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OmniForm
User’s Manual
CAERE CORPORATION
100 Cooper Court
Los Gatos, California
95032-3321 USA
Caere GmbH
Innere Wiener Strasse 5
81667 München, Germany
Caere UK Information Centre
3 Catherine Place
Westminster, London SW1E 6DX
Centre d’informations Caere
72, rue Baratte-Cholet
94100 Saint-Maur, France
Please Note
In order to use this application, 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
Version 4.0 for Windows 95, 98 and NT
Copyright© 1999 by Caere Corporation. All rights reserved. CAERE, Logical Form Recognition, and
OmniForm are registered 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.
ii
800-1310-030B
Table of Contents
Welcome
Chapter 1
Installation and Setup
Chapter 2
Form Usage
How OmniForm Uses Language Selections.............................................................20
Allow Multiple Languages Option ........................................................................22
Chapter 3
OmniForm Procedures
iii
Chapter 4
Designing a Form
iv
Converting an Object to Another Type of Object ..................................................107
Chapter 5
Advanced Features
Create or Use an AutoFill List From Another Source...........................................113
Creating an AutoFill List and Automatically Fill Fields ......................................126
Replacing Data Entered in a Field With New Data...............................................131
v
Object Commands ....................................................................................153
Chapter 6
Filling a Form
Current Form Language Selection: ...................................................168
Chapter 7
Managing an
OmniForm Database
vi
Chapter 8
Using Calculations
Recalculate...
Command ...........................................................................207
Chapter 9
Technical Information
Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) Automation Support .............................223
Glossary
vii
viii
Welcome
Welcome to OmniForm, and thank you for using our software!
OmniForm is the easiest 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.
The following documentation has been provided to help you learn about OmniForm.
This User’s Manual
This manual introduces you to the basics of using OmniForm. It includes installation and setup instructions, an introduction to
OmniForm, ways to help you design and fill in forms, how to manage databases and use calculations, and technical information.
OmniForm Online Help
OmniForm’s online help contains information on features, settings, and procedures. The online help conforms to Windows online help conventions and has been designed for quick and easy information
retrieval. Please see page 2 for information on using the online help.
Readme File
The Readme file contains last-minute information about the software.
Please read it before using OmniForm. To open this text file, click Start in the Windows taskbar and choose Programs Caere
Applications OmniForm Readme after OmniForm has been installed.
Scanner Setup Notes
The Scanner Setup Notes contains information about supported scanners and related issues. To open this PDF file, click Start in the Windows taskbar and choose Programs Caere Applications Caere
Documents Scanner Setup Notes after OmniForm has been installed.
1
Getting Online Help
Using This Manual
This manual is written with the assumption that you know how to work in the Windows environment. Please refer to your Windows documentation if you have questions about how to use dialog boxes, menu commands, scroll bars, drag and drop functionality, shortcut menus, and so on.
The following conventions are used in this manual.
Convention
Italicized text
Purpose
• Emphasizes menu commands, dialog box options, and labeled buttons
For example:
“Choose Open...
in the File menu.”
• Emphasizes new terms the first time they are used
• Emphasizes important words in a sentence
Note symbol
Warning symbol
Introduces a tip or an item of note
Introduces important information
Getting Online Help
In addition to using this manual, you can use OmniForm’s online help topics to learn about features and procedures. Online help is available after you install OmniForm.
OmniForm’s online help follows the conventions of Microsoft Windows
95 Help. Choose How to Use Help in OmniForm’s Help menu to get information on using Help.
2
Welcome
Getting Online Help
Help menu
Use the commands in the Help menu to find information about
OmniForm topics.
OmniForm Help is the first command in the Help menu.
Use it to get contents and index listings for all Help topics.
Select OmniForm Help to obtain OmniForm’s main Help topics. Select
Getting Started to begin OmniForm’s tutorials .
Select How to Use Help to get Microsoft Windows Help topics that explain how to use and customize Help. Select Product Support to find out how to get product support services for OmniForm. Select Tip of the Day... ( if a form is open) to obtain tips to help you use OmniForm. Select About OmniForm to get information about your version of OmniForm.
OmniForm Tutorials
OmniForm has four online tutorials to step you through the basics. If you have never used OmniForm before or you need to review some of the procedures, please go through these tutorials.
• In the first tutorial, Load and Fill a Form , you will scan (or import) and fill a Sample form (included in the OmniForm package) by using the Form Assistant.
• In the second tutorial, Edit and Design a Form , you will scan or import the Sample form into OmniForm again and learn to use the basic buttons and menu commands, verify and correct OCR, and modify the form.
• In the third tutorial, Design Your Own Form , you will create a form and learn how to create objects, define calculations, customize the form, set the tab order, and add a graphic.
• In the fourth tutorial, The OmniForm Database , you will use the form that you created in the third tutorial and learn some basics about OmniForm’s database as well as how to create and manipulate database records.
3
Product Support
Context-Sensitive Help
You can get on-the spot information about a particular OmniForm command, toolbar button, or dialog box option in the following ways:
• Click the Help button in the OmniForm design/fill 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.
• Click the question-mark button in the upper-right corner of a dialog box and then click an item in the dialog box to get a popup explanation for that item.
• Some dialog boxes have a Help button. Click Help to get information about that dialog box.
Product Support
For the fastest and easiest way to get help, please look for solutions in
this manual or in the online Help. See “General Troubleshooting
Solutions” on page 218 for troubleshooting tips.
If you need additional help, please use the following resources:
• Caere’s World Wide Web site
Go to Caere’s World Wide Web site for common questions and answers, updates, patches, troubleshooting procedures, and product information. Caere’s Web site address: http://www.caere.com
Alternatively, you can go directly to Caere’s product support Web site: http://support.caere.com
• OmniForm Readme file
Read the OmniForm Readme file for last-minute information about the software. This is available after installing OmniForm. To open the file, click Start in the Windows taskbar and choose
Programs Caere Applications Caere Documents OmniForm
Readme .
• Scanner Setup Notes
Read the Scanner Setup Notes document to learn about supported scanners and related issues. This document has been provided to you as an electronic document in PDF format. To open this document, click Start in the Windows taskbar and choose
Programs Caere Applications Caere Documents Scanner Setup
Notes .
4
Welcome
Product Support
• Caere Product Support document
Read the Caere Product Support document to get a list of support telephone numbers, including ones for international product support. This document has been provided to you as an electronic document in PDF format. To open this document, click
Start in the Windows taskbar and choose Programs Caere
Applications Caere Documents Product Support .
You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader 3.01 or greater installed if you want to read the Caere Product Support and Scanner Setup Notes
PDF documents. To install the Reader, click Start in the Windows taskbar and choose Programs Caere Applications Caere Documents
Acrobat Reader.
5
Product Support
6
Chapter 1
Installation and Setup
This chapter describes how to install OmniForm and begin using it.
For technical and troubleshooting information, please see Chapter 9,
“Technical Information.”
This chapter contains the following sections:
•
•
Installing OmniForm and OmniForm Filler
•
•
7
System Requirements
System Requirements
To install and run OmniForm, you need the following setup:
• Computer with an 80486 or higher processor
• VGA or SVGA monitor (24-bit display adapter recommended for color forms)
• Windows-compatible mouse
• CD-ROM drive
• A minimum of 25MB hard disk space for OmniForm and up to a maximum of 45MB
• A minimum of 10MB hard disk space for OmniForm Filler and up to a maximum of 20MB
• A compatible scanner if you plan to scan documents
Please see Scanner Setup Notes , which are included on your
OmniForm CD-ROM, for a list of tested scanners
• Total system memory of at least 16MB RAM (32MB recommended) for Windows 95 or 98, and Windows NT 4.0.
OmniForm 4.0 for Windows 95 or 98 and Windows NT 4.0 is a 32-bit application and will not run on earlier versions of Windows.
Installing OmniForm and OmniForm Filler
This section describes how to install OmniForm and OmniForm Filler on
Windows 95 or 98 and on Windows NT 4.0. If you have an older version of OmniForm, you might want to uninstall it before you install the latest version.
8
Close all applications — including screen savers, virus checkers, and mail applications — before installing OmniForm.
To install OmniForm and OmniForm Filler:
1 Start Windows.
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.
Registering OmniForm
• Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
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.
3 Select OmniForm 4.0
.
4 Follow all the instructions in the dialog boxes that appear.
During 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\Caere\OmniForm . You can select another location if you wish.
5 To install OmniForm Filler, repeat the preceding instructions, but select OmniForm Filler when the install screen appears instead of OmniForm 4.0
.
Registering OmniForm
Register your copy of OmniForm with Caere Corporation to receive notification of special offers and the best prices on product upgrades.
Some versions of OmniForm will only launch 25 times if you do not register it.
If you purchased your product directly from Caere or if you were previously registered, you may not need to register again. If your version of OmniForm does not display a Register menu, then you do not need to register.
To register OmniForm:
1 Click the Register menu to open the Register dialog box.
2 Click Register Now .
3 Fill out the information requested on the screen and then click
Next> .
Installation and Setup 9
Starting OmniForm
4 Follow the instructions on the screen.
OmniForm will decide on the best method of registration according to your country and computer system. It may try using modem, FTP, or HTTP (Internet) connections to transmit your registration information directly. Or, it may prompt you to call a phone number or print out and mail in your registration information.
After registration is complete, you will be given a registration number.
Be sure to write that number down and keep it handy in case you need to use it for reinstallation. If you reinstall OmniForm using your registration number on the same computer, you will not have to go through the entire registration process again to reregister it.
To reregister OmniForm after reinstallation:
1 Click the Register menu to open the Register dialog box.
2 Click Reregister .
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
Applications OmniForm 4.0
.
10
Installation and Setup
Starting OmniForm
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 3, “OmniForm Procedures,” for detailed information on the basic OmniForm procedures. Or, if you are new to OmniForm try the online tutorials. Click Getting Started in the Help menu to access the tutorials.
Click Cancel to close Form Assistant if you do not want to choose a particular option.
11
Starting OmniForm
12
Chapter 2
Form Usage
This chapter describes basic OmniForm concepts you should know before scanning, importing or designing a new form. It includes the following sections:
13
Using Form Assistant
Using Form Assistant
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 design toolbar or menu. See Chapter 3, “OmniForm Procedures,” for more information about using the commands.
This section contains the following topics:
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 4.0
.
• If Form Assistant is not open, you can either click the Form
Assistant button in the design 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.
14
Form Usage
Using Form Assistant
Form Assistant Options
This section gives a brief description of each option in Form Assistant.
Through a series of dialog boxes, 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 4, “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.
15
Form Usage Options
Form Usage Options
Form usage affects the way you can use a form once it is in OmniForm.
This section contains the following topics:
• Choosing a Form Usage Option
• Where to Select Form Usage Options
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.
Choosing a Form Usage Option
The following table provides the three usage options — designed, original, and nondesigned form — and recommendations for your choice.
Choose Designed
Form when you want: full control over a form’s design
Choose Original
Form when you want: partial control over a form’s design to edit all form elements in design view to maintain a form’s original look
Choose
Nondesigned Form when you want: to input a form of such poor quality that it would cause recognition problems to draw new fillable objects on the form in design view print or mail the form only to create new objects in design view
to fill fields in fill view to create new fillable objects on the form in design view to fill fields in fill view
See Chapter 4, “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.
16
Form Usage Options
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.
Form Assistant
You can choose to scan in or import either a designed form or an original form in Form Assistant.
Designed form option
Original form option
This dialog box is one of several in Form Assistant and appears during
the scanning or import process. See “Form Assistant Options” on page
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. Deselect it for a nondesigned form.
Form Usage 17
Form Usage Options
Changing Form Usage
Choose Form Usage...
in the View menu to change the way you can use a form. For example:
• If you have an original form but decide to change the design, then you would change the form to a designed form.
• If you have a designed 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.
18
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.
International Settings
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.
To Select a Language for Your Form:
1 If you are in fill view, click the Design button in the design toolbar or choose Design in the View menu.
2 Choose Options...
in the Tools menu.
3 Click the International tab.
Two options are Current Form and New Forms.
4 Click Current Form.
Form Usage
The Language drop-down list displays the language being used for the currently open form. If you have the International
English, French, or German versions of OmniForm or if you have multiple dictionaries, a dictionary in this language will also be used during a spell check.
19
International Settings
20
You can only change the language for this option if you open the
Options dialog box in design view.
5 Select a language for the current form.
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.
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 symbol that appears in the status bar when a form is currently open.
The New Form language selection affects:
• The formatting of currency, number, and date entries in new forms you create by scanning or importing, or by choosing New in the
File menu.
• The international symbol that appears in the status bar when a form is not open.
Control Panel Selections
Selections made in the International tab do not affect selections made in the Regional Settings control panel.
Only the List Separator option in these control panels affects how data is displayed in OmniForm.
The Options Dialog Box Readouts
Below the Language selection, OmniForm displays readouts: the international symbol for the selected language (which appears in the status bar); and currency, number, and date conventions specific to that language.
Form Usage
International Settings
The readouts show:
• How OmniForm expects data to be entered in fill view.
• How OmniForm will format data in fill view if it is not entered correctly. (Formatting takes place after you move the cursor out of a field.) See the next section for formatting examples.
Formatting Examples
Currency
If you select German (Austrian) as the Current Form language, the numbers 123456 entered in an appropriately defined currency field would display as öS 1.234,56 .
If you select German (Liechtenstein) as the Current Form language, the numbers would display as CHF 1’234.56
.
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.
Mai 1996 .
Euro Currency Symbol
Select the Use euro currency symbol to format currency fields with the euro currency symbol. You can use this feature if your system supports the euro currency symbol, that is, it can be entered via the keyboard, displayed on your screen, and printed.
21
International Settings
The Scan Form Dialog Box
The New Form language selection appears in the Options dialog box, which is selected from the Scan Form dialog box.
22
You cannot change the New
Forms language if you select this option.
Click Options...
to view the current language for your form or to change the language selection.
• Click Options...
to view the language of your current form and to change the language for your new form.
You cannot change the New Form language selection if Add Page(s) to Current Form is checked because a language is already associated with the current form. A form can have only one language.
• If you select Add Page(s) to Current Form , the Language display changes to reflect the Current Form language if it is different.
The Object Definition Dialog Box Options
The Current Form language selection affects available formatting options for fillable objects defined as Number, Date, or Currency in the Object
Definition dialog box. For example, the long-date format for English
(United States) is MMMM dd, yyyy . The long-date format for German
(Standard) is d.MMMM yyyy .
The Allow Multiple Languages Option
How it Works
You can select Allow Multiple Languages in the Scan Form dialog box (by first clicking Options... in this dialog box and then selecting the
Recognition tab) for multiple-language forms. OmniForm then recognizes all characters in all languages that it supports. The setting does not affect the language(s) selected for your form in the Options dialog box and vice versa.
Form Usage
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.
Do not select Allow Multiple Languages for a single-language form. OCR may not be as efficient with dictionaries turned off.
Selecting the New Forms Language
Determine which language composes the majority of your form and select that as the New Form s language before scanning. To do so, click
Options...
in the Scan Form dialog box.
Remember that the selected language affects sort order and how dates,
numbers, and currency are formatted in fill view. See “Spell Checking
Multiple Languages” on page 169 for information on spell-checking a
form with multiple languages.
23
International Settings
24
Chapter 3
OmniForm Procedures
This chapter describes basic OmniForm procedures, including the following sections:
• Importing an Existing Electronic Form
• Publishing a Form to the Web
25
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 14.
You can scan paper forms directly into OmniForm if you have a scanner.
Forms should be blank with crisp, dark text for best results. OmniForm can scan black-and-white and color forms.
You can use the Sample Form included with your OmniForm package as a test page.
To scan a paper form:
1 Place your form in your scanner.
2 Click the Scan button in the design toolbar or choose Scan
Form...
in the File menu.
The Scan Form dialog box appears.
26
3 Select Scanner in the Source box.
4 If you are scanning a form that contains color (text or background) and you want the color to be recognized, then select the Scan in color check box.
OmniForm will not scan in grayscale.
Scanning a Paper Form
5 Click Set Up Scanner...
to choose a page size and adjust scanning brightness.
• 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).
• Select how light or dark the scanned image will be under
Brightness.
Select Lighten if the form has very thick or run-together text, or if the background is smudged, shaded, or colored .
Select Normal if the form has crisp, black text and objects are on a white background.
Select Darken if the form has very thin or broken text such as a poor-quality fax or a copy of a copy.
OmniForm Procedures
Thick, dark text.
Select Lighten.
Crisp, black text .
Select Normal .
Thin, broken text .
Select Darken .
6 Click OK to return to the Scan Form dialog box.
7 Select an option in the Orientation drop-down list.
• Select Auto to have OmniForm determine orientation automatically.
• Select Portrait for a vertically oriented page.
• Select Landscape for a horizontally oriented page.
27
Scanning a Paper Form
28
• Select Flipped to automatically rotate a portrait page 180 degrees during the scan.
• Select Flipscape to automatically rotate a landscape page 180 degrees during the scan.
The Flipped and Flipscape options are useful for scanning pages in a book that needs to be turned upside down or sideways.
8 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.
• Deselect Auto Form Design to scan a form without recognizing form design. Text and fillable fields are not recognized.
This is useful if you just want to print or mail a form, or if the form is of such poor quality that it would cause recognition problems.
• Select Auto Form Straightening to have OmniForm automatically straighten a crooked page.
This is useful if you scan a page in a large, unevenly cut, or thick document that is difficult to position correctly.
• Select Add Page(s) to Current Form to make the newly scanned page the next page in the current form.
This option is only available if a form is open.
9 Click Options... in the Scan Form dialog box and then click the
Recognition tab to set recognition options for your form.
• Select Allow Multiple Languages if you have a form with multiple languages and you want OmniForm to recognize more than one language.
This setting does not affect the language setting in the
International tab. Do not select this setting for a single language form because optical character recognition (OCR) may not be as efficient.
• Select Find Calculations automatically if your form has calculations and you want OmniForm to recognize the calculations.
• Select Find Hyperlinks automatically if your form contains hyperlinks and you want OmniForm to recognize the hyperlinks. This option is only available if you are importing a form.
OmniForm Procedures
Scanning a Paper Form
• Select Detect paper color automatically if your form’s background has color and you want OmniForm to recognize the color during OCR. If you deselect this option, the form’s background will be detected as white.
• Select Show Proofreader after recognition to open the
Proofreader after your form has been recognized. See
“Proofing a Form” on page 32 for more information.
• Click Font Mapping...
to open the Font Mapping dialog box. In this dialog box you select options to retain the font characteristics of your form during OCR.
Select the fonts you want mapped to each font type and click
OK when you are done.
10 Click Options... in the Scan Form dialog box and then click the
International tab to make sure the appropriate language is selected. If you need to change the language for your new form, select an option in the Language drop-down list.
See “International Settings” on page 19 for more information on
international options.
Click OK to return to the Scan Form dialog box.
11 Click OK in the Scan Form dialog box to begin scanning.
OmniForm scans the form. The OmniForm window displays the scanning, designing, and straightening progress if you selected those options.
If your scanner does not allow you to stop the scanning process, then the Stop button will be grayed out.
29
Importing an Image File
How your form appears depends on whether or not you chose
Auto Form Design in the Scan Form dialog box.
12 Click the Save button in the design toolbar or choose Save...
in the File menu to name and save your file.
Color forms generally use more memory than black-and-white forms.
If you are scanning a color form and are concerned about the amount of memory you might use, do not save your color form image with the file. Choose Save As...
in the file menu, name your file, and deselect
Save original form(s) with form file . Click Save to save your file.
If you have selected Show Proofreader after recognition , the
Proofreader window appears to the left of the main window. For
more information, please see “Proofing a Form” on page 32.
13 Begin to edit or fill your form.
.See Chapter 4, “Designing a Form,” for detailed information on defining, moving, resizing, and creating fields, as well as other design functions
See Chapter 6, “Filling a Form,” for detailed information on the kinds of fields you may find on a form and how to fill them.
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 14.
OmniForm can import and recognize black-and-white and 24-bit color forms in either PCX or TIFF format. Image resolution must be 200, 300, or 400 dots per inch (dpi) for black-and-white forms, and 300 dpi for color forms. If you have a fax modem, for example, you can receive a faxed form and use the fax program’s software to save the file in PCX or
TIFF format. OmniForm offers the same import options for image files as it does for scanned forms.
OmniForm automatically detects color/black-and-white forms when processing an image file.
30
Importing an Image File
To import an image file as a form:
1 Click the Scan button in the design toolbar or choose Scan
Form...
in the File menu.
The Scan Form dialog box appears.
2 Select Image File(s) in the Source box to recognize a form in a supported image format.
OmniForm Procedures
3 Click Select Files .
The Select Files dialog box appears.
• Locate and select a file. This could be a form created in another program or one received as a fax file.
• Click Add File to add the file to the Files to Process list box.
• Click OK to return to the Scan Form dialog box when you are done.
4 Follow steps 5 through 8 in the preceding section, “To scan a paper form:”
5 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.
6 Click the Save button in the design toolbar or choose Save...
in the File menu to name and save your file.
7 If you have selected Show Proofreader after recognition , the
Proofreader window appears to the left of the main window. For
more information, please see “Proofing a Form” on page 32.
31
Proofing a Form
8 Begin to fill or edit your form.
See Chapter 4, “Designing a Form,” for detailed information on defining, moving, resizing, and creating fields, as well as other design functions.
See Chapter 6, “Filling a Form,” for detailed information on the kinds of fields you may find on a form and how to fill them.
Proofing a Form
After you scan or import an image file, you can use the Proofreader option to make improvements to your form. If you have selected Show
Proofreader after recognition , the Proofreader window appears to the left of the main window immediately after you scan or import a form.
Proofing toolbar
Proofreader window
32
Click Next> to begin the
Proofreader.
If the Proofreader does not appear, choose Proofreader in the Tools menu.
If you do not want the Proofreader window to appear, you can turn it off. Choose Options...
in the Tools menu and click the Recognition tab. In the Recognition tab, deselect Show Proofreader after recognition .
To begin proofing:
1 Click Next> in the Proofreader window and follow all instructions in the panels that appear.
2 Click Finish to display the Proofreader Index panel.
The following Proofreader window appears.
Proofing a Form
Proofreader Index panel: The red bullet indicates what will be displayed in the
Proofreader
Instruction panel.
Proofreader
Instruction panel:
This panel displays all the options in the Proofreader.
This window displays all the options in the Proofreader. Click a bulleted topic in the Proofreader Index panel to display that section in the Proofreader Instruction panel.
To close the Proofreader window, click the Tools button in the design toolbar.
Or, click the X button in the upper-right corner of the
Proofreader window.
The Proofing Toolbar
Use the proofing toolbar to edit your form. To view the proofing toolbar, select Toolbars in the View menu and then select Proofing in the dropdown menu. Or, click the Toolbar button in the Final Adjustments
Instruction panel.
Format Painter tool
Line Convert tool
Tab Group tool
Proofing Options tool
Object Stamp tool Field Name tool
OmniForm Procedures 33
Filling a Form
If you would like to keep this toolbar on your desktop, see “Customizing
Toolbars” on page 58 for more information. See the online help or the
panels in the Proofreader for more information about how to use this toolbar.
Filling a Form
This section describes how to fill a form. You can also use the Form
Assistant dialog box to fill a form. See “Using Form Assistant” on page
To fill a form:
1 If you have a form open and are in design view, click the Fill button in the design toolbar or choose Fill in the View menu.
2 Click in a field to place the cursor in the first field.
3 Type the information you want to enter.
4 Press the Tab key to move to the next field.
Press Shift-Tab to move to the previous field.
5 Continue to fill fields in this way.
See Chapter 6, “Filling a Form,” for more information.
Printing a Form
This section describes how 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” on page 14.
Before you Print Your Form
Before you print your form, you can use the Page Setup dialog box to select the paper size, margins, orientation, and color. To change the color
of your form, see “Adding Color to a Form” on page 92
You can print forms with different page sizes, margins, orientations
(portrait and landscape) and color.
To set up your form for printing:
1 Choose Page Setup... in the File menu.
The Page Setup dialog box appears.
2 In the Page Setup dialog box select/fill in your options for Paper ,
Orientation and Margins .
34
Printing a Form
3 Select an option in the Apply to drop-down list.
• Select Current page only to have your selections apply to only the current page.
• Select Current page forward to have your selections apply to the current page of your form and all subsequent pages.
• Select All pages to have your selections apply to all the pages of your form.
4 Click OK to apply your options and close the dialog box.
To print your form:
1 Click the Print button in the design toolbar or choose Print...
in the File menu.
The Print dialog box appears.
This is how the dialog box looks in fill view.
OmniForm Procedures
2 Select an option in the Form/Data drop-down list.
• Select Form and Data to print all text, graphics, and any information in fillable fields.
• Select Data Only to print just the information you have typed in the fillable fields. This is useful if you want to print data over a preprinted form.
• Select Form Only to print a blank form.
35
Printing a Form
3 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.
• Select Current Record Set to print the current found set of records.
• Select All Records to print every record in the database.
4 Select Collate to assemble multiple printed copies in the proper sequence.
This option is only available if your form has more than one page and your printer supports collating.
5 Enter offset measurements under Print offsets for data if you wish .
This is useful if you want to position data in a specific place on the page. This option is only available if Data Only is selected in the Form/Data drop-down list.
6 Select Use macro to print form if you have a macro programming utility installed and want to print a stored print file. This option is only available if you have set a macro number.
