: • Set tabbing properties so that you can tab either from left to right or top to bottom.
Page 70: Defining A Table Cell
Defining Objects If you have unequal row height and would like all the rows to be the same height, then select Make Rows Equal Height. OmniForm resizes rows to an equal height without changing table size. If you had two rows, one four centimeters high and the other two centimeters high, for example, each would be resized to three centimeters high.
Page 71: Changing Object Appearance
Changing Object Appearance Changing Object Appearance This section describes the options in the Object Appearance dialog box and how they affect a selected object. See the section “Creating Objects” on page 5-6 to learn how to create objects. To change object appearance: Select an object or objects in design view.
Page 72 Changing Object Appearance Make sure that Clear is deselected so that your selected colors and pattern appear as the object’s background. See “Paint Order” on page 5-32 for a description of how paint order affects color and pattern display. Set the Border Click the Border tab.
Page 73 Changing Object Appearance 10 To offset the shadow from the border, select the amount of points in the Offset drop-down list. 11 Click OK to apply the changes. Set Fill Lines Options in this tab are only active for selected fill text objects. Text alignment must be set to Left and Top or Exactly in the Text dialog box before fill lines can be set.
Page 74 Changing Object Appearance Select Start Fill Line at First Line Indentation to indent the first fill line the same amount as the first line of text entered in the field. See “The Text... Command” on page 5-37 for more information. Click OK to apply the changes and close the dialog box.
Page 75 The Shared Form Property You can use the Send to Back and Bring to Front commands in the Format menu to change paint order. The Shared Form Property You can set up a shared form whenever you need to do so. By creating a shared form, you allow other users to have access to the form.
Page 76: Redesigning Your Form
Redesigning Your Form Redesigning Your Form This section describes how to redesign a form using the design view tools and commands. Once you have created objects, you may want to move, resize, or convert them. You may also want to make changes to a newly scanned or imported form.
Page 77: Moving An Object
Redesigning Your Form • Choose Select Special... in the Edit menu to select all objects of the same type. Moving an Object You can move a selected object or objects in several ways. • Hold down the mouse button and drag the selected object to another location.
Page 78: Deleting An Object
Redesigning Your Form Deleting an Object Choose Delete in the Edit menu or press the Delete key on your keyboard to delete one or more selected objects. Formatting Text Use the Font... and Text... commands in the Format menu or the corresponding buttons in the font/text toolbar to format selected objects.
Page 79 Redesigning Your Form The Text... Command Select the text/fill objects that you want to format. Text entered in fill view takes on formatting assigned to fill objects in design view. Choose Text... in the Format menu. The Text dialog box appears. Click the Alignment tab.
Page 80: Merging Text
Redesigning Your Form • Select Flow Text Across Lines to enter text in a field with auto- matic word-wrapping. • Select Make Text Fit to Lines to fit text to the size of the line. This can alter the appearance of text. Each line can be selected separately and resized.
Page 81: Breaking A Table Apart
Redesigning Your Form To format a table: Select a table. Choose Table AutoFormat... in the Format menu. The Table AutoFormat dialog box appears. Select the Yes option to enable the Appearance list box. Select an appearance option for your table. Click Next>...
Page 82: Aligning Objects
Redesigning Your Form You cannot regroup the objects once you break them apart. For this reason, you might want to save your table before you break it apart; and if you do not like what you have created, you can always revert to the saved copy.
Page 83: Sending Objects Front Or Back
Redesigning Your Form • Select Center Horizontally to align the selected objects by their horizontal centers. Horizontal centers Horizontal centers’ alignment midpoint • Select Top to align all selected objects by their top edges. • Select Bottom to align all selected objects by their bottom edg- •...
Page 84: Changing Tab Order
Redesigning Your Form Changing Tab Order Tab order is the order in which the cursor moves from field to field on a form in fill view. You may want to change tab order if you have added, deleted, or moved fillable objects in design view. To change tab order: Click the Tab Order button in the standard toolbar or choose Tab Order...
