TextBridge Help Contents
TextBridge Classic Help Contents

Welcome to on-line help for TextBridge Classic. Click on one of the topics below to receive more information about that topic. Click on the Contents button at the top of any Help window to return to this screen.

	TextBridge Classic Overview A closer look at TextBridge Classic features and capabilities
	TextBridge Classic Tools Descriptions of TextBridge Classic menus, commands, toolbars, and dialogs
	Step-By-Step Procedures Instructions to complete the tasks you can perform with TextBridge Classic
	Glossary of Terms Definitions of the many technical terms used in this Help text
	About TextBridge Classic Software version number and Xerox contact information


Using Help

For information about using the various hypertext tools in TextBridge Help, press the F1 key at any time while a TextBridge Classic Help window is open and active. This will display the standard Windows "How To Use Help" main help window.


TextBridge Overview
TextBridge Classic Overview

Welcome to Xerox Corporation's TextBridge Classic for Windows 95 and Windows NT. Select a topic below for more information about TextBridge Classic.

What Is TextBridge Classic?

System Requirements

How TextBridge Works

Types of Documents TextBridge Recognizes


What Is TextBridge
What Is TextBridge Classic?

TextBridge Classic is optical character recognition (OCR) software capable of producing a fully-editable electronic document.

TextBridge Classic can be run in one of two ways:

The TextBridge Classic main application is a standalone program that you can run directly from the Programs menu in Windows 95.

With TextBridge Classic Instant Access OCR, you can run TextBridge Classic directly from within virtually any Windows-based word processing or other text application, and import recognized text and pictures directly into the application's open document.


System Requirements

TextBridge Classic has the following system requirements:

a PC equipped with an Intel 386/486/Pentium (or compatible) microprocessor, with at least 8 megabytes (Mb) of random access memory (RAM) and at least 8Mb of permanent virtual memory

Note	Windows 95 manages virtual memory for you. However, you need to make sure that your hard drive has enough free space to store the swap space (for virtual memory) that TextBridge Classic requires.

VGA, SVGA, or Multi-sync color monitor

Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows NT


How TextBridge Works
How TextBridge Classic Works

Running TextBridge Classic as a standalone application, or from within other applications, you can produce formatted text files from your hard copy documents or on-line image files for use in your favorite word processor or other text application.

Use your scanner to input hard-copy documents. TextBridge Classic supports most popular desktop scanners and other input devices through the TWAIN or ISIS interface standards. TextBridge Classic also supports HP ScanJet scanners through HP AccuPage 2.0 technology.

Alternatively, use TextBridge Classic to recognize and convert on-line page images stored in TIFF, PCX, DCX, or Windows bitmap (.BMP) format. These images can come from fax modems or other sources.

In addition, TextBridge Classic can import images from other applications, either from the Windows clipboard, or via Microsoft's OLE 2.0 drag-and-drop.

TextBridge Pro takes each page image and performs OCR on it, collecting the recognized text in a temporary file until all pages have been scanned. Then, TextBridge Pro converts the recognized text to the format of your choice and saves it to the directory and file name that you specify.

TextBridge Classic can convert recognized text to many popular text formats.


Types of Documents TextBridge Can Recognize
Types of Documents TextBridge Classic Recognizes

Documents printed on typewriters, phototypesetters, and dot-matrix, impact, ink-jet, and laser printers

Hard-copy faxes

On-line single- or multiple-page images from fax modems

Photocopied, degraded or dirty documents

Documents with single or multiple columns in straightforward or complex layouts

Documents with embedded graphics

Documents with pointsizes ranging from 6 to 72-point type

Documents composed in English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, and many other languages


TextBridge Tools
TextBridge Classic Tools

This topic provides information about the user interface tools -- the menus, commands, toolbars, and dialog boxes -- that let you control TextBridge Classic. Click on one of the following icons or related topics for more information:

	Main Window A 'geographical' map with descriptions of the areas of TextBridge Classic's main window
	Toolbars Pictures and descriptions of TextBridge Classic toolbars
	Menus and Commands Descriptions of all TextBridge Classic commands, organized by menu
	Dialogs Descriptions of TextBridge Classic dialog boxes and the options they contain


TextBridge Main Window
Main Window

The TextBridge Classic main window is the control center for all program activity. The picture below provides descriptions of the different areas of the main window. Click on an arrow or an area of the picture to receive more information about this area of the main window.


View area

TextBridge Classic uses this area of the main window to display the page image that is about to be, or is currently being, processed. When you are working in preview mode, you can zoom in and out on the image, create and edit text zones, and perform other functions before instructing TextBridge Classic to process the page.


Status bar

TextBridge Classic uses the status area to display tips, status messages, and the number of pages processed during operation. You can show or hide this area by selecting the Status Bar command in the View menu.


Toolbars

The TextBridge Classic toolbars allow quick access to the program's features and capabilities. Select one of the following topics to receive more information about it.

Main Toolbar

Preview Toolbar


Main Toolbar

Click and hold on any of the toolbar buttons in the picture to get a description of the tool.


Preview and Training Toolbars
Preview Toolbar

When TextBridge Classic is in preview mode, it displays the preview toolbar directly above the view area of the main window.

Click and hold on any of the toolbar buttons in the picture below to get a description of the tool.


Menus and Commands

Select one of the topics below to access information about a specific menu and its commands:

File

Edit

View

Process

Settings

Help


File menu

Select a topic below for more information about the related command:

Start/Continue Processing

Stop Processing

Cancel the Current Page

Read Image From Scanner

Read Image From File

Select Scanner/Source

Exit


Go command (File menu)
Start/Continue Processing command (File menu)

The Start/Continue Processing command starts the TextBridge Classic process -- either scanning a page or reading a page image from an on-line image file. If OCR is already in progress, the Start/Continue Processing command is inactive (dimmed).

In preview mode, the Start/Continue Processing command continues the process. So, after you view, zoom, and zone the page in preview, you can select Start/Continue Processing to start recognition of the page.

The Start/Continue Processing command and the Go button in the main toolbar are equivalent.


Stop command (File menu)
Stop Processing command (File menu)

The Stop Processing command cancels a job in progress.

If the current page was the first page of the job, and you select this command, TextBridge Classic returns to ready mode.

If TextBridge Classic has already processed at least one full page, and you select the Stop command, the Save As dialog is displayed. From the Save As dialog, you can save the text recognized so far or click Cancel to discard everything.

If no job is in progress, the Stop command is inactive (dimmed).

The Stop command and Stop button in the main toolbar are equivalent.


Cancel the Current Page command (File menu)

The Cancel the Current Page command is available when TextBridge Classic is currently processing a page, or when the program is in preview mode, and a page is displayed in the view area. It instructs TextBridge Classic to discard the current page and then to read and display (or process) the next page, if one is pending.

The Cancel the Current Page command is functionally equivalent to the Cancel Page button on the main toolbar.


Read Image From Scanner command (File menu)

The Read Image From Scanner command, when it has a checkmark next to it, instructs TextBridge Classic to use the attached scanner as the source of pages to be processed.

If TextBridge Classic is unable to detect the scanner, this command is inactive (dimmed).

The Read Image From Scanner command is equivalent to the Read Image from Scanner button button on the main toolbar.


Read Image From File command (File menu)

The Read Image From File command, when it has a checkmark next to it, instructs TextBridge Classic to use on-line image files as the source of pages to be recognized. You identify the image files in an Open dialog that appears after you initiate the process.

The Read Image From File command is equivalent to the Read Image from File button button on the main toolbar.


Select Scanner/Source command (File menu)

The Select Scanner/Source command enables you to choose the scanner or other input device that TextBridge Classic uses as its source for page images.

When you select this command, it displays a dialog asking you to define the type of device you want to choose. The selections are HP AccuPage, ISIS, or TWAIN. Select the appropriate type, then click Continue to complete the process.

Note	If TextBridge Classic provides an ISIS driver for your scanner, or if your scanner supports HP AccuPage, it is strongly recommended that you use this driver instead of a TWAIN driver.

For more information, refer to Choosing a Scanner or Other Input Device Driver.


Exit command (File menu)

The Exit command closes TextBridge Classic. When you select the Exit command, TextBridge Classic displays a dialog asking you to confirm the exit.

If you are in the middle of a job, and you click Yes to confirm the Exit, all data processed to this point will be discarded.

The Exit command is equivalent to the Close command in the main window's control menu.


Edit menu

Select a topic below for more information about the related command:

Undo

Paste

Move To Front

Move To Back

Select All

Clear


Undo command (Edit menu)

The Undo command performs a variety of undo tasks, depending on which stage of the job you are in. For example, if you are previewing a document, and you have moved a zone, the Undo command changes to Undo Edit Zone.

Following are the variations of the Undo command.