See “Printing Your Form as a Macro” on page 37 for
information.
7 Select Print Paper Color if you want to print the background color of your form.
8 Select any other print options you want.
9 Click OK.
OmniForm prints your form with the selected settings.
The Print to File dialog box appears after you click OK if you have selected the Print to file option in the Print dialog box.
Select a location for the file, type a file name in the File name text box, and click OK.
Importing an Existing Electronic Form
Using the Print to OmniForm driver, you can print an electronic form
(created from any Windows application) to OmniForm. OmniForm adds this driver as a printer to the Windows Printer Group during installation. If you do not have this feature, reinstall OmniForm and make sure that the Print to OmniForm Support option is selected in the
Additional Components dialog box. Then, use the following instructions:
36
Printing a Form
To print your form to OmniForm:
1 Open the form in the application in which it was created.
Remove any colored or shaded background from the form.
2 Choose Print in the File menu.
3 Select OmniForm in the Name drop-down list.
4 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 4, “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. OmniForm forms are compatible with the Kelly FlashSIMM for Hewlett-Packard laser printers. Please contact Kelly Computer Systems at (415) 960-1010 for more information.
To set up a form as a macro:
1 Open or scan in the form you want to translate to a macro.
2 If the form opens in fill view, click the Design button in the fill toolbar or choose Design in the View menu to switch to design view.
3 Choose Print...
in the File menu.
The Print dialog box appears.
See page 35 for detailed information on the Print dialog box.
4 Type a number in the Macro Number text box.
5 Select Print to File and click OK.
6 Use your macro program to locate the file and assign it the same macro number that you entered in the Print dialog box.
7 Download the file to the flash device in your printer.
See your utility program’s documentation for detailed instructions.
To print a macro:
1 Launch OmniForm and open the form that you want to print.
2 Choose Print...
in the File menu to open the Print dialog box.
3 Select Use macro to print form.
OmniForm Procedures 37
Searching a Form
4 Select any other options that you want and click OK.
See your macro programming utility documentation for an explanation of the way a stored macro is printed.
Searching a Form
This section describes how to perform a search on a form. You can also
use the Form Assistant dialog box to search a form. See “Using Form
To search a form:
1 If you have a form open and are in design view, click the Fill button in the design toolbar or choose Fill in the View menu.
2 Choose Search... in the Records menu.
The Search dialog box appears
38
3 Select the field to search in the Field Name drop-down list.
4 Select how to search for the information in the Condition dropdown list.
5 Type the information to find in the Value text box.
6 Select which records to search.
• Select Search All Records in the Database to search all records in the current database.
• Select Only Search Current Record Set to search the current found set of records. This option is only available after a search.
7 Click OK.
OmniForm searches the records and finds any that contain the information you specified.
See “Searching Records for Information” on page 179 for detailed
information on searching.
Creating a New Form
Creating a New Form
This section describes how to create a new form. You can also use the
Form Assistant dialog box to create a new form. See “Using Form
See Chapter 4, “Designing a Form,” for detailed information on form design.
To create a new form:
1 Click the New button in the design toolbar or choose New in the
File menu.
OmniForm opens a blank form in design view.
2 Use the design view tools to create fields and objects on your new form.
Opening a Form
This section describes how to open a form.
To open a form:
1 Click Start in the Taskbar and choose Programs Caere
Applications OmniForm 4.0
.
Click Cancel in the Form Assistant dialog box if it appears.
2 Click the Open button in the design toolbar or choose Open...
in the File menu.
OmniForm Procedures 39
Mailing a Form
The Open dialog box appears.
3 Make sure OmniForm Form is selected in the Files of type dropdown list.
4 Locate and select a file.
5 Click Open .
The form opens in the last view in which it was saved: design or fill. You can switch the view if you wish.
6 If you are in design view and want to switch to fill view, click the fill view button on the design toolbar.
See Chapter 4, “Designing a Form,” for detailed information on defining, moving, resizing, and creating fields, as well as other design functions.
7 If you are in fill view and want to switch to design view, click the design view button on the fill toolbar.
See Chapter 6, “Filling a Form,” for detailed information on the kinds of fields you may find on a form and how to fill them.
Mailing a Form
This section describes how to select a mail system and mail a form from
OmniForm.
You must have either Lotus cc:Mail (2.0 and above)/Lotus Notes or
Microsoft Exchange/Outlook installed to mail a form.
To select a mail system:
1 Choose Options...
in the Tools menu in either fill or design view.
40
The Options dialog box appears.
Mailing a Form
OmniForm Procedures
2 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.
3 Click OK.
To send a form:
1 Open or scan in the form that you want to send.
2 Click either the design or fill view button in the design toolbar.
(You can also choose Design or Fill in the View menu.) In design view you have two options: you can send only the form or send the form as a mailable filler. In fill view you have several options: you can send only the form, only the data, form and data, or send the form as a mailable filler.
3 Choose Send in the File menu.
The following Mail Options dialog box is for fill view.
41
Mailing a Form
42
4 Select an option.
• 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. This option is available only in fill view.
• Select Send the Form only to send the form as it would appear in design view, without any information in the fillable fields.
• Select Send as a Mailable Filler to send the current form and have it filled out by a user who does not have OmniForm.
• Select Include the current record to include the current record that you have open. This option is available only in fill view.
5 If you are in design view or you are sending a mailable filler, proceed to step 8.
6 If you are in fill view and not sending a mailable filler, you can also specify a range of records to send.
Click Range...
to open the Record Range dialog box and specify a range of records to send.
If you do not specify a range, OmniForm will send all records by default.
7 Specify a range.
• Select All Records to send all records in the current database.
• Select Current Record Set to send the current found set of records. This option is available after a search.
Type the first record number to send in the From text box and the last record number to send in the To text box to specify a range of records.
• Click OK to return to the Mail Options dialog box.
8 Click OK in the Mail Options dialog box.
A dialog box with your mail application program (either Lotus
CC: Mail/Notes or Microsoft Exchange/Outlook) appears.
Saving a Form
9 Enter the 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 message and form as specified.
Adding a Routing Slip
Microsoft Exchange/Outlook users can add a routing slip to mail. See the Microsoft Exchange/Outlook documentation for detailed information.
To add a routing slip:
1 Open or scan in the form to send.
2 Choose Add Routing Slip...
in the File menu.
The Add Routing Slip dialog box appears.
3 Select the recipients and other routing information.
4 You can either send the document now or later.
• Click Route to route the document.
• Click Add Slip to close the dialog box without routing the form.
Saving a Form
This section explains how to save your form and how to use the Save
As...
and Save As Mailable Filler...
commands. You can save your form in a variety of formats.
To save your form:
Click the Save button or choose Save in the File menu. You can save your form at any time in either fill or design view.
OmniForm saves your form in the default format: OmniForm
Form.
OmniForm Procedures 43
Saving a Form
44
To save your form in various formats:
1 Choose Save As...
in the File menu.
The Save As dialog box appears.
2 Select an option from the Save as type drop-down list.
• Select OmniForm Form to save to OmniForm’s default format.
• Select OmniForm 3.0 Form to save to OmniForm’s 3.0 version.
• Select OmniForm 2.0 Form to save to OmniForm’s 2.0 version.
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 4.0 may not be displayed or printed in the 2.0 version.
• Select OFML 2.0
to save to Caere’s OmniForm Markup
Language (OFML), version 2.0.
• Select OFML 1.0
to save to Caere’s OmniForm Markup
Language (OFML), version 1.0. OFML 1.0 is compatible to
OmniForm Internet Publisher, version 2.02.
• Select HTML to save the form to Hyper Text Markup
Language (HTML).
You can see how a form looks in HTML before you convert it to HTML. Open a form and choose Preview in Browser...
in the
File menu. The Preview in Browser dialog box appears. Select a browser and click Preview . Your form appears in the selected browser.
• Select PDF to save to a Portable Document Format.
• Select Microsoft Word (RTF) to save the form in the Microsoft
Word rich text format.
3 Type the name of your file in the File name text box if necessary.
4 Click Add to PageKeeper if you would like to link the saved form in PageKeeper’s default folder. This setting only appears if you have PageKeeper installed on your system.
5 Depending on the Save as type option you have selected, do one of the following:
• If you have selected OmniForm Form , OmniForm 3.0 Form ,
OmniForm 2.0 Form , OFML 2.0
, or OFML 1.0
, click Save and
OmniForm saves the form to your chosen format.
• If you have selected Microsoft Word (RTF ), click Options...
and
• If you have selected HTML , click Options...
and proceed to
Saving a Form
• If you have selected PDF , click Options...
To set your options for Word conversion:
1 Select an option under Word Version .
OmniForm Procedures
2 Select an option under Line Retention .
• Select None if you do not want the converter to change the text to fit the lines.
• Select Size line by Scaling (Word 97 only) to change the width of the characters to fit the lines.
• Select Size line by Character Spacing in order to change the amount of space between the characters to fit the lines.
3 Click OK to close the dialog box.
4 Click Save to save your form to your chosen format.
OmniForm converts your form to the Microsoft Word format.
Open the converted form in Microsoft Word and select Page
Layout in the View menu. You can now modify the form’s design.
To fill in the form’s fields, you must protect your form. To do so, first select Protect Document in the Tools menu, and then select
Forms in the Protect Document For text box. If you decide to modify the protected form’s design, you must select Unprotect
Document in the Tools menu before you can modify the form.
Please refer to your Microsoft Word documentation for more information.
45
Saving a Form
To set your options for HTML conversion:
1 Select an option under HTML Version .
46
• Select HTML Version 4.0 & CSS to support HTML version 4.0 and cascading style sheets, which provide the exact placement of objects on a form.
• Select HTML Version 3.2
to support HTML versions earlier than 4.0.
2 In the option under Form Fields, select whether you want to add a submit button, a reset button, or both.
• Select Submit Button to add a submit button to the bottom of your form. This will allow you to submit your form to a Web address after your form has been converted. To do so, first type the Web address in the Submission tab of the Properties
dialog box. See “Setting Submission Information” on page 136
for more information.
• Select Reset Button to add a reset button to the bottom of your form. This will allow you to clear the information from the form’s fields after your form has been converted to HTML.
3 If you have selected HTML Version 4.0 & CSS , select an option under Browser Support (Version 4.0) . You can select Microsoft
Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator .
You can also choose to have both browsers supported. If you select Both Browsers Supported the file will contain HTML for both browsers and will double the file size, increase download times and decrease performance.
Saving a Form
4 Select Calculation and Validation Support if you want calculations, validation, and field formatting options to be converted.
5 Select Convert Tables to Layers if you have tables and other objects on your form and you want to maintain the position of the objects.
6 Click OK to close the dialog box.
7 Click Save to save your form to your chosen format.
OmniForm converts your form to HTML with your selected options.
To set your options for PDF conversion:
1 Select an option under the Image Compression box.
OmniForm Procedures
Select Compress using Zip if your file is large and you want to compress it. If you have selected the compression option, you can also select the Convert to 7-bit ASCII format . This option converts your compressed file back to an ASCII format.
2 In the option under Form Fields, select whether you want your form’s fields converted and if you want to add a submit button, a reset button, or both.
• Select Convert Fields so that you will be able to fill all the fields on the form after your form has been converted to a PDF. The form retains the field’s definition. For example, if the form’s field has been defined as a text field, you will be able to fill that field with text. Likewise, if the form’s field has been defined as a check box, you will be able to fill that box with a check mark.
47
Saving a Form
• Select Submit Button to add a submit button to the bottom of your form. This will allow you to submit your form to a Web address after your form has been converted. To do so, first type the Web address in the Submission tab of the Properties
dialog box. See “Setting Submission Information” on page 136
for more information.
• Select Reset Button to add a reset button to the bottom of your form. This will allow you to clear the information from the form’s fields after your form has been converted to a PDF.
3 Click OK to close the dialog box.
4 Click Save to save your form to your chosen format.
OmniForm converts your form to a PDF with your selected options.
To save as a Mailable Filler:
The mailable filler option is a limited function filler that allows other users, who do not have OmniForm installed, to receive and fill out
OmniForm forms. This option is also a limited license usage, that is, you can use it for up to 100 licenses (and each license can be used once for a specific form).
1 Choose Save As Mailable Filler...
in the File menu.
The Save As dialog box appears.
48
2 Select OmniForm Mailable Filler in the Save as type text box.
3 Type the name of your file in the File name text box if necessary.
4 Click Save .
OmniForm saves the form as a mailable filler. You can then send it electronically to a user to fill out and have the user return it to you in the same manner.
Publishing a Form to the Web
Publishing a Form to the Web
OmniForm can easily publish your forms on intranets and to the
Internet.
To publish forms to the Web you will need Microsoft’s Web Publishing
Wizard installed on your system. If your system does not have Microsoft
Web Publishing Wizard installed, you can obtain this Wizard by 1) installing the full application of Internet Explorer 4.0 and above, 2) downloading the Web Publishing Wizard from Microsoft’s Web site, or
3) installing the Web Publishing Wizard from the Windows 98 installation CD if you are running Windows 98.
To publish a form to the Web:
1 Do one of the following:
• Scan a paper form
See “Scanning a Paper Form” on page 26.
• Import an existing PCX or TIFF form file.
See “Importing an Image File” on page 30.
• Open an existing OmniForm (OFM) or OmniForm Markup
Language (OFML) form.
See “Opening a Form” on page 39.
• Create your own design.
See Chapter 4, “Designing a Form.”
2 After you have your form ready to publish, choose Publish To
Web...
in the File menu.
The following dialog box appears.
OmniForm Procedures 49
Publishing a Form to the Web
3 Select whether you want to publish the current form or previously saved forms.
• Select Publish the current form to publish the form you have open.
• Select Publish previously saved forms to publish saved forms.
4 Click Next> .
• If you have selected Publish the current form
• If you have selected Publish previously saved forms , enter the file name or folder name in the dialog box that appears and proceed to step 8.
50
If you have entered a folder name, all files in that folder will be published to the Web. If you have also selected Include subfolders , all subfolders in that folder will be published to the
Web.
5 Select the type of file you would like to publish in the dialog box that appears.
Publishing a Form to the Web
You can select OmniForm Form , OmniForm 3.0
, OmniForm 2.0
,
OFML 2.0
, OFML 1.0
, HTML , PDF or Microsoft Word (RTF) . For
information about these file types, see page 44.
OmniForm Procedures
• If you have chosen HTML , PDF , or Microsoft Word (RTF) , click
Options...
to set specific formatting options. For information
about these options, see page 44.
• If you have selected OmniForm Form , OmniForm 3.0
,
OmniForm 2.0
, or Microsoft Word (RTF)
• If you have selected OFML 2.0
, OFML 1.0
, HTML or PDF , click
Next>
6 Enter an action (that is, where your data will be sent after it is submitted) in the Action text box.
It will be saved in the drop-down list for selection the next time you open this dialog box.
51
Publishing a Form to the Web
• The action could point to a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) script on a Web server; for example: http://www.caere.com/location-bin/script.pl
This would tell OmniForm to submit data to a script on
Caere’s Web server.
• If the file is saved as HTML or PDF, the action could be an email address; for example: mailto:[email protected]
The form data would be submitted to that e-mail address.
7 Select a means of submitting data in the Method drop-down list.
• Select GET to append text to the Universal Resource Locator
(URL) specified in the Action drop-down list.
• Select POST to notify the Web server to open the CGI application and pass the data to it.
8 Click Next> .
Microsoft’s Web Publishing Wizard appears. Follow all the dialog boxes in this wizard to publish your form to the Web.
The Web Toolbar
Use the web toolbar to preview your form in a browser, to access the
Publish Wizard, and to access the Hyperlink options. To view the web toolbar, select Toolbars in the View menu and then select Web in the drop-down menu.
Preview in Browser
Hyperlink
Publish
If you would like to keep this toolbar on your desktop, see “Customizing
Toolbars” on page 58 for more information. See the online help for more
information about each button in this toolbar.
OmniForm Internet Filler
After you publish a form to an intranet or the Internet, you can have users fill in your form by using OmniForm Internet Filler. The Internet
Filler is an easy-to-use version of OmniForm that has a fill view but no design view. Therefore, Filler users cannot edit the form’s design in any way.
52
OmniForm Procedures
Publishing a Form to the Web
OmniForm Internet Filler can operate within a Web browser or on its own. When it runs within a browser, you can hyperlink to an OFML form and fill it out online. When it runs on its own, you can work with
OFML forms off-line.
Installing OmniForm Internet Filler
OmniForm Internet Filler is included on your CD-ROM.
Close all applications — including screen savers, virus checkers, and mail applications — before installing OmniForm.
To install OmniForm Internet Filler:
1 Start Windows.
2 Insert OmniForm’s CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive.
3 Click Start in the Taskbar and choose Programs Windows
Explorer (if you have Windows 95 or 98) or NT Explorer (if you have Windows NT).
4 Locate InetFill on the CD-ROM.
5 Select Oif32.exe
(to install the 32-bit version) or Oif16.exe
(to install the 16-bit version).
6 Follow all the instructions in the dialog boxes that appear.
OmniForm Internet Filler installs by default to the location c:\Program Files\OmniForm Internet Filler . You can select another location if you wish.
See Chapter 6, “Filling a Form,” for more information about filling a form.
53
Publishing a Form to the Web
54
Chapter 4
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:
• Changing Object Appearance on a Form
The OmniForm\Sample Forms folder contains several sample forms that you can use or redesign for your needs.
55
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 “Editing a Form” on page 95 for information on how you can change
existing forms.
To design a new form:
1 Choose New in the File menu to open a new, blank form.
2 Choose Page Setup...
in the File menu.
3 Select page size, orientation, and margins, and click OK.
4 Choose Save As...
in the File menu.
5 Assign a name and location for your form, and then click OK.
Remember to save periodically so you do not lose any work.
6
Use the drawing toolbar to create objects on the form. See page
62 for more information on creating objects.
7 Choose Object Definition...
in the Format menu to define the objects that you have created.
You can assign unique names, filling, and validation properties for each object.
8 Choose Object Appearance...
in the Format menu to set the new object’s appearance if necessary.
You can set borders, background color, and other properties.
9 Use the font/text toolbar to format both text objects and fillable
objects. See page 62 for more information.
Text entered in fill view will take on the formatting that you specify in design view.
10 Drag the objects where you want them on the form and use the
arrange toolbar to align them. See page 63 for more information.
11 Choose Tab Order in the Tools menu to set a logical tabbing order for filling the form when it is in fill view.
12 Test your form in fill view.
56
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 fill 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.
The design view window (after registration) contains five toolbars and seven menus. If you have not registered your product with Caere, the window will have eight menus, including one for registration.
Design toolbar
Font/text toolbar
Arrange toolbar
Drawing toolbar
Proofing toolbar
The Status bar displays current activity and settings.
The design view window also contains the calculation toolbar. Choose
Calculation in the Tools menu to display this toolbar.
Use design view to edit and create fields on an existing form or to create an entirely new form.
Designing a Form 57
The Design View Toolbars
The Design View Toolbars
This section describes each toolbar in design view and defines its buttons. There are seven toolbars:
• The design toolbar
• The font/text toolbar
• The drawing toolbar
• The arrange toolbar
• The proofing toolbar (See “Proofing a Form” on page 32 for
information on this toolbar and its functions.)
• The calculation toolbar (See Chapter 8, “Using Calculations,” for information on this toolbar and its functions.)
• The web toolbar (See “The Web Toolbar” on page 52 for more
information about this toolbar and its functions.)
You can drag these toolbars to any other location in the OmniForm window.The toolbars remain where you last positioned them, even when you close and reopen the program.
You can also move the toolbars from a horizontal position to a vertical position. In this case, some of the icons may change. See the specific toolbars for information on which icons may change.
Customizing Toolbars
There are several ways to customize the toolbars.
• To move toolbar buttons to other toolbars, simply drag the button you want (by holding down the ALT key and clicking on a button) to the desired location on another toolbar.
• You can toggle the visibility of the toolbars on your desktop by selecting the Toolbars command in the View menu. In the popup menu that appears, select the toolbars that you want displayed on your desktop; or, deselect those that you do not want displayed on your desktop.
• You can right-click on the perimeter of the main window to get a shortcut menu for toggling the visibility or customizing the toolbars.
• You can customize the toolbars by using the Customize...
command in the Tools menu. See the next sections “To customize toolbars using the Toolbars tab:” and “To customize toolbars using the Commands tab.”
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The Design View Toolbars
To customize toolbars using the Toolbars tab:
In the Toolbars tab, you can:
• select and deselect the toolbars that you want displayed on your desktop,
• select or deselect the Show ToolTips option,
• create a new toolbar,
• reset a toolbar to its original state, or
• delete a toolbar that you have created.
1 Choose Customize...
in the Tools menu.
The Customize dialog box appears.
Designing a Form
2 Click the Toolbars tab if it is not selected.
3 Select the toolbars that you want displayed on your desktop.
Deselect those toolbars that you do not want displayed on your desktop.
4 If you want ToolTips to appear, select the Show ToolTips option.
Likewise, if you do not want ToolTips to appear, make sure Show
ToolTips is deselected.
5 Click New if you want to create a new toolbar.
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The Design View Toolbars
The New Toolbar dialog box appears.
• Type the name of your new toolbar in the Toolbar name text box.
• Click OK to apply your name.
Your new toolbar appears on your desktop. If you want, you can drag the new toolbar to another location on your desktop.
• To add buttons to your new toolbar, drag the buttons of other toolbars to your new toolbar.
6 Click Delete if you want to delete a toolbar that you have created.
Select the toolbar you want to delete in the Toolbars list box and then click Delete .
7 Click Reset if you want to return a toolbar to its original state.
For example, suppose you have created a new toolbar and have dragged some buttons from the design toolbar. To return the design toolbar to its original state with all its buttons, select the
Design toolbar in the Toolbars window and then select Reset .
The design toolbar will return to its original state.
8 Click OK to close the dialog box and apply your selections.
To customize toolbars using the Commands tab:
In the Commands tab, you can customize the toolbars by selecting a toolbar and then dragging its button or buttons to another toolbar.
1 Choose Customize...
in the Tools menu.
The Customize dialog box appears.
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The Design View Toolbars
2 Click the Commands tab in the Customize dialog box.
New
• Select a toolbar from the Categories list box. The corresponding buttons for that toolbar are shown in the Buttons box.
• Click the button that you want and drag it to another toolbar on your desktop. The button now appears in the other toolbar.
• Keep clicking and dragging buttons to another toolbar until you have finished customizing the toolbar.
3 Click OK to close the dialog box and apply your selections.
The Design Toolbar
Use the design toolbar for basic file operations such as saving and printing. Use it also to define and format the fields you create.
All buttons correspond to menu commands of the same name. Note how the Zoom button changes in the vertical position. Refer to the online help for an explanation of each button/menu command.
Save
Form
Assistant
Preview Cut Paste Fill
Highlight
Fill Areas
Object
Definition Calculation Help
Open Scan Print Spelling Copy Design
Zoom button in vertical position
Zoom Object
Appearance
Size and
Position
Tools
Designing a Form 61
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.
Font dropdown list
Bold Underline
Top Alignment
Right Alignment
Bottom
Alignment
Shrink font
1 pt
Font Size drop-down list
Italic Left
Alignment
Justify
Center Alignment
Horizontal
Center
Alignment
Vertical
Grow font
1 pt
Font drop-down list in vertical position
Font Size drop-down list in vertical position
The drop-down lists and buttons correspond to options in the Font or
Text dialog boxes (choose Font... or Text...
in the Format menu). Note how the Font drop-down list and Font Size drop-down list buttons change in vertical position. Each button displays a thumbnail example of how it formats text.
Text entered in fill view displays the formatting that you specify in design view.
Refer to online help for an explanation of each button/menu command.
See “Formatting Text” on page 97 for detailed information on each
formatting option.
The Drawing Toolbar
Use the drawing toolbar to create and select objects. See the online help
for an explanation of each tool’s function. See “Creating Objects on a
Form” on page 64 for detailed information on using the drawing tools.
Text tool
Graphic tool
Oval tool
Circle Text tool
Comb tool
Fill Graphic tool
Selection tool
Rectangle tool
Line tool
Check Box tool
Fill Text tool
Lock On/Off
Table tool
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The Design View Toolbars
The Arrange Toolbar
Use the arrange toolbar to arrange and align objects on a form. Refer to the online help for 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.
The last six buttons on the toolbar are only active when multiple objects are selected. Each button gives a thumbnail example of how it aligns objects.
Center Horizontally
Bring to Front Align Left Align Bottom
Send to Back
Align Top
Align Right Center Vertically
Designing a Form 63
Creating Objects on a Form
Creating Objects on a Form
This section explains how to create objects on your form. You can create fillable objects that a user fills in fill view, and nonfillable objects such as lines and rectangles that contribute to a form’s design.
This section discusses general creation guidelines and then lists all objects in the same order as they appear in the drawing toolbar. All instructions assume that you are in design view using either a new form or a designed form.
See “Defining Objects on a Form” on page 72 for information on how to
define objects after you create them.
See Chapter 6, “Filling a Form, “for detailed information on how to fill objects (fields) in fill view.
General Creation Guidelines
Use the same basic steps to create most objects. Some require more steps as described in the following sections.
To create an object:
1 Click a tool in the drawing toolbar.
2 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.
3 While drawing, hold down the Shift key to:
• Make a rectangular object a square.
