OmniForm® Filler User’s Manual Version 3.
Caere GmbH Innere Wiener Strasse 5 81667 München, Germany Caere UK Information Centre Abbey House 4 Abbey Orchard Street Westminster, London SW1P 2JJ Centre d’informations Caere 50 rue des Archives 75004 Paris, France Please Note To use this program, you should know how to work in the Microsoft Windows environment, and be aware of many of the universal keyboard shortcuts. Please refer to Windows documentation if you have questions about how to use menu commands, dialog boxes, scroll bars, or edit boxes.
Chapter 1 Introduction OmniForm Filler is the easy way to manage forms electronically. Use OmniForm Filler to fill forms, manage information databases, print, and mail forms to other users. This chapter gives an overview of the form filling and information management capabilities OmniForm Filler provides, as well as an explanation of how to use the documentation.
OmniForm Filler Features OmniForm Filler Features OmniForm Filler, an easy-to-use environment for working with forms, includes the following features: Form Filling You can fill a form with the information you need and print, or mail it. Information entered can easily be searched and sorted in the OmniForm Filler database. OmniForm Filler Database All information you enter into a form is stored as a part of an OmniForm Filler database.
Using the Documentation Using the Documentation This section explains the various instructional and formatting conventions used in this manual. Online Help OmniForm Filler has both online help and context-sensitive help. Use the commands in the Help menu to find information on OmniForm Filler topics and on using Help itself. Click the Help button in the OmniForm Filler standard toolbar to turn your cursor into a question mark icon.
Using the Documentation Symbols Two symbols are used in this manual to highlight text. This symbol means Note. It introduces a tip or an item of note. This symbol means Warning. It introduces cautionary text.
Chapter 2 Installation and Setup This chapter describes how to install OmniForm Filler and begin using it, including the following sections: • System Requirements • Registering OmniForm Filler • Installing OmniForm Filler • Starting OmniForm Filler Installation and Setup 1
System Requirements System Requirements To install and run OmniForm Filler, you need the following setup: • Computer with an 80486 or higher processor. • VGA or SVGA monitor. • Windows-compatible mouse. • CD-ROM drive. • A minimum of 4MB hard disk space, with a maximum of 16MB. • Total system memory of at least 8MB RAM for Windows 95 and 12MB for Windows NT 4.0. • A compatible scanner if you plan to scan graphics into a form.
Installing OmniForm Filler Installing OmniForm Filler This section describes how to install OmniForm Filler on Windows 95 and on Windows NT 4.0. Close all applications — including screen savers and mail applications — to free up memory before installing OmniForm Filler. Installing on a Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0 System 1 Start Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0. 2 Insert OmniForm Filler’s CD in the CD-ROM drive. The Setup program should start automatically.
Starting OmniForm Filler Starting OmniForm Filler This section describes how to launch OmniForm Filler and open a form. To start OmniForm Filler: 1 Click Start in the Taskbar and choose Programs Caere Applications OmniForm Filler 3.0. The OmniForm Filler window appears. 2 Click the Open button or choose Open... in the File menu. The Open dialog box appears. 3 Select a form to open and click Open.
Chapter 3 Working With Forms This chapter describes the basics of working with forms, including: • Opening a Form • The OmniForm Filler Window • Moving Through Fields • Filling Fields • Spell Checking • Saving Your Form • Printing a Form • Mailing a Form • Form Usage Options Working With Forms 1
Opening a Form Opening a Form This section describes how to open a form. You can open multiple forms in OmniForm Filler. To open a form: 2 Working With Forms 1 Click Start in the Taskbar and choose Programs Caere Applications OmniForm Filler 3.0. 2 Click the Open button in the standard toolbar or choose Open... in the File menu. 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.
The OmniForm Filler Window The OmniForm Filler Window This section describes the OmniForm Filler window and its standard toolbar. The Filler window contains a standard toolbar and seven menus. A full standard toolbar appears in the OmniForm Filler window after you open a form. Use the toolbar’s buttons as shortcuts to commonly used menu commands. Fillable fields The standard toolbar Status bar: displays current activity and settings. A form contains fields.
The OmniForm Filler Window The Standard Toolbar All buttons in the standard toolbar correspond to menu commands of the same name. Clicking a button is the same as choosing its corresponding menu command. Open Print Preview Cut Print Spelling Highlight Fill Areas Paste Copy Zoom Previous Record First Record Next Record Record Number New Record Last Record Help All these corresponding menu commands are explained in online help.