Undo Clear
Undo Create Zone
Undo Edit Zone
Undo Move To Front
Undo Move To Back
Undo Rotate Right
Undo Rotate 180°
Undo Rotate Left
Undo Select All


Paste command (Edit menu)

The Paste command enables you to import a page image on the clipboard into TextBridge Classic for recognition. This command is available when TextBridge Classic is in Ready mode. When you execute the Paste command, TextBridge Classic reads the image, and performs OCR.

If you are working in preview mode, and you execute the Paste command, TextBridge Classic simply reads the image and displays it in the view area. Here, you can zoom the image before processing it.

Note that, if the image on the clipboard does not include resolution data, TextBridge Classic first displays the Specify Resolution Data dialog.


Move To Front command (Edit menu)

The Move To Front command is active only when you are in preview mode, and you have a text zone selected. It moves the selected zone in front of all other zones in the view area. This has the effect simply of processing any image area overlapped by two (or more) zones as part of the topmost zone.


Move To Back command (Edit menu)

The Move To Back command is active only when you are in preview mode, and you have a text zone selected. It moves the selected zone behind all other zones in the view area. This has the effect simply of processing any image area overlapped by two (or more) zones as part of the topmost zone.


Select All command (Edit menu)

The Select All command is active only when you are in preview mode, and there is at least one zone present. When you execute the Select All command, all zones become selected, as indicated by their corner handles. You can now move all zones as a group by clicking and holding on one of the zones. Or you can delete all zones by pressing the Delete key, or by pulling down the Edit menu and selecting the Clear command.


Clear command (Edit menu)

The Clear command is active only when you are in preview mode, and there is at least one zone selected. Clear deletes the selected zone(s).


View menu

Select a topic below for more information about the related command:

Main Toolbar

Preview Toolbar

Status Bar

Tool Tips

Zoom In

Zoom Out

Zoom Min

Zoom Max

Rotate Left

Rotate 180°

Rotate Right

Show Recognized Words


Main Toolbar command (View menu)

The Main Toolbar command enables you to display or hide the main toolbar. The default is to show the main toolbar, thus a checkmark appears next to the command.

If you choose to hide the main toolbar by clicking on the Main Toolbar command (removing the checkmark), you can access all toolbar commands from the TextBridge Classic menu.


Preview Toolbar command (View menu)

The Preview Toolbar command enables you to show or hide the preview toolbar. The default is to show the preview toolbar.

When TextBridge Classic is in preview mode, it displays the preview toolbar above the view area of the main window.


Status Bar command (View menu)

The Status Bar command enables you to show or hide the status bar at the bottom of the main window. TextBridge Classic uses the status bar to display tips and status messages during operation. The default is to show the status bar.


Tool Tips command (View menu)

The Tool Tips command enables you to show or hide the yellow 'hover help' messages that appear when you place the mouse pointer on a toolbar button. The default is to show Tool Tips.


Zoom In command (View menu)

The Zoom In command is active when you are in preview mode. It enables you to magnify the page image in the view area of the main window by one zoom level.


Zoom Out command (View menu)

The Zoom Out command is active when you are in preview mode. It enables you to reduce the size of the page image in the view area of the main window by one zoom level.


Zoom Min command (View menu)

The Zoom Min command is active when you are in preview mode. It enables you to reduce the page image in the view area of the main window so that the entire page image is visible.


Zoom Max command (View menu)

The Zoom Max command is active when you are in preview mode. It enables you to magnify the page image in the view area of the main window to its full resolution.


Rotate Left command (View menu)

The Rotate Left command is active only when TextBridge Classic is in preview mode. It rotates the page image in the view area of the main window 90 degrees to the left. This is useful if you scanned a document at the incorrect orientation and want to correct it before having TextBridge Classic perform OCR on it.


Rotate 180° command (View menu)

The Rotate Left command is active only when TextBridge Classic is in preview mode. It rotates the page image in the view area of the main window a full 180 degrees. This is useful if you scanned a document upside down and want to correct the orientation of the page before having TextBridge Classic perform OCR on it.


Rotate Right command (View menu)

The Rotate Right command is active only when TextBridge Classic is in preview mode. It rotates the page image in the view area of the main window 90 degrees to the right. This is useful if you scanned a document at the incorrect orientation and want to correct it before having TextBridge Classic perform OCR on it.


Show Recognized Words command (View menu)

The Show Recognized Words command, when selected, instructs TextBridge Classic, during OCR, to display a scrolling list of recognized words. The word list is displayed in the view area of the main window to the right of the page image.

The immediate feedback provided by the recognized word list enables you to judge whether TextBridge Classic is performing an acceptable job of OCR on the current document.

If it is not, you can cancel the job and, if possible, take steps to provide a better page image to TextBridge Classic. For example, you could change the scanner brightness setting, and rescan the page.


Process menu

Select a topic below for more information about the related command:

Preview


Preview command (Process menu)

The Preview command, when selected, places TextBridge Classic in preview mode. It is the same as pressing the Preview button on the main toolbar.

You can activate the Preview command at the beginning of, or during, a job. The first (or next) page to be processed is displayed in the view area of the main window. TextBridge Classic then waits for your input. This enables you to view the page, rotate it, and create text zones on it before instructing TextBridge Classic to process it.


Settings menu

Select a topic below for more information about the related command:

Preferences


Preferences command (Settings menu)

The Preferences command accesses the Job Preferences and Scanner Preferences dialogs, organized in a "tabbed" display that lets you toggle between them. These dialogs enable you to specify the characteristics of the document TextBridge Classic is about to process.


Help menu

The Help menu contains three commands. Select a topic below for more information about the related command:

Index

Using Help

About


Index command (Help menu)

The Index command accesses the on-line Help, and opens it at the Contents topic. On-line Help gives you comprehensive information about TextBridge Classic.


Using Help command (Help menu)

The Using Help command accesses the Microsoft Windows on-line Help. Windows Help gives you comprehensive information about Windows.


About command (Help menu)

The About command displays the version, copyright, and licensing information about TextBridge Classic.


Dialogs

Outside of the TextBridge Classic main window, you conduct all other activity during a job in dialog boxes. Some dialog boxes appear as a result of your having selected a particular command from one of the menus. Others appear automatically during the course of a job. For information about a dialog box, select the appropriate topic below:

Select Scanner/Source Dialog

Job Preferences Dialog

Scanner Preferences Dialog

Open Dialog

Add More Pages Dialog

Save As Dialog

TextBridge Instant Access OCR Dialog


Select Scanner/Source Dialog

When you choose the Select Scanner/Source command from the File menu, the Select Scanner/Source dialog is displayed. It provides three possible options for source drivers for connected input devices (scanners, multi-function devices, etc.):

HP AccuPage

ISIS

TWAIN

Select the appropriate source driver type for your scanner or other input device, then click Continue.

Note	If TextBridge Classic provides an ISIS driver for your scanner, or if your scanner supports HP AccuPage, it is strongly recommended that you use this driver instead of a TWAIN driver.

Depending on which option you selected, TextBridge Classic provides the appropriate interface path to complete source driver selection. For more information, refer to Choosing a Scanner or Other Input Device Driver.


Test/End Setup Dialog

During TextBridge Classic installation, when all of the program's source files have been copied to your hard disk, and you have linked your scanner's driver to the application, the setup program provides this dialog to enable you to test your scanner, run setup again, or end setup.

Place a page in your scanner, and click the Test button to test the scanner link to TextBridge Classic. If all is well with the link, the scanner will activate and scan once, and then will display a Scanner Test window displaying the scanned page. Click the Accept button in the Test window. Then this dialog will be re-displayed and you can end the installation. If your scanner does not activate by clicking the Test button, you can click the Setup button to run the scanner setup portion of the installation again. Then try clicking the Test button again.

Click Setup to return to the main setup dialog, and re-run part or all of the setup procedures.

Click End to end the installation.

Click Help to access this Help screen.


Scanner Test Window

When you use the Setup program or TextBridge Classic to select your scanner, the Test/End Setup Dialog is eventually displayed. When you click the Test button in the Test/End Setup dialog, the scanner activates and TextBridge Classic displays the scanned page in this Scanner Test window.

Click Accept to close out the operation.

Click Reset to return to the Select Scanner/Source dialog, so you can repeat the scanner setup operation.

Click Help to access this Help screen.


Specify Resolution Data dialog

When you import an image from the clipboard, or from another application via OLE 2.0 drag-and-drop, into TextBridge Classic for processing,  this dialog can appear. It appears if the application from which you obtained the image did not include resolution data with the image. TextBridge Classic requires resolution data to process an image.

The Specify Resolution Data dialog enables you to specify the image resolution so that TextBridge Classic can proceed.

Specify values for Horizontal Resolution and Vertical Resolution, then click the OK button.

If you do not know the resolution of the image, try to find out by viewing the image in the original application. If the application does not provide the information, you can try guessing the resolution or simply accepting the defaults (300 by 300 dpi) in the Specify Resolution Data dialog.