• Make an oval object a circle.
• Make a horizontal, vertical, or 45-degree angle line object.
4 With the object still selected, you can:
• Type text if it is a text or a circle text object.
• Choose Object Definition...
in the Format menu to define the
object. See “Defining Objects on a Form” on page 72 for de-
tailed information.
• Choose Object Appearance...
in the Format menu to set the ob-
ject’s appearance. See “Changing Object Appearance on a
Form” on page 86 for detailed information.
• Hold down the Ctrl key and drag the object to copy it.
5 Drag the object where you want it on the form.
When the object is complete and no longer selected, the drawing tool reverts to the Selection tool unless the Lock On/Off is on.
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Designing a Form
Creating Objects on a Form
Creating a Text Object
A text object is most often used as a title, label, or header.
Text object used as label The State fill text field
To create a text object:
1 Click the Text tool in the drawing toolbar.
2 Draw the text object.
3 With the object still selected, type the text that you want to replace the word Label.
Creating a Line Object
Use a line object to separate sections of a form or as a design element.
To create a line object:
1 Click the Line tool in the drawing toolbar.
2 Draw a line.
To make sure a line is horizontal or vertical, hold down the Shift key while you draw.
To rotate a line:
1 Click the Selection tool and select the line to edit.
A handle appears on each end of the line.
2 Place the cursor over one handle.
3 When the cursor turns into a crosshair, hold down the mouse key and drag the end of the line where you want it.
To rotate the line in 45-degree increments, hold down the Shift key while pulling one of the handles in the desired direction.
Creating an Oval Object
Use an oval object to highlight areas on a form or as a design element.
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Creating Objects on a Form
To create an oval object:
1 Click the Oval tool in the drawing toolbar.
2 Draw an oval.
To create a circle, hold down the Shift key as you draw.
Creating a Rectangle Object
Use a rectangle object to highlight areas on a form or as a design element.
To create a rectangle object:
1 Click the Rectangle tool in the drawing toolbar.
2 Draw a rectangle.
To create a square, hold down the Shift key as you draw.
Adding Graphics to Your Form
You can add graphics to your form by first creating a rectangular object by using the Graphics tool. Then copy, import, or scan graphics into this object. For example, use this feature when you want the same graphic
(such as a company logo) to appear in every copy of your form.
To copy a graphic from your original scanned form to your designed form:
1 Scan in your form.
2 Choose Form Image in the View menu.
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Creating Objects on a Form
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 inbetween the two windows to resize the view.Your cursor turns into a resize cursor over the bar.
3 Click the Graphic tool in the drawing toolbar.
4 Select the graphic that you want to copy (in the bottom window) by holding down the mouse button and slowly dragging the cursor across the graphic. Your cursor changes to a graphic tool shape in this window.
5 Let go of the mouse button and your graphic appears in your designed form (the top window) in the same place as in the original form (the bottom window).
6 The Graphic Definition dialog box automatically appears. Pro-
ceed to “To define attributes of your graphic object:” on page 68
to continue.
To import a graphic into your form:
1 Click the Graphic tool in the drawing toolbar.
2 Draw a graphic object.
Designing a Form 67
Creating Objects on a Form
To create a square graphic object, hold down the Shift key as you draw.
The Graphic Definition dialog box appears.
3 Select Graphic File in the Source drop-down list.
4 Type a file name in the File Name text box.
Or, click Browse...
if you need to locate a file.
• Locate and select a file.
• Click OK to return to the Graphic Definition dialog box.
The name of the selected file appears in the File Name text box.
5
Proceed to “To define attributes of your graphic object:” on page
To scan a graphic into your form:
1 Click the Graphic tool in the drawing toolbar.
2 Draw a graphic object.
To create a square graphic object, hold down the Shift key as you draw.
The Graphic Definition dialog box appears
3 Select Twain in the Source drop-down list.
4
Proceed to the next section ”To define attributes of your graphic object:” to continue.
To define attributes of your graphic object:
1 Select an option for the graphic.
• Select Maintain Original Size to import the graphic exactly as it is.
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Creating Objects on a Form
• 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.
Designing a Form
This option does not maintain a graphic’s original proportions. 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 Just Change the Options for this Graphic if the graphic object already contains a graphic.
This changes how the graphic appears without reimporting it.
• Select Store a Copy of the Graphic with the Form to place a copy of the graphic directly in the form. This increases form size depending on graphic file size. Otherwise, OmniForm loads the graphic each time you open the form. If you move the original graphic, OmniForm cannot load it and it will not appear in the form until you reimport it.
This option only appears if Graphic File is selected in the Source drop-down list.
2 Click OK.
OmniForm scans or loads the graphic, depending on the selected source. The graphic appears in the Graphic object box.
Creating a Fill Text Object
Use a fill text field wherever you want to enter text in fill view. Fill text fields are commonly used for information such as name, company, address, comments, and so forth.
To create a fill text object:
1 Click the Fill Text tool in the drawing toolbar.
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Creating Objects on a Form
2 Draw the fill text object.
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, forms used in the United States typically require that you enter zip code numbers in five or nine separate boxes.
To create a comb object:
1 Click the Comb tool in the drawing toolbar.
2 Either click anywhere on the form to create a four-element comb field, or move the cursor to anyplace on the form and hold down the mouse button as you slowly drag the cursor.
The number of elements in the comb field increases as you drag the mouse. Let go of the mouse button when the comb field contains the number of elements that you want.
Many sample forms included with your OmniForm package, such as the
Objects form, contain comb objects that you can copy and paste into your own form.
Creating a Check Box Object
Use check boxes for Yes/No questions and for selecting one or more choices on a form.
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To create a check box object:
1 Click the Check Box tool in the drawing toolbar.
2 Draw a check box.
To create a square check box, hold down the Shift key as you draw.
Designing a Form
Creating Objects on a Form
Creating a Circle Text Object
Use circle text objects for Yes/No questions and for selecting one or more choices on a form.
To create a circle text object:
1 Click the Circle Text tool in the drawing toolbar.
2 Draw a circle text object.
To create a circle instead of an oval, hold down the Shift key as you draw.
3 With the object still selected, type the text that you want to replace the number in the object.
Creating a Table Object
Use a table to enter information for order forms, invoices, comparison charts, purchase orders, and so forth.
A table consists of cells. Each cell contains a fill text object by default, with the exception of the header. The header cells contain text objects by default.
You can convert these objects to any other kind of object. You can insert any object in a table cell. Cells can contain multiple objects.
See “Formatting a Table” on page 99, “Placing Objects in Table Cells” on
page 106, and “Breaking a Table Apart” on page 100 for more
information on tables.
To create a table object:
1 Click the Table tool in the drawing toolbar.
2 Either click anywhere on the form to create a table, or move the cursor to anyplace on the form and hold down the mouse button as you slowly drag the cursor.
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Defining Objects on a Form
The number of rows and columns in the comb field increase as you drag the mouse. Let go of the mouse button when the table contains the number of rows and columns that you want.
To create a square table, hold down the Shift key as you draw.
Creating a Fill Graphic Object
Use a fill graphic object to allow the person who fills in the form to add a graphic. For example, suppose you have designed a real estate form that requires a picture of the property. You place a fill graphic object on the form so that the person who fills in the form can add the picture of the property. If, instead, you want to add a graphic to the form, see
“Adding Graphics to Your Form” on page 66.
To create a fill graphic object:
1 Click the Fill Graphic tool in the drawing toolbar.
2 Draw the fill graphic object.
To create a square, hold down the Shift key as you draw.
Defining Objects on a Form
This section describes the options in the Object Definition command and how they affect a selected object. The dialog box that appears varies according to the selected object and form language. Each definable object is described in this section in the order it appears in the drawing toolbar.
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Defining Objects on a Form
When you define an object you can:
• Give it a unique name that is useful when sorting or searching records, arranging tab order, or defining calculations.
• Provide filling options such as a list of possible entries and help messages that appear in fill view.
• Set validation options such as whether a field must be filled or can be skipped.
See the previous section, “Creating Objects on a Form” on page 64 to
learn how to create objects. See “International Settings” on page 19 for
information on selecting a form language.
To define an object:
1 Select a fillable object on your form, a fillable object in a table cell, or a comb element in design view.
You cannot define nonfillable objects such as lines.
2 Click the Object Definition button in the design 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.
Designing a Form
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.
Defining a Graphic Object
Click the Object Definition button in the design toolbar (or choose Object
Definition...
in the Format menu) to open the Graphic Definition Dialog box when a graphic object is selected. This dialog box lets you select how you want the graphic object to appear in the fill graphic field. See
“Adding Graphics to Your Form” on page 66 for detailed information.
Defining a Fill Text Object
Click the Object Definition button in the design toolbar (or choose Object
Definition...
in the Format menu) to open the Fill Text Definition dialog box when a fill text object is selected. This dialog box allows you to set property, filling, and validation options. The properties tab allows you to:
• . Provide a name for your field.
• Select a field type.
• Select a data format and define the format further.
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Defining Objects on a Form
To set property options for fill text objects:
1 Click the Properties tab.
74
2 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.
3 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. This information helps the user know what kind of entry is expected in each field. Field type also helps OmniForm match data when sorting records and when importing and exporting information.
If you select Serial Numbers or Signature as a field type , please see
the sections “Setting Serial Numbers” on page 85 or “Adding
Security to Your Forms” on page 137.
4 Select a display format in the Format drop-down list.
The format you select affects how field information is displayed in fill view. Options vary according to the Type selection.
• If you select Currency as the Type, for example, you might select $0.00
as the format. If you enter 7889 in the field, Omni-
Form would format the entry as $7889.00
. Formatting takes effect in fill view after you move the cursor out of the field.
• A General format leaves the field entry exactly as it is entered.
In the previous example, 7889 entered in the field would be displayed as 7889 .
• Field type also affects field validation. You can require that
Defining Objects on a Form
5 The next two options are enabled when Number, Currency, or
Percentage is selected in the Type drop-down list.
• Select Use 1000’s Separator to separate a series of three digits with a separator specific to the form’s language.
See “International Settings” on page 19 for detailed
information on selecting a language for a form.
• Select Enclose Negatives in Parentheses to display negative numbers within parentheses in the field; for example, -123 would display as (123) .
To set filling options for fill text objects:
1 Click the Filling tab.
Designing a Form
The Filling tab lets you:
• Enable the AutoFill Wizard to set up automated data entry.
• Designate whether a field can be filled.
• Set tab stops to allow the user to automatically move to the next field.
• Set the length of the allowable characters in a field.
• Enter help messages that will appear in the status bar in fill view.
2 Deselect or select Enable AutoFill
Automated Data Entry” on page 110 for more information.
3 Deselect or select Can be Filled .
• If you deselect Can be Filled , then an empty field cannot be filled and a filled field cannot be changed in fill view.
This option is particularly useful for fields such as calculations where you do not want the person who fills out the form to be able to change it.
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Defining Objects on a Form
• 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.
4 You can either select or deselect the Tab Stop .
• Select Tab Stop so that the cursor automatically moves to the selected field when the user presses the Tab key.
• Deselect Tab Stop so that the cursor tabs past the selected field.
5 Select a Maximum Length option from the drop-down list. This option lets you set the length of allowable characters in a field.
You can set the length from 5 to 100, or select Unlimited .
6 Select Help Message and type a message in the field box if you wish. This message will appear in the status bar in fill view when the cursor is in that field. A help message can be up to 100 characters long.
To set validation options for fill text objects:
1 Click the Validation tab.
The validation option allows you to:
• Select whether a field must be filled in.
• Select whether the data must match the field type.
• Select whether the data must be in the list of choices.
• Select the highest and lowest number to specify the highest and lowest number that a user can enter.
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Designing a Form
Defining Objects on a Form
2 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.
3 Select Data Must Match Field Type to display a prompt in fill view if the user enters incorrect information in the field.
If the selected field type is Number, for example, the user cannot enter text in the field; 5 is acceptable but five is not.
4 Select Data Must be in List of Choices to force the user to enter a choice from the field’s drop-down list. (Use the Filling tab to create a List of Choices.)
5 Select the options under Number Checking to set parameters for lowest and highest allowable numbers in a field.
OmniForm displays a prompt in fill view if a user enters numbers outside the set range.
Number Checking is enabled when Number, Currency, or
Percentage is the selected type in the Properties tab.
• Select Lowest Number and enter a number in the text box.
Numbers entered in the selected field must be equal to or greater than this number.
• Select Highest Number and enter a number in the text box.
Numbers entered in the selected field in fill view must be equal to or lesser than this number.
6 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).
7 Click OK to apply the changes and close the dialog box.
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Defining Objects on a Form
Defining a Comb Object
Choose Object Definition...
in the Format menu to open the Comb
Definition dialog box when a comb object is selected.
78
This dialog box contains most of the same options as the Fill Text
Definition dialog box, but with these additions:
• It contains an Interpret As drop-down list in the Properties tab instead of a Format drop-down list.
• It contains an Elements section in the Properties tab.
• It contains a Fill Right to Left option in the Filling tab.
These options are described in this section. See “Defining a Fill Text
Object” on page 73 for detailed information on the other options.
Interpret As drop-down list
The Interpret As selection determines the way information entered in the comb field will be used when searching, sorting, importing, and exporting. Available options vary according to the Type selection.
For example, suppose you select Number in the Type drop-down list and
0.00
in the Interpret As drop-down list. If you enter 1234 in the field in fill view, OmniForm would interpret this number as 12.34
even if the comb did not contain a decimal point as a prefill element. A search for
12.34
would return this record.
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.
Designing a Form
Defining Objects on a Form
Element Options
You have three element options: number of elements, width of elements, and inter-element spacing.
To set the Element options:
1 Click the Properties tab.
2 Type a number in the Number of Elements text box.
A zip code field for the United States, for example, would have either five or nine elements.
3 Type a number in the Width of Elements text box to set how wide all comb elements will be.
You can resize individual elements later if you want to change their width.
4 Type a number in the Inter-Element Spacing text box to set the amount of space between each comb element.
You can resize individual elements later if you want to change inter-element spacing.
Fill Right to Left Option
The Fill Right to Left option allows you to designate whether you want the user to fill the comb elements from right to left.
To set the Fill Right to Left option:
1 Click the Filling tab.
2 Select Fill Right to Left if you want the first character in the comb field to appear in the rightmost element and move left as other characters are added.
You would still read this entry from left to right.
This is useful for entering decimal numbers, such as percentage and currency amounts, in fields with a prefill decimal point element. When entering $598.07
in a field, for example, 07 would always appear after the decimal point. This would not always happen if the numbers were entered from left to right.
3 Click OK to apply the changes and close the dialog box.
See “Defining a Comb Element Object” in the next section for information on prefill elements.
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Defining Objects on a Form
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.
• Create a prefill element.
• Enter a number to designate the amount of allowable numbers for each element.
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To define a comb element:
1 Select left and right border measurements under Border Height.
This sets the left and right border height of each element. You might, for example, select 1/2 to use the popular half-border
2 Select Prefill element to place a hyphen (the default character) or other characters, such as a period, comma, or parenthesis in the selected element. You will need to delete the hyphen and type the character that you want.
This is useful for phone numbers and other hyphenated numbers. You can select this element in design view and change it to another character such as a parenthesis.
3 Type a number in the Length text box.
This tells OmniForm how many characters to allow in the selected element before moving to the next element. In some countries, for example, the length of the area code element in a phone number is 3 .
4 Click OK to apply the changes.
Defining Objects on a Form
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.
To set property options for check boxes:
1 Click the Properties tab.
Designing a Form
2 Type a unique name in the Name text box.
Each object must have a unique name. A descriptive name such as Yes Check Box makes a field easy to find when sorting, searching, defining calculations, and so forth.
3 Type a group name in the Option Group drop-down list if the check box belongs to an option group.
Creating an option group restricts you to one selection per check box group. Selecting a check box in an option group automatically deselects any checked box in the same group.
The group name you enter automatically appears in the Option
Group drop-down list of the next check box you create. Select this name to include the check box in the group.
4 Select or enter an option in the On-Value drop-down list.
The on-value is stored in the database when the check box is selected. It is exported along with other information during export. It can also be used in calculations. Grouped check boxes must have unique on-values. You can let OmniForm create a unique on-value for each new check box added to a group.
5 Select or enter an option in the Off-Value drop-down list.
The off-value is stored in the database when the check box is deselected. It is exported along with other information during export. It can also be used in calculations. This option is not available for grouped check boxes.
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Defining Objects on a Form
To set filling options for check boxes:
1 Click the Filling tab.
2 Select a mark for the check box: a check mark, an X , or a fill.
3 Deselect Can be Filled so an empty field cannot be filled and a filled field cannot be changed in fill view.
4 Select Tab Stop so that the cursor automatically moves to the selected field when the user presses the Tab key.
Deselect Tab Stop so that the cursor tabs past the selected field.
5 Select Help Message to type a message that appears in the status bar in fill view when the cursor is in that field.
6 Click OK to apply the changes and close the dialog box.
To set validation options for check boxes:
1 Click the Validation tab.
2 Select Must be Filled in to require that the user fill in the check box.
3 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).
Defining a Circle Text Object
Choose Object Definition...
in the Format menu to open the Circle Text
Definition dialog box when a fill circle object is selected.
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This dialog box has the same options as the Check Box Definition dialog
box. See “Defining a Check Box Object” on page 81 for information.
Defining Objects on a Form
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.
• Select the amount and width of columns.
• Select the amount and height of rows.
To define a table object:
1 Define the table object. Click the Properties tab and type a unique name in the Name text box.
Designing a Form
Each table object must have a unique name. A descriptive name such as Order Information makes a field easy to find when sorting, searching, changing tab order, and so forth.
2 Select the Tabbing option that you want: Left to Right or Top to
Bottom . Click OK to apply the option.
3 Click the Columns tab. Type the number of columns that you want in the table in the Number of Columns text box.
4 Set column width:
• Type the column width in the Width of Columns text box.
• If you have unequal column widths and would like them to be the same width, select Make Columns Equal Width .
OmniForm resizes columns to an equal width without changing table size. If you had two columns, one four centimeters wide and the other two centimeters wide, for example, each would be resized to three centimeters wide.
5 Click OK to apply the option.
6 Click the Rows tab. Type the number of rows that you want in the table in the Number of Rows text box.
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Defining Objects on a Form
7 Set row height:
Type the row height in the Height of Rows text box.
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.
8 Click OK to apply the option.
Defining a Table Cell
A table cell contains a fill text object by default. See “Defining a Fill Text
Object” on page 73 for more information. See any relevant entry in
”Defining Objects on a Form” if the table cell contains another type of
object.
A table cell can contain more than one object. It can also contain
graphics. See “Placing Objects in Table Cells” on page 106 for
information.
Defining a Fill Graphic Object
1 Choose Object Definition...
in the Format menu to open the Fill
Graphic Definition dialog box when a fill graphic object is selected.
2 Type a unique name in the Name text box.
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Each graphic object must have a unique name. A descriptive name such as Logo makes a fill graphic field easy to find when importing, exporting, and changing tab order.
3 You can either select or deselect the Tab Stop . Select Tab Stop so that the cursor automatically moves to the selected field when the user presses the Tab key. Deselect Tab Stop so that the cursor tabs past the selected field.
4 Select Help Message and type a message in the text box. This message will appear in the status bar in fill view when the cursor is in that field.
5 Click OK to apply the changes.
Defining Objects on a Form
Setting Serial Numbers
You can keep track of your form by using serial numbers. You can set serial numbers for fill text objects and comb objects. You define serial numbers in design view and they appear in fill view. As a new record is created in fill view, serial numbers will automatically change by the increment you have entered. You can also use serial numbers in calculations. If you save your form to an older version of OmniForm, the serial number fields will convert to a General field type and General format.
To set serial numbers:
1 Select either a fill text object or a comb object on your form.
2 Choose Object Definition...
in the Format menu. Or, click the
Object Definition button in the design toolbar.
If you have selected a fill text object, the Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
If you have selected a comb object, the Comb Definition dialog box appears.
3 Select Serial Number in the Type drop-down list.
4 Click Settings...
.
The Serial Number Settings dialog box appears.
Designing a Form
5 In the Serial Number Settings dialog box:
• Enter a starting number in the Start at text box. You can enter any number from -99,999,999 to 999,999,999. The default is 1.
• Enter an increment number in the Increment by text box. You can enter any number from -999 to 9,999. The default is 1.
• Type a prefix, if you want, in the Prefix text box. You can enter up to 8 characters.
• Type a suffix, if you want, in the Suffix text box. You can enter up to 8 characters.
The sample text box displays your first serial number, including, if applicable, a prefix and suffix.
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Changing Object Appearance on a Form
6 Click OK in the Serial Number Settings dialog box to apply your settings.
7 Click OK in the Fill Text Definition dialog box to close the dialog box.
Changing Object Appearance on a Form
This section describes the options in the Object Appearance dialog box
To change object appearance:
1 Select an object or objects in design view.
2 Click the Object Appearance button in the design toolbar or choose Object Appearance...
in the Format menu.
To open a shortcut menu, click the right mouse button over the selected object. Choose Object Appearance...
in this menu.
3 Click each of the four tabs in the Object Appearance dialog box to change the background, border, fill lines, and visible options.
Available options depend on the selected object.
Background options
There are four options that affect the background of your form. These are Color , Pattern , Pattern Color , and Clear .
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Designing a Form
Changing Object Appearance on a Form
Color
For background color of the object, select a color from the Color dropdown palette.
For custom colors, click More Colors...
. The Color dialog box appears. To customize a color, enter a number from 0 to 255 in the text boxes ( Hue ,
Sat , Lum , Red , Green , and Blue ). Or, drag the crosshair across the Color box.
See “Adding Color to a Form” on page 92 for more information about
the Color dialog box and how to add color to a form’s background.
As long as your program is open, you can store up to eight custom colors in your Color drop-down palette. Each time you choose a custom color and click OK , the new custom color is stored in the area below the 40color drop-down palette. This makes it easy to use a variety of custom colors in your form.
Pattern
For background pattern of the object, select a pattern from the Pattern drop-down list.
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Changing Object Appearance on a Form
Gradient
You can select from Gradient (Horizontal) and Gradient (Vertical).
• Select Gradient (Horizontal) to have the background color gradually change to the pattern color, from top to bottom.
• Select Gradient (Vertical) to have the background color gradually change to the pattern color, from left to right.
Pattern Color
For a color for the background pattern, select a pattern color from the
Pattern Color drop-down list.
Clear
Make sure that Clear is deselected so that your selected colors and pattern appear as the object’s background.
See “Paint Order” on page 92 for a description of how paint order affects
color and pattern display Border Options
Border options affect the sides of your object. There are six Border options: Color , Style , Weight , Clear , Borders , and Shadow .
88
Color
For a border color, select a color in the Color drop-down palette. See
“Color” on page 87 for more information about how to choose color.
Style
To change a line style, select Style from the drop-down list. You can select from one continuous line to a variety of dotted line styles.
Designing a Form
Changing Object Appearance on a Form
Weight
To change the border thickness, select Weight from the drop-down list.
You can select from a 1- to 12-point thickness.
Clear
Select Clear to hide the border and OmniForm will display any paint layers beneath it.
See“Paint Order” on page 92 for an explanation of how paint order
affects border display.
Borders
The Borders section lets you remove borders from your object. The rectangle in the Borders section represents your object. With your object selected, click each side of the Borders rectangle that you want to remove.
• To round the corners of the border, select Rounded .
• To round or square individual corners, click the corners of the rectangle after selecting Rounded.
• To indicate the degree of border curve, enter a measurement from
0 to 14 in the Rounded text box.
Shadows
For a shadow effect, select an option in the Location drop-down list in the
Shadow section. To offset the shadow from the border, select the amount of points in the Offset drop-down list.
Fill Line Options
Fill Line options affect fill lines inside an object. There are four Fill line options: Color , Style , Weight , Clear , and Start Fill Line at First Line
Indentation .
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Changing Object Appearance on a Form
Options in this tab are only active for selected fill text objects. Text alignment must be set to Top or Exactly in the Text dialog box before fill
lines can be set. See “Formatting Text” on page 97 for information.
90
Fill lines appear inside the object much like lines appear on writing paper.
Color
Select a color for the fill lines in the Color
drop-down palette. See “Color” on page 87 for more information about how to choose color.
Style
Select a line style in the Style
drop-down list. See “Style” on page 88 for
more information.
Weight
Select line thickness in the Weight
drop-down list. See “Weight” on page
Clear
Deselect Clear to display the fill lines.
Changing Object Appearance on a Form
See “Paint Order” on page 92 for information on how paint order affects
fill line display.
Start Fill Line at First Line Indentation
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 “To format the placement of text objects:” on page 98 for more
information.
Visible Options
Visible options pertain to how you want the selected object to appear to the user.
Designing a Form
Display
• Select how you want the selected object to appear to the user.
• Select Always if you want the field/object to always appear on screen and when printed.
• Select Never if you do not want the field/object to appear in fill view. However as the designer of the form, you can see the object in design view.
• Select Print Only if you want the field/object to appear on the printed form, but not on the screen.
• Select Screen Only when you want the field/object to appear on the screen, but not when printed.
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Adding Color to a Form
Paint Order
OmniForm uses a specific paint order. For example, a table object itself is painted first, then the cells inside the table, and then objects inside the cell. This makes it possible to have three layers of paint. The last layer painted in an object overrides all other layers. Because objects inside a cell are painted last, they will cover up the cells and portions of the table.
