User manual NUANCE TEXTBRIDGE PROFESSIONAL EDITION 8.5

TextBridge PRO User's Guide 8.5 COPYRIGHT INFORMATION Copyright © 1996-1999 by ScanSoft Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be transmitted, transcribed, reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or translated into any language or computer language in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic, magnetic, optical, chemical, manual, or otherwise, without the prior written consent of ScanSoft Inc., 9 Centennial Drive, Peabody, Massachusetts 01960. Printed in the United States. The software described in this book is furnished under license and may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of such license. This program was written with MacApp®: Copyright © 1985--1999 Apple Computer, Inc. The MacApp software is proprietary to Apple Computer, Inc. and is licensed to ScanSoft for distribution only for use in combination with TextBridge Professional for Macintosh. This program was written with PowerPlant library © 1993--1999 Metrowerks. IMPORTANT NOTICES ScanSoft provides this publication "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Some states or jurisdictions do not allow disclaimer of express or implied warranties in certain transactions; therefore, this statement may not apply to you. ScanSoft reserves the right to revise this publication and to make changes from time to time in the content hereof with-out obligation of ScanSoft to notify any person of such revision or changes. Apple Computer, Inc. makes no warranties whatsoever, either express or implied regarding this product, including warranties with respect to its merchantability or its fitness for any particular purpose. TRADEMARKS AND CREDITS TextBridge is a registered trademark and Smart Zones and Instant Access OCR, are trademarks, of ScanSoft, Inc. Apple, the Apple logo, AppleScript, Macintosh, and OneScanner are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Excel, Word, and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corp. WordPerfect is a registered trademark of WordPerfect Corp. Other terms used in this manual are trademarks of their respective holders. Portions of this product copyright © 1994--1997 Inso Corp. Designed by Jim Cahill; written by Sadie DeSimone, Jim Cahill, and Beth Paddock; illustrated by Sadie DeSimone and Beth Paddock. © SCANSOFT, INC. 9 Centennial Drive Peabody, Massachusetts 01960 TextBridge Professional Edition User's Guide June 1999 (v8.5) CONTENTS PREFACE About This Manual ..................................ix Organization of this manual ........................ x Documentation conventions........................ xii Other Reading Material..............................xiii Customer Support ..................................xiv 1 INTRODUCTION TextBridge Pro Features and Benefits.................. 1­2 Productivity features unique to TextBridge Pro ........ 1­3 Other TextBridge Pro features..................... 1­3 Documents TextBridge Pro can recognize ............ 1­6 Supported Text Formats ............................ 1­7 Scanner Support .................................. 1­8 On-Line Help for TextBridge Pro...................... 1­9 Where to Go From Here............................ 1­11 2 INSTALLATION System Configuration and Performance................. 2­1 Installing and Testing Your Scanner ................... 2­2 Basic scanner installation steps.................... 2­3 Installing TextBridge Pro Software .................... 2­3 Run the TextBridge Pro Installer................... 2­4 Select a scanner driver .......................... 2­9 Where to Go From Here............................ 2­12 Un-installing TextBridge Pro........................ 2­13 TextBridge Professional Edition User's Guide iii 3 TEXTBRIDGE PRO TOOLS Main Window .................................... 3­1 Main toolbar .................................. 3­2 Preferences panel .............................. 3­2 View area .................................... 3­2 Toolbars ........................................ 3­3 Main toolbar .................................. 3­4 Preview toolbar ................................ 3­6 Training toolbar ............................... 3­9 Preferences Panel ................................ 3­11 Menus and Commands ............................ 3­12 File menu ................................... 3­12 Edit menu ................................... 3­15 View menu .................................. 3­18 Process menu ................................ 3­20 Recognize menu............................... 3­22 Scanner menu ................................ 3­28 Where to Go From Here............................ 3­31 4 USING TEXTBRIDGE PRO Preparing the Job ................................. 