After you specify the resolution data, and click OK, TextBridge Classic will attempt to process the clipboard image or dragged image just as if it were a scanned image.


Job Preferences
Job Preferences Dialog

When you select the Preferences command from the Settings menu, a dialog with two tabs appears. By clicking on a tab, the particular category of options comes to the forefront.

The Job tab provides five categories of settings that let you define the type of document TextBridge Classic is about to process. These categories and their options are described below.

Original Document Quality	Select Auto to have TextBridge Classic automatically detect the print quality (good quality, fax, dot matrix) of the document to be processed. TextBridge Classic performs a page-by-page analysis of the document to detect the image quality, so this step can take additional time. If you know the quality of your document beforehand, select one of the other choices to improve processing speed.

Select Normal for good quality documents.

Select Fax for page images from fax modems, scanned hard-copy faxes, or any document scanned at 200 dots per inch or lower resolution.

Select Dot Matrix for documents printed on a dot-matrix printer. Characters from these printers are made up of disconnected dots, and could otherwise be difficult for an OCR program. With this setting, TextBridge Classic pre-processes the image before performing OCR. Note that it is very important to use this setting only for dot-matrix documents, or recognition accuracy could suffer.

Generally, leave the Deskew Page Images setting on, unless you are sure your page images are correctly aligned. TextBridge Classic will straighten the page image before OCR, which usually improves recognition accuracy.

Page Orientation	Click Auto to have TextBridge Classic automatically determine the orientation of the page before sending it to OCR. This option is useful if your document contains a mixture of page orientations. (For example, a document may have mostly portrait pages, with a few landscape pages containing large tables.) Note that you may also want to select Auto if you are recognizing TIFF files and are not sure if the page image has the proper orientation in the file. With auto-orientation, TextBridge Classic performs a pre-processing step to determine the orientation of the page. Thus, overall processing speed is slower with this option turned on.

Click Portrait for most typical portrait-oriented documents.

Click Landscape for landscape documents that you would typically scan in sideways. TextBridge Classic rotates these pages in memory by 90-degrees before beginning recognition.

Recognition Language	The combo box provides a list of the TextBridge Classic recognition language packs that you specified at installation time. TextBridge Classic can perform highly accurate optical character recognition on documents in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and up to seven other languages. Select the primary language (for example, German) of the document that TextBridge Classic is to recognize. To use a language, you must have directed the TextBridge Classic SETUP program to load it on your PC during software installation.

Original Document Layout	These settings inform TextBridge Classic about the column layout of, and whether there are pictures in, the original document.

Select One column, text only for simple one-column documents without pictures, cell tables, or spreadsheets.

Select One column with pictures for one-column documents that contain straight text and pictures. TextBridge Classic will perform a pre-processing step to detect picture locations and prevent OCR at those locations.

Select Auto for documents with more than one text column with or without pictures, or for documents that contain cell tables or spreadsheets. TextBridge Classic will locate the text columns so that OCR'd text is output in the correct read order. It will also detect picture locations (if pictures are present), and prevent OCR at those locations.

After you have specified Job preferences, click OK to close the Preferences dialog and confirm the new settings, or click Cancel to restore the old settings.

Alternatively, you can click the Scanner tab to specify Scanner Preferences.


Scanner Preferences
Scanner Preferences Dialog

When you select the Preferences command from the Settings menu, a dialog with two tabs appears. By clicking on a tab, the particular category of options comes to the forefront.

The Scanner tab provides several categories of settings that let you control your scanner (or other input device). These categories and their options are described below.

Note that capabilities vary from scanner to scanner and thus some settings may not be available for your scanner.

Use Automatic Document Feeder	This setting is available only for scanners that have attached automatic document feeders (ADF). When you click the checkbox on, TextBridge Classic will scan and recognize pages from the ADF.

Brightness	This setting enables you to control how light or dark scanned page images will be. You can adjust brightness to compensate for different original documents and improve the recognition process, as follows.

Use the Normal setting for good-quality office documents.

Use Lighter to provide a brighter page image to the TextBridge Classic recognition engine. For example, if your original document has tightly spaced text, or is a dark photocopy, you may want to lighten the image. This will cause characters to thin out a little, and thus spread slightly apart, helping to improve character recognition accuracy.

Conversely, if your document has very light type or is faded, you can select Darker to make the print more prominent on the scanned page image.

Note	TextBridge Classic supports many different scanner drivers. Some drivers control brightness differently from others. Consequently, for your scanner, the Lighter setting in TextBridge Classic may actually make the image darker, while the Darker setting makes the image lighter.

For scanners that support it, you can choose the Auto setting to have the correct amount of brightness automatically applied to page images. This is useful for documents whose pages vary in print quality from page to page. Note that if you are using a Hewlett-Packard scanner with HP AccuPage technology, always select Auto.

Small Text	This setting is only available if you are using a Hewlett-Packard scanner with HP AccuPage technology. This setting enhances the scanned page image to improve the OCR accuracy on pages with small print (smaller pointsizes than 8-point).

Resolution	This setting lets you control the number of dots per inch (dpi) at which TextBridge Classic will scan the page(s). For best character recognition results, specify the highest resolution, up to 400 dots per inch, that your scanner allows.

Page Size	This setting lets you control the size of the area the scanner will scan. Specify the smallest size that will accommodate the size of your original pages:

Letter (8.5-by-11 inches or 21.59-by-27.94 centimeters)

Legal (8.5-by-14 inches or 21.59-by-35.56 centimeters)

A4 (8.27-by-11.69 inches or 21-by-29.70 centimeters)

Note that some of the scanners supported by TextBridge Classic, particularly those without an ADF, do not support greater than A4 page size. Thus, for these scanners, Legal does not appear as a selection in the Page Size menu.

After you have specified Scanner Preferences as you want them, click OK to close the Preferences dialog and confirm the new settings, or click Cancel to restore the old settings.

Alternatively, you can click the Job tab to specify Job Preferences.


Open Dialog

In the Main window, when you click the Read Image from File button on the main toolbar, you specify that, when the job begins, TextBridge Classic is to acquire one or more page images from one or more on-line image files.

When you click the Go button from the main toolbar, the Open dialog appears, enabling you to specify the disk, directory, and name(s) of the image file(s) to be processed.

The Open dialog provides a powerful set of tools to queue up multiple image files anywhere in your file system, so that they can be processed by TextBridge Classic in the order you specify. The recognized text can then be converted and output to one text file in the format of your choice.

Classic can process any combination of TIFF, PCX, DCX, and Windows Bitmap (BMP) image files, in resolutions ranging from 72 to 900 dots per inch. Image files must be in binary (black and white) format. Grayscale and color images will generate a system error message.

Important	Because of possible memory limitations on your PC, you should avoid sending image files to TextBridge Classic that are greater than 400 dpi. TextBridge Classic generally will perform exceptional OCR on images that are 300 to 400 dpi, and acceptably well or better on fax images (200-by-100, 200-by-200 dpi). You will not receive noticeably better OCR on images with resolutions higher than 400 dpi. In addition, you will probably encounter memory errors or at least slower processing time when sending higher-resolution images to TextBridge Classic.

In the Open dialog's file listing, you can select one file, or multiple files in or out of sequence, and add them to a Files to process list.

To process a single file, double-click on it to add it to the Files to process list.

To process a sequential group of files, click the first file in a range, then Shift-click (hold down the Shift key and click the mouse) on the last file in the range. All files between the first and last files will also be selected. Click the Add button to add them to the process list.

To process files that are not in sequence, click the first file, then Control-click (hold down the Control key and click the mouse on) subsequent files in the file list. When you have selected the file(s) you intend to process, click the Add button to add them to the process list.

To add files from different directories and/or disk drives, simply switch to the alternative directory and drive location as you normally would in Windows, select the file(s), and click the Add button.

To add all the image files in the current directory to the process list, simply click the Add All button.

To delete files, select them in the process list as described above, then click the Delete button. As a shortcut, you can double-click on a file in the process list to delete it.

When you are done adding image files to the process list, click Open to begin OCR. Files are processed in the order in which they were added to the list.

TextBridge Classic also supports multiple-page image files. Some applications, notably fax applications, can save more than one page image to the same image file. TextBridge Classic will open the multiple-page image file and process it one page at a time, just as if it were processing multiple single-page image files, or multiple pages being read from a scanner.

Note that the Files of type drop-down list box in the Open dialog contains only several selections: All supported files, TIFF, BMP, PCX, DCX, and XIF. The default is All supported files. You can change this setting to display and select only files of a particular type.

