NUANCE OMNIFORM 3 User manual

OmniForm
User’s Manual
For Windows 95 and NT
CAERE CORPORATION
100 Cooper Court
Los Gatos, California
95032-3321 USA

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.
OmniForm User’s Manual
for Windows 95 and NT (Version 3.0)
800-1281-030, A
Copyright© 1998 Caere Corporation.
All rights reserved. CAERE®, Logical Form Recognition, and OmniFormare trademarks of Caere
Corporation.
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.

Introduction 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.
This chapter contains the following sections:
• OmniForm Features
• Using the Documentation

OmniForm Features
4 Introduction
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. A variety of toolbars make formatting easy and convenient. Use
the scrapbook to store or copy form objects.
Fill View
Use OmniForm’s fill view to fill a form with the information you need.
Information entered can easily be searched and sorted. In this view, you
can take advantage of OmniForm’s validation and calculation features.
Save as a Mailable Filler
You can save your form as a mailable filler. This option is useful if you
want your form to be filled out by a user who does not have OmniForm
installed.
OmniForm Database
All information you enter into a form is stored as a part of an OmniForm
database. You can create, duplicate, sort, and search records, and import
and export database information.
Field Validation
You can set up OmniForm to validate a fillable field automatically.
OmniForm displays a prompt if you enter incorrect information.
Field Calculations
OmniForm’s built-in operators and functions let you define calculations
that display the correct value as you fill the appropriate field(s) in a
form. This automates data entry and reduces the possibility of errors.
Save to Microsoft Word
You can save your form to Microsoft Word format: either Word 95 or
Word 97.

Using the Documentation
Introduction 5
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. Microsoft Outlook/
Exchange users can also add routing slips to mailed forms.
Using the Documentation
This section explains the various instructional and formatting
conventions used in this manual.
Online Help
OmniForm has both online help and context-sensitive help. There are
also four online tutorials to step you through the basics, especially if you
have never used OmniForm before (the tutorials are located in the Help
menu under Contents). Use the commands in the Help menu to find
information on OmniForm topics.
Click the Help button in the OmniForm 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
Open in the File menu.”
Menu titles, icon names, dialog box names, and unlabeled but-
tons are not italicized.
• A new term may be italicized the first time it is used; for exam-
ple, “This is a fill text field.” These terms and others are defined
in the Glossary section of the manual.
• Variable entries are italicized; for example, “The entry nmust
be between 4 and 18.”

Using the Documentation
6 Introduction
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; for example, “Locate
the Sample form in the OmniForm folder.”
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.

Installation and Setup 1
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

System Requirements
2 Installation and Setup
System Requirements
To install and run OmniForm, 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 10MB hard disk space for OmniForm and up to
a maximum of 36MB
• A minimum of 4MB hard disk space for OmniForm Filler and
up to a maximum of 16MB
• A compatible scanner if you plan to scan documents
Please see Scanner Setup Notes, which are included in the Omni-
Form package, for a list of tested scanners
• Total system memory of at least 8MB RAM for Windows 95
(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.
Installing OmniForm and OmniForm Filler
This section describes how to install OmniForm and OmniForm Filler on
Windows 95 and on Windows NT 4.0.
Close all applications — including screen savers, virus checkers, and
mail applications — to free up memory before installing OmniForm.
Installing on a Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0 System
1 Start Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0.
2 Insert OmniForm’s CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive.
The Setup program should start automatically. If it does not,
click Start in the Taskbar and choose Settings

Control Panel.
The Control Panel appears.
• Double-click Add/Remove Programs.

Registering OmniForm
Installation and Setup 3
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.
3Select
OmniForm.
4 Follow all the instructions in the dialog boxes that appear. Dur-
ing installation, you will be prompted to enter a serial number.
You can find the serial number on the label of the CD-ROM.
OmniForm installs by default to the location c:\Program
Files. You can select another location if you wish.
5 To install the OmniForm Filler repeat the preceding instruc-
tions, but select OmniForm Filler when the install screen
appears instead of OmniForm.
Registering OmniForm
Registering your copy of OmniForm entitles you to technical support,
notification of special offers and upgrades, and the lowest price offered
on the next OmniForm upgrade.
You can use OmniForm for 25 sessions without registering it. The
Register dialog box appears the 26th time you launch OmniForm, and
the program exits if you do not register at that time.
If you purchased your product directly from Caere or if you are already
a registered user, you should not be prompted to register again.

Registering OmniForm
4 Installation and Setup
To register OmniForm by telephone:
1 Click the Register menu to open the Register dialog box.
This dialog box appears automatically the first time you start
OmniForm.
2 Locate the phone number for your country in the drop-down
list.
3 Call the phone number and ask for a registration number.
You will be asked to provide your serial and key numbers that
are listed in the Register dialog box.
4 Enter the registration number in the Register Number text box
and click OK.
The Registration menu disappears from the menu bar after you
register.
See “Caere Product Support” on page 9-14 for information on technical
support.
You will be asked to provide
your serial and key numbers.
When you get your registration
number, enter it here.
Closes the Register
dialog box without
registering.
Prints out your
registration
information.

Starting OmniForm
Installation and Setup 5
To register OmniForm at Caere’s Web site:
1 Click the Register menu to open the Register dialog box.
2 Open your Web browser and go to the following address:
http://www.caere.com/registration
3 Enter the requested information in the fields provided.
You will need to enter your serial number and key numbers
that are listed in the Register dialog box.
4 Click Submit Information when you are finished entering the
information.
You will be given a registration number.
5 Enter the registration number in the Registration Number text
box and click OK.
The Register menu disappears from the menu bar after you
register.
Starting OmniForm
This section describes how to launch OmniForm after it is installed.
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:
1 Click Start in the taskbar and choose Programs

Caere Applica-
tions

OmniForm 3.0.