4­1 Setting job preferences .......................... 4­3 Setting scanning preferences ...................... 4­9 Scanning and Converting a Document................. 4­12 Scanning a single-sided document ................. 4­12 Scanning a double-sided document ................ 4­15 Scanning Pages for Deferred Processing ............... 4­16 Recognizing and Converting Image Files ............... 4­20 Previewing Pages Before Processing .................. 4­23 Training TextBridge Pro During Recognition............ 4­28 Using TextBridge Instant Access OCR................. 4­32 Where to Go From Here............................ 4­35 iv TextBridge Professional Edition User's Guide 5 TUTORIALS TextBridge Pro Interface ............................ 5­1 Sample Documents ................................ 5­3 Tutorial Session 1: Automatic Operation ................ 5­5 Tutorial Session 2: Capturing Parts of a Document ........ 5­7 Tutorial Session 3: Interactive Training ............... 5­12 Tutorial Session 4: Instant Access OCR ................ 5­15 Tutorial Session 5: Document Recomposition............ 5­17 Notes About Document Recomposition.............. 5­18 Where to Go From Here............................ 5­20 6 TIPS AND TECHNIQUES Getting the Best Document Recognition ................ 6­1 Use and maintain your scanner properly ............. 6­2 Adjust scanner brightness ........................ 6­3 Adjust for colors ............................... 6­5 Use the fax filter ............................... 6­5 Process multiple documents separately .............. 6­6 Create a custom dictionary ....................... 6­8 Use interactive training tools ..................... 6­9 Use Smart ZonesTM ............................ 6­11 Tips for Efficient Processing ........................ 6­12 Use job preferences to define your document ......... 6­12 Zone to capture only the data you want ............. 6­17 Save and load zone templates .................... 6­18 Save and load training data...................... 6­19 Use deferred processing for long documents.......... 6­20 Table of Contents v A TROUBLESHOOTING AND ERROR CORRECTION What To Do if You Have a Problem .................... A­2 Error messages and possible solutions.................. A­3 Installation Problems ............................. A­22 Basic Troubleshooting for Installation Problems ...... A­22 Scan Problems................................... A­23 Basic Troubleshooting for Scan Problems ........... A­23 Problems using a TWAIN driver .................. A­24 Assorted scanner driver problems ................. A­26 Expected scan options are grayed out-- (TWAIN or Adobe Photoshop Import Plug-in) ........... A­26 Scan problems after Clicking GO.................. A­27 Crash Problems.................................. A­29 Basic Troubleshooting for Crashes................. A­29 TextBridge-Specific Crash Problems ............... A­30 Processing image files created by other applications ... A­30 Instant Access OCR Problems .................... A­31 TextBridge Instant Access OCR Problems ........... A­31 Problems with TextBridge Pro or Instant Access OCR .. A­33 Final Check for Unresolved Problem .................. A­34 B SAMPLE DOCUMENTS Markplan ....................................... Zonepic ......................................... Plexis .......................................... Resume ......................................... 3col ............................................ B­2 B­3 B­4 B­5 B­6 vi TextBridge Professional Edition User's Guide C APPLESCRIPT INTERFACE Writing TextBridge Scripts .......................... C­2 Writing TextBridge Scripts .......................... C­2 Record a script................................. C­2 Sample scripts................................. C­4 TextBridge Pro Objects ............................. C­5 application.................................... C­5 docFormatter.................................. C­6 imageSource .................................. C­7 Recognizer................................... C­10 TBDictionary................................. C­15 TBLanguage ................................. C­16 TBTrainingData .............................. C­17 TBZones .................................... C­18 Zone ..................................... C­19 TextBridge Pro Commands ......................... C­20 CancelPage .................................. C­20 ContinueJob ................................. C­21 DeskewImage ................................ C­21 InvertImage ................................. C­22 Rescan ..................................... C­23 SaveTraining................................. C­23 SaveZones ................................... C­24 StartJob .................................... C­25 StopJob ..................................... C­25 Synchronize.................................. C­26 GLOSSARY OF TERMS INDEX Table of Contents vii PREFACE ScanSoft Inc. welcomes you to TextBridge® Pro 8.5 for MacintoshTM. TextBridge Pro incorporates powerful optical character recognition (OCR) technology and an easy-to-use interface so you can quickly convert paper documents into fully-editable text files, complete with the original layouts. Files produced by TextBridge Pro are compatible with a variety of word processing, desktop publishing, data base, and spreadsheet applications. Before going on to find out more about TextBridge Pro, please read this preface as it describes these important items: x x x x About this manual Documentation conventions Other reading material Customer support ABOUT THIS MANUAL This user's guide includes introductory, procedural, and tutorial information designed primarily for non-technical users. However, you should be familiar with the management and operation of your Macintosh computer. Note This manual should provide all the information you need to operate TextBridge Professional Edition. However, ScanSoft invites your comments about the information provided here. Please make sure to register your software, and provide any comments to ScanSoft as directed. TextBridge Professional Edition User's Guide ix Organization of this manual This manual is designed both as a training tool and a reference tool. It includes practical tips and techniques, troubleshooting and error correction, sample documents, and AppleScript information. It is organized as follows: x Chapter 1, "Introduction," discusses TextBridge Pro features and benefits, lists the supported scanners, lists the supported output text formats, and discusses the AppleGuide online Help system. Chapter 2, "Installation," provides step-by-step instructions to install TextBridge Pro software and link it with your scanner or other input device. This chapter also provides information about System Configuration and System Requirements. If you want to get started immediately, go directly to this chapter for full installation instructions. Chapter 3, "TextBridge Pro Tools," provides a complete reference to menus, commands, toolbars, and other components of TextBridge Pro's user interface. Chapter 4, "Using TextBridge Pro," provides step-by-step procedures to process paper documents and online page images to usable text files on your Macintosh. It describes how to use TextBridge Pro in both automatic and interactive modes. x x x x TextBridge Professional Edition User's Guide x Chapter 5, "Tutorials," walks you through several practice sessions designed to provide a firm basis on which to learn and use the important features of TextBridge Pro. Chapter 6, "Tips and Techniques," provides practical suggestions for getting the best performance from TextBridge Pro. Appendix A, "Troubleshooting and Error Correction," lists the error messages that can be generated during TextBridge Pro operation and suggests ways for correcting the errors. Appendix B, "Sample Documents," describes the online sample documents that are provided with TextBridge Pro. Appendix C, "Apple Script Interface," describes the Apple events supported by TextBridge Pro and explains how to use them in scripts. The "Glossary of Terms" defines words, phrases, and concepts used in TextBridge Pro documentation. The "Index" provides a comprehensive index for quickly locating the information you need. x x x x x x Preface xi Documentation conventions As described in Table P­1, TextBridge Pro documentation uses certain graphical elements and formatting to emphasize information and denote meaning in text. Table P­1. Documentation Conventions bold Introduces a new term, or the first use of an important term in a chapter; also sometimes used to denote strong in-line emphasis. Denotes titles of other manuals or books. Also used to denote generic representations of file name entries in examples, for example, filename monospace Denotes examples, menu text, actual file names or messages that appear on the computer screen. Denotes titles of chapters and sections in this manual. Introduces tips that provide useful information about a procedural step or system function. Introduces information of note about the current subject. italic " " (quotes) Note xii TextBridge Professional Edition User's Guide OTHER READING MATERIAL TextBridge Pro provides a comprehensive set of documents designed to help you in fully learning and operating the product. In addition to this User's Guide, refer to the following documentation for more information: x ReadMe--After you install TextBridge Pro, please read the online ReadMe document, which automatically appears in the TextBridge Pro Folder: Simply