For recognition purposes, TextBridge Classic accepts TIFF files in the following formats:

TIFF Uncompressed (Intel header)

TIFF CCITT-3 (Intel header)

TIFF CCITT-4 (Intel header)

TIFF Uncompressed (Motorola header)

TIFF CCITT-3 (Motorola header)

TIFF CCITT-4 (Motorola header)

TIFF (Intel FAXability header)


Add More Pages Dialog

When you use your scanner with TextBridge Classic, the application monitors the scanning process. When TextBridge Classic finishes scanning a page on the scanner flatbed, or the last page in the scanner's automatic document feeder, it displays the Add More Pages dialog.

If you want to scan more pages of a single-sided document, first reload the scanner, then click Continue in the Add More Pages dialog.

If you are using an ADF, and you want to scan the reverse (even) sides of a two-page document, turn the stack over, place it back in the ADF, then click the Flip and Continue button.

If you are done scanning, click End. TextBridge Classic displays the Save As dialog, so that you can name the output file and specify the text format to which recognized text is to be converted.


Save As Dialog

When TextBridge Classic completes the OCR process, it displays the Save As dialog. In this dialog, you specify the output file name and where to store the file (disk and directory). You also specify the text format into which the recognized text is to be converted.

The Save As dialog is a standard Windows dialog, so you should be familiar with it if you have used other Windows applications.

In the File name box, specify the name of the file with an appropriate extension. (If you do not specify an extension, TextBridge Classic will specify one for you.) In the Save in drop-down list box, specify the destination directory and destination disk drive. Finally, in the Save as type drop-down list box, select the text format to which the recognized text is to be converted.

Note that a Copy to clipboard checkbox is also available in the dialog. If you select this, the File name, Save in, and Save as type selections become dimmed (unavailable). When you click Save, the recognized data is saved to the clipboard in RTF (Rich Text Format) and Windows-ASCII formats. This way, you can paste the clipboard into any Windows application that supports the input of either RTF or ASCII data.

When you finish, click Save. TextBridge Classic converts the recognized text to the selected format and saves the formatted file to the specified name and location.

The Main window remains displayed, ready for the next operation.


TextBridge Application Server Registration Dialog
TextBridge Instant Access OCR Registration Dialog

When you click the TextBridge Classic Instant Access OCR icon in the TextBridge Classic folder, the minimized window's button appears on the taskbar, indicating that TextBridge Classic is available from registered applications.

When you click the minimized window's button on the taskbar, the TextBridge Instant Access OCR Registration dialog is displayed. Before you can run TextBridge Classic from within a word processing or other text application, you must register the host application.

Available Applications	Shows the host text applications that can be registered. If your application does not appear in this list, start your application. Close the TextBridge Instant Access OCR registration dialog: click Cancel if the dialog is open. From the taskbar, click the Instant Access OCR button with the right mouse button, then click Close. To reopen it, click the Start button, point to Programs, point to the TextBridge Classic folder, and click the TextBridge Classic Instant Access OCR icon. Then click the Instant Access OCR button on the taskbar. Your application should now appear in the Available Applications list.

Registered Applications	Shows the list of host text applications that are already registered. If your application is already listed here, you can simply click OK to close the dialog and proceed.

OK	When your application is registered, click OK to close the dialog and proceed.

Cancel	Click Cancel to close the dialog without making any changes.

Help	Click Help to access this screen.

Add	After selecting the host text application to register from the Available Applications list, click Add to add it to the Registered Applications list.

Add All	Click Add All to add all applications listed in the Available Applications list to the Registered Applications list.

Delete	To remove an application from the list of Registered Applications, select the application, then click Delete.


Step-By-Step Procedures

TextBridge Classic can complete a wide range of tasks, some requiring a few basic steps, others enabling a high level of interaction. Choose a topic below depending on the task you want to accomplish:

Choosing a Scanner or Other Input Device Driver

Preparing the Job

Scanning a Document

Recognizing and Converting On-line Image Files

Previewing Pages Before Processing

Processing a Page Image from the Clipboard

Processing a Page Image with OLE 2.0 Drag-and-Drop

Using TextBridge Instant Access OCR


Choosing a Scanner or Other Input Device Driver

When you first install TextBridge Classic software, you have the option of also setting up the link between TextBridge Classic and your scanner (or other input device) source driver.

After TextBridge Classic software is installed, you can also set up the link to your scanner or other input device directly from the TextBridge Classic interface.

Note	The following procedure assumes that you have correctly installed the scanner interface card (if one is required) in your PC, and that you have connected your scanner. It also assumes that you have installed the scanner driver software according to the manufacturer's specifications, and that your PC and scanner are powered up and ready.

To select a scanner or other input source:

With TextBridge Classic active, pull down the File menu, and select the Select/Scanner Source command.

From the Select/Scanner Source dialog, select the type of scanner driver that you want to install:

HP AccuPage

ISIS

TWAIN

Note	If TextBridge Classic provides an ISIS driver for your scanner, or if your scanner supports HP AccuPage, it is strongly recommended that you use this driver instead of a TWAIN driver.

Click Continue.

Depending on the type of driver you selected in Step 2, the screens for selecting the driver will vary. Select one of the topics below to continue:

Specifying the HP AccuPage 2.0 driver

Specifying an ISIS driver

Specifying a TWAIN driver

When you are finished identifying the driver, TextBridge Classic displays the Test/End Setup dialog.

Insert a page in your scanner for testing purposes. In the now-displayed Test/End Setup dialog, click the Test button.

If you are using an ISIS or HP AccuPage driver, the scanner should activate and scan the sample page.

If you are using a TWAIN driver, the TWAIN scanner's native user interface appears. From the native user interface, activate scanning of the sample page. Refer to your scanner documentation for information about the TWAIN interface options.

When the scanner finishes scanning the page (or in the case of the TWAIN device, when you close the native user interface), TextBridge Classic displays the Scanner Test window.

Click the Accept button in the Scanner Test window.

TextBridge Classic is now ready to use your scanner.


Specifying the HP AccuPage 2.0 driver

From the Select Scanner/Source dialog, when you select HP AccuPage as your scanner driver type, then click Continue, TextBridge Classic simply makes the selection. It then displays a dialog for testing the scanner.

Please return to Step 5 of the scanner driver selection procedure to finish the task:

Return to Step 5


Specifying the an ISIS driver
Specifying an ISIS driver

From the Select Scanner/Source dialog, when you select ISIS as your scanner driver type, TextBridge Classic displays the Scanner Selection dialog. This dialog displays a list of ISIS scanners supported by TextBridge Classic.

In the list of supported ISIS drivers, highlight your scanner name by clicking once.

Click the Setup button to specify any additional hardware configuration or other options, such as Port Address, Buffer Address, Speed, SCSI ID, I/O Address, DMA Channel, and so on. Note that not all scanners require this step. Consult your scanner and interface card documentation for complete information. Click OK when you are done in the Setup menu.

Click OK in the Scanner Selection dialog. TextBridge Classic now displays a dialog to test your scanner.

Please return to Step 5 of the scanner driver selection procedure to finish the task:

Return to Step 5


Specifying a TWAIN driver

From the Select Scanner/Source dialog, when you select TWAIN as your scanner driver type, TextBridge Classic displays the standard TWAIN Select Source dialog. The Select Source dialog lists the TWAIN source drivers that have been installed on your PC. It is assumed that you have already installed the TWAIN driver for your scanner according to the manufacturer's instructions.

From the Select Source dialog, highlight the name of your TWAIN source driver by clicking once. Then click the Select button. TextBridge Classic now displays a dialog to test your scanner.

Please return to Step 5 of the scanner driver selection procedure to finish the task:

Return to Step 5


Preparing the Job

Before scanning and processing a document, or processing on-line image files, you can prepare TextBridge Classic for the job by specifying preferences.

Specifying Preferences


Specifying Preferences

You can prepare TextBridge Classic for a job by specifying both job preferences and scanner preferences. Consult one of the topics below for more information:

Specifying job preferences

Specifying scanner preferences


Specifying job preferences

By specifying job preferences, you more precisely identify the type of document TextBridge Classic is about to process, and you control the type of output document TextBridge Classic will create.

To specify job preferences:

In the TextBridge Classic main window, from the Settings menu, select Preferences.

The Preferences dialog with two 'tabbed' dividers, one for Job and one for Scanner, now appears.

Make sure Job Preferences are in front by clicking the Job tab.

Specify job preferences.

For complete information, refer to Job Preferences.

When you are done, you can click the Scanner 'tab' to specify scanner preferences, or click OK to close the Preferences dialog and store the new job preferences.


Specifying scanner preferences

By specifying scanner preferences, you fine-tune the controls built in to your scanner. You can turn on (or off) the automatic document feeder if your scanner has one; adjust the brightness control to affect the lightness or darkness of the resulting scanned page image; change resolution and page size.

To specify scanner preferences:

In the TextBridge Classic main window, from the Settings menu, select Preferences.