Page 85: Placing Objects In Table Cells
Redesigning Your Form • Click Auto Order to place all fields in the original creation or- der on a form designed by OmniForm during scanning or im- port. If you created the form in OmniForm, the program uses “smart” auto ordering. OmniForm generally reorders fields from left to right and top to bottom.
Page 86: Converting An Object
Using the Scrapbook The object resizes to fit the cell exactly. Converting an Object You can convert any selected object to another type of object. You might, for example, want to convert objects in table cells to check boxes. Be careful when converting objects in an existing form. If the old object contained information, you will permanently lose that object’s information in every record.
Page 87 Using the Scrapbook Opening a Scrapbook Choose Scrapbook in the Tools menu. The scrapbook opens to the left of the OmniForm window. Current scrapbook Scrapbook Commands icon Stored graphic file (a scrap) Select a scrapbook to view in the Scrapbook drop-down list, or create your own.
Page 88: Placing Scraps In A Form
Using the Scrapbook Placing Scraps in a Form Open the desired scrapbook. Select a scrap and drag it into your form. Or, select a scrap and choose Copy Scrap in the Scrapbook Com- mands icon menu. You can select only one scrap at a time. The selected scrap appears as the original object in your form.
Page 89 Using the Scrapbook A new, empty scrapbook appears. Renaming a Scrapbook Open the scrapbook to rename. Choose Rename Scrapbook... in the Scrapbook Commands icon menu. The Rename Scrapbook dialog box appears. Type a name in the New Name text box. Click OK.
Page 90: Inserting Ole Objects In A Form
Inserting OLE Objects in a Form Inserting OLE Objects in a Form This section describes how to use object linking and embedding (OLE) to insert objects in a form. Inserting objects is a convenient way to place information from other sources in OmniForm.
Page 91: How To Insert Ole Objects
Inserting OLE Objects in a Form How to Insert OLE Objects Choose Insert New Object... in the Edit menu. The Insert Object dialog box appears. Select an object type in the Object Type list box. Select one of the following. •...
Page 92: Creating A New Ole Object
Inserting OLE Objects in a Form Creating a New OLE Object See the previous section, “How to Insert OLE Objects” on page 5-49 if you need to insert an object. How your object appears depends on the options you selected in the Insert Object dialog box. If you selected Display As Icon in step 4 in the previous section, the source application launches.
Page 93: Creating An Ole Object From A File
Inserting OLE Objects in a Form Creating an OLE Object From a File See steps 1–3 in the section “How to Insert OLE Objects” on page 5-49 if you need to create an object. The Insert Object dialog box changes when you select Create from File.
Page 94 Inserting OLE Objects in a Form Open a form in OmniForm. Choose Paste Link in the Edit menu. OmniForm pastes the information as a linked OLE object. Use the Links... command in the Edit menu to set linking options for any linked object.
Page 95: Using The Object Commands
Inserting OLE Objects in a Form • To change the source file to which the object is linked, click Change Source. The Change Source dialog box appears. Select a new source file for the object and a file type in the Files of type drop-down list.
Page 96 Inserting OLE Objects in a Form Open Choose Open in the Object cascading menu to view a selected OLE object in its source application. • Linked objects and objects displayed as icons open in the source application. Choose Exit in the File menu when you are done. •...
Page 97 Inserting OLE Objects in a Form Click Change Icon... when Display As Icon is selected if you want to select a new icon or change its name. The Change Icon... button appears when Display As Icon is selected. Click it to select a new icon for the object or to change the icon’s name.
Page 98 Inserting OLE Objects in a Form 56 Designing a Form...
Page 99: Filling A Form
Chapter 6 Filling a Form This chapter describes what kinds of fields a form can contain, how to fill those fields, how to move through fields on a form, and how to use the standard toolbar. This chapter contains the following sections: •...
Page 100: The Fill View Window
The Fill View Window The Fill View Window This section provides an overview of the fill view window. If you are in design view, click the Fill button in the standard toolbar or choose Fill in the View menu to switch to fill view. To open a shortcut menu, click the right mouse button and choose Fill in this menu.
