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General discussion

help in making a template in word

Oct 4, 2005 10:31AM PDT

i am running word 2002, on xp. what i would like to do is scan a form, and import it into word. This way i can enter ex. name, date, and write a "body" however the instructions in word are a little confusing please help

Discussion is locked

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How far have you gone so far?
Oct 4, 2005 3:40PM PDT

If you've managed to get the picture inserted on a Word document, then you only need to insert text box. Just go to insert and click on text box. You'll use your cursor to initially placed and adjust the size of the box. Later on, you can double click on the border of the box to make more changes.

There are a few things you have to adjust when doing so. You've to keep experimenting with font size, margin. whether or not to auto size the text box, etc.

It actually pretty simple once you get a hang of it. Just play with the insert text box option for a while and you'll know what to do.

PS : to make is simpler, copy and paste the initial text box you created and drag it wherever you want. Then you can just adjust the length of the box by using your cursor.

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Re: scanning a form
Oct 4, 2005 5:01PM PDT

Two remarks:
- You need to take care that the document is scanned using OCR, not as a bitmap or gif. But it's doubtful if it will look acceptable then.
- The best way nowadays to make fillable forms: Adobe Acrobat. One can use Adobe Reader to fill them.

Hope this helps.

Kees

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This may Help
Oct 4, 2005 6:30PM PDT

II may not be reading your request correctly, yet the the two Web Sites below may assist?

Within this Web Page click on folders ".....forms"
word.mvps.org/FAQs/

Also this Web Site
glencoe.com/ps/computered/pas/article.php4?articleId=365


Regards

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Creating a Word Template
Oct 4, 2005 8:35PM PDT

Instead of scanning, it may sometimes be easier to recreate document as a Word Document, then save the document as a Word Template.

If you scan, you have to use a OCR program to create the Word document, check for accuracy and then save as template.

If you do not have OCR and have to save the form as an image, you will need to do multuple scans, i.e. split up the form into parts and insert the images unto a Word Document, leaving space where you need to fill in. Then save as a template.

If you choose to scan the document as a whole (i.e. scan once only), you will have to save it as an image, and you will need a photo-editing program to insert text unto the image (i.e. text unto picture) If you choose this route, what you get will not be a ''Word Document'', but an image document, e.g a photograph ?

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Actually you can
Oct 4, 2005 9:01PM PDT

do it without photo editing software. You can insert text box on the picture that you inserted into word document. And the final result is a word document.

The downside of doing this way is the large size of file (hundreds of kb or even over 1mb) in a single file.

If you install all the softwares those came with your scanner, most likely you can scan using OCR program. One software that came with my scanner is Scansoft Omnipage.

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Text box within picture...
Oct 4, 2005 9:54PM PDT

Well, I do not think you can insert a text box ''inside'' a picture which is inserted unto a Word document. (Well, at Ieast, I am not able to do it.) As the scanned form will be a ''picture'', (scanning without OCR), a text box can only be placed outside the boundary of the form, therefore, the form cannot be ''filled in'' excpet by using a photo editing program whereby its text box is placed ''on'' the picture. It is then only a picture, not a Word document, unless as I have mentioned, multiple scans are done with space for filling in where it is needed, in which case, no text box is required. Well, I am not an expert here. just sharing. I may be wrong in this.

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Oppps...
Oct 4, 2005 9:59PM PDT

Well, sorry- just successfully got the Word text box unto the picture.

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thanks for the help
Oct 5, 2005 8:22AM PDT

i do have an ocr program (but i need to work with it some more), 1st i will try to recreate the form and save it as a template. 1 more question, what is the difference between boilerplate and template, thanks

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You are welcome.
Oct 5, 2005 9:20AM PDT

As for the difference between boilerplate and template, HERE'S an explaination. Scroll down for the link for ''Template''

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hello
Jan 12, 2007 6:11AM PST

If and when you figure it out please tell how you are doing this im having the same problem