Starting OmniForm
6 Installation and Setup
The Form Assistant dialog box appears. It contains six options.
Each is a basic OmniForm procedure.
2 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.
Click Cancel to close Form Assistant if you do not want to
choose a particular option.

Form Usage 1
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

Using Form Assistant
2 Form Usage
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.
Later, you might choose to use the commands in the standard toolbar or
menu. See Chapter 4, “OmniForm Procedures” for more information
about using the commands.
This section contains the following topics:
• Opening Form Assistant
• The Form Assistant Options
• Setting the Form Assistant Startup Option
Opening Form Assistant
There are several ways to open Form Assistant.
• Form Assistant opens automatically the first time you open
OmniForm.
Click Start in the Taskbar and choose Programs

Caere
Applications

OmniForm.
• If Form Assistant is not open, you can either click the Form
Assistant button in the standard toolbar at the top of the window,
or choose Form Assistant... in the File menu.
The Form Assistant dialog box contains six options for basic OmniForm
procedures as described in the next section. You can also select or
deselect the option Show on StartUp, which determines whether the
Form Assistant dialog box appears on startup.

Using Form Assistant
Form Usage #
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.
Fill in a Form
Select Fill in a form to fill the currently open form or to open a form and
fill it. See Chapter 6, Filling a Form, for more information.
Print a Form
Select Print a form to print the currently open form or to open a form and
print it.
Search a Form for Information
Select Search a form for information to search the currently open form for
information or to open a form and search it.
Work on a Form’s Design
Select Work on a form’s design to redesign the currently open form or to
open a form in design view. See Chapter 5, Designing a Form, for more
information.
Create a New, Blank Form
Select Create a new, blank form to open a blank page in design view.
Setting the Form Assistant Startup Option
You can enable or disable Form Assistant at startup. You can deselect
the Show on StartUp on the Form Assistant dialog box and click Close>.
OmniForm will open a blank form the next time you launch it.
Or, if you want the Form Assistant dialog box to show each time you
launch OmniForm, then make sure that the Show on StartUp on the Form
Assistant dialog box is selected.

Form Usage Options
4 Form Usage
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:
• Choosing a Form Usage Option
• Where to Select Form Usage Options
• Changing Form Usage
Choosing a Form Usage Option
Form usage affects the way you can use a form once it is in OmniForm.
Decide how you will use a form in OmniForm before you scan or import
it: as a designed form, as an original form, or as a nondesigned form image
as described below.
OmniForm uses Logical Form Recognition (LFR) to identify text,
rectangles, lines, fillable areas, and graphics when it designs a form
during scanning or import. The following table provides the three usage
options — designed, original, and nondesigned form — and
recommendations for your choice.
Choose Designed
Form when you
want:
Choose Original
Form when you
want:
Choose
Nondesigned Form
when you want:
full control over a form’s
design partial control over a form’s design to input a form of such poor quality that it
would cause recogni-
tion problems
to edit all form elements
in design view to maintain a form’s original look to draw new fillable objects on the form in
design view
to create new objects in
design view to create new fillable objects on the form in
design view
print or mail the form
only
to fill fields in fill view to fill fields in fill view

Form Usage Options
Form Usage #
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... in the File menu.
If you use Form Assistant, you can choose between the designed form
and original form options.
If you use the Scan Form... command, you can choose between the
designed form and nondesigned form options.
Form Assistant
You can choose to scan in or import either a designed form or an original
form in Form Assistant.
This dialog box is one of several in Form Assistant; it appears during the
scanning or import process.
Designed form option
Original form option

Form Usage Options
6 Form Usage
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.
Changing Form Usage
Choose Form Usage... in the View menu to change the way you can use a
form. For example:
•Ifyouhaveanoriginal form but decide to change the design, then
you would change the form to a designed form.
•Ifyouhaveadesigned form that you have edited but want to mail
the original form to someone, then you would change the form to
an original form.
There is no original view for a form that you design yourself in
OmniForm.
To change form usage:
1 Choose Form Usage... in the View menu.
The Form Usage dialog box appears.
Select this option for a
designed form. Deselect it
for a nondesigned form.

International Settings
Form Usage #
2 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.
•Select
Use Original Form to view the form as it looked
originally, before you scanned or imported it to OmniForm.
You can create, resize, move, delete, define, or change the
appearance of fillable fields with this option. Changes you
make to text, graphics, and nonfillable objects are not visible
until you select Use Designed Form.
3 Click OK.
Your form changes to reflect the selected option.
You can change the form usage from a nondesigned form to a designed
form. However, the form will be blank except for any fillable objects you
may have added.
International Settings
OmniForm supports different language and cultural conventions. You
can choose from 45 different locales in the International tab in the Options
dialog box. A locale — as defined for OmniForm usage — is a
combination of a language and a region. The language you select for a
particular region affects how your form displays currency, numbers,
and dates.
Selecting a Language for Your Form(s)
1 If you are in fill view, click the Design button in the standard
toolbar or choose Design in the View menu.
2 Choose Options... in the Tools menu.
3 Click the International tab.
There are two options: Current Form and New Forms.

International Settings
8 Form Usage
4 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.
You cannot change the language for this option if you open the
Options dialog box in fill view.
5 Select a language for the current form.
Changing the language of the current form could cause OmniForm
to misinterpret any data already entered in that form. OmniForm
warns you of this if at least one field is filled and you change the
Current Form selection.
6 Click New Forms.
The Language drop-down list displays the default language that
will be used for the next form you open, scan, or import.
The language selected for a new form will also become the
Current Form selection when that form opens in OmniForm.
7 Select a language for new forms.
8 Click OK.