Page 101 The Fill View Window The Standard Toolbar in Fill View Use the standard toolbar for basic file operations such as saving and printing. Use it also to move through records in a database. Highlight Form Print Previous Next Save Assistant Preview Paste Fill...
Page 102: Moving Through Fields
Moving Through Fields 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 Place the cursor in When a form first opens, press the Tab key to place the cursor in a field the first field.
Page 103: Filling Fields
Filling Fields Filling Fields This section describes each type of fillable field in OmniForm, how to fill it, and how to check spelling. It contains the following topics: • Type Ahead • Fill Text • Comb • Check Box • Circle Text •...
Page 104: Check Box
Filling Fields Comb Enter characters in a comb field: letters, numbers, or symbols appropriate to the field. Phone numbers and zip codes are commonly used comb fields. A comb field consists of individual comb elements. Each element can contain a different number of characters. prefill 3-character prefill...
Page 105: Circle Text
Filling Fields 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 section “Check Box”). Table A table field consists of individual cells.
Page 106 Filling Fields Select Graphic File in the Source drop-down list. Enter a file name in the File Name text box. Or, click Browse to locate a file; select a file, and click OK to return to the Fill Graphic dialog box. The file name appears in the File Name text box.
Page 107 Filling Fields • 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 graph- ic may be stretched or compressed. You might want to use this for special effects.
Page 108 Filling Fields To import a graphic from a TWAIN source: Click the fill graphic field or tab to the field and press the Space bar. The Fill Graphic dialog box appears. Select TWAIN in the Source drop-down list. Click Select Source to open the Select Source dialog box. Select your TWAIN source and click OK to return to the Fill Graphic dialog box.
Page 109: List Fields
Filling Fields List Fields Fields can contain a list of selectable entries. A drop-down list arrow appears when the cursor is in the field. Click the arrow to open the list Select an entry. The entry appears in the field. Fields Defined by a Calculation The only time you would notice a calculation in fill view is when a field fills in automatically.
Page 110: Spell Checking
Spell Checking This is field validation and ensures that information entered in a form is consistent. For example, you may be required to enter a date in a validated Date field. You would receive a reminder prompt from OmniForm if you attempted to enter anything other than a date. •...
Page 111: Multiple Languages
Spell Checking The Language selection is grayed out but readable in fill view. If the language selection for Current Form is incorrect, click Can- cel and proceed to “Selecting a Language for Your Form(s)” on page 3-7. Click OK if the language is correct. Multiple Languages You may have scanned in a form with the Allow Multiple Languages option selected.
Page 112: Spell Checking Your Form
Saving in Fill View Spell Checking Your Form Click the Spelling button in the standard toolbar or choose Spelling... in the Tools menu. The Spelling dialog box appears with the first questionable word after Unknown Word. • The suggested spelling, if there is one, appears in the Change To text box.
Page 113 Chapter 7 Managing an OmniForm Database This chapter introduces basic database concepts, including the following sections: • What Is a Database? • Managing Database Records • Protecting Your Database See Chapter 5, Designing a Form, for detailed information on defining fields in a form so that all your records contain the proper information.
Page 114: What Is A Database
What Is a Database? What Is a Database? A database is a collection of information stored as individual records. Each record uses the same form design but can contain different information in its fields. OmniForm automatically creates a database when you scan in or import a form.
Page 115: Managing Database Records
Managing Database Records Managing Database Records This section tells you how to create a database of records and manage its information. It contains the following topics: • Creating New Records • Duplicating Records • Moving Through a Database • Searching Records for Information •...
Page 116 Managing Database Records To create a new record: Open or scan in a form. If the form opens in design view, click the Fill button in the standard toolbar or choose Fill in the View menu to switch to fill view. Click in a field with the cursor or press Tab to place the cursor in the first fillable field.
Page 117: Duplicating Records
Managing Database Records Fill in as many fields as you like. Click the New button in the standard toolbar or choose Go To in the Records menu and New in its cascading menu. OmniForm creates and displays a new, empty record with the same form design as the first one.