If an object’s background or border is Clear, however, then that part of the object is transparent and an object painted below can show through.
You can use the Send to Back and Bring to Front commands in the Format menu to change paint order.
Adding Color to a Form
You can add color to the background of your form. You can add it to one page or to all pages of your form.
You can also add color to an object on your form. For information about
adding color to an object, see “Changing Object Appearance on a Form” on page 86.
You can adjust the color of the background of your form, the selected objects, or the background of your form.
To add background color to your form:
1 Open a form in design view.
2 Choose Page Setup... from the File menu.
The Page Setup dialog box appears.
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Adding Color to a Form
3 Select the color you want from the Color drop-down palette.
4 Click More Colors... to customize colors.
The following Color dialog box appears.
Designing a Form
5 Customize a color and click OK .
6 To customize a color, enter a number in the boxes; or, drag the crosshair across the Color box.
• Hue is the color itself. Enter a number from 0-225 in the Hue box, or drag the crosshair horizontally in the Color box.
• Saturation is the intensity of the color. The higher the number, the more intense the color. Enter a number from 0-255 in the
Sat box, or drag the crosshair vertically in the Color box.
• Luminance is the brightness of the color, or the amount of black or white added to the color. The larger the number, the lighter the color. Enter a number from 0 to 255 in the Lum box, or drag the slider on the vertical Color bar.
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Adjusting Colors
• In the Red text box, enter a number from 0 to 255 to adjust the amount of red in the color. The larger the number, the more red the color contains.
• In the Green text box, enter a number from 0 to 255 to adjust the amount of green in the color. The larger the number, the more green the color contains.
• In the Blue text box, enter a number from 0 to 255 to adjust the amount of blue in the color. The larger the number, the more blue the color contains.
The smaller window in the bottom right corner will display your current color (bottom), which is the existing background color of your form, and new color (top), which is the color you have selected in this dialog box.
7 Select an option in the Apply to drop-down list of the Page Setup dialog box.
• Select Current page only to apply the color changes to the current page of your form.
• Select Current page forward to apply the color changes to the current page of your form and all subsequent pages.
• Select All pages to apply the color changes to all the pages of your form.
As long as your program is open, you can store up to eight custom colors in your Color drop-down palette. Each time you choose a custom color and click OK , the new custom color is stored in the area below the 40-color drop-down palette. This makes it easy to use a variety of custom colors in your form.
8 Click OK to apply your changes and close the dialog box.
See “Paint Order” on page 92 for a description of how paint order affects
color and pattern display.
Adjusting Colors
You can change the existing colors on your form to new colors. You can change the background color as well as the color of selected objects.
To adjust the colors:
1 Choose Adjust Colors...
in the Format menu.
The Adjust Colors dialog box appears.
2 Select whether you want to change the background color of the current page, the selected objects on the form, or the background color of all the pages of the form.
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Editing a Form
3 Select a color from the drop-down color palette. For more information about the drop-down color palette, see the previous section.
4 Click OK to apply your changes and close the dialog box.
Editing a Form
This section describes how to edit 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.
This section contains the following topics:
• Sending Objects Front or Back
• Changing Tab Order on a Form
• Placing Objects in Table Cells
• Converting an Object to Another Type of Object
Selecting an Object
You can select one or more objects in several ways.
• Click an object to select it.
• Shift-click to select multiple objects.
• Click an object such as a table once to select it, and then click again to select an individual table cell. Do the same to select an individual comb element.
• Hold down the mouse button and drag the cursor around or through all objects to select them.
• Choose Select All in the Edit menu to select all objects on a form.
Designing a Form 95
Editing a Form
• Choose Select Special...
in the Edit menu to select all objects of the same type.
96
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.
• Choose Size and Position...
in the Format menu to position the selected object precisely on the form.
• Use the Align commands in the Format menu or the corresponding button in the arrange toolbar to align selected objects.
• Use the Bring to Front and Bring to Back commands in the Format menu or the corresponding buttons in the arrange toolbar to layer overlapping objects.
• Hold down the Shift Key and drag a line handle to rotate it in
45-degree increments.
• Use the nudge/arrow keys to move the object(s).
Resizing an Object
You can resize a selected object in the following ways.
• Click any handle on the selected object, hold down the mouse button and resize the object as needed.
• Hold down the Shift key before clicking a handle to:
Constrain an oval or a fill circle object to a circle shape.
Keep a line object straight.
Constrain any other object to a square shape.
• Or, choose Size and Position...
in the Format menu to enter exact measurements for an object’s size.
Editing a Form
Deleting an Object
Choose Delete in the Edit menu or press Delete 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 text in selected
objects. See “The Font/Text Toolbar” on page 62 for information about
each button in the toolbar.
To format fonts:
1 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.
2 Choose Font...
in the Format menu.
The Font dialog box appears.
Designing a Form
3 Select a font in the Font list.
4 Select a style for the selected font in the Font style list.
5 Select a point size for the selected font in the Size list.
6 You can also select three options in the Effects box.
• To place a line through all characters, select Strikeout .
• To underline all characters, select Underline .
• To choose the color of the text, select a color in the Color dropdown palette. For more information about the Color drop-
down palette and custom colors, see “Adding Color to a
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Editing a Form
A preview of your choices appears in the Sample box.
7 Click OK to apply the formatting.
To format the placement of text objects:
1 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.
2 Choose Text...
in the Format menu.
The Text dialog box appears.
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3 Click the Alignment tab.
4 Select a horizontal alignment option: Left , Center , Right , or J ustify .
5 Select a vertical alignment option: Top , Center , Bottom , or Exactly .
6 Click the Spacing tab and select a line-spacing option: Single , 1.5
Lines , Double , or Exactly .
You can change the vertical spacing between paragraph lines.
Vertical spacing is dependent on selected font size. A singlespaced paragraph with 12-point text, for example, would have
12 points between each line in the paragraph.
7 If you want to indent the first line of each paragraph, type a measurement in the Paragraph Indentation text box.
8 Click the Margins tab and enter margin measurements in the
Left, Right, Top, and Bottom text boxes.
This measurement is the amount a paragraph will be offset within its bounding box.
You may want to use margins if you have field borders that would interfere with reading the text.
9 Click the Text Flow tab and select how you want text to flow within the set margins of a field.
This option is available only for text and circle text objects.
Editing a Form
• Select Flow Text Across Lines to enter text in a field with automatic word-wrapping.
Each line can be selected separately and resized.
• Select Make Text Fit to Lines to fit text to the size of the line. This can alter the appearance of text.
Press Enter to create a new line of text. Each new line can be resized separately from other lines.
OmniForm uses the Make Text Fit to Lines option to design forms during scanning and importing. Generally, you would want to use the Flow Text Across Lines option when formatting your text and circle text objects.
• In the Orientation box, select how you want the text positioned:
Select the first box to position the text from left to right.
Select the middle box to position the text from bottom to top.
Select the last box to position the text from top to bottom.
10 Click OK to apply the changes.
Merging Text
You can merge text objects by choosing Merge Text in the Format menu.
This option is useful if you want to combine text from different locations on your form.
To merge text:
1 Shift-click each text object that you want to combine.
2 Choose Merge Text in the Format menu.
Your selected text merges. The merged text will acquire the attributes of the top-left selected text (except for the font type and size).
Formatting a Table
Use the Table AutoFormat... command in the Format menu to format a selected table.
Designing a Form 99
Editing a Form
To format a table:
1 Select a table.
2 Choose Table AutoFormat...
in the Format menu.
The Table AutoFormat dialog box appears.
3 Select the Yes option to enable the Appearance list box.
4 Select an appearance option for your table.
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5 Click Next> if it is available to open the Naming window.
Depending on your appearance selection, the Naming window may not be available. In that case, click Finish.
6 Select Yes, change the column names if it is available and you want to change the column names.
• Select a column name, click Rename, and type in a new name.
• Repeat these steps for each column name to change.
7 Select Yes, change the row names if it is available and you want to change the row names.
• Select a row name, click Rename, and type in a new name.
• Repeat these steps for each row name to change.
8 Click Finish to apply the changes to your table.
See “Placing Objects in Table Cells” on page 106 for additional
information on tables.
Breaking a Table Apart
Use Break Table Apart in the Format menu to break a selected table in sections. This option is useful if you need to rearrange the elements of your table.
Designing a Form
Editing a 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.
To break a table apart:
1 Select a table in your form.
2 Choose Break Table Apart in the Format menu.
You can now select and drag sections of your table to rearrange in the order that you want.
Aligning Objects on a Form
Use the Align commands in the Format menu or the corresponding buttons in the arrange toolbar to move and align multiple selected
objects. See “The Drawing Toolbar” on page 62 for information about
each button in the toolbar.
Each selected object aligns to the edge of its bounding box, the imaginary box that surrounds all objects. A bounding box appears when you select an object and hold down the mouse button. Objects align to the outermost selected object.
Bounding box
To align objects:
1 Select the objects to align.
2 Choose Align in the Format menu and an alignment command in its cascading menu, or click the appropriate button in the align toolbar.
• Select Left to align all selected objects by their left edges.
• Select Right to align all selected objects by their right edges.
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Editing a 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 edges.
• Select Center Vertically to align the selected objects by their vertical center.
Vertical centers
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Vertical centers’ alignment midpoint
The objects align according to the chosen command.
Sending Objects Front or Back
You can use the Bring to Front or Send to Back commands in the Format menu to layer overlapping objects.
Choose Bring to Front to move one or more selected objects in front of all objects on a form.
Choose Send to Back to move one or more selected objects behind all objects on a form.
Editing a Form
Changing Tab Order on a Form
Tab order is the order in which the cursor moves from field to field on a form in fill view. You should check the tab order on all the forms you design or scan.
To change tab order:
1 Click the Tools button in the design toolbar or choose Tab Order in the Tools menu.
The Tools window appears to the left of the form.
2 Click the Tab Order tab in the Tools window if either the
Proofreader or Scrapbook window appears.
The Tab Order window appears and tab numbers appear by each field in this window and on the form. These indicate current tab order.
Designing a Form
3 Select the fields to reorder in the Tab Order window or on the form. The fields will be selected on both the Tab Order window and the form.
Reorder the fields in one of the following ways:
• Drag the fields up or down in the Tab Order window to change their tab order.
• Select the tab numbers on the form and enter a new order number.
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Editing a Form
104
• Click the Move Up button in the Tab Order window to move the selected fields up. Click as many times as needed to move the fields into place.
Or, you can right-click your mouse button to get a shortcut menu to move the selected fields up.
• Click the Move Down button in the Tab Order window to move the selected fields down. Click as many times as needed to move the fields into place.
Or, you can right-click your mouse button to get a shortcut menu to move the selected fields down.
• Click Auto Order to reorder all the fields on the form.
OmniForm uses “smart” auto ordering , and generally reorders fields from top to bottom and left to right.
4 Click the Tools button in the design toolbar or choose Tab Order in the Tools menu to close the Tab Order window.
Reordering Fields Not in a Sequential Order
You can select fields that are not in a sequential tab order on the form and group them together.
To reorder fields not in a sequential order:
1 Click the Tools button in the design toolbar or choose Tab Order in the Tools menu.
The Tools window appears to the left of the form.
2 Click the Tab Order tab in the Tools window if either the
Proofreader or Scrapbook window appears.
3 Select the fields (on the form or in the Tab Order window) that you want to group.
4 Click Group in the Tab Order window. The corresponding fields are now grouped in the tabbing order, that is, from top to bottom and from left to right.
Or, you can right-click your mouse button to open a shortcut menu to group the selected fields.
5 Click the Tools button in the design toolbar or choose Tab Order in the Tools menu to close the Tab Order window.
Grouping Check Boxes or Circle Text Objects
You can group check boxes or circle text objects into an option group.
Alternatively, you can group check boxes and circle text objects by choosing Object Definition...
in the Format menu. See “Defining a Check
Box Object” on page 81 and “Defining a Circle Text Object” on page 82
for more information.
Designing a Form
Editing a Form
To group check boxes or circle text objects:
1 Click the Tools button in the design toolbar or choose Tab Order in the Tools menu.
The Tools window appears to the left of the form.
2 Click the Tab Order tab in the Tools window if either the
Proofreader or Scrapbook window appears.
3 Select the check boxes or circle text objects on the form or in the
Tab Order window.
4 Right-click your mouse button in the Tab Order window to open a shortcut menu.
5 Select Option Group...
in this menu and enter a name for the option group.
6 Click the Tools button in the design toolbar or choose Tab Order in the Tools menu to close the Tab Order window.
Reordering Tables:
Tables can be ordered from left to right or top to bottom.
To reorder tables:
1 Click the Tools button in the design toolbar or choose Tab Order in the Tools menu.
The Tools window appears to the left of the form.
2 Click the Tab Order tab in the Tools window if either the
Proofreader or Scrapbook window appears.
3 Select the table in the Tab Order window.
4 Right-click your mouse button in the Tab Order window to open a shortcut menu and reorder your table from this menu.
5 Click the Tools button in the design toolbar or choose Tab Order in the Tools menu to close the Tab Order window.
Changing the tab order within a table cell
You can also change the tab order within a cell if it contains multiple fillable fields.
To change the tab order within a table cell:
1 Click the Tools button in the design toolbar or choose Tab Order in the Tools menu.
The Tools window appears to the left of the form.
2 Click the Tab Order tab in the Tools window if either the
Proofreader or Scrapbook window appears.
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Editing a Form
3 Click a field in the Field Name list (one that has a plus sign in front of it) to display its list of contained fields.
4 Select and drag the fields within the group, or use the Move Up or Move Down buttons (either in the Tab Order window or rightclick your mouse button to get a shortcut menu).
5 Click the Tools button in the design toolbar or choose Tab Order in the Tools menu to close the Tab Order window.
Alternatively, you can select a tab number on the form (one that has a decimal point; for example, 10.3) and type a new order number.
Placing Objects in Table Cells
Each table cell contains one fill text object by default (except for column headers which contain a text object). A cell can contain more than one object, fillable or nonfillable.
To place objects in a table cell:
1 Select a tool in the drawing toolbar.
2 Your cursor changes to reflect that object.
3 Move the cursor over the cell to fill so that it highlights the cell.
4 Click to place the object in the cell, or hold down the mouse button and draw an object to the size that you want.
To resize an object to fit a cell exactly:
1 With the object in the table cell still selected, choose Size and
Position...
in the Format menu.
The Size and Position dialog box appears.
2 Select Snap Object(s) to Fit Table Cell.
3 Click OK.
The object resizes to fit the cell exactly.
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Designing a Form
Editing a Form
Converting an Object to Another Type of 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.
You can also convert objects that were not defined properly during import; for example, OmniForm might define a line with space above it as a fill text field. You could convert this to a line.
To convert a selected object:
1 Choose Convert...
in the Edit menu.
The Convert dialog box appears.
2 Select an object type in the Convert Object(s) To list and click OK.
The object is converted.
Use the Select Special...
command in the Edit menu to select all objects of a specific type.
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Editing a Form
108
Chapter 5
Advanced Features
This chapter discusses how to use some of the advanced features in
OmniForm. Although these are advanced features they are not hard to learn. After you have become familiar with some of the basic form design options in OmniForm, try some of these features. These features can really enhance the design of your forms. For a description of
OmniForm’s basic design features, see Chapter 4, “Designing a Form.”
This chapter contains the following sections:
• Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
• Setting Attributes for a Form
• Adding Security to Your Forms
• Adding Hyperlinks to Your Forms
• Inserting OLE Objects in a Form
The OmniForm\Sample Forms folder contains several sample forms that you can use or redesign for your needs.
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Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
Using the AutoFill Wizard, you can set up a form for automated data entry. You can create or use an AutoFill list to provide a drop-down list of possible entries for the person who fills in a form or to provide an automatic filling of specific fields on a form. You can create a new
AutoFill list, use a list from another field, use a previously defined list, create a list from an ODBC source, or create a list from an OmniForm form or database.
This section describes how to:
• create a new AutoFill list
• create an AutoFill from another source
• automatically fill fields on a form
• create an AutoFill list and automatically fill fields
• create an AutoFill list and/or automatically fill fields in a table
• create a replacement list
Before you begin using the AutoFill Wizard, please read all the sections of “Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry” to get an idea of how the Wizard works and to become familiar with some of the Wizard’s dialog boxes.
Creating a New AutoFill List
This section explains how to create a new AutoFill list. By creating a new
AutoFill list, you create a drop-down list of choices for the person who fills in the form, including the information for this new list.
To create a new AutoFill list:
1 Open a form and select a field (either Fill Text or Comb objects) where you want to create a drop-down list.
2 Choose Object Definition...
in the Format menu.
The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
3 Click the Filling tab in the Fill Text Definition dialog box.
4 Select Enable AutoFill and click AutoFill Wizard...
.
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Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
The following AutoFill Wizard dialog box appears.
5 Select Create or edit the AutoFill of the current field to create a list for your selected field and click Next> .
The following dialog box appears.
Advanced Features
6 Select Show a list of choices and click Next> .
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Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
The following dialog box appears.
7 Select Manually entered list to create the information for your
AutoFill list and click Next> .
The following dialog box appears.
112
8 Click Add and type the information that you want to include in your list in the provided text box. Each item in a column can have a maximum of 100 characters.
After each entry, press Enter. Continue adding information to your list and, when you are finished, click Next> .
9 Select whether you want to save your list in the dialog box that appears. If you are saving your list, type a name.
OmniForm saves your list as a .txt
file.
Advanced Features
Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
10 Click Finish to close the AutoFill Wizard and, if selected, to save your list.
The Fill Text Definition dialog appears.
11 Click OK to apply your settings and close the dialog box.
Create or Use an AutoFill List From Another Source
You can create or use an AutoFill list from a variety of sources, such as a previously saved AutoFill list, an AutoFill list from another field, an
AutoFill list from an ODBC source, and an AutoFill list from an
OmniForm Form or Database.
Use a Previously Saved AutoFill List
You can use a previously saved AutoFill list and apply it to your current field. This can save you time if you have already created a list that could be used again. For example, you may have created a list containing the names of all your customers and would like to use that information for your current field.
To use a previously saved AutoFill list:
1 Open a form and select a field where you want to use another
AutoFill list.
2 Choose Object Definition...
in the Format menu.
The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
3 Click the Filling tab in the Fill Text Definition dialog box.
4 Select Enable AutoFill and click AutoFill Wizard...
.
5 Select Apply a saved AutoFill to the current field .
6 Select the AutoFill list that you want to use for your form from the drop-down list.
• If you are not customizing your list, you are finished. Click
Finish to close the Wizard, and OK to apply your settings and close the dialog box.
• If you want to customize or make changes to your list, select I want to customize this AutoFill check box and click Next> .
7 Modify the values that you want to include in the drop down list. Each item in a column can have a maximum of 100 characters.
• To add an entry to the list, click Add and type the new entry in the provided text box.
• To make a change to the list, select the entry and then click
Edit . Type your changes in the provided text box.
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Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
• To remove an entry, select the entry and then click Delete .
• To remove all entries from the list, click Delete All .
Click Next> when you are finished customizing the list.
8 Select whether you want to save your list. If you are saving your list, type a name. OmniForm saves your list as a .txt file.
9 Click Finish to close the AutoFill Wizard and, if selected, to save your list.The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
10 Click OK to apply your settings and close the dialog box.
Use an AutoFill List From Another Field
You can use an AutoFill list from another field and apply it to your current field. For example, you may have created an AutoFill field (for example, a State field) for all 50 states and would like to use that field’s list and apply it to your current field.
To use an AutoFill list from another field:
1 Open a form and select a field where you want to use an
AutoFill list from another field.
2 Choose Object Definition...
in the Format menu.
The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
3 Click the Filling tab in the Fill Text Definition dialog box.
4 Select Enable AutoFill and click AutoFill Wizard...
.
5 Select Copy the AutoFill of another field to the current field .
6 Select the AutoFill list that you want to use in the drop-down list.
• If you are not customizing your list, you are finished. Click
Finish to close the Wizard, and OK to apply your settings and close the dialog box.
• If you want to customize or make changes to your list, select I want to customize this AutoFill check box and click Next> .
7 Make any changes to your list in the dialog box that appears.
Each item in a column can have a maximum of 100 characters.
• To add an entry to the list, click Add and type the new entry in the provided text box.
• To make a change to the list, select the entry and then click
Edit . Type your changes in the provided text box.
• To remove an entry, select the entry and then click Delete .
• To remove all entries from the list, click Delete All .
Click Next> when you are finished customizing the list.
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Advanced Features
Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
8 Select whether you want to save your list. If you are saving your list, type a name. OmniForm saves your list as a .txt file.
9 Click Finish to close the AutoFill Wizard and, if selected, to save your list.
The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
10 Click OK to apply your settings and close the dialog box.
Create an AutoFill List From an OmniForm Form or Database
You can create an AutoFill list from an OmniForm form or database for your current field. For example, you may have an OmniForm database containing all Zip codes. You can use that information as an automatic data entry for your current field.
To create an AutoFill list from an OmniForm form or database:
1 Open a form and select a field where you want to use the information from another form or database.
2 Choose Object Definition...
in the Format menu.
The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
3 Click the Filling tab in the Fill Text Definition dialog box.
4 Select Enable AutoFill and click AutoFill Wizard...
.
5 Select Create or edit the AutoFill of the current field and click Next> .
6 Select Show a list of choices and click Next> .
7 Select the type of source you want to use.
Each item in a column can have a maximum of 2000 characters.
• Select OmniForm Form to use information from another
OmniForm form.
• Select OmniForm Database to use information from an
OmniForm database, that is, a file with an .ofd
extension.
8 Click Next> .
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Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
The following dialog box appears if you have selected
OmniForm Form.
116
9 Type the file name of the OmniForm form (or OmniForm database) you will be using in the File name text box.
Or, click Browse...
to locate your file.
• Locate and select a file.
• Click OK to return to the AutoFill Wizard dialog box.
The name of the selected file appears in the File name text box.
10 Click Next> .
11 Specify the columns (or fields) that you want to use in your drop-down list. Also, select the field that you want to appear first in your drop-down list. You can have a maximum of 10 columns displayed in your drop-down list.
• Select the columns in the Available columns list and click the right-arrow button. The columns you have chosen appear in the Columns to show list box. All the columns you choose will appear in the drop-down list. This is useful if you want more information to appear in the drop-down list.
• In the Columns to enter text box, choose the field you want to appear first in the drop-down list. The information you choose from this column is what appears first in the field in fill view.
12 Click Finish to close the AutoFill Wizard.
The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
13 Click OK to apply your settings and close the dialog box.
Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
Create an AutoFill List From an ODBC Source
You can create an AutoFill list from an ODBC source and use the information for your current field.
To create an AutoFill list from an ODBC source:
1 Open a form and select a field where you want to create an
AutoFill list using information from an ODBC source.
2 Choose Object Definition...
in the Format menu.
The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
3 Click the Filling tab in the Fill Text definition dialog box.
4 Select Enable AutoFill and click AutoFill Wizard...
.
5 Select Create or edit the AutoFill of the current field and click Next> .
6 Select Show a list of choices and click Next>.
7 Select ODBC Database to use information from a database (such as, dBASE or Microsoft Access) and click Next> .
Each item in a column can have a maximum of 2000 characters.
8 Specify the data source and table in the following dialog box.
Advanced Features
If you have not set up your data source previously, click
Administrator... and follow all the dialog boxes for your specific database. For more information about these dialog boxes, please see your specific database documentation.
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Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
• Select the data source you will be using from the Data Source drop-down list.
• Select a Table you would like to use from the Table drop-down list.
9 Click Next> .
A dialog box similar to the one below appears.
118
10 Specify the columns (or fields) that you want to use in the dropdown list. Also, select the field that you want to appear first in the drop-down list. You can have a maximum of 10 columns displayed in your drop-down list.
• Select the columns in the Available columns list and click the right-arrow button. The columns you have chosen appear in the Columns to show list box. All the columns you choose will appear in the drop-down list.
• In the Columns to enter text box, choose the field you want to appear first in the drop-down list. The information you choose from this column is what appears first in the field in fill view.
11 Click Finish to close the AutoFill Wizard.
The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
12 Click OK to apply your settings and close the dialog box.
Advanced Features
Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
Automatically Fill Fields on a Form
You can automatically fill fields on your form with AutoFill lists from a variety of sources. You can fill fields automatically using lists you create, or information from ODBC sources, OmniForm forms or databases.
This section describes how to create an automatic filling for your form.
You create an automatic filling by allowing specific fields to be filled automatically after a certain field has been filled. For example, your form may have Name , Address , City , State , and Zip fields. In this case, you might want to set up the form so that once the Name field has been filled, the Address , City , State , and Zip fields will be filled automatically.
Automatically Fill Fields on a Form With an AutoFill List You
Create
You can have fields on your form automatically filled with an AutoFill list you create. First specify a field so that once that field is filled other fields will be automatically filled. Next, create an AutoFill list. Finally, specify the fields on the form that you want automatically filled and then define the information that will be automatically filled in each field.
To automatically fill fields on a form with an AutoFill list you create:
1 Open a form and select a field where you want to create an automatic filling using an AutoFill list.
2 Choose Object Definition...
in the Format menu.
The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
3 Click the Filling tab in the Fill Text Definition dialog box.
4 Select Enable AutoFill and click AutoFill Wizard...
.
5 Select Create or edit the AutoFill of the current field and click Next> .
6 Select Fill other fields automatically after the field is filled to create an automatic filling for your form, and click Next> .