Moving Through Fields Moving Through Fields You can click in any field to place the cursor there or you can use the following keyboard commands to move the cursor within a form. Action Key Combination Place the cursor in a field When a form first opens, press the Tab key to place the cursor in the first field.
Filling Fields Filling Fields This section describes each type of fillable field in OmniForm Filler, how to fill it, and how to check spelling. It contains the following topics: • Type Ahead • Fill Text • Comb • Check Box • Circle Text • Table • Fill Graphic • List Fields • Fields Defined by a Calculation • Field Validation • OLE Objects These instructions assume that the cursor is already in a field. The way information is displayed in a field depends on the current form language selection.
Filling Fields Comb Enter characters in a comb field: letters, numbers, or symbols appropriate to the field. Phone numbers and zip or postal codes are commonly used comb fields. A comb field consists of individual comb elements. Each element can contain a different number of characters. prefill 3-character prefill element element element 8-character element You do not have to tab from element to element in a comb field.
Filling Fields 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 next example, the table cells on the right contain check box fields. You would click this cell to fill it in the same way as a check box field. Fill Graphic A fill graphic field contains a graphic you select.
Filling Fields 3 Enter a file name in the File Name text box. Or, click Browse if you need 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. • Select Scale Proportionally to fit the graphic in the fill graphic field while keeping its exact proportions.
Filling Fields 5 You can also enter offset measurements under Offset. This is useful if you want to position a graphic exactly in the field, crop a large graphic, or move the graphic away from a field border that would interfere with its design. • Enter a number in 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.
Filling Fields 5 Type a file name in the File Name text box. This is the file name the graphic will have after it is scanned and saved automatically by OmniForm Filler. • 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 Follow steps 4–6 “To import an existing graphic:” on page 3-9 and then return to step 7 on this page.
Filling Fields Fields Defined by a Calculation The only time you would notice a calculation in fill view is when a field fills in automatically. In the example below, the 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. 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.
Filling Fields OLE Objects Your form’s creator may have inserted OLE objects in the form. OLE stands for object linking and embedding. In OmniForm Filler, OLE objects usually will appear as icons, pictures, or text. Usually, these objects have been inserted to provide the form with more information. For example, you may see an icon in your form such as the one pictured below. In the OmniForm program, this object could be launched as a document in Microsoft Word.
Spell Checking Spell Checking Use the spell-checking feature to verify that field entries are correct. Before you check spelling make sure you have the correct dictionary for the form’s language as described below. Checking the Form Language Selection 1 Choose Options... in the Tools menu. The Options dialog box appears. 2 Click the International tab. The Language selection is grayed out but readable.
Spell Checking Changing the Form Language You can change the selected language for a form in the full version of OmniForm. You may want to do this if: • The form language does not match the selected language for the form. See the previous section for information. • You have a form with more than one language. Contact your forms administrator if you have one, or see the OmniForm Reference manual for more information.
Saving Your Form Saving Your Form You will notice that if you close a form after making data entries that OmniForm Filler does not prompt you to save the changes. This is because OmniForm Filler saves automatically. There is no save command but there is a Save As... command. Use the Save As... command to save a form to another location or with a different file name. Printing a Form This section describes how to print a form and how to print a form as a macro.
Printing a Form 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, that is, without any information in fillable fields. 3 Select an option in the Data drop-down list.
Printing 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 print your form as a macro, a macro number must have been assigned to the form in the OmniForm program.
Mailing a Form Mailing a Form This section describes how to select a mail system and mail a form from OmniForm Filler. You must have either Lotus cc:Mail (2.0 and above), Lotus Notes, or Microsoft Exchange/Outlook installed to mail a form. Selecting a Mail System 1 Choose Options... in the Tools menu. The Options dialog box appears. 2 Click the General tab. OmniForm Filler selects your installed mail application by default if you have only one installed.
Mailing a Form 3 Select an option. • Select Form and Data to send all text, graphics, and any information in fillable fields. • Select Data Only to send just the information you have typed in the fillable fields. • Select Form Only to send a blank form, that is, without any information in fillable fields. 4 Click Range... to open the Record Range dialog box if you want to specify a range of records to send. If you do not specify a range, OmniForm Filler will send all records by default.