Page 118: Moving Through A Database
Managing Database Records To duplicate a record: Open or scan in a form. If the form opens in design view, click the Fill button in the standard toolbar or choose Fill in the View menu to switch to fill view. Fill in the information that you want duplicated.
Page 119: Next Record
Managing Database Records Next Record Click the Next Record button or choose Go To in the Records menu and Next in its cascading menu to move to the record that is after the one you are viewing. If you are viewing record 3, for example, the next record is record 4.
Page 120 Managing Database Records To simplify searches, give each field a more descriptive name. Otherwise, you will have fields named FillText1, FillText2, and so forth, making it difficult to determine which fields contain what information. See “Defining Objects” on page 5-16 for detailed information.
Page 121 Managing Database Records • is less than: find records of lesser value than the Value entry. This finds records that have entries in the Customer field be- ginning with a symbol, a number, or letters earlier in the al- phabet than the entry, for example, France or Dharma Dogs. •...
Page 122 Managing Database Records This search finds records that have Franich & Halsey entered anywhere in the Customer field. Be careful when selecting contains as one of your conditions. In a search for the value male, for example, your search would include any records that contained the word male. It would, therefore, also include records for female.
Page 123: Sorting Records
Managing Database Records OmniForm searches for and retrieves all records that contain the information you specified in the Search dialog box. Click Clear Search to return to the full record set. Search information: the found set contains five records. Under the standard toolbar, OmniForm displays the search information and number of records in the found set.
Page 124: Recalculating Records
Managing Database Records The Sort dialog box appears. Select the field by which to sort in the Field Name drop-down list. All the fields in your form are listed here. To make sorting as easy as possible, give each field a unique name after it is created.
Page 125 Managing Database Records This command reapplies all existing calculations to the selected records. You may not always want this to happen. For example, suppose you changed the mileage calculation in an expense form to reflect the latest rate. All new records would use the new calculation and reflect this rate.
Page 126: Deleting Records
Managing Database Records Select the records to recalculate. • Select All Records to apply the new or changed calculation to either the current found set or to every record in the data- base if the entire record set is open. •...
Page 127: Refreshing Records
Managing Database Records You cannot delete a record if data protection is turned on. See “Protecting Your Database” on page 7-25 for information. To delete the current record: If you are in design view, click the Fill button in the standard toolbar or choose Fill in the View menu to switch to fill view.
Page 128: Saving Records
Managing Database Records To refresh a record or records: If you are in design view, click the Fill button in the standard toolbar or choose Fill in the View menu to switch to fill view. Choose Refresh Record or Refresh All Records in the Records menu.
Page 129 Managing Database Records The Benefits of Exporting Information Export information from records to: • Share information with other OmniForm databases. Information exported as a database file takes up considerably less disk space than the database itself. It can be copied or mailed more quickly than the entire database.
Page 130 Managing Database Records The Export Setup dialog box appears. Select a database file type in the Export To drop-down list. • Select OmniForm Database to export information to an Om- niForm Data file. • Select ODBC Database to select a data source in the Available Data Sources list box.
Page 131 Managing Database Records The Export dialog box appears. All the fields in your currently open database appear in the Fields in list box. Select each field that contains the information to export and click Add>> to move it to the Fields to Export list box. •...
Page 132 Managing Database Records Type the first record number to export in the From text box and the last record number to export in the To text box. • Click OK to return to the Export dialog box. Click OK. OmniForm exports the information in the selected fields to the specified file.
Page 133: Using Omniform Data Files
Managing Database Records Using OmniForm Data Files This section explains how to use OmniForm Data files to open shared forms and how to set up a shared form location. A shared form is one other users can access. When you export OmniForm data from a form, the form’s file name is stored inside the Data file.
Page 134: Importing Information
Managing Database Records Double-click the file or select it and choose Open in its folder’s File menu. A copy of the shared OmniForm Form from which the Omni- Form Data file was exported opens. OmniForm automatically imports the information in the OmniForm Data file into the form.