7 Select Manually entered list to use an AutoFill list for your form, and click Next> .
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Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
A dialog box similar to the one below appears.
8 Specify the fields that you want to be filled automatically.
• Select the fields in the Available fields list and click the rightarrow button. The fields you choose appear in the Fields to fill list. The Available Fields list displays all the fields on your form. The Fields to fill list displays all the fields on the form that you want filled automatically.
• To remove the fields from the Fields to fill list , select the fields from the Fields to fill list and then click the left-arrow button.
The fields you have chosen return to the Available fields list.
9 Click Next> .
A dialog box similar to the one below appears.
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Advanced Features
Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
10 Type the entries that you want in the columns. The first column, the Name field is the selected field on your current form. Once the Name field (or John Smith ) is filled, the other fields on the form, that is, Address ( or in this case, 123 Main St.
), City (that is,
Gould ), and State (that is , CO ) fields, will be filled automatically.
Click Next> when you are finished.
11 Click Finish to close the AutoFill Wizard.
The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
12 Click OK to apply the settings and close the dialog box.
Automatically Fill Fields on a Form With an OmniForm Form or
Database
You can have fields on your form automatically filled with information from an OmniForm form or database. First, specify the field so that once it is filled other fields on the form will be automatically filled. Next, select the OmniForm form or database that you want to use. Finally, specify the fields on the form that you want automatically filled and then define the information that will be automatically filled in each field.
To automatically fill fields on a form with information from an OmniForm Form or Database:
1 Open a form and select a field where you want to create an automatic filling using an OmniForm form or database.
2 Choose Object Definition...
in the Format menu.
The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
3 Click the Filling tab in the Fill Text Definition dialog box.
4 Select Enable AutoFill and click AutoFill Wizard...
.
5 Select Create or edit the AutoFill of the current field and click Next> .
6 Select Fill other fields automatically after the field is filled to create an automatic filling for your form and click Next> .
7 Select the OmniForm form or database that you want to use.
Each item in a column can have a maximum of 2000 characters.
• Select OmniForm Form to use information from another
OmniForm Form and click Next> .
• Select OmniForm Database to use information from another
OmniForm database (that is, a file with an .ofd
extension) and click Next> .
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Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
8 Type the file name of the OmniForm form or database you will be using in the File name text box.
Or, click Browse... to locate your file.
• Locate and select a file.
• Click OK to return to the AutoFill Wizard dialog box.
The name of the selected file appears in the File name text box.
Click Next> .
9 Select, in the Column/field drop-down list, the column (or field) from your database that you want to match against the data in the current selected field on your form.
Click Next> when you are finished matching the data with the field on your form.
10 Specify the fields that you want filled automatically.
• Select the fields in the Available fields list and click the rightarrow button. The fields you have chosen appear in the Fields to fill list. The Available Fields list displays all the fields on your form. The Fields to fill list displays all the fields on the form that you want filled automatically.
• To remove the fields from the Fields to fill list , select the fields from the Fields to fill list and then click the left-arrow button.
The fields you have chosen return to the Available fields list.
Click Next> when you are finished specifying the fields you want automatically filled.
11 Specify the links between the fields to be automatically filled in the form and the columns in the database. By linking the fields to the columns, you tell OmniForm what database information needs to be placed in what field on your form.
• Select an entry from Fields in form and then an entry in
Columns in database . Click <<Link>> . Your selection appears in the Links box.
• You can let OmniForm automatically link fields with columns. Click <<Auto>> . OmniForm automatically matches fields with columns of the same name and displays the linkage in the Links box.
• To remove an entry from the Links box, select the entry that you want and click Unlink . If you want to remove all entries in the Links box, click Unlink All .
12 Click Finish to close the AutoFill Wizard.
The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
13 Click OK to apply your settings and close the dialog box.
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Advanced Features
Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
Automatically Fill Fields on a Form With an ODBC Source
You can have fields on your form automatically filled with information from an ODBC source. First specify a field so that once it is filled other fields will be automatically filled. Next, select the ODBC source that you want to use. Finally, specify the fields on the form that you want automatically filled and then define the information that will be automatically filled in each field.
To automatically fill fields on a form with information from an ODBC source:
1 Open a form and select a field where you want to create an automatic filling using information from an ODBC source.
2 Choose Object Definition...
in the Format menu.
The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
3 Click the Filling tab in the Fill Text Definition dialog box.
4 Select Enable AutoFill and click AutoFill Wizard...
.
5 Select Create or edit the AutoFill of the current field and click Next> .
6 Select Fill other fields automatically after the field is filled to create an automatic filling for your form and click Next> .
7 Select ODBC Database to use information from a database (such as dBASE or Microsoft Access) and click Next> .
Each item in a column can have a maximum of 2000 characters.
8 Specify the data source and table.
• Select the source of your data from the Data Source drop-down list.
• Select the table from the Table drop-down list.
If you have not set up your data source previously, click
Administrator... and follow all the dialog boxes for your specific database. For more information about these dialog boxes, please see your specific database documentation.
9 Click Next> .
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Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
A dialog box similar to the one below appears.
124
10 In the Column/field drop-down list, select the column (or field) from your database that you want to match against the data in the current selected field on your form.
Click Next> when you are finished matching the data with the field on your form.
11 Specify the fields that you want filled automatically.
• Select the fields in the Available fields list and click the rightarrow button. The fields you have chosen appear in the Fields to fill list. The Available Fields list displays all the fields on your form. The Fields to fill list displays all the fields on the form that you want filled automatically.
• To remove fields from the Fields to fill list , select the fields from the Fields to fill list and then click the left-arrow button. The fields you have chosen return to the Available fields list.
12 Click Next> when you are finished specifying the fields you want automatically filled.
Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
A dialog box similar to the one below appears.
Advanced Features
13 Specify the links between the fields to be automatically filled in the form and the columns in the database. By linking the fields to the columns, you tell OmniForm what database information needs to be placed in what field on your form.
• Select an entry from the Fields in form and then an entry in
Columns in database . Click <<Link>> . Your selection appears in the Links box.
• You can let OmniForm automatically link fields with columns. Click <<Auto>> . OmniForm automatically matches fields with columns of the same name and displays the linkage in the Links box.
• To remove an entry in the Links box, select the entry that you want and click Unlink . If you want to remove all entries in the
Links box, click Unlink All .
14 Click Finish to close the AutoFill Wizard.
The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
15 Click OK to apply your settings and close the dialog box.
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Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
Creating an AutoFill List and Automatically Fill Fields
You can create both an AutoFill list and have fields automatically filled for your form. You can automatically fill fields by using a list you create, information from an ODBC source, OmniForm form, or database. The
AutoFill Wizard can easily do both.
To create an AutoFill List and automatically fill fields:
1 Open a form and select a field where you want to create an
AutoFill list and automatically fill fields.
2 Choose Object Definition...
in the Format menu.
The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
3 Click the Filling tab in the Fill Text Definition dialog box.
4 Select Enable AutoFill and click AutoFill Wizard...
.
5 Select Create or edit the AutoFill of the current field and click Next> .
6 Select Show a list of choices and automatically fill other fields in the dialog box that appears and click Next> .
7 Select Manually entered list to use information created with the
AutoFill Wizard and click Next> .
8 Specify the fields that you want to be filled automatically.
• Select the fields in the Available fields list and click the right- arrow button. The fields you have chosen appear in the Fields to fill list. The Available Fields list displays all the fields on your form. The Fields to fill list displays all the fields on the form that you want filled automatically.
• To remove the fields from the Fields to fill list , select the fields from the Fields to fill list and then click the left-arrow button.
The fields you have chosen return to the Available fields list.
9 Click Next> .
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Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
A dialog box similar to the one below appears.
Advanced Features
10 Type the entries in the appropriate columns. For example, the first column in this dialog box, the Company field, is the selected field on your current form; that is, the field that contains the drop-down list. The second column, the From field, is the field that will be automatically filled once the Company field is filled.
11 Click Next> .
12 Select whether you want to save your list. If you are saving your list, type a name.
13 Click Finish to close the AutoFill Wizard.
The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
14 Click OK to apply the settings and close the dialog box.
To create an AutoFill list and automatically fill fields with an
ODBC source:
1 Open a form and select a field where you want to create an
AutoFill list and automatically fill fields using information from an ODBC source.
2 Choose Object Definition...
in the Format menu.
The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
3 Click the Filling tab in the Fill Text Definition dialog box.
4 Select Enable AutoFill and click AutoFill Wizard...
.
5 Select Create or edit the AutoFill of the current field and click Next> .
6 Select Show a list of choices and automatically fill other fields and click Next> .
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Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
7 Select ODBC Database to use information from a database (such as dBASE or Microsoft Access) and click Next> .
Each item in a column can have a maximum of 2000 characters.
8 Specify a data source and table.
If you have not set up your data source previously, click
Administrator... and follow all the dialog boxes for your specific database. For more information about these dialog boxes, please see your specific database documentation.
• Select the data source you will be using from the Data Source drop-down list.
• Select the table you would like to use from the Table dropdown list.
Click Next> .
9 Specify the columns (or fields) that you want to use in the dropdown list. Also, select the field you want to appear first in the drop-down list. You can have a maximum of 10 columns displayed in a drop-down list.
• Select the columns in the Available columns list and click the right-arrow button. The columns you have chosen appear in the Columns to show list box. All the columns you choose will appear in the drop-down list. This is useful if you want more information to appear in the drop-down list.
• In the Columns to enter text box, choose the field you want to appear first in the drop-down list. The information you choose from this column is what appears first in the field in fill view.
10 Click Next> .
11 Specify the form’s fields that you want to be filled automatically.
• Select the fields in the Available fields list and click the rightarrow button. The fields you have chosen appear in the Fields to fill list. The Available Fields list displays all the fields on your form. The Fields to fill list displays all the fields on the form that you want filled automatically.
• To remove fields from the Fields to fill list , select the fields from the Fields to fill list and then click the left-arrow button. The fields you have chosen return to the Available fields list.
Click Next> .
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Advanced Features
Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
12 Specify the links between the fields to be automatically filled in the form and the columns in the database. By linking the fields to the columns, you tell OmniForm what database information needs to be placed in what field on your form.
• Select an entry from the Fields in form and then an entry in
Columns in database . Click <<Link>> . Your selection appears in the Links box.
• You can let OmniForm automatically link fields with columns. Click <<Auto>> . OmniForm automatically matches fields with columns of the same name and displays the linkage in the Links box.
• To remove an entry in the Links box, select the entry and click
Unlink . If you want to remove all entries in the Links box, click
Unlink All .
13 Click Finish to close the AutoFill Wizard.
The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
14 Click OK to apply the settings and close the dialog box.
To create an AutoFill list and automatically fill fields with an
OmniForm Form or Database:
1 Open a form and select a field where you want to create an
AutoFill list and automatically fill fields using information from an OmniForm form or database.
2 Choose Object Definition...
in the Format menu.
The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
3 Click the Filling tab in the Fill Text Definition dialog box.
4 Select Enable AutoFill and click AutoFill Wizard...
.
5 Select Create or edit the AutoFill of the current field and click Next> .
6 Select Show a list of choices and automatically fill other fields and click Next> .
7 Choose the OmniForm form or database that you want to use.
Each item in a column can have a maximum of 2000 characters.
• Select OmniForm Form (to use information from an OmniForm form) and click Next> .
• Select OmniForm Database ( to use information from an
OmniForm database, that is, a file with an .ofd extension) and click Next> .
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Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
8 Type the file name in the provided text box.
Or, click Browse...
to locate your file.
• Locate and select a file.
• Click OK to return to the AutoFill Wizard dialog box.
The name of the selected file appears in the File name text box.
9 Click Next> .
10 Specify the columns (or fields) that you want to use in the dropdown list. Also, select the field you want to appear first in the drop-down list. You can have a maximum of 10 columns displayed in a drop-down list.
• In the Columns to show text box, specify all the fields you want to use from the Available columns list. All the columns you specify will appear in the drop-down list. This is useful if you want more information to appear in the drop-down list.
• In the Columns to enter text box, specify the field you want to appear first in the drop-down list. The information from this column is what appears first in the field in fill view.
11 Click Next> .
12 Specify the form’s fields that you want to be filled automatically.
• Select the fields in the Available fields list and click the rightarrow button. The fields you have chosen appear in the Fields to fill list. The Available Fields list displays all the fields on your form. The Fields to fill list displays all the fields on the form that you want filled automatically.
• To remove fields from the Fields to fill list , select the fields from the Fields to fill list and then click the left-arrow button. The fields you have chosen return to the Available fields list.
Click Next> .
13 Specify the links between the fields to be automatically filled in the form and the columns in the database. By linking the fields to the columns, you tell OmniForm what database information needs to be placed in what field on your form.
• Select an entry from the Fields in form and then an entry in
Columns in database . Click <<Link>> . Your selection appears in the Links box.
• You can let OmniForm automatically link fields with columns. Click <<Auto>> . OmniForm automatically matches fields with columns of the same name and displays the linkage in the Links box.
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Advanced Features
Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
• To remove an entry in the Links box, select the entry and click
Unlink . If you want to remove all entries in the Links box, click
Unlink All .
14 Click Finish to close the AutoFill Wizard.
The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
15 Click OK to apply your settings and close the dialog box.
Replacing Data Entered in a Field With New Data
This section describes how you can set up a field to replace entered data with data you have specified in a replacement list. This is useful if you want to standardize an entry in a field. For example, suppose your form contains a State field and you want the user to enter the state’s two-letter abbreviation. You can create a field that will allow the user to enter only the specified information. So, anytime the user enters a variant of the state name in fill view, the replacement feature will change it to your specified version.
To create a replacement list:
1 Open a form and select a field where you want to create a replacement list.
2 Choose Object Definition...
in the Format menu.
The Fill Text Definition dialog box appears.
3 Click the Filling tab in the Fill Text Definition dialog box.
4 Select Enable AutoFill and click AutoFill Wizard...
.
5 Select Create or edit the AutoFill of the current field and click Next> .
6 Select Replace the data entered into this field with new data and click
Next> .
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Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
A dialog box similar to the one below appears.
132
7 Type the entry to be replaced in the Replace column and type the replacement in the With column.
8 Click Next> when you are finished.
9 Select whether you want to save your list. If you are saving your list, type a name.
10 Click Finish to close the AutoFill Wizard and, if selected, to save your list.
The Fill Text Definition dialog appears.
11 Click OK to apply your settings and close the dialog box.
Creating AutoFills for Tables
You can create an Autofill list for your table as well as have fields in your
table filled automatically. The procedure is similar to “Creating a New
AutoFill List” on page 110. Therefore, before you begin, please review
all the sections in “Setting Up a Form for Automated Data Entry.” The following is a brief description of the selections in two of the dialog boxes unique to tables.
Advanced Features
Setting up a Form for Automated Data Entry
The following dialog box appears when you have chosen to fill fields automatically.
• Select All other fields in the form to show all the available fields on the form.
• Select All fields not in this table to show just the fields outside of the table.
• Select Fields in the current row to display just the fields in the current row of the table.
• Select Fields in the current column to display just the fields in the current column of the table.
The following dialog box appears after you have applied all your settings to the table.
133
Setting Attributes for a Form
• Select No if you do not want the AutoFill settings to apply to the rest of the fields in the table.
• Select Yes if you want the AutoFill settings to apply to the rest of the fields in the table.
Setting Attributes for a Form
Setting Up a Shared Form
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. You also allow multiple users to open and fill the form at the same time.
To set up a shared form:
1 Open a form to design view.
2 Choose Properties...
from the File menu.
A Properties dialog box appears.
3 Click the Sharing tab and select Shared .
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4 Click OK to apply the change.
The shared form settings are not applied until the form is saved and closed.
Advanced Features
Setting Attributes for a Form
Setting Summary Information
Using the Summary tab, you can enter pertinent information about the form.
To set summary information:
1 Choose Properties in the File menu.
The Properties dialog box appears.
2 Click the Summary tab.
3 Enter information appropriate to your form.
4 Click OK to apply your settings.
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Setting Attributes for a Form
Setting Submission Information
Using the Submission tab, you can set how you will submit your form and where you will send your form after you submit it.
To set submission information:
1 Choose Properties in the File menu.
The Properties dialog box appears.
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2 Click the Submission tab.
3 Type an action in the Action text box.
It will be saved in the dropdown list for selection the next time you open this dialog box.
An action describes where form data will be sent after submission from OmniForm Filler, a Web browser, or Adobe’s
Acrobat software.
• The action could point to a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) script on a Web server; for example: http://www.caere.com/location-bin/script.pl
This would tell OmniForm Filler to submit data to a script on
Caere’s Web server.
• If the file is saved as HTML or PDF, the action could be an email address; for example: mailto:[email protected]
The form data would be submitted to that e-mail address.
4 Select a means of submitting data.
• Select GET to append text to the Universal Resource Locator
(URL) specified in the Action drop-down list.
• Select POST to notify the Web server to open the CGI application and pass the data.
Adding Security to Your Forms
Adding Security to Your Forms
If your work environment contains several work groups, you might want to add security properties to your forms. Security properties can protect both the user who fills out the form and the user who processes the filled out form.
To add security properties to a form:
• First create a user database.
This is a place to store the names of the users and their passwords.
• Next, create a signature field or fields on the form.
A signature field contains settings that allow users to lock fields on a form. In locking other fields, only the user with the correct password can change the locked fields.
• Finally, track and verify who has signed the form.
For example, suppose you have an Expense report that requires an employee’s signature and supervisor’s approval. For this form you might want to create an employee’s signature and have this signature field lock fields that the employee fills out. Once the employee’s signature field is signed (that is, filled), no one can change the locked fields unless that user has the correct password and unsigns the field.
You might also want to create a supervisor’s signature field and have this signature field lock the employee’s signature field. Once the supervisor’s signature field is signed (that is, filled), no one can change any of the fields without the correct passwords. The supervisor’s password is required to unsign the supervisor’s signature field. The employee’s password is required to unsign the employee’s signature field, which will unlock the rest of the locked fields on the form.
This section describes how to create a user database, how to set up signature fields, and how to verify the signature fields.
Creating a User Database
This section should be performed by your Work Group Administrator.
A user database contains information about the members of your work group, such as, user names, passwords, and descriptive full names. It is the basis for form signing and signature verification in the work group.
The database should be located where all work group members can access it; such as, the network drive. For added security, the user database may be made read-only to everyone but the administrator.
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Adding Security to Your Forms
To create a user database:
1 If you are in fill view, click the Design button in the fill toolbar or choose Design in the View menu to switch to design view.
2 Choose Security...
in the Tools menu.
The Security Database dialog box appears.
3 Type the name of your database file in the File name text box.
Or, click Browse...
to locate your file.
• Locate and select a file.
• Click OK to return to the Security Database dialog box.
4 Click OK when you are finished
The Enter Administrator Password dialog box appears.
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If an administrator password has not been defined, you will be prompted to enter one and verify it; otherwise just enter the password to continue.
If you lose or forget your password it cannot be recovered. Do not use the following characters in your user name or full name: “/\ [ ]
; : | = , + * ? < >
5 Click OK to return to the Security Database dialog box.
6 Click OK in the Security Database dialog box to close the dialog box.
Adding Security to Your Forms
To add a user to the database:
1 If you are in fill view, click the Design button in the fill toolbar or choose Design in the View menu to switch to design view.
2 Choose Security...
in the Tools menu.
The Enter Administrator Password dialog box appears.
3 Enter your password in this dialog box.
4 Click OK .
The Security Database Administration dialog box appears. In the Users list box, all the current users are displayed.
Advanced Features
5 Click the New button to add a new user, and enter:
• the user’s name in the Username text box. The user’s name can contain up to 20 characters.
• the password for that user in the Password text box. The password can contain up to 14 characters and will appear as asterisks in the text box.
• the password again in the Verify password text box.
• the user’s full name in the Full name text box. The full name can contain up to 50 characters. The full name is the name that will be displayed in the signature field in fill view.
If you lose or forget your password it cannot be recovered. Do not use the following characters in your user name or full name: “/\ [ ]
; : | = , + * ? < >
6 Click Add to add the new user.
7 Click OK to close the dialog box.
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Adding Security to Your Forms
To update a password or full name:
1 In design view, choose Security...
in the Tools menu.
The Security Database Administration dialog box appears. In the Users box, all the current users are displayed.
2 In the Users list box, select the user that you want to update.
Updating a user’s password will cause all records previously signed by this user to become unverified. The user will no longer be able to unsign those records.
• Type a new password in the Password text box, and then type the password again in the Verify password text box to update the password.
• Type the new user’s full name in the Full name text box to update the user’s full name.
3 Click Update to update the password/user ’s full name.
4 Click OK to close the dialog box.
To delete a user:
1 In design view, choose Security...
in the Tools menu.
The Enter Administrator Password dialog box appears. Enter your password in this dialog box.
2 Click OK .
The Security Database Administration dialog box appears. In the Users box, all the current users are displayed.
3 Select the user that you want to delete in the Users box.
4 Click Delete . You will be warned that you are about to delete the user and will be prompted to continue. Click OK in this dialog box. The user is deleted.
5 Click OK to close the Security Database Administration dialog box.
Creating Signature Fields
You create signature fields from fill text fields. Signature fields can lock other fields on a form. And once a signature field is signed (that is, filled) no one can change the locked fields unless that user has the correct password and unsigns the field.
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Adding Security to Your Forms
To create a signature field on a form:
1 In design view, select a fill text field on the form where you want to create a signature field.
2 Choose Object Definition...
in the Format menu.
Or, open a shortcut menu by clicking the right-mouse button over the selected object. Choose Object Definition...
in this menu.
3 Click the Properties tab in the Fill Text Definition dialog box.
4 Select Signature in the Type drop-down list.
5 Click the Settings button.
The Signature Settings dialog box appears.
Advanced Features
• In the Fields in list box, select the fields that you want to lock with the signature field and click Add>> to add the fields.
• To add all the fields on the form, click Add All>> .
• To remove fields from the Fields to lock list box, select those entries that you want removed and then click <<Remove .
6 Click OK when you are finished.
If Field Security has been turned on in fill view, signed fields will appear with an icon in fill view: a red icon if the signature is not verified and a green icon if the signature is verified. The fields that are locked will have a blue border in fill view.
Filling/Signing Signature Fields
A form is signed if a user has filled out a signature field. If online, the user must enter a valid user name and password. A form is considered online if the security database can be found and opened. When online, signatures can be verified.
If offline a user can enter any user name and password. A form is considered offline if a security database file name has not been specified, or if an error occurred when opening the database. When offline, signatures cannot be verified.
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Adding Security to Your Forms
To sign a signature field:
1 Click the signature field.
• If you are online, the Signature Required dialog box appears.
You will be prompted for a valid user name and password.
• If you are offline, the Signature Required (Offline) dialog box appears. You will be prompted for a user name and password.
2 Enter your user name and password.
3 Click OK .
Verifying Signature Fields
A form with signature fields is only of value if you can verify that the filled signature fields are valid and if the signed data has changed. You cannot verify a signature when you are offline. And if a form is signed offline, the user database cannot be accessed to verify the user information.
To verify a signature:
1 If you are in design view, click the Fill button in the design toolbar or choose Fill in the View menu to switch to fill view.
2 Choose Security...
in the Tools menu.
The Security Information dialog box appears.
OmniForm tracks whether a signature field is currently verified or if it has ever been verified.
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Adding Hyperlinks to Your Forms
3 Click OK to close the dialog box.
Adding Hyperlinks to Your Forms
You can easily set up hyperlinks on your forms. A hyperlink is a connection from a place on your form to a file or Web site. For example, the person who fills out the form can link from a place on the form to your company’s Web site.
To add hyperlinks to your forms:
1 If a form is open in fill view, click the Design button in the fill toolbar or choose Design in the View menu to switch to design view.
2 Select an object on your form where you want to add a hyperlink. You can add hyperlinks to rectangle objects, oval objects, graphic objects, text objects and inside a text object
(embedded within the text).
3 Choose Hyperlink...
in the Format menu.
Or, click Hyperlink
in the web toolbar. See “The Web Toolbar” on page 52 for more information about this toolbar.
The Hyperlink dialog box appears.
Advanced Features
4 Select one of the options in the Link to file or URL drop-down list.
• If you want to link to a specific Web site, select http:// and type the rest of the site address in the provided text box.
• If you want to link to an FTP address, select ftp:// and type the rest of the address in the provided text box.
• If you want to link to an electronic mail address, select mail to: and type the rest of the mail address in the provided text box.
Or, click Browse...
if you need to locate a file. Locate and select a file.
5 If you want, type a description of your hyperlink in the
Description text box.
6 Click OK to apply your settings and close the dialog box.
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Using the Scrapbook
7 Choose Options...
in the Tools menu if you would like to be able to view the link address. The Options dialog box appears. Select
ScreenTips .
When in fill view, if you place your cursor over the hyperlink area, a pop-up window appears displaying the link address.
8 Click OK to apply your settings and close the dialog box.
9 Right-click your mouse button over the hyperlink object to check your hyperlink while in design view. Select Follow
Hyperlink .
Or, you can hold down the Ctrl key and click it as you are over the hyperlink object.
Using the Scrapbook
This section describes the OmniForm scrapbook and how to use it.
What Is the Scrapbook?
The scrapbook is a convenient place to store frequently used or complex objects. Objects stored in the scrapbooks are called scraps.
