Pen Input, and automatic source URL adding questions

[Zorah]

I've just dicovered OneNote, and downloaded the trial immediately. I'm
ecstatic! This is exactly the application I've been waiting for all my life.
That said, I have a couple of questions after playing with it for a day.

1) Handwriting recognition. Is this truly only possible with a Tablet PC?
I've never used a pen input device, but would love to switch to a Wacom
tablet, to reduce wrist strain. (and because writing my notes, scribbling
diagrams and such and having them appear and convert on my computer is just
that cool) Are there any pen input devices that come with their own
handwriting recognition utilities which will layer onto OneNote? Third party
solutions?

I long for a Tablet PC, but it simply isn't an option. I work on a company
laptop, testing a product which is not officially supported on the Tablet PC
OS.

2) The OneNote Demo on Office Online shows OneNote automatically adding the
source URL from whatever webpage an object was copied from. No matter what
copy method I use, this is not happening for me. Is there something I need
to be doing to trigger this behavior, or have I simply misunderstood the demo?

Thank you for any help you can give. I haven't been this excited about an
application in years! Once I get a thourough handle on it, it will be time
to convince my managers that we *need* this on every machine.

 

[Erik Sojka (MVP)]

It's a great app, isn't it?

1) OneNote relies on the handwriting recognition engine present in the
Tablet PC OS. It does not have any inherent handwriting recognition
ability on its own. If you use the mouse or an external digitizing
tablet (like a Wacom) on a conventional desktop or laptop you will only
be able to have your "handwriting" recognized as a picture. You won't be
able to convert it to text nor will you be able to search th
handwriting's contents. There may be some third party solutions which
will do their own recognition and which should work with any application
that can accept typed text (i.e. not just OneNote).



2) That feature requires that the source data be copied from IE. It
should be enabled by default in OneNote (check Tools | Options | Editing
| "Include Link to source when pasting from the Internet") Some people
have reported that some recent versions of Firefox also include source
URL information onto the clipboard where it can be retrieved by OneNote.
I've not tested it personally.

 

[Tim]

I've just dicovered OneNote, and downloaded the trial immediately. I'm
ecstatic! This is exactly the application I've been waiting for all my life.
That said, I have a couple of questions after playing with it for a day.

2) The OneNote Demo on Office Online shows OneNote automatically adding the
source URL from whatever webpage an object was copied from. No matter what
copy method I use, this is not happening for me. Is there something I need
to be doing to trigger this behavior, or have I simply misunderstood the demo?

I too can understand the ecstasy of discovering OneNote. It is a slick
package. While Erik has answered your first question, he got answer no
two wrong. Which is understandable given that a couple of weeks ago, he
was right.

FireFox version 1.5, like Internet Explorer (current version) is capable
of including the URL of the source into OneNote when you paste your
material. That is because FF 1.5 has been upgraded to include the links.
Earlier releases do not have that ability. Also, earlier versions of
Internet Explorer can not either but as Windows/Microsoft Update obtains
the current release, most people have the current version.

Have fun.

 

[Erik Sojka (MVP)]

Just curious - what was incorrect about what I said? I re-read both of
our answers and they seem to say the same thing - IE is required but some
recent versions of FF might also provide the metadata information to the
clipboard.

Please don't take my question as "how dare you correct me?!?!?" If I've
given out incorrect information it should be corrected. My ego can stand
being corrected <g> I just don't see what was wrong.

Thanks.