Page 135 Managing Database Records The Import Setup dialog box appears. Select the type of database information to import in the Import From drop-down list. • Select OmniForm Database to import information from an OmniForm Form or from an OmniForm Data file. •...
Page 136 Managing Database Records The Import dialog box appears after you select a file. • Fields in the open OmniForm database appear on the left. • Fields you can import from the other database appear on the right. Link fields on the left to fields on the right. This tells OmniForm which field data to import from the other database and where to import it in the current database.
Page 137: Protecting Your Database
Protecting Your Database Click Range... to open the Record Range dialog box to specify a range of records to import. Otherwise, OmniForm imports all records by default. • Type the first record number to import in the From text box and the last record number of the range to import in the To text box.
Page 138 Protecting Your Database The Protection dialog box appears. Select Protect Data. If you wish, type a password in the Password text box. Pass- words are case sensitive. You will be prompted to reenter your password for confirmation. The next time anyone tries to change the data, a dialog box appears, informing the user of the form’s protection status.
Page 139: Protecting The Form
Protecting Your Database Protecting the Form The form layout you create in design view is used by every record in a database. Any change made in design view affects all records in fill view. This is important to remember if the database has multiple users. Deleting a fillable field in design view deletes all information entered in that field in fill view.
Page 140: Omniform Filler
Protecting Your Database A dialog box appears. Click OK to close the dialog box. Users can change viewing preferences and use most basic file commands such as Print and Save but cannot format or redesign the form in any way. Repeat steps 2–4 in the preceding instructions but deselect Protect Form in the Protection dialog box to turn off form protection.
Page 141: Using Calculations
Chapter 8 Using Calculations This chapter describes how to use OmniForm’s calculation features. OmniForm automatically performs calculations when you fill in the appropriate field(s). Use calculations to automate data entry and prevent errors. For example, the average person might find it time-consuming to add a column of 100 numbers, and easy to make an error, but OmniForm can return an error-free sum in a fraction of a second.
Page 142: Calculation Overview
Calculation Overview Calculation Overview This section gives an overview of how to create calculations. It contains the following topics: • Creating a Calculation • Calculation Guidelines • Using the Recalculate... Command • Usage Conventions See the online tutorial for step-by-step instructions on creating a simple calculation.
Page 143 Calculation Overview • Calculation Builder button Click this to open the Calculation Builder dialog box and create your own calculation. • Auto Calculation button Click this to have OmniForm attempt to define a calculation automatically. OmniForm can determine an auto calcula- tion for an entire table in some circumstances.
Page 144 Calculation Overview • Functions list This list contains all available functions that can be used in a calculation. (Functions are sorted by category. Click the plus sign in front of a category to open it.) Double-click a function to insert it in the calculation text box, or select it and click Paste.
Page 145 Calculation Overview Suppose you wanted to create a calculation for a Subtotal field in an invoice. The Subtotal field is the sum of the Price1 and Price2 fields. There is often more than one way to create a calculation. Here are two calculations you could create: •...
Page 146 Calculation Overview The Auto Calculation dialog box appears if OmniForm pro- poses an auto calculation. Accept or cancel OmniForm’s proposed calculation. • Click OK to accept the calculation. The calculation appears in the toolbar’s text box. • Click Cancel to close the dialog box without creating a calcu- lation.
Page 147 Calculation Overview The Calculation List The Calculation List dialog box lists all of your form’s calcula- tions and allows you to make changes to the calculations. Changing your calculations Click the Calculation List button in the calculation toolbar. The Calculation List dialog box appears. Double-click the Field Name that you want to change.
Page 148: Calculation Guidelines
Calculation Overview Calculation Guidelines Keep these guidelines in mind as you work with calculations: • Brackets ( [] ) must enclose a field name that contains a space. [Quantity Ordered] * [Unit Price] OmniForm will not accept the calculation otherwise. •...
Page 149: Usage Conventions
Operators Usage Conventions Substitute the appropriate field name where you see num and str in the function examples. Parentheses are required where indicated. Below is a list of conventions showing operator and function usage. Operator Function date date value: the expression must evaluate to a valid date time time value: the expression must evaluate to a valid time number or numeric expression;...