Mailing a Form 6 Enter the appropriate information in your mail program’s dialog box. Refer to your mail program’s documentation for more information. The following box shows the Lotus CC: Mail application dialog box. 7 Click Send to mail your information 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 the form to send.
Form Usage Options Form Usage Options This section describes form usage: what is it and how to change it. What Is Form Usage? Form usage affects how a form appears and the way you can use it in OmniForm Filler. The forms you use were created in the OmniForm program and designed according to the wishes of the creator. A form may appear in one of three ways: • As a designed form This is a fully designed form. You can fill in highlighted fields. The form can be edited in the OmniForm program as well.
Form Usage Options To change form usage: 1 Choose Form Usage... in the View menu. The Form Usage dialog box appears. 2 Select a form usage option. • Select Use Designed Form to view the form as it was designed by another person. • Select Use Original Form to view the form as it looked originally. This option is not available if the form was created in the OmniForm program, rather than having been imported or scanned in. 3 Click OK. Your form changes to reflect the selected option.
Form Usage Options 24 Working With Forms
Chapter 4 Managing a Database This chapter introduces basic database concepts, including the following sections: • What Is a Database? • Managing Database Records Managing a Database 1
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 Filler automatically creates a database when you open 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 fill in new information to create another record.
Managing Database Records Managing Database Records This section tells you how to create a database of records and manage its information.
Managing Database Records To create a new record: 1 Open a form. 2 Click in a field with the cursor or press Tab to place the cursor in the first fillable field. 3 Enter information in the field. OmniForm Filler 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 Filler. You must fill at least one field manually before you can create a new record.
Managing Database Records 5 Fill in as many fields as you like. 6 Click the New button in the standard toolbar or choose Go To in the Records menu and New in its cascading menu. OmniForm Filler creates and displays a new, empty record with the same form design as the first one. 7 Fill in this record with the appropriate information. 8 Continue to create new records in this way as necessary.
Managing Database Records To duplicate a record: 1 Open a form. 2 Fill in the information you want duplicated. 3 Choose Duplicate Record in the Records menu. OmniForm Filler 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.
Managing Database Records Next Record Click the Next Record button or choose Go To in the Records menu and Next in its cascading menu to move to the record 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 cascading menu to move to the last record in your database.
Managing Database Records 3 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. Proceed to step 4 on page 4-11 if you already know which condition to select. • is equal to: find an exact match of the Value entry.
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.
Managing Database Records • 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. • 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.
Managing Database Records 4 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 Filler 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. 5 Select an option under Scope of Search. • Select Search All Records in the Database to search the entire record set.
Managing Database Records 7 Click Clear Search under the standard toolbar to return to the full record set when you are done. Sorting Records You can sort records in OmniForm Filler 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.
Managing Database Records 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. This command reapplies all existing calculations to the selected records. You may not always want this to happen. For example, suppose the mileage calculation in an expense form was changed to reflect the latest rate.
Managing Database Records To recalculate records: 1 Choose Recalculate... in the Records menu. The Recalculate dialog box appears. 2 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.
Managing Database Records Deleting Records This section describes how to delete one or more records in a database. Do this 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 4-17 for instructions. You cannot delete a record if data protection was turned on in the form in the OmniForm program.
Managing Database Records To delete a found set of records: 1 To delete a found set of records instead of all records, click Search... in the Records menu to find the records to delete. See page 4-7 for more information. 2 Choose Delete All Records in the Records menu. A warning dialog box appears. 3 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.
Managing Database Records Exporting Information This section explains the benefits of exporting information and how to export information from an open OmniForm Filler database. See “Importing Information” on page 4-22 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 Filler databases.
Managing Database Records 2 Select a database file type in the Export To drop-down list. • Select OmniForm Database to export information to an OmniForm Filler Data file. • Select ODBC Database to select a data source in the Available Data Sources list box. See “ODBC Options” on page 4-20 for more information on this dialog box. 3 Click OK. 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.
Managing Database Records 6 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 non-adjacent records. • Select a field on the right and click <
Managing Database Records 8 Click OK. OmniForm Filler exports the information in the selected fields to the specified file. 9 Click OK in the dialog box that tells you how many records were successfully exported. 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.