double-click the ReadMe icon to view important, up-todate information that is not in the standard documentation set. x ReadMe--Support--The online Support document provides customer support information for TextBridge Pro: TextBridge Pro works with a number of popular desktop scanners. Refer to the scanner manufacturer's documentation for information on your scanner. Preface xiii CUSTOMER SUPPORT If you should experience problems with TextBridge Pro that you cannot resolve, consult Appendix A, "Troubleshooting and Error Correction," for a list of error messages and ways to correct them. If you cannot resolve a problem on your own using the documentation and software, refer to the following Web site: www.scansoft.com The ScanSoft web site provides a link to TextBridge pages, including Frequently Asked Questions, and technical information bulletins. Please refer to the ReadMe­Support document on your installation CD-ROM or in the TextBridge Pro Folder for more information about Customer Support. xiv TextBridge Professional Edition User's Guide 1 INTRODUCTION Welcome to ScanSoft's TextBridge® Professional Edition, the premier OCR software for Macintosh®. OCR stands for optical character recognition, the capability to recognize paper documents and output formatted, fullyeditable data (text and graphics) to a word processor, spreadsheet, or web browser format. OCR can also recognize online page images from fax modems, scanners, and other sources. In addition to OCR, TextBridge Pro offers advanced capabilities such as interactive training and full document recomposition. TextBridge Pro combines ScanSoft's industry-leading document recognition technology (DocuRTTM) with a familiar, easy-to-use Macintosh interface. Figure 1­1 shows the main window of TextBridge Pro. Figure 1­1. Main window TextBridge Professional Edition User's Guide 1­1 TEXTBRIDGE PRO FEATURES AND BENEFITS Using ScanSoft's latest document recognition technology, TextBridge Pro is the first and only OCR software that can produce a fully-editable electronic document that retains the original document layout, complete with text and pictures (Figure 1­2). Original document Recomposed document in word processor Figure 1­2. TextBridge Pro document recomposition Whether you need to capture a simple one-page office document, a spreadsheet, or a long transcript, TextBridge Pro can save you valuable time and effort. 1­2 TextBridge Professional Edition User's Guide Productivity features unique to TextBridge Pro TextBridge Professional Edition is the first and only desktop document recognition software product to offer these major features: x Instant Access OCRTM. You can run TextBridge Pro from within virtually any Macintosh text application. It then automatically pastes recognized document data (text and pictures) directly into the host application's open document. Dynamic Training. For difficult documents, such as faxes or multi-generation photocopies, TextBridge Pro enables you to interact with the OCR process to view and accept (or correct) its recognition decisions; thus training it to improve recognition accuracy as the job progresses. Document recomposition. TextBridge Pro is the first and only desktop document recognition software product to offer true document recomposition. When you specify output to Microsoft WordTM or WordPerfect® format, TextBridge Pro can retain the original document layout in fully-editable form, even for pages containing tables and pictures. With the Smart ZonesTM feature, you can manually identify line art and other graphics and have TextBridge Pro place them in their original position in the electronic output document. x x x Other TextBridge Pro features In addition to the ground-breaking features listed in the previous section, TextBridge Pro provides these other productivity features: x Broad scanner support. TextBridge Pro supports virtually all popular desktop scanners using the TWAIN device interface standard, Adobe Photoshop Import Plug-ins, or ISIS scanner drivers. Introduction 1­3 x Image processing. TextBridge Pro provides the widest support of images from a variety of sources. Specifically, the program imports and recognizes on-line document images in TIFF and PICT formats originating from fax modems and other sources. Deferred processing. TextBridge Pro enables you to scan all pages of a document to TIFF or PICT image files, then later queue up the image files for document recognition. AppleScript interface. With AppleScript, you can run TextBridge Pro from scripts, without using the keyboard or mouse. Thus, you can automate repetitive tasks, such as detecting and recognizing fax files as they are received on your system. TextBridge Pro is fully scriptable and recordable. It not only responds