Page 150: Operator Buttons
Operators You must insert the proper parentheses, brackets, and commas when you create a function manually or OmniForm will not accept the calculation. See “Calculation Guidelines” on page 8-8 for detailed information. OmniForm automatically inserts commas, parentheses, and brackets when you create a calculation with the Calculation Builder or the Auto button, and when you click the Accept Calculation button.
Page 151: Operators - Quick Reference
Operators Operators — Quick Reference See “Usage Conventions” on page 8-9 for information on how to interpret the examples in the following table. Operator Type Description Usage Example mathematical Addition: add numbers or fields [num1] + [num2] mathematical Subtraction: subtract numbers or fields [num1] - [num2] mathematical Multiplication: multiply numbers or fields [num1] * [num2]...
Page 152 Functions Functions Functions are single words used by OmniForm to represent operations within a calculation. Functions can use field values, information you enter, and information from outside sources such as the computer date. Please refer to the online help for a definition of each function and instructions on how to use a function in a calculation.
Page 153: Functions - Quick Reference
Functions Functions — Quick Reference See “Usage Conventions” on page 8-9 for information on how to interpret the examples in the following table. Or, refer to online help for an example of each function. The following table lists a brief description and usage of each function.
Page 154 Functions mathematical Natural Logarithm: returns the natural ln(num) logarithm (base e — approximately 2.71828) of num; inverse of Exp function of num mathematical Base 10 Logarithm: returns the base 10 Log(num) logarithm of num Lower text Lower: converts the str to lowercase Lower(str) statistical Maximum: returns the maximum (highest)
Page 155 Functions Replicate text Replicate: repeats a str for num times Replicate(str, num) Right text Right: returns characters for str beginning from Right(str, num characters) the right and proceeding to the left for num characters Round mathematical Round: returns the value of num rounded to the Round(num, num of decimal specified num of decimal places places)
Page 156: Functions Sorted By Type
Functions Functions Sorted by Type This section lists each function by type. (The Calculation Builder dialog box contains folders for each type of function listed.) Database Text Record Count Left Length Date/Time Lower Date Middle DayName Position DayOfMonth Proper DayOfWeek Replace DayOfYear Replicate...
Page 157: Technical Information
Chapter 9 Technical Information This chapter explains how to troubleshoot common problems you may encounter. It also provides technical information on such topics as how to improve Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and scanning performance. This chapter contains the following sections: •...
Page 158: General Troubleshooting Solutions
General Troubleshooting Solutions General Troubleshooting Solutions If you have a problem with OmniForm, first check that your computer, scanner, and other applications are functioning properly. Make backups of OmniForm files regularly, preferably in a location other than your hard drive. This could save you hours or days of work if the unexpected happens: file deletion or corruption caused by disk crashes, viruses, or user error.
Page 159: Omniform Setup Issues
Installing OmniForm 3.0 over Older Versions Select your current OmniForm folder during installation to install OmniForm 3.0 over a 2.0 or 1.x version. OmniForm prompts you to confirm that you want to overwrite the previous version. You will no longer be able to run an older version of OmniForm in this case.
Page 160: Uninstalling Omniform
Exit from OmniForm. Click Start in the Taskbar and choose Programs Caere Applica- tions Uninstall OmniForm 3.0 Click Yes to confirm that you want to remove OmniForm. Windows removes OmniForm from your system. Click OK in the confirmation dialog box.
Page 161: System Hang During Auto Form Design
Scanning and Recognition System Hang During Auto Form Design System hangs may be related to incompatibilities with memory-resident applications or device drivers. Use a text editor to comment out any memory-resident device drivers and applications from your autoexec.bat and config.sys file not used by Windows, DOS, OmniForm, your scanner, or your hard drive, and then restart your system.
Page 162: Operation
Operation Operation This section provides troubleshooting techniques for potential operational problems as well as additional technical information: • OmniForm Limits • Low Memory • Low Disk Space • Right Mouse Button Functions • Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) Automation Support OmniForm Limits The following limits apply in OmniForm: •...