The Preferences dialog with two 'tabbed' dividers, one for Job and one for Scanner, now appears.

Make sure scanner preferences are in front by clicking the Scanner tab.

Specify scanner preferences.

For complete information, refer to Scanner Preferences.

When you are done, you can click the Job 'tab' to specify job preferences, or click OK to close the Preferences dialog completely and store the new scanner preferences.


Scanning and Converting a Document
Scanning a Document

One of the tasks that TextBridge Classic performs is scanning a hard copy document to an on-line text file. The document can comprise one page or many pages, and can be single- or double-sided. Choose one of the topics below for more information:

Scanning a single-sided document

Scanning a double-sided document


Scanning and converting a single-sided document
Scanning a single-sided document

A single-sided document has pages that are printed only on one side of the paper. The reverse sides are blank and are not included in the page numbering.

Note	The following procedure assumes that your scanner is properly installed, powered on and ready, and that the TextBridge Classic main application is active.

To use TextBridge Classic to scan, OCR and output a single-sided document:

Insert the page(s) to be processed into the scanner.

If you have a scanner with a document feeder, you can load a stack of pages. If you have a flatbed scanner, place the first page of the document on the platen.

Prepare the job.

For details, refer to Preparing the Job.

On the main toolbar, identify your scanner as the input source by depressing the Read Image from Scanner button. Now click the Go button.

TextBridge Classic scans and processes the page(s) that you loaded into the scanner. When finished, TextBridge Classic displays the Add More Pages dialog.

Proceed to Step 5 to continue job. Go directly to Step 7 to end the job.

To continue the job, place one or more additional pages into the scanner, then click Continue in the Add More Pages dialog.

Scanning and document recognition will continue.

Proceed from Step 4 to continue or end the job.

To end the job, click End in the Add More Pages dialog.

This will display the Save As dialog, where you can identify the output file name, format, and destination drive and directory.

Save the output file.

You can now go on to use the recognized text by editing the output file in your word processor or other text application.


Scanning and converting a single-sided document
Scanning and converting a double-sided document

Many multiple-page documents are printed double-sided; that is, both the front (odd-numbered) and reverse (even-numbered) sides of pages contain print.

If your scanner has an automatic document feeder (ADF), you can use TextBridge Classic's auto-collation feature to scan double-sided documents. This feature enables you to process the front (odd) sides of a document first, then turn the stack over in the ADF, and process the reverse (even) sides.

TextBridge Classic will automatically collate the pages in the correct order in the output file.

Note	The following procedure assumes that your scanner is properly installed, powered on and ready, and that the TextBridge Classic main application is active. It also assumes that your scanner has an automatic document feeder.

To use TextBridge Classic to scan and convert a double-sided document:

Insert the stack of double-sided pages into the scanner's automatic document feeder, so that the front sides of the pages will be processed first (pages 1, 3, 5, and so on).

Prepare the job.

For details, refer to Preparing the Job.

On the main toolbar, identify your scanner as the input source by depressing the Read Image from Scanner button. Now click the Go button.

TextBridge Classic scans and processes the front (odd-numbered) sides of the double-sided pages. When finished processing the stack of pages, TextBridge Classic displays the Add More Pages dialog.

Turn the stack of pages over and insert the stack back into the scanner's automatic document feeder.

Pages should now be oriented so that the last even-numbered page of the document will be scanned next.

Click Flip and Continue in the Add More Pages dialog.

Scanning and document recognition will continue. When the stack of pages has been processed, TextBridge Classic displays the Add More Pages dialog again.

Click End in the Add More Pages dialog.

This displays the Save As dialog, where you can identify the output file name, format, and destination drive and directory.

Save the output file.

TextBridge Classic automatically collates the recognized text in the correct order in the output file. You can now go on to use the recognized text by editing the output file in your word processor or other text application.


Recognizing and Converting On-line Image Files

Page image filescan be created by TextBridge Classic.

Alternatively, page image files can originate from fax modems or other sources.

TextBridge Classic can process page images stored in TIFF, PCX, DCX, and BMP (Windows bitmap) formats. Page images must be binary (black type on a white background), and have resolutions ranging from 72 to 900 dots per inch.

Note	For best results, process page images together that are from the same document and have the same resolution. While it is possible to process page images of differing resolutions and type styles, it is not recommended.

To queue up and process on-line page images, use the following procedure:

On the TextBridge Classic main toolbar, depress the Read Image from File button.

Prepare the job.

For details, refer to Preparing the Job.

Hint: In particular, three job preferences can be important for processing on-line image files. If files contain fax-quality (100-by-200, 200-by-100, or 200-by-200 dots per inch) images, choose the Auto or Fax setting in the Original Document Quality category. Also, if you are unsure of the orientation of the pages in the image files, choose the Auto setting from the Page Orientation category. Finally, if you are not sure how many columns the page images have, click the Auto setting in the Original Document Layout category.

On the TextBridge Classic main toolbar, click the Go button.

TextBridge Classic displays the Open dialog, where you can locate and queue up one or more image files for processing. For details, refer to the Open dialog topic.

In the Open dialog, queue up the image files in the order in which you want them to be processed.

When you have queued up the all desired image files in the correct processing order, click OK in the Open dialog.

TextBridge Classic processes all the page images in the queue. When it is done, it displays the Save As dialog, where you can identify the output file name, format, and destination drive and directory

Save the output file.

You can now go on to use the recognized text by editing the output file in your word processor or other text application.


Previewing Pages Before Processing

To view, or define specific areas of, a page before processing, TextBridge Classic provides preview tools. In the view area of the main window, you can zoom in and out on the previewed page image, magnifying the page to full resolution, shrinking it to fit entirely in the window, or displaying it at some scale factor in between.

To define portions of the page to be processed, you can draw rectangular zones around specific text areas on the page image. You can create up to 127 separate zones, adjusting them page-by-page or having the same zones take effect for all pages of the document. When the job is complete, TextBridge Classic automatically clears the zones.

Note	The following procedure assumes that, if you are using a scanner, it is properly connected to your PC, powered on and ready, and that the TextBridge Classic main application is active.

If you are scanning, load the page(s) into your scanner, then go to Step 2. Otherwise, start at Step 2.

On the TextBridge Classic main toolbar, define the image source by clicking either the Read Image from Scanner or the Read Image from File  button. Also, depress the Preview button.

Prepare the job.

For details, refer to Preparing the Job.

Click the Go button to start the process.

If you are scanning with a TWAIN scanner, the native user interface for the scanner appears, and you can execute scanning from this interface. If you are scanning with an ISIS or HP AccuPage scanner, TextBridge Classic automatically scans a page from the scanner.

If you are reading the page image(s) from one or more on-line image files, TextBridge Classic first displays the Open dialog. In the Open dialog, queue up the image files to be processed, then click OK.

TextBridge Classic acquires the image, and displays it in the view area of the main window. It also adds the Preview toolbar to the main window.

To zoom in or out on the page image, use the appropriate zoom tool from the preview toolbar, or pull down the View menu and select the Zoom Min or Zoom Max command. When the page is magnified, scroll bars in the view area let you shift the display horizontally and vertically.

Create and edit text zones, as appropriate.

To create a text zone, depress the Text Zone button on the preview toolbar.

Now move the mouse pointer into the view area, and point to a corner of the text or image area to be zoned. Click and hold the left mouse button, and drag the mouse diagonally and downward. When the text zone is created, release the mouse.

Create additional text zones, as needed. The last zone created remains selected.

To select another zone, click the Edit Zone button, point to a zone edge, and click the mouse. To resize the zone, click and hold on a corner handle of the zone, and drag the mouse. To move the zone, click and hold inside the zone, and drag the mouse. To delete the zone, pull down the Edit menu and choose the Clear command (or simply press the Delete key).

To select all zones, pull down the Edit menu, and choose Select All. You can now move the set of zones as a group, or delete them all by pulling down the Edit menu and choosing the Clear command (or simply pressing the Delete key).

When all zones are created, or you are otherwise finished previewing the page, click the Go button to start the recognition process.

When all pages of the document have been processed, TextBridge Classic displays the Save As dialog, where you can identify the output file name, format, and destination drive and directory.

Save the output file.

You can now go on to use the recognized text by editing the output file in your word processor or other text application.

Note that all zones for the just-completed job are cleared automatically.


Processing a Page Image from the Clipboard

Similar to processing an on-line image file, TextBridge Classic can process a page image stored on the Windows clipboard. The Windows clipboard is the temporary storage area to which data is written when you use an application's Copy command.

For example, you could copy a fax image from your fax viewer application to the Windows clipboard. Then, in TextBridge Classic, you could paste the image. This would automatically start the OCR process, or, if you had specified preview mode, the image would be displayed in the view area, and you could perform previewing operations on it before processing it.