to Apple events, but also allows you to write your own scripts by recording the events as they occur. Output text formats. TextBridge Pro supports a number of output text formats, including word processor, spreadsheet, desktop publishing, HTML, and database formats. Preview with manual zoning. TextBridge Pro provides a set of tools for previewing page images before processing them. In preview mode, you can manually identify areas of page images to be processed, capturing only the data you need. With TextBridge Pro's exclusive Smart ZonesTM feature, you can identify graphics on the page image and still have the program perform document recomposition. that also contain text. TextBridge Pro cannot always automatically detect such graphics and might therefore try to process them as text. x x x x Smart Zones are especially useful for line art or halftones 1­4 TextBridge Professional Edition User's Guide x Zone Templates (re-usable). After you create a set of zones in the preview window, TextBridge Pro enables saving and reloading of these zone templates for subsequent jobs. Dynamic Training Data (re-usable). After you interactively train TextBridge Pro during OCR, you can save the training data. Later, you can reload this training file for documents of the same type to assure the highest recognition accuracy without having to repeat the training. Custom Dictionaries. To further improve recognition accuracy, you can create specialized word lists (scientific terminology, proper names, acronyms, and so on) in ASCII files and load them into TextBridge Pro. A custom dictionary aids in recognition of documents containing that terminology. Two-sided document processing. If your scanner has a sheet feeder, you can scan the fronts (odd-numbered pages) of the document first, then flip the stack and scan the reverse (evennumbered pages). When scanning and recognition are complete, TextBridge Pro automatically collates the pages in the correct order. With this feature set, you can import virtually any paper document or on-line page image to your computer. TextBridge Pro assures you of the highest degree of OCR accuracy and provides the output in fully editable form for use in a variety of text applications. x x x Introduction 1­5 Documents TextBridge Pro can recognize TextBridge Pro includes a number of advances developed by ScanSoft and by the famed Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) where modern computer interfaces were born. Consequently, the program provides the most accurate OCR and format retention results on the widest range of documents: x x x x x documents printed on typewriters, phototypesetters, and impact, ink-jet, dot-matrix, and laser printers photocopied, degraded, or dirty documents documents with single- or multiple-column layouts documents containing halftone photos and color artwork on-line single- or multiple-page images from fax modems and other sources hardcopy faxes documents with point sizes ranging from 5-point to 72-point type in practically any typeface type smaller than 8-points, it is recommended that you provide TextBridge Pro with page images scanned at 400 dots per inch resolution. x documents composed in English, French, Italian, German, or Spanish recognize an even greater number of languages. x x To obtain the highest recognition accuracy for documents with TextBridge Pro versions shipped in international markets can 1­6 TextBridge Professional Edition User's Guide SUPPORTED TEXT FORMATS TextBridge Pro can convert recognized text to a number of word processing and other formats for both Macintosh and PC platforms: Ami Pro dBase DisplayWrite (DCA-RFT) Formatted ASCII FrameMaker HTML Interleaf (ILF) Lotus 1-2-3 MacWrite 4.x, 5.0 MacWrite II Microsoft Excel Microsoft Word (RTF) MultiMate PCL/PostScript WordPerfect 1.0 WordPerfect 3.1 WordPerfect DOS 5.x WriteNow WYSIWYG Text XDOC Microsoft Word (RTF) format is also accepted by a number of other applications, including ClarisWorks® and Adobe® PageMaker®. See the documentation for your particular application for more information about importing files in RTF format. Two of these formats are text-only. Note This list is subject to change. Refer to the on-line ReadMe for the latest information available when this document was published or visit our website at www.scansoft.com for ongoing updates and related information. Formatted ASCII puts a carriage return at the end of each paragraph and wraps text continually within it. This format does not retain any font information such as bold or italic. WYSIWYG Text attempts to look as much like the original document as possible without retaining any font information. It uses spaces to delimit columns and a carriage return at the end of every line. Introduction 1­7