OmniForm allows your forms to go electronic<\/p>\n
By Zatni Arbi<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): When helping a friend set up his SOHO (Small
\nOffice Home Office) computers last year, I learned that forms can
\nbe created, filled in and then printed easily on a computer. He
\nwas using FormTool Gold software, still one of the most popular
\nelectronic form creators for small business owners.<\/p>\n
Form software like FormTool Gold is easier to use and more
\ndiverse than the heavy-duty spreadsheet programs like Excel, 1-2-
\n3 and Quattro Pro. The design tools are usually cruder than DTP
\nsoftware like PageMaker, but they are highly intuitive. Business
\nusers don't have much time to learn programs, or to design
\nartistic forms, so the more intuitive the tools the better. The
\nway labels are placed and used in FormTool Gold reminds me of the
\nfirst DTP program I learned to use, Newsroom.<\/p>\n
A contender to FormTool was recently introduced by Caere, the
\nking of OCR and page recognition programs. Courtesy of Sistech
\nKharisma in Jakarta, I had the chance to play with this simple,
\nbut useful, software.<\/p>\n
The OmniForm demo package I received contained both Version
\n1.01 and Version 2.0., the earlier is for people using Windows
\n3.x machines and the latter for people already sailing in Windows
\n95 or Windows NT. I tried out Version 1.01 because my Windows 95-
\nbased PC has a serious cough and seems to need a major overhaul.
\nUnfortunately, the manual was intended for Windows 95 users.<\/p>\n
Electronic forms<\/p>\n
What makes electronic forms so attractive? Obviously, the
\nability to design forms to fit personal taste and requirements.
\nOnce the form templates have been designed and saved they can be
\nused repeatedly to create filled copies that can be printed. For
\ninstance, now order forms can be printed on a laser printer
\nrather than on a dot matrix printer with multi-part forms. Better
\nstill, if the forms can be printed, they can be faxed, and if
\nthey can be faxed, they certainly can be e-mailed.<\/p>\n
When designing a form, the sequence in which the blanks are to
\nbe filled can be specified. To move from one field to another
\nrequires just the Tab key, the usual way of moving from one entry
\nto another in Windows. Anyone familiar with Windows will
\ntherefore have no difficulty filling in the custom-made form.<\/p>\n
TWAIN<\/p>\n
Because Caere has such a long history in OCR and page
\nrecognition technology, it is not surprising that the new program
\nsupports scanning. I tried out the software with the new Logitech
\nPageScan Color scanner, and because this sheetfed scanner
\nsupports TWAIN the combination worked fine. I was able to scan
\nthe registration form for the Simply 3D program that is on the
\nleft of the screen in the accompanying picture.<\/p>\n
Scanned forms can then be modified on the screen. The program
\nis intelligent enough to detect where the fields in which
\ninformation should be typed are located. The fields are indicated
\nby a yellow box.<\/p>\n
As Caere cooperates with HP, it is not surprising that the
\nprogram supports HP's AccuPage technology. An HP scanner, or one
\nthat supports AccuPage, is needed to take advantage of this
\ntechnology.<\/p>\n
When scanning, OmniForm requires that the black and white line
\ndraw mode be used. In most cases, therefore, the graphics
\nelements of the scanned form will not be included. This doesn't
\npose a serious problem, however, because graphics can always be
\nimported from files like logos and cliparts during the design
\nstage.<\/p>\n
Features<\/p>\n
No scanner. No worries. Like in FormTool, you can create new
\nforms from scratch. Click on File, then New, and up pops the
\ntools needed to enter labels as well as to create lines,
\nrectangles and circles. There are also tools to create fill text
\nboxes, fill text circles, check boxes, and comb boxes.<\/p>\n
The comb boxes are interesting. The tool makes separate boxes
\nfor each character, commonly used for specific data like birth
\ndates and phone numbers. I have already explained how to do this
\nin PageMaker. In OmniForm the tiny boxes are much easier to
\ncreate.<\/p>\n
The software is also equipped with an interface to popular
\ndatabases, such as Access, dBase, and Paradox, to allow it to be
\nused for data entry. Entries can be validated, and the software
\ncan ensure specified fields are filled in. The type of input can
\nbe specified -- much like designing the structure of a database
\n-- and, even better, entries can be automatically calculated from
\nother entries.<\/p>\n
If the database management programs are not adequate, a custom
\ndatabase can be created with OmniForm. In the Fill mode, the
\ndatabase can be browsed through using the appropriate buttons
\nfound on the toolbar. Records can be easily searched, sorted and
\ndeleted.<\/p>\n
Wish list<\/p>\n
There are only two minor shortcomings I can point out.
\nChanging color still requires text like \"D(ar)k Cyan)\" or
\n\"L(igh)t Green\" to be read, instead of displaying the actual
\ncolor on the screen.<\/p>\n
Perhaps a bit more serious is the inability to print multiple
\ncopies with minor alterations from one copy to another. For
\nexample, it would be helpful if the program automatically printed
\nthe first copy with the word \"Original\" on the top right hand
\ncorner of an invoice, and the word \"Customer's copy\" on the
\nsecond copy.<\/p>\n
Businesspeople who must fill out mounds of forms each day can
\ndefinitely say goodbye to their faithful typewriter. Equipped
\nwith a scanner, filling in forms can now be as easy as hitting
\nthe Tab key and typing in the data. A form software program can
\nsave precious time and effort in creating invoices, purchasing
\norders, and -- the most certain thing in life besides death --
\ntax returns.<\/p>",
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