You can copy these scraps into any form. You can use one of the several scrapbook files provided with OmniForm or create your own.
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Using the Scrapbook
To open a scrapbook:
1 Choose Scrapbook in the Tools menu.
The scrapbook opens to the left of the OmniForm window in the
Tools window.
Scrapbook
Commands icon
Current scrapbook
Stored graphic file
(a scrap)
Advanced Features
2 Select a scrapbook to view in the Scrapbook drop-down list, or create your own.
See “To create a new scrapbook:” on page 146 for information.
To copy objects to the scrapbook:
1 Open the desired scrapbook.
2 Select one or more objects on your form and drag them into the scrapbook.
Or, select one or more objects and choose Paste Scrap in the
Scrapbook Commands icon menu.
Small thumbnail sketches of the objects appear as Scrap 1, Scrap 2, and so forth in the scrapbook.
You cannot store an OLE object in the scrapbook.
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Using the Scrapbook
To place scraps in a form:
1 Open the desired scrapbook.
2 Select a scrap and drag it into your form.
Or, select a scrap and choose Copy Scrap in the Scrapbook
Commands icon menu.
You can select only one scrap at a time. The selected scrap appears as the original object in your form.
To rename a scrap:
1 Select a scrap.
2 Choose Rename Scrap in the Scrapbook Commands icon menu.
3 Type a new name for the scrap and press Enter to accept the name.
Press Esc to cancel the command and leave the name as it is.
To delete a scrap:
1 Select a scrap.
2 Choose Delete Scrap in the Scrapbook Commands icon menu.
You can also press Delete to delete a selected scrap.
You cannot undo the Delete Scrap command.
3 OmniForm prompts you to confirm your choice.
To create a new scrapbook:
1 Choose New Scrapbook...
in the Scrapbook icon drop-down list.
The New Scrapbook dialog box appears.
2 Type a name in the Scrapbook Name text box.
3 Click OK.
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Using the Scrapbook
A new, empty scrapbook appears.
To rename a scrapbook:
1 Open the scrapbook to rename.
2 Choose Rename Scrapbook...
in the Scrapbook Commands icon menu.
3 The Rename Scrapbook dialog box appears.
Advanced Features
4 Type a name in the New Name text box.
5 Click OK.
The new scrapbook name appears in the Scrapbook drop-down list.
To delete a scrapbook:
1 Open the scrapbook to delete.
2 Choose Delete Scrapbook in the Scrapbook Commands icon menu.
You cannot undo the Delete Scrapbook command.
3 OmniForm prompts you to confirm your choice.
You can also delete a scrapbook file directly from the hard drive.
Scrapbook files are stored in the location c:\OmniForm\Scrapbooks .
Always close OmniForm before deleting any OmniForm files from the hard drive.
To change the scrapbook view:
1 Choose View in the Scrapbook Commands icon menu.
2 Select a view in its cascading menu.
• Choose Icons to view the scraps as thumbnail sketches of the stored objects.
• Choose List to view the scraps as a list.
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Inserting OLE Objects in a Form
Scraps are listed in the order they were created in both Icon and
List views.
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. OmniForm supports objects created in a variety of applications.
For example, instead of scanning a page of text into OmniForm, you could create a Microsoft Word Document object and insert it in the form either as fully displayed text or as a launchable icon. This saves you scanning and editing time. An OLE object displayed as an icon also saves form and disk space.
Linking and Embedding
You can either link or embed an object when you insert it. This section describes both methods.
Object Linking
A linked object retains a connection, or link, to the source file. The source file is the file you select to insert as an OLE object.
The source file stores the linked data. The OmniForm form stores the location of the source file and displays the linked object. Changes to the source file are reflected in the linked object.
Use linking when:
• The source file is likely to change.
• The source file is on a network or needs to be accessed by others.
• The source file is shared by more than one document.
• The source file is very large and you do not want to increase your form’s file size significantly.
Object Embedding
An embedded object becomes part of the OmniForm form. It is not linked to the source document.
Use embedding when:
• It is unlikely the object will need to be changed or updated.
• The source document is unavailable for linking.
• You are not concerned about the file size of your OmniForm form.
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Inserting OLE Objects in a Form
How to Insert OLE Objects
1 Choose Insert New Object...
in the Edit menu.
The Insert Object dialog box appears.
Advanced Features
2 Select an object type in the Object Type list box.
3 Select one of the following.
• To create a new object of the type selected and embed it in your form, select Create New . Proceed to step 4.
• To import a file of the type selected and either embed it or link it to your form, select Create From File . The dialog box changes.
Proceed to “Creating an OLE Object From a File” on page 151.
4 Select Display As Icon to display the object as an icon, rather than displaying its actual content.
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. By default, an object appears with the object type name if it is unlinked and the source file name if it is linked.
5 Click OK.
How the object appears depends on the options that you
selected. See “Creating a New OLE Object” on page 150 for
detailed information.
You cannot store an OLE object in the scrapbook.
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Inserting OLE Objects in a Form
Creating a New OLE Object
See the previous section, “How to Insert OLE Objects” on page 149 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. Use its commands and tools to create your object. Choose Exit in the File menu to insert the object as an icon.
If you did not select Display As Icon, an OLE window appears (some applications do not support OLE windows and the object will launch in the application itself). The OmniForm window changes to reflect the application window for the selected object type:
• The name in the title bar changes to that of the source application.
• The embedded object appears as an empty OLE window within the application window. Create your object here.
• All menus but the File and Windows menus change to those of the source application.
• All toolbars change to those of the source application.
If you selected Bitmap Image, for example, you can use the Microsoft
Paint menu commands and tools and some OmniForm commands.
Source application menus
OmniForm form
OLE window with newly created bitmap image to be embedded
Paint tools used to create object
150
Create your object in the available window. Click outside the window or press Esc to embed the object in your form when you are done.
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 149 if
you need to create an object. The Insert Object dialog box changes when you select Create from File.
Advanced Features
1 Type a file name in the File text box.
Or, click Browse... to locate a file. Select a file, and click OK to return to the Insert Object dialog box.
2 Select Link if you want to link the object to its source file.
Otherwise, the object will be embedded.
3 Select Display As Icon to display the object as an icon, rather than displaying its actual content.
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. By default, an object appears with the object type name if it is unlinked and the source file name if it is linked.
4 Click OK.
The object appears in your form.
Pasting a Linked OLE Object
You can paste information from another application into OmniForm as a linked OLE object. For example, you could copy cells from an Excel spreadsheet to the Clipboard. When you open OmniForm, the Paste Link command in the Edit menu will be active. The object, once pasted, is linked to the copied cells.
To paste a linked OLE object:
1 Open a document in an application that supports links to its documents.
2 Select the portion to link and leave it selected.
3 Open a form in OmniForm.
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Inserting OLE Objects in a Form
4 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. See the next section for information.
Setting Up Linking Options
This section describes the Links...
command. This command is only active if you have linked objects in the current form. Use the Links...
command to update or break links, open an OLE object, or change an
OLE source file.
To use the Links...
command:
1 Choose Links...
in the Edit menu.
2 The Links dialog box appears.
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3 Select a link and click Automatic or Manual.
• Select Automatic to update the selected link automatically each time you open a form.
This is useful if the source file is updated frequently by you or other users and you want to keep the linked object current.
• Select Manual to update only the selected link by using the
Update Now button in the Links dialog box.
This is useful if you do not want the linked object to reflect all changes made to the source file.
4 Select a link and click a button to perform a linking procedure:
• To update the selected link to reflect any changes made to its source file, click Update Now .
• To launch the selected link in its source application, click Open
Source .
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. Item Name is assigned automatically by the server application, if one exists.
Click OK to return to the Links dialog box. You can use the
Convert...
command to assign a new name to the object after its
source has changed. See “Convert...” on page 154 for
information.
• To permanently unlink an object from its source file and convert it to a static OLE object, click Break Link .
Advanced Features
An object converted to a static OLE object cannot be edited, opened, reconverted, or played.
The Cancel button changes to Close after you complete a linking procedure.
5 Click Close when you are done.
Using the Object Commands
The Object command in the Edit menu is only available when an OLE object is selected. It changes according to the selected object. The commands in its cascading menu change as well. This section describes each command.
Open
Choose Open in the Object cascading menu to view a selected OLE object in its source application.
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Inserting OLE Objects in a Form
• Linked objects and objects displayed as icons open in the source application. Choose Exit in the File menu when you are done.
• Unlinked objects not displayed as icons open in the window in which you created them. Click outside this window when you are done.
Edit
Choose Edit in the Object cascading menu to edit a selected OLE object in its source application or in the OLE window in which it was created.
Or, double-click the OLE object to open it.
• Linked objects and objects displayed as icons open in the source application. Edit the object and choose Exit in the File menu when you are done.
• Unlinked objects not displayed as icons open in the window in which you created them. Edit the object and click outside the window when you are done.
Convert...
Use the Convert...
command to convert a selected OLE object to another type of object or to an icon, to choose a different icon, or to rename an icon.
1 Select the object and choose Convert... in the Object cascading menu.
The Convert dialog box appears.
An object converted to a static OLE object cannot be edited, opened, reconverted, or played.
2 Select an option in the Object Type list box.
The available options depend on the selected object. There may be no available options.
3 Select Display As Icon if you want to display the object as an icon, rather than displaying its actual content.
4 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. By default, an object appears with the object type name if it is unlinked and the source file name if it is linked.
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Inserting OLE Objects in a Form
5 Click OK.
The object is converted.
Play
Choose Play in the Object cascading menu to play a selected OLE object in its source application or in the OLE window in which it was created.
This command is only available for video clip, media clip, and MIDI sequence objects.
• Linked objects and object displayed as icons open in the source application. Play the object and choose Exit in the File menu when you are done.
• Unlinked objects not displayed as icons open in the window in which you created them. Play the object and click outside the window when you are done.
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Inserting OLE Objects in a Form
156
Chapter 6
Filling a Form
This chapter describes how you or another user would fill out a form created in OmniForm.
This chapter contains the following sections:
You must first open, scan, or import a form in order to fill it.
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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 design 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.
The fill view window contains a toolbar and seven menus.
158
Use fill view to enter data in fields, create a records database, import and export information to and from records, and print or mail forms.
See Chapter 7, “Managing an OmniForm Database,” for detailed information on database creation and management.
The Fill View Window
The Fill Toolbar
Use the fill toolbar for basic file operations such as saving and printing.
Use it also to move through records in a database.
New Save
Form
Assistant
Preview Cut Paste Fill
Highlight
Fill Areas
First
Record
Next
Record
New
Record
Open Scan Form Print Spelling Copy Design Zoom Previous
Record
Record
Number
Last
Record
Help
All these buttons correspond to menu commands of the same name.
Clicking a button is the same as choosing its corresponding menu command.
All corresponding menu commands are explained in online help or in various sections throughout this manual (see the index for exact locations). Processes such as scanning or opening a form are explained in Chapter 3, “OmniForm Procedures.”
You can also drag the fill toolbar to any other location in the OmniForm window.
Filling a Form 159
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
Place the cursor in a field
Next field
Previous field
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
Previous word in a field
Key Combination
When a form first opens, press Tab to place the cursor in the first field.
Press Tab
Press Shift-Tab
Press Enter to move to the next line in a multiple-line fill text field
Press End
Press Home
Press Ctrl-End
Press Ctrl-Home
Press Ctrl-right arrow
Press Ctrl-left arrow
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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:
• Fields Defined by a Calculation
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 and the object definition. See “International Settings”
on page 19 and “Defining Objects on a Form” on page 72 for more
information.
Type Ahead
As you begin to enter a word in a fill text object, OmniForm will automatically complete the word. This option works only when there is previously filled information that matches the word you are entering. It also works for dates, times, and pop-up lists.
To type ahead:
1 Choose Options... in the Tools menu.
The Options dialog box appears.
2 Click the Filling tab.
• Select Enable Type Ahead if you want this option.
• Deselect Enable Type Ahead if you do not want this option.
3 Click OK .
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Filling Fields
Shrink Text to Fit Fields
When filling a form, the text you enter may not always fit in the fill text fields. You can make your text automatically fit your fields.
To shrink text to fit fields:
1 Choose Options...
in the Tools menu.
The Options dialog box appears.
2 Click the Filling tab.
• Select Automatically shrink text to fit within fields if you want this option.
• Deselect Automatically shrink text to fit within fields if you do not want this option.
3 Click OK .
Fill Text
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 First Name and Last Name fill text 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 element
3-character element prefill element
8-character element
You do not have to tab from element to element in a comb field. Just type the required amount of information and OmniForm 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 elements: a check mark, an X , or a fill. The default value of a check box is an X ; but you can easily change it to a check mark or a fill.
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Filling a Form
Filling Fields
Check boxes are commonly used for Yes/No questions and for selecting an item in a group, as in the two examples below:
Fill Check
Check boxes may be grouped; this means that only one can be selected.
Selecting one check box automatically deselects another checked box in the group as in the example below.
To move through grouped check boxes, use the arrow key on your keyboard.
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 . Table cells are fill text fields by 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 example below, the table cells on the right contain check box fields.
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Filling Fields
The user clicks this cell to fill it in the same way as a check box field. See
Chapter 4, “Designing a Form,” for information on tables, converting fields from one type to another, inserting objects in table cells, and so on.
Fill Graphic
A fill graphic field contains a graphic you select. You can import an existing graphic or you can select a TWAIN-compatible scanner source and scan an image directly into the fill graphic field. This section describes both options.
To import an existing graphic:
1 Click the fill graphic field or tab to the field and press the Space bar.
The Fill Graphic dialog box appears.
2 Select Graphic File in the Source drop-down list.
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3 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.
4 Select an option in the Options drop-down list.
• Select Maintain Original Size to import the graphic without changes.
Filling Fields
• 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.
Filling a Form
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 to specify the graphic’s size.
Enter measurements for your graphic in the Width and Height text boxes under Size.
The size of the fill graphic field is 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.
5 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 Left to specify how far away from the left side of the field to place the graphic.
• Enter a number in Top to specify how far away from the top of the field to place the graphic.
6 Select or deselect Transparent.
• Select 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.
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Filling Fields
• 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 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.
2 Select TWAIN in the Source drop-down list.
3 Click Select Source to open the Select Source dialog box.
4 Select your TWAIN source and click OK to return to the Fill
Graphic dialog box.
5 Type a file name in the File Name text box.
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This is the file name the graphic will have after it is scanned and saved automatically by OmniForm.
• Click Browse... if you need to locate a path for the file.
• 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
7 Place the page with the graphic that you want in your scanner, making sure it is aligned correctly.
8 Click OK.
OmniForm scans the graphic and displays it in the fill graphic field.
Filling a Form
Filling Fields
To delete a graphic from a fill graphic field:
Select None in the Fill Graphic dialog box to delete a graphic from the form and leave the fill graphic field empty.
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.
In the example below, the TOTAL field automatically added the amounts entered in the first and second fields. The TOTAL would increase if the third and fourth fields were filled as well.
You define a calculation on a field in design view. See Chapter 8, “Using
Calculations,” for detailed information on calculations.
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Spell Checking
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 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.
• Click No to return to the field and enter the expected information.
• Click Yes to override field validation.
See “To set validation options for fill text objects:” on page 76 for
detailed information on field validation.
Spell Checking
Use the spell-checking feature to verify that text field entries are correct.
Before you check spelling make sure you have selected the correct language for your form in the Options dialog box as described below.
Proceed to “Spell Checking Your Form” on page 170 if you have a
single-language form, or the Current Form language selection is correct, or you have a dictionary for that language.
To Check the Current Form Language Selection:
1 Choose Options...
in the Tools menu.
The Options dialog box appears.
2 Click the International tab.
3 Click Current Form.
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Spell Checking
The Language selection is grayed out but readable in fill view.
Filling a Form
4 If the language selection for Current Form is incorrect, click
Cancel
and proceed to “To Select a Language for Your Form:” on page 19.
5 Click OK if the language is correct.
Spell Checking Multiple Languages
You may have scanned in a form with the Allow Multiple Languages
option selected. (See “The Allow Multiple Languages Option” on page
22.) You have two choices for effective spell checking:
• Decide which language makes up the majority of your form and select that language as the Current Form selection.
This is faster but less accurate.
• Spell check only the portion of the form that the Current Form selection matches. Change the Current Form selection to match another portion of the form, spell check that portion, and so on for each language in the form.
This is more time-consuming but more accurate. Remember that changing the Current Form selection could cause OmniForm to reformat data already entered in fill view.
Dictionaries for Spell Checking
Dictionaries for all supported languages are included in the
International English version of OmniForm. The United States version has a standard English dictionary. You can call 1-800-654-1187 to order additional dictionaries. You must have a dictionary that matches the language of a form to spell check it.
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Spell Checking
Spell Checking Your Form
OmniForm has two ways to spell check your form.
• OmniForm automatically places a red wavy line under misspelled words and double entries. You simply right-click the error and select the correction from the menu that appears.
If you want to turn off this automatic spell checker, choose
Options...
in the Tools menu. In the dialog box that appears, select the Spelling tab. Deselect Check spelling automatically to turn off the automatic spell checker.
• You can also check the spelling of your form by using the Spelling dialog box.
To spell check your form:
1 Click the Spelling button in the fill 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.
• Other suggested spellings appear in the Suggestions list box.
2 Click one of the following options: Ignore , Ignore All , Change ,
Change All , Add , or Suggest .
3 Click Close to end the spell check.
4 Click OK in the dialog box that tells you the spell check is done.
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Saving in Fill View
Saving in Fill View
OmniForm automatically saves in fill view. OmniForm saves after numerous user actions, such as, moving from one record to another, printing or closing a form, before importing or exporting data, and in many other situations. You would rarely need to use the Save command in fill view except to:
• Save changes to the entire form, both changes made in design view and data entered in fill view.
• Save information entered in the Print offsets for data option in the
Print dialog box.
Use the Save As...
command in fill view to save a form to another location or with a different file name.
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Saving in Fill View
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Chapter 7
Managing an
OmniForm Database
This chapter introduces basic database concepts, including the following sections:
See Chapter 4, “Designing a Form,” for detailed information on defining fields in a form so that all your records contain the proper information.
See Chapter 8, “Using Calculations,” for detailed information on using calculations. Calculations automate data entry and reduce potential user errors.
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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. As soon as you fill in the form, it becomes the first record in a new database. Any user of this database can create a new, blank form using the record as a template and then filling in new information to create another record. This makes it possible to store a large amount of similar information and retrieve it quickly and easily.
The user who designed this daily planner creates a new record each day. So far, this user has a database containing three records.
The user can sort these records by date or other entries and search for information in any field.
Record 1
Record 2
Record 3
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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:
• Searching Records for Information
The form you open or scan in becomes the first record of a new database as soon as you fill in a field. You can then create new records with the same layout and fields and fill them with different information. See
Chapter 3, “OmniForm Procedures,” if you do not know how to open or scan in a form.
For step-by-step instructions on creating a database and performing basic functions, see the online tutorials.
Creating New Records
As long as you have a form open and fill at least one field in the current record, you can create new records.
You cannot create a new record if data protection is turned on. See
“Protecting Your Database” on page 197 for more information.
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Managing Database Records
To create a new record:
1 Open or scan in a form.
2 If the form opens in design view, click the Fill button in the design toolbar or choose Fill in the View menu to switch to fill view.
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3 Click in a field with the cursor or press Tab to place the cursor in the first fillable field.
4 Enter information in the field.
OmniForm cannot create a new record until you fill at least one field in an empty form. A form with fields filled only by automatic calculations (such as a date field) is still considered empty by
OmniForm. You must fill at least one field manually before you can create a new record.
5 Press Tab to move to the next field.
Because a field is filled, you now have a database with one record in it.
6 Fill in as many fields as you like.
Managing Database Records
7 Click the New button in the fill 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.
8 Fill in this record with the appropriate information.
9 Continue to create new records in this way as necessary.
Duplicating Records
You can duplicate any record in a database as long as it has information entered in at least one field. This is useful if you want to create records that will contain much of the same information.
A form with fields filled only by automatic calculations (such as a date field) is still considered empty by OmniForm. You must fill at least one field manually before you can create a new record.
You cannot duplicate a record if data protection is turned on. See
“Protecting Your Database” on page 197 for more information.
Managing an OmniForm Database 177
Managing Database Records
To duplicate a record:
1 Open or scan in a form.
2 If the form opens in design view, click the Fill button in the fill toolbar or choose Fill in the View menu to switch to fill view.
3 Fill in the information that you want duplicated.
4 Choose Duplicate Record in the Records menu.
OmniForm duplicates and displays the new record.
To change an entry in a filled field, tab to a field or drag your cursor over the entry to highlight it and then type a new entry.
Moving Through a Database
Once you have multiple records, use the Record buttons in the fill toolbar or the commands in the Records menu to move through a database.
First Record
Click the First Record button or choose Go To in the Records menu and
First in its drop-down menu to move to the first record in your database.
Previous Record
Click the Previous Record button or choose Go To in the Records menu and Previous in its drop-down menu to move to the record that is before the one you are viewing. If you are viewing record 3, for example, the previous record is record 2.
Record Number
The Record Number text box displays the number of the current record.
To move to another record:
1 Highlight the number in the Record Number text box.
2 Type a new number.
3 Press Enter to move to that record.
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Managing Database Records
Next Record
Click the Next Record button or choose Go To in the Records menu and
Next in its drop-down 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.
Last Record
Click the Last Record button or choose Go To in the Records menu and
Last in its drop-down menu to move to the last record in your database.
New Record
Click the New Record button or choose Go To in the Records menu and
New in its drop-down menu to create and move to a new record.
Searching Records for Information
A database can contain a tremendous amount of information. If you had to search manually through hundreds of records in your database to find a particular record, it could take hours. An OmniForm search, however, can retrieve records with the information that you need in seconds.
These retrieved records are called a found set. You can print, mail, or export the found set if you wish.
To search for information:
1 If you are in design view, click the Fill button in the fill toolbar or choose Fill in the View menu to switch to fill view.
2 Choose Search...
in the Records menu.
The Search dialog box appears.
Managing an OmniForm Database
3 Select a field name in the Field Name drop-down list.
This is the field that contains the information you want to find.
All the fields in your form are listed here.
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Managing Database Records
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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 a Form” on page 72 for
detailed information.
4 Select a condition in the Condition drop-down list.
A condition describes how to look for information entered in the
Value text box. For example, suppose you entered the words
Franich & Halsey in the Value text box.
The following bulleted items show the results of a search using each available condition option.
• is equal to: find an exact match of the Value entry.
This finds records that have Franich & Halsey and nothing else in the Customer field. Make sure you have no extra spaces after your entry. If, for example, you typed in an extra space, then
OmniForm would search for the Franich & Halsey entry plus a space.
• is not equal to: find anything but the Value entry.
This finds records that have anything but Franich & Halsey in the Customer field.
• is greater than: find records of greater value than the Value entry.
This finds records that have entries in the Customer field later in the alphabet than the entry, for example, Franklin or Gallatron, Inc .
• is greater than or equal to: find records of equal or greater value than the Value entry.
This search finds records that have entries in the Customer field beginning with the entry name itself up to the letter Z .
Managing an OmniForm Database
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 beginning with a symbol, a number, or letters earlier in the alphabet than the entry, for example, France or Dharma Dogs .
• is less than or equal to: find records of equal or lesser value than the Value entry.
This finds records that have entries in the Customer field beginning with a symbol, a number, or the letter A up to the entry name itself.
• begins with: find records that begin with the Value entry.
This search finds records that have Franich & Halsey as the entry or at the beginning of an entry in the Customer field .
• does not begin with: find records that do not begin with the Value entry or that do not contain the value entry at all.
This search finds records that do not have Franich & Halsey as the beginning of the entry in the Customer field or records that do not contain Franich & Halsey at all.
• ends with: find records that have the Value entry at the end of the selected field.
This search finds records that have Franich & Halsey as the entry or at the end of an entry in the Customer field.
• does not end with: find records that do not have the Value entry at the end of the selected field or records that do not contain the value entry at all.
This search finds records that do not have Franich & Halsey at the end of an entry in the Customer field.
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Managing Database Records
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• contains: find records that contain the Value entry.
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 .
• does not contain: find records that do not contain the Value entry.
This search finds records that do not have Franich & Halsey entered anywhere in the Customer field.
• is empty: find records that have no entry in the selected field.
The Value text box is disabled if this is selected.
• is not empty: find records that have an entry of any sort in the selected field.
The Value text box is disabled if this is selected.
5 Type the text to find in the Value text box.
Information is not case-sensitive. Typing Los Gatos is the same as typing los gatos .
How OmniForm searches for the information in the Value text box depends on the selection in the Condition drop-down list as described in the previous step.
6 Select an option under Scope of Search.
• Select Search All Records in the Database to search the entire record set.
• Select Only Search Current Record Set to search a subset of records. This option is only available when you have a found set open from a previous search.
7 Click OK.
Click Clear Search to return to the full record set.
Search information: the found set contains five records.
Managing Database Records
OmniForm searches for and retrieves all records that contain the information you specified in the Search dialog box.
Under the fill toolbar, OmniForm displays the search information and number of records in the found set. If you need to narrow the search further, choose Search...
again.
You might, for example, want to search the Franich & Halsey record set for invoices from a specific month. You can search each new subset of records as many times as you need to find the specific information you want.
OmniForm maintains the current found set if it retrieves no records during a search.