Note	TextBridge Classic requires the image data to be in binary (black and white) format. If you attempt to paste a grayscale or color image, TextBridge Classic will generate an error message.

To process a page image from the clipboard:

From your image application, select the image you intend to copy, then pull down the Edit menu and select the Copy command.

The image is copied to the Windows clipboard.

Launch TextBridge Classic.

Prepare the job.

For details, refer to Preparing the Job.

Pull down the Edit menu and choose the Paste command.

TextBridge Classic attempts to paste the image. If the image was copied to the clipboard without resolution data, TextBridge Classic displays the Specify Resolution Data dialog. Complete the dialog, then click OK. TextBridge Classic acquires the image and begins the process.

When TextBridge Classic has finished processing the page, it displays the Save As dialog, where you can identify the output file name, format, and destination drive and directory.

Save the output file.

You can now go on to use the recognized text by editing the output file in your word processor or other text application.


Processing a Page Image with OLE 2.0 Drag-and-Drop
Processing a Page with OLE 2.0 Drag-and-Drop

TextBridge Classic fully supports Microsoft's OLE 2.0 for drag-and-drop operations. This enables you, with a few simple mouse operations, to drag a page image from another OLE-compliant application into TextBridge Classic's view area. You can then use all of the program's process options to recognize the page image.

For example, if you have a fax program that enables you to view fax images, you could drag a fax image directly into TextBridge Classic for recognition. Of course, your fax program would have to be fully OLE 2.0-compliant for this to work.

To drag an image into TextBridge Classic, and process the image to usable electronic text, use the following procedure:

Open TextBridge Classic and the other application, and arrange them side-by-side on your Windows desktop.

In TextBridge Classic, specify any preferences and process options that are appropriate.

For details, refer to Preparing the Job.

In your OLE 2.0-compliant application, select the image to be processed.

Display the image in the source application's window. Select the image, and hold down the left mouse button. The OLE 2.0 drag symbol should now be displayed.

Drag the image into TextBridge Classic's image area.

If the image does not include embedded resolution information, TextBridge Classic displays the Specify Resolution Data dialog. Complete the dialog, then click OK. TextBridge Classic acquires the image and begins the process.

When TextBridge Classic has finished processing the image, it displays the Save As dialog, where you can identify the output file name, format, and destination drive and directory.

Save the output file.

You can now go on to use the recognized text by editing the output file in your word processor or other text application.


Using TextBridge Instant Access OCR

To run TextBridge Classic OCR and have recognized text inserted directly into an open word processor document, click the TextBridge Classic Instant Access OCR icon in the TextBridge Classic folder. TextBridge Instant Access (TIA) "attaches" to, and thus runs from within, any registered Windows word processing or other text application.

Once attached to the host application, TIA appears in the application's File menu as the TextBridge OCR command. When you select TextBridge OCR, the TextBridge main window appears on top of the host application. From here, you can set up and initiate OCR exactly as you would with the standard TextBridge Classic program.

For more information about TIA, refer to one of the following topics:

Starting TIA and registering applications

Running TIA from within your application


Starting TIA and registering applications

When you click the TextBridge Classic Instant Access OCR icon in the TextBridge Classic folder, the minimized window's button appears on the taskbar, indicating that TIA is active and available from registered applications:

When you click the minimized window's button on the taskbar, the TextBridge Instant Access OCR dialog is displayed. Before you can run TIA from within a word processing or other text application, you must register the application, as follows:

Note	The procedure assumes that you have clicked the TIA OCR icon in the TextBridge Classic folder, and that the minimized window's button appears on the taskbar.

Click the minimized window's button on the taskbar to display the TIA registration dialog.

In the Available Applications list at the top of the dialog, highlight the application that you want to register.

Note	If your application does not appear in the Available Applications list, start your application. Close the TIA registration dialog: click Cancel if the dialog is open. From the taskbar, click the Instant Access OCR button with the right mouse button, then click Close. To reopen it, click the Start button, point to Programs, point to the TextBridge Classic folder, and click the TextBridge Classic Instant Access OCR icon. Then click the Instant Access OCR button on the taskbar. TIA will detect the application and place it in the Available Applications list. Highlight your application, then proceed to Step 3.

Click the Add button to add the application to the Registered Applications list at the bottom of the dialog.

Proceed from Step 2 to register additional applications. When you are done registering your application(s), click OK.

You can now go on to use TextBridge Classic from within your registered application. Refer to Running TIA from within your application.


Running TIA from within your application

Assuming TIA is running, when you start a Windows text application, its File menu will display the TextBridge OCR command as the last command directly above the Exit command.

Note	For TIA to work, the host application must have a File menu, and in the File menu must have an Exit command. Most Windows word processing and other text applications use this standard.

To run TIA, and import recognized text directly into the host application's open document, use the following procedure:

Click the Start button on the taskbar, point to Programs, and point to the TextBridge Classic folder. Click the TextBridge Classic Instant Access OCR icon in the TextBridge Classic folder.

Tip:	So TIA will start automatically whenever you start Windows 95, the TextBridge Classic setup program places it in your StartUp folder.

Make sure the host application is registered. Refer to Starting TIA and registering applications.

Start the host application, and open a new or existing document into which you intend to import recognized text.

Pull down the host application's File menu and select the TextBridge OCR command. In a few moments, the TextBridge Classic main window appears.

Set up and initiate OCR from the main window exactly as if you were using the TextBridge Classic main application.

Refer to Step-by-Step Procedures for more information.

When OCR is complete, TextBridge Classic closes automatically, and recognized text appears at the cursor position in your application's open document.

Note	TIA uses the Windows clipboard to cut and paste recognized text to your application either as formatted RTF (Rich Text Format, Microsoft's standard document interchange) or as plain ASCII text. If your application supports RTF pasted from the clipboard, then RTF is used. If not, recognized text is pasted as plain text, and the formatting (bold, italic, and so on) is lost.

Some applications, notably Microsoft Write, have a limited clipboard size. Write, for example, is limited to about 64,000 characters, or 4 to 5 pages of text. Thus, if you scan more pages than can be pasted from the clipboard, TIA generates an advisory message.


Glossary of Terms

The glossary provides definitions of terms relevant to the TextBridge Classic application and OCR concepts. To see the definition of a given term, click on the term in the list below. If you prefer, you can highlight the term using the Tab key, and then press the Enter key.

A

auto-orientation

B

binary

C

Cancel Page button

CCITT

conversion

D

dialog box

document quality

driver

E

Edit Zone button

F

fax image

fax modem

G

Go button

grayscale

H

halftone

handles

HP AccuPage

hypertext

I

input format

input source

Instant Access OCR

ISIS

L

landscape orientation

M

main application

N

native user interface

O

optical character recognition (OCR)

original document layout

output document

output text format

P

page image

page orientation

portrait orientation

preferences

Preview

Preview button

R

Read Image from File button

Read Image from Scanner button

recognition

recognition language pack

resolution

Rotate Left button

Rotate 180° button

Rotate Right button

RTF

S

scanner brightness

scanner driver

Stop button

T

Text Zone button

TIFF image

TWAIN

V

virtual memory

W

Windows

Windows ASCII

working directory

Z

zone

zoom

Zoom In button

Zoom Out button


auto-orientation

In TextBridge Classic, a capability to correct for the rotation of the page image before recognition begins. Suppose you were scanning a document with mixed pages (for example, most pages are portrait, while some landscape pages with large tables are present). TextBridge Classic could perform auto-orientation on each page before beginning recognition.


binary

In the context of a page image, refers to a black and white, as opposed to color or grayscale, image.


Cancel Page tool
Cancel Page button

In the main toolbar, a button that instructs TextBridge Classic to discard the page currently being processed. If an additional page is available in the scanner or in the image queue (Open dialog), TextBridge Classic will automatically acquire it and continue the process.


CCITT

The acronym for Consultative Committee for International Telegraph and Telephone, a standards organization that develops various standards for data transmission and storage. CCITT has developed, among other things, compression standards for data storage, namely CCITT Group 3 and Group 4 standards.

In relation to TextBridge Classic, these compression standards apply to TIFF image data. Compression is important for TIFF page image files which, uncompressed, can be 500,000 bytes or larger in size.

Group 3 and Group 4 use different compression algorithms, with Group 4 generally yielding tighter compression on image files.

TextBridge Classic can open not only uncompressed TIFF files, but also TIFF files with CCITT-3 and CCITT-4 compression applied to them.


conversion

A part of the document recognition process that takes text in one format (the input format) and processes it to another format (the output format). In TextBridge Pro, recognized text in an internal format can be converted to, say, WordPerfect (or any of a number of other supported formats). The file that is created as a result of conversion is the output document.


dialog box

In Microsoft Windows, a category of user interface screen that requests interaction ("dialog") with a user of the application. TextBridge Classic includes a number of dialogs that you can specify to set up and process a job.


document quality

In TextBridge Classic preferences, a setting that informs the program about the type of original document to be processed. The available settings are:

Auto

Normal

Fax

Dot-matrix

The Auto setting instructs TextBridge Classic to automatically determine the original document quality. This pre-processing step can take a few additional moments to process each page, but is useful if you are scanning a document whose pages vary in original quality.