Page 163: Virtual Memory
Operation Click the Performance tab. All memory information appears in this tab. See your Windows documentation or the Windows online help for more informa- tion. You can click Virtual Memory... if you want to change virtual memory settings but it is recommended that users let Windows manage the virtual memory settings.
Page 164: Improving Performance
Improving Performance Low Disk Space Check your Temp folder for unnecessary files if you seem to be running out of disk space too quickly. Files are stored here especially after a system hang or crash. Usually the path to this folder is: c:\Win95\Temp (Windows 95) Right Mouse Button Functions Some programs allow you to reconfigure your right mouse button for...
Page 165 Improving Performance Document Quality OmniForm recognizes characters in almost any font from 6 to 72 points in size. However, keep the following in mind when using OmniForm: • The print should be reasonably clean and crisp. Characters must be distinct: separated from each other and not blurry or overlapping.
Page 166: Omniform Compatibility
OmniForm Compatibility HP AccuPage 2 HP AccuPage 2 is a technology developed and licensed by Hewlett- Packard. It improves the combined performance of the HP ScanJet scanner and OmniForm. To use HP AccuPage 2 with OmniForm, you must have an HP ScanJet Plus scanner or above.
Page 167: Graphic Formats
Error Messages E-mail Programs • Microsoft Exchange/Outlook • Lotus cc:Mail/Notes 2.0 and above Graphic Formats OmniForm can import the following file types into a graphic object or a fill graphic field: • BMP • GIF • JPEG • PCX • TIFF •...
Page 168: Scanner Errors
Error Messages Scanner Errors If a scanner error message appears, always check scanner connections, make sure the scanner is not in use by another application, and verify that your scanner is supported by OmniForm. See Scanner Setup Notes (included in the OmniForm package) for a list of supported scanners. Test your scanner in Windows with the manufacturer’s software to make sure that it works properly.
Page 169 Error Messages Calculation Error: Missing '('. The calculation is missing a left parenthesis. (The same message with a right parenthesis appears if that is missing.) Parentheses must enclose an entire function. It is easy to leave out a parenthesis in a long, manually created calculation containing multiple functions.
Page 170: Caere Product Support
Caere Product Support This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down. If the problem persists, contact the program vendor. This is a Windows-generated message. Click Close to close the dialog box and exit OmniForm. You will lose any unsaved changes in your form.
Page 171: Information We Need From You
Caere Product Support Information We Need From You For the most efficient response, please have the following information on hand and be near your computer if you call: • OmniForm serial number • OmniForm version • Windows version • Network operating system, if applicable •...
Page 172 Caere Product Support 16 Technical Information...
Page 173 Glossary ADF See automatic document feeder. arrange toolbar The toolbar that contains buttons for aligning and moving multiple selected objects. auto calculation A calculation automatically created by OmniForm when you select a field and click the Auto button in the calculation toolbar. The calculation is based on field name and type, column header labels, and the names of surrounding fields.
Page 174 cursor A symbol, displayed on the screen, marking where the next action will take effect or where the next typed character will appear. data The plural of datum; used here to refer to any information entered in a field such as text and numbers. database A collection of similar information stored as records.
Page 175 font In typography, a complete set of type in one size and style of character. In computer usage, a collection of letters, numbers, punctuation marks, and other typographical symbols with a consistent appearance; the size can be changed readily. font/text toolbar The toolbar that contains buttons for formatting characters and paragraphs.
Page 176 Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) A feature that enables users to insert and use objects created in other applications into a form. OCR See Optical Character Recognition. ODBC An acronym for Open Data Base Connectivity. OmniForm uses an ODBC data source, such as FoxPro, to import and export information to and from a database.
Page 177 database that consists of one record. You can create a new, blank record using the first form as a template. The record looks exactly like the first record, but it can be filled with different information. redesign To edit a form in design view. You can create, delete, convert, reposition, and resize objects, among other features.
Page 178 Glossary - 22...

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