8 Click Clear Search under the fill toolbar to return to the full record set when you are done.
Sorting Records
You can sort records in OmniForm in ascending, descending, or original order entry. This is useful for many situations. If you wanted to export mailing information, for example, you could sort records by postal code to reduce bulk mailing costs. Or, you might want to sort invoices by date to find the most delinquent accounts.
You can print, mail, or export this information in the order in which it is sorted.
To sort records:
1 If you are in design view, click the Fill button in the design toolbar or choose Fill in the View menu to switch to fill view.
2 Choose Sort...
in the Records menu.
Managing an OmniForm Database 183
Managing Database Records
The Sort dialog box appears.
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3 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. Otherwise, you could have fields named FillText1 ,
FillText2, and so forth, making it difficult to figure out which fields
contain what information. See “Defining Objects on a Form” on page 72 for detailed information.
4 Select a sort order.
• Select Ascending Order to sort records from least to greatest; for example, from A–Z or from 0–100. Symbols precede numbers which precede letters: $40, 40, Forty .
• Select Descending Order to sort records from greatest to least; for example, from Z–A or from 100–0. Letters precede numbers which precede symbols: Forty, 40, $40 .
• Select Original Order Entered to sort records in the order in which you originally entered information in the selected field.
This is useful to view the history of information entered.
5 Click OK.
OmniForm sorts the records in the order indicated.
Recalculating Records
Recalculating records applies any new or changed calculations to selected records in a database. Until you use the Recalculate...
command, new or changed calculations apply only to new records.
See Chapter 8, “Using Calculations,” for detailed information on creating calculations.
This command reapplies all existing calculations to the selected records.
You may not always want this to happen.
Managing Database Records
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. You do not want older records to use the new calculation because the original rate was correct at the time.
If you recalculated all records after adding the new calculation to the expense form, the mileage rates on your old records would also change.
They would then be incorrect. To prevent this, you could search the records for those records newer than the date that you changed the mileage calculation, and apply the new calculation only to the newer records.
See “Searching Records for Information” on page 179 for information on
searching.
You cannot recalculate records if data protection is turned on. See
“Protecting Your Database” on page 197 for information.
To recalculate records:
1 If you are in design view, click the Fill button in the design toolbar or choose Fill in the View menu to switch to fill view.
2 Choose Recalculate...
in the Records menu.
The Recalculate dialog box appears.
Managing an OmniForm Database
3 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 database if the entire record set is open.
• Select Current Record Only to apply the new or changed calculation to just the record you are viewing.
• Select From/To to apply the new or changed calculation to a range of records.
Enter a number in the From and To text boxes. If you entered
1 in the From text box and 5 in the To text box, for example,
OmniForm would recalculate the first five records in your database or found set.
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Managing Database Records
You cannot undo a recalculation.
4 Click OK.
OmniForm recalculates the records according to your specifications.
5 Click OK in the dialog box that informs you how many records were recalculated successfully.
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Deleting Records
This section describes how to delete one or more records in a database.
Use this command to get rid of old, unwanted, or duplicate records.
You cannot undo a record deletion.
You can export information from a record first if you want to delete a
record but save its data. See “Exporting Information” on page 188 for
instructions.
You cannot delete a record if data protection is turned on. See
“Protecting Your Database” on page 197 for information.
To delete the current record:
1 If you are in design view, click the Fill button in the design toolbar or choose Fill in the View menu to switch to fill view.
2 Choose Delete Record in the Records menu.
A warning dialog box appears.
3 Click Yes to delete the current record permanently.
Managing Database Records
To delete all records:
1 If you are in design view, click the Fill button in the design toolbar or choose Fill in the View menu to switch to fill view.
2 Choose Delete All Records in the Records menu.
A warning dialog box appears.
3 Click Yes to delete all the records permanently.
To delete a found set of records:
1 If you are in design view, click the Fill button in the design toolbar or choose Fill in the View menu to switch to fill view.
2 To delete a found set of records instead of all records, click
Search...
in the Records menu to find the records to delete.
See “Searching Records for Information” on page 179 for more
information.
3 Choose Delete All Records in the Records menu.
A warning dialog box appears.
4 Click Yes to delete the found set of records permanently.
Refreshing Records
You refresh records to see if records have been updated. You can refresh records in a form that is currently open. This option is available only in fill view and when the form has sharing properties.
For more information about how to create a form with sharing
properties, see “Setting Attributes for a Form” on page 134.
To refresh a record or records:
1 If you are in design view, click the Fill button in the design toolbar or choose Fill in the View menu to switch to fill view.
2 Choose Refresh Record or Refresh All Records in the Records menu.
If you have chosen Refresh all Records , OmniForm automatically checks to see if any record has been updated and displays the freshest records. If you have chosen Refresh Record , OmniForm automatically checks to see if the record has been updated and displays the freshest record.
Saving Records
You can save your current record anytime during the filling-out process.
This option is useful when you are filling out long forms. You do not need to finish filling out a form before you can save a record of it.
Records are automatically saved when you move from record to record.
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Managing Database Records
To save a record:
1 If you are in design view, click the Fill button in the design toolbar or choose Fill in the View menu to switch to fill view.
2 Choose Save Record in the Records menu.
OmniForm saves your record to the database.
Exporting Information
This section explains the benefits of exporting information, how to prepare for export, and how to export information from an open
OmniForm form.
See “Importing Information” on page 193 for information on how to
import information into a database.
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.
• Share information from different databases.
For example, you might have a FoxPro database and decide that you need information already entered in an OmniForm database.
Simply export the needed information from OmniForm in the appropriate format and use FoxPro’s commands to import it.
• Save other database users the time of entering data manually by sending them an OmniForm Data or other database file.
Preparing for Export
During import, you will link field names in the exported data file to field names in the import database. This tells OmniForm where to place the field information. If possible, try to:
• Match field names in the exported data to field names in the import database.
• Match field order in the exported data to field order in the import database.
This makes it easier to figure out which information will go in which fields when you link the fields on import.
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Managing an OmniForm Database
Managing Database Records
For example, suppose you export information in the fields Customer,
Title, and Product, in that order. You have the same field information in the import database, but the fields are named What Bought , Name, and
Position, in that order. You could link Customer Name / Title Position /
Product What Bought easily but importing hundreds of fields with different names and field order would be difficult and time-consuming.
See Chapter 4, “Designing a Form,” for information on naming and reordering fields.
To export information:
1 If you are in design view, click the Fill button in the design toolbar or choose Fill in the View menu to switch to fill view.
2 Choose Export...
in the File menu.
The Export Setup dialog box appears.
3 Select a database file type in the Export To drop-down list.
• Select OmniForm Database to export information to an Omni-
Form Data file.
• Select ODBC Database to select a data source in the Available
Data Sources list box.
See “ODBC Options” on page 192 for more information on
this dialog box.
4 Click OK.
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Managing Database Records
The Export As dialog box appears.
• A file name appears in the File name text box.
The file is named by default with the name of the currently open database. You can change the file name if you want.
• The database file type you selected in the previous dialog box appears in the Save as type drop-down list.
5 Use the Save in drop-down list to select a location for the file.
6 Click Save.
The Export dialog box appears.
All the fields in your currently open database appear in the
Fields in list box.
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Managing Database Records
7 Select each field that contains the information to export and click Add>> to move it to the Fields to Export list box.
• Shift-click to select or deselect multiple adjacent records, or hold down the mouse button and drag the cursor over adjacent records.
• Ctrl-click to select or deselect multiple nonadjacent records.
• Select a field on the right and click <<Remove if you decide not to export its information.
8 If you want to specify a range of records to import, click Range...
to open the Record Range dialog box.
Managing an OmniForm Database
Otherwise, OmniForm exports all records by default.
• Select All Records to export all records in the current database.
• Select Current Record Set to export the current found set of records. This option is available after a search.
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.
9 Click OK.
OmniForm exports the information in the selected fields to the specified file.
10 Click OK in the dialog box that tells you how many records were successfully exported.
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Managing Database Records
ODBC Options
Installed ODBC database drivers appear in the Available Data Sources list box when you select ODBC Database in the Export To drop-down list.
Depending on your database driver, you can export up to 255 fields at a time.
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To export your data to an available data source:
1 Choose Export in the File menu.
The Export Setup dialog box appears.
2 Select ODBC Database in the Export To drop-down list.
3 Select a source from the Available Data Sources list box and click
OK .
An Export As dialog box appears.
4 Enter a file name in the File name text box if it does not appear automatically.
The database file type that you selected in the previous dialog box appears in the Save as type drop-down list.
5 Follow steps 6 through 10 in the previous section “To export information.”
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. OmniForm uses the file name information as well as pathway information in the Options dialog box to locate and open a copy of the original form. The form automatically imports information from the Data file. This is useful for sharing data, especially if you want to send another user just part of a database.
Managing Database Records
To set up the shared form location:
1 Select or create a folder for your shared OmniForm forms.
You can make the form read-only so users can only open a copy of the form, not the original.
2 In OmniForm, choose Options...
in the Tools menu.
The Options dialog box appears.
3 Click the File Locations tab.
4 Select Shared Forms in the File Types drop-down list.
5 Type the path to your shared form(s) in the Location text box.
6 Click OK.
All OmniForm users must type the same pathway in the Options dialog box to use shared forms in that location.
To export the data:
• Use the Export...
command in the File menu to create an Omni-
Form Data file. See “Exporting Information” on page 188 for infor-
mation.
• Use the Send...
command in the File menu in fill view to mail data
To use an OmniForm Data file to open a shared form:
1 Locate the OmniForm Data file to use.
2 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
OmniForm Data file was exported opens. OmniForm automatically imports the information in the OmniForm Data file into the form.
Importing Information
This section explains how to import field data (information) into an
OmniForm database from another database source. You can import data from four sources:
• Another OmniForm Form
The selected form must be closed.
• An OmniForm Data file
This contains information exported from an OmniForm database.
Managing an OmniForm Database 193
Managing Database Records
• Any supported database source, such as FoxPro
Available sources depend on the installed database drivers.
• An OmniForm Mailable Filler
Data consists of information entered in fields, such as text, check marks, and calculations. Importing data saves you the time of entering the same data manually and allows you to share data with other database users.
You must first export data from another database in order to import it
into OmniForm. See “Exporting Information” on page 188 for
information. See your database documentation if you are exporting from another database program.
You cannot import information if data protection is turned on. See
“Protecting Your Database” on page 197 for information.
To import field information:
1 Open or scan in a form.
2 If you are in design view, click the Fill button in the design toolbar or choose Fill in the View menu to switch to fill view.
3 Choose Import...
in the File menu.
The Import Setup dialog box appears.
194
4 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.
• Select a data source in the Available Data Sources list box to import files from another database source.
You can also add, delete, and set up data sources.
5 Click OK.
Managing Database Records
The type of dialog box that appears next depends on the type of database file you have selected.
The Select Import Files dialog box appears if you have selected
OmniForm Database .
An OmniForm Data ( OFD ) file has a different icon than a Form
( OFM ) file. The first New Address file in the picture above is a data file.
6 Locate and select a Data file to import.
7 Click OK.
Depending on the database source you have chosen, more dialog boxes may appear. Select the appropriate options.
The Import dialog box appears after you select a file.
Managing an OmniForm Database
• Fields in the open OmniForm database appear on the left.
• Fields you can import from the other database appear on the right.
195
Managing Database Records
8 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.
• To link individual fields, select a field on the left, select its corresponding field on the right, and click Link .
• Click Auto to automatically link all fields with the same name.
Linked fields appear in the Links list box.
196
• Select a link in the Links list box and click Unlink to unlink it.
• Click Unlink All to unlink all fields.
• Select Recalculate Imported Records According to Form’s Calculations when it is selectable to apply existing calculations to the imported records.
9 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.
• Click OK to return to the Import dialog box.
10 Click OK when you are done linking fields.
OmniForm imports the information into the selected fields, creating as many new records as necessary in the process.
11 Click OK in the dialog box that tells you how many records were imported successfully.
Protecting Your Database
Protecting Your Database
It is important to protect information and form design in your database.
This section describes how to use the OmniForm protection options to protect both your data and form design from potential deletions or changes, as well as the benefits of using the OmniForm Filler program.
If your OmniForm database has an administrator, check with the administrator first before making any changes.
Protecting Data
Many databases have multiple users. Until a user is familiar with database concepts and how to use OmniForm, you may want to protect the information (data) entered in fill view from deletion or change.
To protect your data:
1 If you are in fill view, click the Design button in the fill toolbar or choose Design in the View menu to switch to design view.
2 Choose Protection...
in the Tools menu.
The Protection dialog box appears.
Managing an OmniForm Database
3 Select Protect Data.
4 If you wish, type a password in the Password text box. Passwords 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. The user will not be able to make any changes unless the user knows the password and can turn off the protection.
If you lose or forget your password, it cannot be recovered.
5 Click OK.
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Protecting Your Database
Information in fill view is now read-only. All the commands and buttons associated with protected operations are grayed out.
6 Click the Fill button in the fill toolbar or choose Fill in the View menu to switch to fill view.
7 Place your cursor in a fill text field and try to type text.
A dialog box appears.
8 Click OK to close the dialog box.
Users can export data or copy text in protected mode but cannot alter form information in any other way such as by filling fields or importing data.
Repeat steps 1–4 in the preceding instructions but deselect Protect Data in the Protection dialog box to turn off data protection.
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.
To protect your form:
1 If you are in fill view, click the Design button in the fill toolbar or choose Design in the View menu to switch to design view.
2 Choose Protection...
in the Tools menu.
The Protection dialog box appears.
3 Select Protect Form.
198
Protecting Your Database
4 If you wish, type a password in the Password text box. Passwords are case sensitive. You will be prompted to reenter your password for confirmation. The next time anyone tries to change the form’s design, a dialog box appears, informing the user of the protection status. The user will not be able to make any changes unless the user knows the password and can turn off the protection.
If you lose or forget your password, it cannot be recovered.
5 Click OK.
The drawing toolbar and many buttons in the design toolbar are now grayed out. All the menu commands associated with these buttons are grayed out as well.
6 Click anywhere on the form.
A dialog box appears.
7 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.
OmniForm Filler
OmniForm Filler is an easy-to-use version of OmniForm that contains a fill view but no design view. Therefore, OmniForm Filler users can open and fill forms created in OmniForm (without having OmniForm installed on their systems), but cannot edit the form’s design in any way.
The data protection option, when set for a form in OmniForm, is also enabled for that form in OmniForm Filler. It cannot be turned off in
OmniForm Filler.
See “Protecting Data” on page 197 for detailed information on the data
protection option.
Managing an OmniForm Database 199
Protecting Your Database
OmniForm Filler is included on your OmniForm CD-ROM. However, before you can use OmniForm Filler you must purchase an unlock code.
To obtain an unlock code in the U.S. or to purchase additional versions of OmniForm Filler, please call (800) 535-SCAN. Alternatively, you can purchase an unlock code on the Caere Web site, which is www.
Caere.com.
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Chapter 8
Using Calculations
This chapter describes how to use OmniForm’s calculation features.
OmniForm automatically performs calculations when you fill in the appropriate fields.
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. All you have to do is define the calculation properly and OmniForm does the rest of the work.
This chapter contains the following sections:
201
Calculation Overview
Calculation Overview
This section gives an overview of how to create calculations. It contains the following topics:
• Using the Recalculate... Command
See the online tutorial for step-by-step instructions on creating a simple calculation.
Creating a Calculation
Calculations are created in design view. You can create a calculation for fill text, comb, check box, and circle text objects.
You must open the calculation toolbar to begin.
To open the calculation toolbar:
1 If you are in fill view, click the Design button in the fill toolbar or choose Design in the View menu.
2 Click the Calculation button in the design toolbar or choose
Calculation in the Tools menu.
The calculation toolbar appears.
Accept
Calculation
Calculation
List
Auto
Calculation
202
Cancel
Calculation
Calculation
Builder
Click to Edit Calculation — the calculation for the selected field appears here.
3 Select a fill text, comb, check box, circle text, or table object in your form to activate the toolbar.
The calculation toolbar contains five buttons and a text box.
• Cancel Calculation button
Click this to revert to the last calculation accepted. The text box clears if no version was accepted.
• Accept Calculation button
Click this to accept the calculation in the text box.
• Calculation List button
Click this to open the Calculation List dialog box and view all your calculations.
Using Calculations
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 calculation for an entire table in some circumstances.
• Calculation text box
The calculation for the selected field appears here. Click in the text box to edit a calculation manually.
4 Create a calculation in one of three ways:
• Use the Calculation Builder to define a calculation.
See “The Calculation Builder” on page 203.
• Have OmniForm define a calculation automatically.
See “Auto Calculations” on page 205.
• Click in the calculation text box and type a calculation.
Follow the guidelines in “Calculation Guidelines” on page
207. See “Functions” on page 212 for examples.
You can also use the Calculation List dialog box to change your
The Calculation Builder
The Calculation Builder dialog box contains operators, a list of all the fields in your form, and functions for creating calculations.
To define a calculation with the Calculation Builder:
1 Click the Calculation Builder button in the calculation toolbar.
The Calculation Builder dialog box contains the following:
• Operator buttons
Each button represents an operator. Click a button to insert an operator in the calculation text box.
See “Operators” on page 209 for detailed information.
• Fields list
This list contains all the available fields in your form. Doubleclick a field name in this list to place it in the calculation text box, or select it and click Paste.
Or, click any field in your form to insert its name in the calculation text box. This is useful if you have many fields listed or if they do not have unique names. You can also drag the cursor around multiple objects to insert each one.
203
Calculation Overview
Operators
List of fields in your form
• 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 .
See “Functions” on page 212 for detailed information.
List of available functions
2 Select the operators, fields, and functions that you need for your calculation.
3 Click the Accept Calculation button to define the calculation on the field and close the Calculation Builder dialog box.
• A calculation is defined on the selected field when you click the Accept Calculation button. OmniForm performs the calculation automatically in fill mode when the appropriate fields are filled.
• You can click the Cancel Calculation button to clear the calculation text box or to revert to the last accepted calculation.
• You can manually delete entries in the text box and click the
Accept Calculation button if you want to clear the box entirely. This is useful if clicking the Cancel Calculation button causes it to revert to a previously accepted version.
4 Click the Calculation button in the design toolbar or choose
Calculation in the Tools menu to close the calculation toolbar.
Closing the toolbar also accepts the current calculation.
204
Using Calculations
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:
• [Price1]+[Price2]
• Sum([Price1],[Price2])
Both calculations return the same result. The first calculation is simple addition. It is easy for new users to create.
The second calculation uses the Sum function and is more complex than the first calculation. This calculation is useful for adding multiple fields because you do not need to place the Addition operator between them.
OmniForm automatically inserts the necessary parentheses, brackets, and commas when you create a calculation using the Calculation
Builder. See “Calculation Guidelines” on page 207.
Auto Calculations
To create an auto calculation, OmniForm looks for such common field names as Quantity, Price, Total, and Sum.
It also determines calculations based on field type, field names, and column header labels. If you selected a field named Total, for example, OmniForm would look for fields above the Total field to sum.
This is one reason it is important for fields to have unique names. See
“Defining Objects on a Form” on page 72 for detailed information.
To create an auto calculation:
1 Select a fill text, comb, check box, circle text, or table object in your form to activate the toolbar.
A calculation appears in the calculation text box if one was defined for this object before. If so, proceed to step 4.
2 If no calculation appears, click the Auto button in the calculation toolbar.
A message appears if an auto calculation could not be created.
See “The Calculation Builder” on page 203 if OmniForm could
not create a calculation and you want to create your own.
205
Calculation Overview
The Auto Calculation dialog box appears if OmniForm proposes an auto calculation.
206
3 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 calculation.
4 Edit the calculation in the toolbar if necessary:
• Click in the calculation text box and make manual changes, or click the Calculation Builder button to open the Calculation
Builder dialog box. See “The Calculation Builder” on page
• Click the Accept Calculation button to accept changes.
• Click the Cancel Calculation button to close the Calculation
Builder and revert to the version created by OmniForm.
You can manually delete entries in the text box and click the
Accept Calculation button to clear the box entirely. This is useful if clicking the Cancel Calculation button causes the calculation to revert to a previously accepted version.
5 Choose Calculation in the Tools menu to close the toolbar.
Calculation Overview
The Calculation List
The Calculation List dialog box lists all of your form’s calculations and allows you to make changes to the calculations.
Using Calculations
To change your calculations:
1 Click the Calculation List button in the calculation toolbar.
The Calculation List dialog box appears.
2 Double-click the Field Name that you want to change. Or, select the Field Name that you want to change and click Edit .
The calculation that you want to change appears in the
Calculation Edit text box.
3 Make any changes that you want.
4 Click the Accept Calculation arrow to apply the change.
OmniForm automatically makes the change.
Using the Recalculate...
Command
Recalculating records applies any new or changed calculations to all selected records in a database. Until you use the Recalculate...
command, new or changed calculations apply only to new records or to current records whose relevant field entries change.
See “Recalculating Records” on page 184 for detailed information.
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.
207
Calculation Overview
• Parentheses ( () ) must enclose an entire function.
Sum ( [Price1],[Price2] )
This tells OmniForm where the function begins and ends. You may have more than one function in a calculation.
• You must insert a list separator between fields in a manually created function.
Sum ( [Price1] , [Price2])
Use the list separator from the Windows Control Panel.
Use the List Separator selection in the Number tab of the Regional
Settings control panel.
• OmniForm automatically inserts list separators, parentheses, and brackets when you use the Calculation Builder or the Auto button to create a calculation, and when you click the Accept Calculation button to accept a calculation.
See the previous bulleted item for an explanation of the list separator OmniForm uses.
• OmniForm does not automatically insert brackets around a manually created field name that contains a space. You must insert brackets manually.
• If you manually enter a decimal number in a calculation, use the decimal selection from the Windows Control Panel.
Use the Decimal symbol selection from the Number tab of the
Regional Settings control panel.
• Quotes ( “ ” ) must enclose a text string.
If([Name1]= ” Ann ” , ” Dear Ann: ” , ” Dear Customer: ” )
• OmniForm automatically removes extra spaces (except a space in a field name) when it accepts a calculation.
You can insert spaces between operators and after commas when creating a calculation if this helps you to see it more clearly.
• Calculations are performed in tabbing order.
• If a calculation contains another field that has a calculation, the other field’s calculation is performed first.
208
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 time num date value: the expression must evaluate to a valid date time value: the expression must evaluate to a valid time number or numeric expression; num1, num2, and so forth indicate additional number values str
...
text string: str1, str2, and so forth indicate additional string values additional repeating values of the given type may be entered
[ ] log exp true exp brackets inserted around field names logical expression true expression false exp false expression
Operators
Operators represent mathematical, comparison, logical, and text operations to be performed within a calculation. You must have an operator between fields in a calculation.
For example, a calculation for a Total field might look like this:
[Price1] + [Price2] + [Price3]
The plus signs between the field names are the Addition operators in the calculation.
The calculation could also look like this:
Sum([Price1],[Price2],[Price3])
The parentheses are the operators in the calculation. Commas, although not operators, also separate the fields.
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 207 for detailed
information.
Using Calculations 209
Operators
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.
Operator Buttons
See “Calculation Overview” on page 202 for instructions on creating
calculations.
Multiplication Power of Equal Less Than Less Than or
Equal To
Logical
And
Logical
Not
Addition Right
Parenthesis
Subtraction Division Concatenate Not
Equal
Greater
Than
Greater Than or Equal to
Logical
Or
Left
Parenthesis
210
Operators
Operators — Quick Reference
Type
See “Usage Conventions” on page 209 for information on how to
interpret the examples in the following table.
Description Usage Example Operator
+
-
*
/
^
&
=
<> mathematical Addition: add numbers or fields mathematical Subtraction: subtract numbers or fields mathematical Multiplication: multiply numbers or fields mathematical Division: divide numbers or fields
[num1] + [num2]
[num1] - [num2]
[num1] * [num2]
[num1] / [num2] mathematical Power of: raise a number or field by a power [num1]^2 text Concatenate: put together strings “str1”&”str2” comparison Equal: compare values or results comparison Not Equal: compare values or results
If ([num1]=[num2], true exp, false exp)
If ([num1]<>[num2], true exp, false exp)
<
>
<=
>=
And
Or
Not
()
“ ” comparison Less Than: compare values or results comparison Greater Than: compare values or results comparison Less Than or Equal to: compare values or results comparison Greater Than or Equal to: compare values or results
If ([num1]>=[num2], true exp, false exp) logical Logical And: use with Logical If to put together more than one condition. All conditions must be true for the Logical If function to be true.
If ([num1]<=[num2], true exp, false exp)
If ([num1]=[num2] And
[num3]=[num4], true exp, false exp) logical
If ([num1]<[num2], true exp, false exp)
If ([num1]>[num2], true exp, false exp) logical
Logical Or: use with Logical If to include more than one condition. Only one condition must be true for the Logical If function to be true.
If ([num1]=[num2] Or [num3]=[num4], true exp, false exp)
Logical Not: used with the Logical If function to negate a condition.
If ([num1]=[num] And NOT
[num3]=[num4], true exp, false exp mathematical Left and Right Parentheses: show precedence.
A matching set of parentheses must exist.
([num1]+[num2]) * 3 text Constant Quotes: mark the beginning and end of a character used as a constant or characters used as a text string. A matching set of quotes must exist.
“John Doe”
Using Calculations 211
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.