The Normal setting is for most typical office documents. The Fax setting is for hard-copy fax documents or on-line fax image files. The Dot-matrix setting is for documents originated from dot-matrix printers.


driver

A software program that controls ("drives") a hardware device such as a scanner. Often, devices such as scanners require two drivers to work, one for the scanner card that plugs into a PC's bus, the other that enables a software program to control a scanner. The first type of driver is often referred to as a system-level driver (.sys) file. The second type of driver is often referred to as a source driver.

For TextBridge Classic to work with your scanner, one of the following types of source drivers is required: ISIS, TWAIN, or HP AccuPage.

Refer to the definitions of those source driver types for specific information.


Edit Zone tool
Edit Zone button

In the preview toolbar, a button that makes the cursor in the view area a selection arrow. With the selection arrow, you can click on a zone to make it the current selection. Once a zone is selected, you can clear it; click and hold on a zone border, or within the zone boundary, to move the zone; or click and hold on a zone handle to resize the zone.


fax image

The representation of a page in the form of binary data (usually 200-by-100 or 200-by-200 dpi resolution) transmitted or received by a facsimile (fax) machine or fax modem. Computers with fax modems can receive a fax image and store it on-line as an image file. TextBridge Classic can open and recognize the text from an on-line fax image, provided that it is in TIFF format.


fax modem card
fax modem

An external device or printed circuit board that plugs into a PC enabling the receipt and transmission of digital image data across a telecommunication (phone) line. With a fax modem on your PC connected to a phone line, you can transmit and receive document images.


Go button

The Go button starts the TextBridge Classic process -- either scanning or reading page images from on-line image files.


grayscale

A method of using multiple bits of data to represent each picture element (pixel) of a graphic image. Typically, images are stored in 1-bit (black and white), 4-bit, 16-bit, 64-bit, or 256-bit formats. The more bits per pixel, the greater detail in which the image can be rendered.

TextBridge Classic requires that images be 1-bit (black and white).


halftone

An image composed of differently sized black dots spaced in such a way as to simulate the different gray tones of an original photograph or color drawing.

In the Preferences dialog, in the Job settings tab, you can specify that TextBridge Classic is to ignore or locate halftone photos when performing optical character recognition, and either discard or output them in the resulting document.


handles

Solid square objects typically in the four corners of a rectangle in a drawing package or other application that enable resizing of the rectangle. In TextBridge Classic, you can draw a rectangular zone on a previewed page image to define the area of the page to recognize. Handles on the zone enable you to resize the zone.


HP AccuPage

A technology developed and licensed by Hewlett-Packard that improves the combined performance of the HP ScanJet scanner and TextBridge Classic. While preserving the quality of grayscale images, HP AccuPage technology retains the format of scanned pages, improves the recognition of text printed on shaded backgrounds and improves recognition of text printed at small point sizes.


hypertext

A capability to navigate a text data base (an on-line Help system, for example) in a number of different ways: by selecting a subject from a topic list; by stepping sequentially forward and backward; by keyword search; by context (that is, clicking on a word in text to get its definition or another screen of information about it). TextBridge Classic uses the Microsoft Windows Help tools to provide a hypertext-based Help system directly accessible from within the application.


input format

The file format that is used as input to a process such as recognition or conversion. TextBridge Classic accepts a TIFF, PCX, DCX, or BMP file as input to the recognition process; it accepts format-analyzed text (a Xerox proprietary format) as input to the conversion process.


input source

The origin of page images being recognized: either the scanner or an image file.


Instant Access OCR

An icon in the TextBridge Classic folder that enables TextBridge Classic to be run from within virtually any Windows word processor or text application.

When you launch TextBridge Classic from within the host application, the TextBridge Classic main window is displayed, and you can access all TextBridge Classic features to process a document.

When document processing is finished, TextBridge Classic automatically pastes the recognized text into the host application's open document.

For complete information, refer to Using TextBridge Instant Access OCR in the procedures section of this help system. To access the procedures section, click the Contents button at the top of the help screen, then select the Step-By-Step Procedures topic.


ISIS

Acronym for Image and Scanner Interface Standard developed by Pixel Translations, Inc. ISIS is an applications programmers interface (API) for the design and development of scanner drivers. Pixel Translations and other scanner vendors use ISIS to develop scanner drivers. TextBridge Classic supports most of the ISIS-compatible scanners available on the market today. See also TWAIN.


landscape orientation

Describes a page on which lines of print flow across the wider dimension (or length) of the page. This is opposed to portrait pages, on which lines of print flow across the more narrow dimension (or width) of the page. For example, many office documents are printed on 8.5-by-11 inch paper. With landscape orientation, the page is rotated 90 degrees and print flows across the 11-inch dimension of the page.


main application

The primary program provided in the TextBridge Classic suite. TextBridge Classic runs as a standalone application. To run it, click the Start button on the Windows taskbar, point to Programs, and point to the TextBridge Classic folder. Then simply click the TextBridge Classic icon:

The TextBridge Classic main window appears and you can go on to run any document recognition task.


native user interface

In the TWAIN specification, the set of screen displays and keyboard controls that a TWAIN source driver must provide to a program that supports the TWAIN device. For example, TextBridge Classic runs with scanners that have fully TWAIN-compliant source drivers. However, the controls for that scanner are provided in the native user interface, not in the TextBridge Classic user interface.


OLE 2.0

A technology provided by Microsoft in Windows that enables two applications to exchange data. Both applications must support the technology for this to work. For example, TextBridge Classic supports OLE 2.0 drag-and-drop, which enables you to drag an image from an OLE 2.0-compliant imaging application into TextBridge Classic for processing.


optical character recognition (OCR)

A technology that analyzes binary images of character shapes, identifies them as particular characters, and outputs them to a text data stream, either in computer memory or to a computer file. See also recognition.


original document layout

In TextBridge Classic preferences, a setting that informs the program about the number of text columns and the presence or absence of pictures in the document about to be processed. The available settings are:

One column, text only

One column with pictures
Auto

Select One column, text only if you want to process a simple one-column document with no pictures. TextBridge Classic will not pre-process the document to determine the layout; therefore, processing should be a little faster.

Select One column with pictures if you want to process a one-column document that contains halftones, tinted or color illustrations. TextBridge Classic will run a pre-processing step to locate the pictures. Note that TextBridge Classic may not always find simple black-and-white line art drawings in a document. Therefore, you should manually preview such documents.

Select Auto if you want to process a document with more than one column, with or without pictures. TextBridge Classic will run a pre-processing step to analyze the full layout of the document, so that it can recognize and output text in the correct read order.


output document

The output produced by TextBridge Classic is a formatted document written to a file that you can open with your word processor.


output format
output text format

The word processor, spreadsheet, or other file format to which recognized text can be converted and output. TextBridge Classic supports output of recognized text to a number of text formats:

Format	File Extension

Ami Pro 2.0, 3.0	.sam

ASCII Standard, Smart, Stripped	.txt

dBase IV	.dbf

DCA/RFT 	.rft

DisplayWrite 5	.rft

Excel for the Macintosh	.xls

Excel 3.0, 4.0, 5.0	.xls

FrameMaker	.mif

HTML Netscape	.htm

HTML	.htm

Interleaf	.wps

Lotus 1-2-3	.wk1

Multimate Advantage	.doc

PostScript	.ps

Professional Write 2.0, 2.2	.doc

RTF for the Macintosh	.rtf

Samna Word IV+	.doc

Windows Write	.wri

Word for Windows 2.x	.rtf

Word 6.0	.rtf

Word 7.0	.rtf

WordPerfect 4.2, 5.1	.wpf

WordPerfect 6.0, 6.1	.wpd

WordStar	.wsd


page image

A binary (black and white) representation of a page stored in computer memory, or on disk in an image file. TextBridge Classic acquires a page image from a scanner or an image file (TIFF, PCX, DCX, BMP) and then begins optical character recognition.


page orientation

In TextBridge Classic preferences, a category of settings that informs the program about the placement -- that is, the orientation -- of print on a page. The available settings are Auto, Portrait, and Landscape.

The Auto setting instructs TextBridge Classic to determine the page orientation automatically.

The Portrait setting is for most typical office documents, on which the print is oriented across the narrow dimension -- that is, the width -- of the page.