Managing Database Records Using OmniForm Filler Data Files This section explains how to use OmniForm Filler 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 Filler data from a form, the form’s file name is stored inside the Data file. OmniForm Filler 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.
Managing Database Records To use an OmniForm Filler Data file to open a shared form: 1 Locate the OmniForm Filler 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 Filler Form from which the OmniForm Filler Data file was exported opens. OmniForm Filler automatically imports the information in the OmniForm Filler Data file into the form.
Managing Database Records The Import Setup dialog box appears. 3 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. 4 Click OK.
Managing Database Records 5 Locate and select a Data file to import. 6 Click OK. Depending on the database source you chose, more dialog boxes may appear. Select the appropriate options. The Import dialog box appears after you select a file. • Fields in the open OmniForm Filler database appear on the left. • Fields you can import from the other database appear on the right. 7 Link fields on the left to fields on the right.
Managing Database Records Linked fields appear in the Links list box. • 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. 8 Click Range... to open the Record Range dialog box to specify a range of records to import. Otherwise, OmniForm Filler imports all records by default.
Managing Database Records 26 Managing a Database
Chapter 5 Technical Information This chapter explains how to troubleshoot common problems you may encounter. It also provides technical information on such topics as program operation and compatible file formats.
General Troubleshooting Solutions General Troubleshooting Solutions If you have a problem with OmniForm Filler, first check that your computer, scanner, and other applications are functioning properly. Make backups of OmniForm Filler 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.
OmniForm Filler Setup Issues OmniForm Filler Setup Issues This section contains information on some common installation problems and information on how to optimize the installation process: • Memory and Installation • Setup Program Requests the Same Disk • Installing Omniform Filler 3.0 over Older Versions. Memory and Installation Close all applications — including screen savers and mail applications — to free up memory before starting the OmniForm Filler setup program.
Uninstalling OmniForm Filler Uninstalling OmniForm Filler Follow these steps to remove OmniForm Filler permanently from your system. The steps listed here remove all OmniForm Filler files from your computer. Back up files and records outside your Omnifill folder if you want to save them. To uninstall OmniForm Filler in Windows 95: 4 Technical Information 1 Exit from OmniForm Filler. 2 Click Start in the Taskbar and choose Programs Caere Applications Uninstall OmniForm Filler 3.0.
Scanning Graphics into OmniForm Filler Scanning Graphics into OmniForm Filler This section describes common scanning problems that may occur if you use a scanner to import a graphic into a fill graphic field: • System Hang During Scan • 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.
Operation Operation This section provides troubleshooting techniques for potential operational problems as well as additional technical information: • OmniForm Filler Limits • Inserting OmniForm Filler Forms as OLE Objects • Low Memory • Low Disk Space • Right Mouse Button Functions OmniForm Filler Limits The following limits apply in OmniForm Filler: • 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.
Operation 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: 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. All memory information appears in this tab. See your Windows documentation or the Windows online help for more information. You can click Virtual Memory..
Operation Virtual Memory OmniForm Filler 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 Filler 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.
OmniForm Filler Compatibility OmniForm Filler Compatibility This section provides OmniForm Filler compatibility lists. Database Information Exchange OmniForm Filler 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 2.
Error Messages Error Messages Where possible, OmniForm Filler error messages attempt to pinpoint a problem and offer a solution. Sometimes one solution may not work or there may be more information that does not fit into the dialog box. Low Memory or Disk Space Errors If an error message contains the instruction “Close open windows and applications to free up memory” see “Low Memory” on page 5-6. If an error message says you are low on disk space, see “Low Disk Space” on page 5-8.
Caere Product Support Caere Product Support Product support is available if you need help. First, please check this manual to find the information you need, or look in the online help if you can run OmniForm. You may save yourself a phone call. World Wide Web Caere’s home page is located at: http://www.caere.com Our Web site contains product information, lists of common questions and answers, and all known issues regarding Caere products.
Caere Product Support 12 Technical Information
Glossary 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. calculation In OmniForm, a mathematical, comparative, logical, or textual operation that returns a value based on an existing formula.
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 Filler 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. form usage In OmniForm, how you can view and use a form. found set A subset of records in a database retrieved during a search.
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. standard toolbar The toolbar that contains buttons for basic file operation such as saving and printing, and for moving through records in a database. text file A file containing information in text form; its contents are interpreted as characters encoded using the ASCII (or comparable) format.