See “Creating a Calculation” on page 202 for instructions on creating
calculations. See “Usage Conventions” on page 209 for a list of the
conventions used in this chapter.
The format of the values returned in the examples is dependent on:
• The Language selection in the International tab of the Options dialog box
• The Format selection in the Properties tab of the Object Definition dialog box for the selected object
212
Functions
Functions — Quick Reference
See “Usage Conventions” on page 209 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.
Function Type Description Usage Example
Abs
Avg
Date
DayName mathematical Absolute Value: returns the value of num statistical Average: returns the average for num1, num2, and so forth
Abs(num)
Avg(num1, num2, ...) date date
Date: returns the current date as MM/DD/YY based on the current system date
Date()
DayName: returns the name of the day of the week for a given date
DayName(date)
DayOfMonth date
DayOfWeek
DayOfYear date date
DayOfMonth: returns the number for the day of the month for a given date
DayOfMonth(date)
DayOfWeek: returns the number for the day of the week for a given date. Sunday returns 1,
Monday returns 2, and so forth
DayOfWeek(date)
DayOfYear: returns the number for the day of the year for a given date
DayOfYear(date)
Exp
FV
Hour
If
Int
Left
Length mathematical Exponentiation: returns the value of the constant e , the base of natural logarithms
(approximately 2.71828) to the power of num; inverse of ln function.
financial Future Value: returns the future value of an investment given a payment num, interest rate num, and num of periods
Exp(num)
FV(payment num, rate num, num of periods) time Hour: returns the hour for a given time Hour(time) logical If: if the log exp is true, the true exp is executed; otherwise, the false exp is executed
If(log exp, true exp, false exp) mathematical Integer: returns the integer portion or whole number of num
Int(num) text text
Left: returns the characters for str beginning from the left and proceeding to the right for num characters
Left(str, num)
Length: returns the number of characters in str Length(str)
Using Calculations 213
Functions ln
Log
Lower
Max
Middle
Min
Minute
Mod
Month mathematical Natural Logarithm: returns the natural logarithm (base e — approximately 2.71828) of num; inverse of Exp function of num ln(num)
Log(num) mathematical Base 10 Logarithm: returns the base 10 logarithm of num text Lower: converts the str to lowercase Lower(str) statistical text
Maximum: returns the maximum (highest) value for num1, num2, and so forth
Max(num1, num2, ...)
Middle: returns the characters for str beginning at start position num for num of characters
Middle(str, start position num, num of characters) statistical Minimum: returns the minimum (lowest) value for num1, num2, and so forth
Minute: returns the minute for a given time
Min(num1, num2, ...)
Minute(time) time mathematical Modulus: returns the remainder of the dividend num divided by the divisor num
Mod(dividend num, divisor num) date Month: returns the number of the month for a given date
Month(date)
MonthName
Pi date MonthName: returns the number of the month for a given date
MonthName(date) mathematical Pi: returns the value of Pi (approximately
3.14159265)
Pi()
PMT financial Payment: returns the payment required given a principal num, interest rate num, and num of periods
PMT(principal num, interest rate num, num of periods)
Position text
Proper
PV
Record Count
Replace text financial database text
Position: returns the position in the source str of the find str beginning at start position num
Position(source str, find str, start position num)
Proper Case: converts the first letter of each word in str to uppercase and the rest of the word to lowercase.
Proper(str)
Present Value: returns the present value of an investment given a payment num, interest rate num, and num of periods
PV(payment num, interest rate num, num of periods)
Record Count: returns the number of records in the current database.
RecordCount()
Replace: replaces the source str beginning at start position num for num of characters with the replacement str
Replace(source str, start position num, num of characters, replacement str)
214
Functions
Replicate
Right
Round
Second
Sign
Sqrt
Sum
Time
Trim
Trunc
Upper
Year text text
Replicate: repeats a str for num times Replicate(str, num)
Right: returns characters for str beginning from the right and proceeding to the left for num characters
Right(str, num characters) mathematical Round: returns the value of num rounded to the specified num of decimal places
Round(num, num of decimal places) time Second: returns the second for a given time Second(time) mathematical Sign: returns the sign of num. A positive num returns 1, zero returns 0, and a negative num returns -1.
Sign(num) mathematical Square Root: returns the square root of a positive number statistical Sum: returns the total of num1, num2, and so forth
Sqrt(num)
Sum(num1, num2, ...) time text
Time: returns the current time as HH:MM:SS based on the current system clock
Time()
Trim: removes leading, trailing spaces, and all other extra spaces from str.
Trim(str) mathematical Truncate: returns the value of num truncated down to the specified num of decimal place text date
Upper: converts str to uppercase
Trunc(num, num of decimal places)
Upper(str)
Year: returns the year number for a given date Year(date)
Using Calculations 215
Functions
Functions Sorted by Type
The following table lists each function by type. (The Calculation Builder dialog box contains folders for each type of function listed.)
Database Date/Time Financial
Record Count Date
DayName
FV
PMT
DayOfMonth PV
DayOfWeek
DayOfYear
Hour
Minute
Month
MonthName
Second
Time
Year
Logical Math
If
Mod
Pi
Round
Sign
Sqrt
Sum
Trunc
Abs
Avg
Exp
Int ln
Log
Max
Min
Text
Left
Length
Lower
Middle
Position
Proper
Replace
Replicate
Right
Trim
Upper
216
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:
• General Troubleshooting Solutions
• OmniForm Setup Issues
• Uninstalling OmniForm
• Scanning and Recognition
• Operation
• Improving Performance
• OmniForm Compatibility
217
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.
Solutions to Try First
Try these possible solutions if you experience problems using
OmniForm.
• Make sure that your system meets all requirements as listed in
“System Requirements” on page 8.
• Restart your computer and make sure other applications are functioning properly.
• Make sure that your scanner is plugged in and turned on, and that all cable connections are secure.
• Turn off your computer, restart your scanner, and then restart your computer.
• Use the software that came with your scanner to verify that it works properly in Windows before using it with OmniForm.
• Fix Windows problems before using OmniForm again.
• Run virus-checking software regularly.
• Defragment your hard disk occasionally. See your Windows online help for more information.
• Run ScanDisk for Windows 95 or 98 or Check Disk for Windows
NT to check your hard disk for errors. See Windows online help for more information.
• Uninstall and reinstall OmniForm.
218
OmniForm Setup Issues
OmniForm Setup Issues
This section contains information on some common installation problems and information on how to optimize the installation process.
Memory and Installation
Close all applications — including screen savers, virus checkers, and mail applications — to free up memory before starting the OmniForm setup program.
Installing OmniForm 4.0 over Older Versions
Select your current OmniForm folder during installation to install
OmniForm 4.0 over a 3.0, 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.
Uninstalling OmniForm
Follow these steps to remove OmniForm from your system.
The steps listed here remove all OmniForm files from your computer.
Back up files and records outside your OmniForm folder if you want to save them.
To uninstall OmniForm:
1 Exit from OmniForm.
2 Click Start in the Taskbar and choose Settings Control Panel .
The Add/Remove Programs Properties dialog box appears.
3 Select OmniForm 4.0
. in the Install/Uninstall tab.
4 Double-click Add/Remove...
.
5 Click Yes in the confirmation dialog box.
Windows removes OmniForm from your system.
Technical Information 219
Scanning and Recognition
Scanning and Recognition
This section describes common scanning and recognition problems and possible solutions:
• System Hang During Scan
• System Hang During Auto Form Design
• Scanner Compatibility
System Hang During Scan
A system hang during a scan could have several possible causes:
• An interrupt conflict between your scanner and another device such as a bus mouse or network card.
Check interrupt addresses for a possible conflict. See your device documentation.
• A SCSI termination problem.
Make sure the scanner is terminated properly. See your scanner documentation.
• A memory-related problem.
Try closing open windows and applications to free up memory.
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.
Do not remove a device driver unless you are aware of its function and know that it may be removed safely.
Hard disks often require special device drivers that should not be removed. Video displays that require special device drivers may need to be reconfigured instead of removed.
Make a backup disk with your current operating system version, autoexec.bat
, and config.sys
to guard against potential mistakes.
Consult your device documentation for more information.
220
Operation
Scanner Compatibility
If you experience a problem between OmniForm and your scanner, make sure your scanner is one that OmniForm supports.
Please refer to Scanner Setup Notes for a list of compatible scanners and more detailed information about how to solve scanning problems.To open this PDF file, click Start in the Windows taskbar and choose
Programs Caere Applications Caere Documents Scanner Setup Notes after OmniForm has been installed
Select setup options for TWAIN-compliant scanners in the TWAIN dialog box that appears before scanning. Select 200, 300, or 400 dots per inch (dpi) for the resolution. Select line art, bi-tone, or black-and-white line drawing for the image type. OmniForm cannot process grayscale scans.
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:
• Pages in a form: 100
• Open forms: 20 (depends on your system)
• Records in a database: 10,000 or approximately 5.4 MB of data across all records
• Length of Help message in an Object Definition dialog box: 100 characters
• Number of choices in the List of Choices list box in an Object
Definition dialog box: 500 choices, each up to 100 characters long
Technical Information 221
Operation
Low Memory
Low memory can cause a number of problems, from persistent lowmemory error messages to system hangs. You need a minimum of 16MB
RAM for Windows 95 or 98 and Windows NT.
More memory is recommended if you run multiple applications.
Close Open Applications and Windows
You may receive out-of-memory error messages or find that OmniForm works slowly and accesses the hard drive frequently. Try closing open
OmniForm windows and other applications to free up memory.
Amount of Memory Available
You can find out how much memory you have and how much is currently available.
To check available memory in Windows 95 or 98:
1 Click the Start button in the Taskbar and choose
Settings Control Panel.
2 Double-click System in the Control Panel.
The System Properties dialog box appears.
3 Click the Performance tab.
222
All memory information appears in this tab. See your Windows documentation or the Windows online help for more information.
Operation
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.
4 Click OK to close the System Properties dialog box and return to the Control Panel.
Virtual Memory
OmniForm uses virtual memory when memory runs low. Windows uses disk space to simulate the RAM it does not have available. Your system runs more slowly when it has to use virtual memory.
Try closing any other open applications and restarting your computer or
Windows to free up memory so OmniForm does not use virtual memory. If you often work with long, complex forms or need to have many forms open at a time, add more RAM to your system.
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 various functions. This may prevent you from using certain OmniForm functions, such as the right-mouse-button click to open a shortcut menu.
Use your other software to return the right mouse button to its default state if you wish to use these right-mouse-button OmniForm functions.
Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) Automation Support
OLE Automation support is built into OmniForm. This allows you to write programs to control OmniForm from another application such as
Microsoft Visual Basic, or from an application that supports Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) and other forms of OLE Automation control.
You might, for example, write a program that allows you to send information from your open application directly into an OmniForm form and then print that form.
An OmniForm OLE Automation Programmer’s manual and sample scripts are available. Please call 1-800-223-7346 for order information.
Technical Information 223
Improving Performance
Improving Performance
If you scan typeset, high-quality printed pages, text recognition accuracy should be very high.
With lesser-quality pages, however, text recognition may not be as accurate. This section discusses a number of factors that affect scanning and recognition performance:
• Document Quality
• Scanning Angle
• Scanner Glass Clarity
• Paper Transparency
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.
• The document should be free of notes, lines, or doodles. Anything that is not a printed character slows recognition, and any character distorted by a mark will be unrecognizable.
• The document font should be nonstylized; for example,
OmniForm may not recognize the Zapf Chancery font accurately.
• Forms with underlined text should have the lines placed below the text and not touching it for best results. It is difficult to recognize underlined text because the underline overprints the descenders on the letters g, j, p, q, and y, changing their shape.
Scanning Angle
Make sure that each document is positioned correctly in your scanner and is not crooked. Even if you use the Auto Form Straightening option, it is possible for the page to be too skewed for OmniForm to design it properly. Adjust the page and rescan it if you see numerous recognition errors due to skewing.
Scanner Glass Clarity
The sheet of glass on the flatbed of the scanner must be clear. If it gets dirty, wipe it gently with a soft, damp, lint-free cloth or tissue. Be sure that it is completely dry before you put pages on it.
See your scanner documentation for more information on proper scanner maintenance.
224
OmniForm Compatibility
Paper Transparency
Some paper is thin enough that the scanner sees text printed on the opposite side of a two-sided page. To correct this problem, put a black piece of paper behind the page between the page and the lid of the scanner.
OmniForm Compatibility
This section provides OmniForm compatibility lists.
Database Information Exchange
OmniForm uses industry-standard ODBC to exchange information with the following databases:
• Microsoft Access (2.x or higher)
• dBASE (III or higher)
• Excel (3.0 or higher)
• FoxPro (2.0 or higher)
• Paradox (3.x or higher)
• text-based and CSV files
E-mail Programs
• Microsoft Exchange/Outlook
• Lotus cc:Mail/Notes (32-bit versions only)
Graphic Formats
OmniForm can import the following file types into a graphic object or a fill graphic field:
• BMP
• GIF
• JPEG
• PCX
• TIFF
• Macintosh PICT
Image File Formats
OmniForm can import and recognize black-and-white forms in either
PCX or TIFF format. Image resolution must be 200, 300, or 400 dots per inch (dpi) for black-and-white forms, and 300 dpi for color forms.
Technical Information 225
OmniForm Compatibility
Scanners
The Scanner Setup Notes contains information about supported scanners and related issues. To open this PDF file, click Start in the Windows taskbar and choose Programs Caere Applications Caere
Documents Scanner Setup Notes after OmniForm has been installed.
226
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.
automatic document feeder (ADF) A device that allows you to scan multiple pages without having to place each page in the scanner. Some
ADFs are built into scanners; others are add-on products.
bitmapped image A collection of bits (dots or pixels) in memory that represent a scanned image. The display on the screen is a visible bitmapped image.
bounding box An imaginary box used to calculate object positioning in
OmniForm. It appears when you select an object and hold the mouse button down.
bracket In OmniForm, an operator that is used to enclose field names in a calculation. Brackets look like this: [ ] calculation In OmniForm, a mathematical, comparative, logical, or textual operation that returns a value based on a formula you create. You can create a formula using your existing fields and pre-defined operators and functions. You define a calculation on a field and OmniForm calculates the result automatically as you fill the form.
calculation toolbar The calculation toolbar lets you define calculations on a field.
cell The basic unit of a table field. You can fill each cell separately. A cell is a fill text field by default, but can be converted to any other kind of field.
comb element The basic unit of a comb field. You can fill, define, and format each element separately. A comb field is often used for telephone and zip code numbers.
convert To change an OLE or design view object into another kind of object. You might decide, for example, to change a fill text field in a table into a check mark field.
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. Each record in an OmniForm database contains the same fields but the fields in each record can contain different information.
define a calculation To create a calculation for a selected object. See calculation.
design view The view in OmniForm in which you can edit existing forms and design entirely new forms.
designed form A form as recognized and designed by OmniForm during import. OmniForm uses Logical Form Recognition to identify text, rectangles, lines, and fillable areas on a form. This gives you full control of a form’s design. Graphics are not retained but can be imported.
device driver A program that manages the transfer of information between the computer and a peripheral device.
download To receive information from another computer using a modem. dpi An abbreviation for dots per inch. This is the number of dots per linear inch that a printer can print or a screen can display.
drawing toolbar The toolbar that contains buttons for creating and working with objects.
embedding To place an object in a form so that it becomes part of the form.
fax Short for facsimile machine. Faxes scan a page, convert the image to digital data, and send the data over a phone line to another fax machine or computer. The receiving machine then recreates the fax image on paper or stores the data on disk as a fax file.
field A form element in fill view into which you can enter information. A field might contain text, such as your name in a Name field, or preformatted OmniForm information, such as a check that appears when you click a check box field.
field validation In OmniForm, a feature that prompts a user to enter specific data in a field or to not leave a specific field empty.
fill view The view in OmniForm in which you can fill fields in an existing form and manage database records.
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.
Form Assistant A dialog box that is set by default to open automatically upon OmniForm launch. It contains buttons that initiate basic
OmniForm functions such as scanning forms.
form usage In OmniForm, how you can view and use a form.
format The form in which information is organized or presented. The general shape and appearance of a printed or electronic page including page size, character width and spacing, and line spacing, and so on.
found set A subset of records in a database retrieved during a search.
Each record contains at least one piece of information that matches criteria set during a search such as the same name in a Customer field.
function A single word used by OmniForm to represent database, mathematical, statistical, date, time, financial, logical, or text operations within a calculation. Use the Sum function, for example, to compute the sum of numbers in selected fields.
HP AccuPage ™ A dynamic auto-thresholding technology, developed and licensed by Hewlett-Packard Corporation, that improves the combined performance of HP scanners and OmniForm. HP AccuPage sets scanning brightness automatically to deliver high-quality images and improved recognition, especially for text printed on shaded backgrounds and at small point sizes.
image An electronic picture of text and/or graphics such as a scanned document or graphic file.
link To match field data exported from a database to corresponding fields in the import database. This ensures that OmniForm imports the proper information into the proper fields.
Also, to place an OLE object in a form so that it retains a connection to the original source file.
Logical Form Recognition ™ (LFR) A proprietary Caere technology used by OmniForm that identifies text, rectangles, lines, and fillable areas on a form during import. LFR incorporates optical character recognition (OCR) to produce a form with editable text as well as editable, fillable fields. Fillable areas are smartly named, labeled, and put in a logical order.
nondesigned form A form imported into OmniForm as an image without editable text or fillable fields. Use this import option when you just want to print or fax a form as it is.
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. Database drivers are installed during OmniForm installation.
OLE See Object Linking and Embedding .
operator A symbol used to represent mathematical, comparison, logical, or text operations to be performed within a calculation. Place operators between fields in a calculation. Place the Addition (+) operator between two fields in a calculation, for example, so that OmniForm adds numbers in those two fields together.
optical character recognition (OCR) The technology used to automatically transfer printed text into a computer so that the text can be edited and used without retyping. OmniForm’s Logical Form
Recognition technology incorporates OCR.
original form A form that retains both graphics and its original look during import. It has fillable fields but no editable text. Use the original form option when you want to fill a form and have it resemble the original, but do not need to do any major editing.
paint order In OmniForm, the order in which objects are painted. The way an object is painted is determined by selecting background, border, and fill line colors for it and for any cells, elements, or objects within that object.
parenthesis In OmniForm, an element used to enclose all elements of a function. Parentheses look like this: ( )
PCX A graphic file format produced by some scanners. pixel Short for picture element. A point (dot) on the graphics screen.
point A typographic unit of measurement equal to 1/72 inch, measured vertically. Points are used to describe font size.
prefill element A character used as a separator in a comb element. The default prefill character is a hyphen ( ), often used in phone numbers.
recalculate To reapply new or changed calculations to all selected records in a database.
recognition The process of using converting a paper form into an editable electronic form. See Logical Form Recognition and Optical
Character Recognition .
record In OmniForm, a collection of all the information on a form.
Whenever you import or open a new form and fill it in, you have a new
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.
resolution The fineness with which a scanner, printer, or other device stores or prints information. It is expressed in dots per inch (dpi). A 300 dpi printer can place up to 300 dots in a one-inch line.
smart naming An OmniForm feature that automatically defines fields as a part of Logical Form Recognition and places them in a logical order on the form. If you scanned in an blank form, for example, OmniForm would recognize a Customer field to be a fill text field. It would automatically assign the name Customer to this field.
sort To arrange records by a field category, in ascending, descending, or creation order. You might, for example, sort invoices by an Amount
Owed field to facilitate billing.
source application A linked or embedded object’s creation application in which that object can be launched.
source file The original file to which a linked object remains connected after insertion in a form.
standard toolbar In design view, the toolbar that contains buttons for basic file operations such as saving and printing, and defining and formatting objects.
In fill view, the toolbar that contains buttons for basic file operation such as saving and printing, and for moving through records in a database.
template In OmniForm, a form used as a guide in creating new forms. A form can be used as a template by saving it with a different file name and then making design changes as desired.
text file A file containing information in text form; its contents are interpreted as characters encoded using the ASCII (or comparable) format.
TIFF An abbreviation for tagged image file format. This is a standard graphic file format for grayscale and high-resolution bitmapped images.
(OmniForm only imports black-and-white images.)
URL An abbreviation for Uniform Resource Locator. A standard for specifying the location of an object on the Internet, such as a web site, file or document.
Index
Symbols
A
Adobe Acrobat Reader, installing 5
Align
align to bounding box 101 commands 101
AutoFill list
create a list and automatically fill fields 126
create a list from an ODBC source 117
create a list from an OmniForm form or database 115
use a previously saved list 113
use an AutoFill list from another field 114
B
C
Calculation
Calculation Builder dialog box
to
calculation overview 202 command 202 creating 202
filling a field defined by a calculation 167
functions quick reference chart
to
operators, quick reference chart
Calculation Builder dialog box 203
to
Check Box Definition dialog box 81
Check box object
to
Circle text object
Color
changing existing colors on a form 94
selecting background color of object 87
Color drop-down palette 87, 93
Comb object
to
Currency
affected by language selection
to
Cursor
as Graphic tool 67 as resize cursor 67
D
Database
refreshing records 187 saving records 187
Dates
affected by language selection
to
Defining objects
to
to
Delete a found set of records 187
Delete All Records command 187
Design toolbar
Design view
Designing forms
deleting objects 97 formatting text 97
placing objects in table cells 106
E
Edit menu commands
Export
benefits of exporting information 188 exporting database information
to
ODBC database options
F
Fields
automatically fill fields on a form with an OmniForm form or database 121
automatically fill fields with an
create an AutoFill list and automatically fill fields 126
replacing data entered in a field with new data 131
File menu commands
to
Fill graphic object
filling in fill view 164 import options 164
importing existing graphic 164
to
166 importing from TWAIN source
Fill Text Definition dialog box 73
Fill text object
Fill view
Foreign languages
Language
Form Assistant
Form design
234 Index
deleting objects 97 formatting text 97
placing objects in table cells 106
Form image
horizontal bar 66 select source 66
Form usage
Format menu commands
Formatting
affected by language selection
to
Forms
Design view
automatically fill fields on a form 119
automatically fill fields on a form with an ODBC source
automatically fill fields on a form with an OmniForm form or database 121
to
replacing data entered in a field with new data 131
setting submission information
setting up a form for automated data entry 110
Functions
OmniForm’s online help
G
Graphic Definition dialog box
Graphic File source 68 options 68
to
Graphic object
to
Graphics
copy from original to designed form 66
filling a fill graphic field 164
to
to 166 importing from a TWAIN source 166
importing into a graphic object
to
Guidelines
H
Help
Horizontal bar
HTML
I
Image files
to
Importing
Importing data
an existing electronic form 36
definition options for import 68
to
graphic from form image source 66
graphic from graphic file source
235
data sources 193 field data 193
Insert Object dialog box
Installation
installing 4.0 over a 3.0, 2.0 or
Windows NT 4.0 systems 8 system requirements 8
technical information/ troubleshooting 219 uninstalling OmniForm 219
check/change for spell checking 168
Internet
Intranet
L
Language
Linking
Auto linking 196 field names for import 196
Low memory
to
M
to
Memory
Microsoft Exchange/Outlook and routing slips 43
N
Numbers
affected by language selection
to
O
Object appearance
Object definition
to
how language selection affects options 22
Object linking and embedding
OLE
Objects
changing appearance 86 changing background appearance 86
converting to another type 107
to
filling objects in fill view 161
to
objects
changing fill lines appearance
OLE
creating objects from a file 151
object embedding, defined 148 object linking, defined 148
OmniForm Data file
to
to
to
OmniForm Design
236 Index
OmniForm Registration
Registering OmniForm
Operators
Optical Character Recognition
Options dialog box
check/change for spell checking 168
shrink text to fit within fields
P
PageKeeper
Password
Prefill element
Printing
to
setting paper size, margins, orientation and color 34
to OmniForm from any application 36
Proofreader option 32 instruction panel 32 window 32
Proofreader option index panel 32
Protection
R
Recognition
factors affecting accuracy 224 font style 224
underlined text 224 unrecognizable characters 224
Record Range dialog box 42, 191,
Records
Records menu commands
Right mouse button
Rotate
S
Save
Save As
Scan Form dialog box
Auto Form Design option 17 form usage options 17
Scanner
Scanning
see also the Scanner Setup Notes
237
Scanning
factors affecting recognition accuracy 224
to
to
Scrapbook
copying objects to 144 defined 144
Search
Security
adding to forms 137 creating a user database 137
creating signature fields 140 deleting a user 140
updating a full name 140 updating a password 140
verifying signature fields 142
Select Import Files dialog box 195
Selecting objects
with the Select Special command 96
238
Serial Number Settings dialog box
Setting recognition options 28
Setup
technical information/ troubleshooting 219
Shift key
Size and Position command 97, 106
Size and Position dialog box 97, 106
Snap Object(s) to Fit Table Cell
Sorting
Spelling
check form language first 168 checking in fill view 168
T
Table cell
Table Definition dialog box 83
Table object
to
Technical information
Troubleshooting
Text
to
Toolbars
Tools menu commands
Troubleshooting
font types and recognition 224 improving performance 224
installation and setup 219 installing 4.0 over a 3.0, 2.0 or
to
OmniForm limits 221 operation 221
recognizing underlined text 224
right mouse button, unable to use 223
Index
Tutorials
OmniForm tutorials
TWAIN
scanning in a graphic with 166
U
V
View menu commands
Views
W
Web
World Wide Web
Web
239
240 Index
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