The Landscape setting is for documents on which the print is oriented across the wider dimension -- that is, the length -- of the page.


portrait orientation

Describes a page on which lines of print flow across the more narrow dimension (or width) of the page. This is opposed to landscape pages, on which the page is rotated 90-degrees and lines of print flow across the wider dimension (or length) of the page. For example, many office documents are printed on 8.5-by-11 inch paper. With portrait orientation, print flows across the 8.5-inch dimension of the page.


preferences

In TextBridge Classic, the settings that you can specify to control the document recognition process.


Preview

In TextBridge Classic, a capability that enables you to view, zoom, rotate, and zone text on a page before processing. By zoning a page, you instruct TextBridge Classic to process only the specified text areas.


Preview button

The Preview button, when pressed in, instructs TextBridge Classic to display each page in the view area and wait for your input. This enables you to view the page, rotate it, and create text zones on it before instructing TextBridge Classic to process it.


Read Image from File button

The Read Image from File button instructs TextBridge Classic to use image files as the source of pages to be processed.


Read Image from Scanner button

The Read Image from Scanner button instructs TextBridge Classic to use the connected scanner as the source of pages to be processed.


recognition

The TextBridge Classic process during which a scanned or on-line TIFF page image is analyzed, and characters and words are derived from the image and saved as a text data stream in memory or in an on-line temporary file. Sometimes referred to as optical character recognition (OCR).


recognition language
recognition language pack

A "dictionary" for a particular language that TextBridge Classic uses to recognize documents printed in this language. In the TextBridge Classic interface, you can specify that the document to be recognized is in one of English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, or up to seven other languages (provided you directed the TextBridge Classic SETUP program to install all these languages from the installation disks). TextBridge Classic then loads the specified language pack before beginning recognition.


resolution

The degree of detail, measured in dots per inch (dpi), with which a scanner or fax machine can receive an image. TextBridge Classic can perform OCR (optical character recognition) on page images of any resolution within the following range:

72 - 900 dpi

For best results combining efficient operation with recognition accuracy, page images of 300 or 400 dpi are best. However, TextBridge Classic performs remarkably well on fax resolution images (200x100, 200x200).

For scanning purposes, you can define resolution in the Scanner Settings dialog. Not all scanners support the full range of resolutions shown above. In addition, TextBridge Classic may display only a subset of the resolutions supported by your scanner in Resolution menu.


Rotate Left tool
Rotate Left button

In the preview toolbar, a button that, when pressed, rotates the displayed page image 90 degrees to the left. This is useful if the scanned or on-line image is improperly oriented for recognition.


Rotate 180° tool
Rotate 180° button

In the preview toolbar, a button that, when pressed, rotates the displayed page image 180 degrees. This is useful if the scanned or on-line image is improperly oriented for recognition.


Rotate Right tool
Rotate Right button

In the preview toolbar, a button that, when pressed, rotates the displayed page image 90 degrees to the right. This is useful if the scanned or on-line image is improperly oriented for recognition.


RTF (Rich Text Format)

A document markup language developed by Microsoft Corporation for the representation of data in an ASCII-only format that enables the exchange of documents across a wide variety of platforms.


scanner brightness

In TextBridge Classic scanner preferences, a setting that informs the program about how light or dark the resulting image from a scanned page will be. This is similar to the Brightness or Contrast setting on a photocopier. Often by adjusting brightness, you can manipulate the accuracy of recognition (for example, brightening a page whose characters are tightly spaced can improve recognition)

The available settings are Normal, Lighter, Darker, and Auto. If your scanner supports Auto, always select this setting. This optimizes the brightness level automatically on a page-by-page basis.

The Normal setting is for most typical office documents -- first generation documents with crisp, clean print. Use the Lighter setting if the document's print is bold or dark with numerous touching characters. Use the Darker setting if the document's print is light or the typeface used is thin and ornate.

Note	TextBridge Classic works with many scanners through programs called drivers. Drivers are written by the scanner manufacturers or third-party software publishers. Because of the way some scanner drivers provide information to TextBridge Classic, the program can sometimes reverse the meaning of Lighter and Darker brightness settings. Thus, for some scanners, Lighter actually causes the scanned image to be darker, while Darker causes the image to be lighter.


scanner driver

A software module that serves as an interface between a software application and a scanner. The scanner driver sends requests from the application to the scanner in a language the scanner can understand. TextBridge Classic supports three types of scanner source drivers -- ISIS, TWAIN, and HP AccuPage. See the glossary entries for these three items for more information.


Stop button

The Stop button cancels the ongoing job.


Text Zone tool
Text Zone button

In the preview toolbar, a button that makes the cursor in the view area a 'T with a cross-hair.' With this tool, you can create a text zone, a rectangular border around any text area on the displayed page image. This indicates that TextBridge Classic is to recognize this text and exclude any text not included inside the zone. You can create up to 127 text zones in the view area.


TIFF image

A representation of one or more pages or graphics stored in Tag Image File Format, an industry-standard image format. TextBridge Classic can recognize text from page images stored in several variations of binary (black and white) TIFF, as follows:

TIFF Uncompressed (Intel header)

TIFF CCITT-3 (Intel header)

TIFF CCITT-4 (Intel header)

TIFF Uncompressed (Motorola header)

TIFF CCITT-3 (Motorola header)

TIFF CCITT-4 (Motorola header)

Some applications, notably fax applications, have the ability to save multiple page images to a single TIFF file. TextBridge Classic can recognize these multiple-page TIFF files. Refer to the Open Dialog topic for more information.


TWAIN

An image and scanner interface standard, complete with an API, for the development of interfaces to imaging devices (scanners, fax machines, and so on). TextBridge Classic supports any fully TWAIN-compliant scanner or other device that connects to a PC and produces binary (black-and-white) images in a supported size and resolution.


virtual memory

Space on your hard disk that Windows uses as if it were actually random access memory (RAM). Windows does this through the use of swap files. Usually, Windows uses permanent virtual memory, a swap file made up of a contiguous group of storage blocks on your hard disk.

Note	Windows 95 manages virtual memory for you. However, you need to make sure that your hard drive has enough free space to store the swap space (for virtual memory) that TextBridge Classic requires.

The benefit of using virtual memory is that you can run more programs at one time than your system's physical memory would otherwise allow. The disadvantages are that you will have less disk space to store your own files in, and programs will run more slowly because they are swapped back and forth between RAM and virtual memory (the swap file on your disk).


Windows

A graphical user interface (GUI) and a host of related modules developed by Microsoft Corporation for use on DOS-driven personal computers. TextBridge Classic runs with Windows 95 and Windows NT.


Windows ASCII

The internal character code set used by Windows applications, and based on the International Standards Organization (ISO) 9000 standard for character representation in computer systems. It includes the standard 128 ASCII character codes, plus an additional 128 codes for the representation of accented characters and a wider variety of symbols and special characters.


working directory

In Windows, when you install an application, or at any time thereafter, you can designate a directory anywhere in your Windows 95 file system as the working directory.

In Windows Explorer, you select the application icon, then pull down the Windows Explorer File Menu and select Properties. A dialog box appears in which you can specify, among other things, the working directory. Generally, if you do not specify a working directory, the default working directory is C:\WINDOWS (or wherever you installed Windows).

For TextBridge Classic, the working directory is a directory called BIN beneath the installation directory you specify at installation time. The TextBridge Classic installation program chooses by default the directory, C:\Program Files\TextBridge Classic, as the installation directory (although you can select any directory in any partition on your file system). Consequently, the TextBridge Classic default working directory is typically

C:\Program Files\TextBridge Classic\bin


zone

In the TextBridge Classic view area, a rectangular border that you can draw around a portion of the displayed page image to define the area of the page to process.


zoom

In the TextBridge Classic view window, the capability to magnify ("zoom in on") a page image to various percentages of full resolution and back ("zoom out") to a resolution that enables the entire page image to display.


Zoom In tool
Zoom In button

In the preview toolbar, a button that makes the cursor in the view area a magnifying glass with a plus sign in it. By clicking in the view area, the displayed page image is zoomed in one additional level. Keep clicking to continue zooming in.


Zoom Out tool
Zoom Out button

In the preview toolbar, a button that makes the cursor in the view area a magnifying glass with a minus sign in it. By clicking in the view area, the displayed page image is zoomed out one additional level. Keep clicking to continue zooming out.


About TextBridge
About TextBridge Classic

Choosing About from the TextBridge Classic Help menu displays copyright information, the version number, and the release date for this version of TextBridge Classic.

To clear the About screen, click OK, or press either the Enter key or space bar.

TextBridge Classic

The Document Company

Xerox

9 Centennial Drive

Peabody, Massachusetts 01960

United States Headquarters (main switchboard):

(508) 977-2000

Customer Support:

For customer support, please contact the manufacturer of the scanner with which this version of TextBridge Classic was provided.

Software Registration Fax Number (U.S. only):

(508) 531-0675

TeleSales Department:

(800) 248-6550 ext. 3  (In the U. S. and Canada)

44-(0)1734-668421  (In Europe and the Middle East)