Quick Start Guide

This topic takes you step-by-step through the basic OCR process.

Loading and recognizing sample image files

You will find sample image files in the program folder, both single-page and multi-page files. First try reading these files using the procedure presented below, except for the references to a scanner. See Loading image files for more information on acquiring the images. The results provide you with a benchmark of the recognition quality you should expect from your own files of comparable quality.

Next, try scanning a page from your scanner.

Scanning and recognizing a single page

Turn your scanner on and be sure it is working correctly. Choose a page with good-quality clear text for this test.

We assume the OmniPage default settings are set and that your document is in the language you specified for interface language during installation. Open the Options dialog box from the Tools menu and choose Use Defaults if you are not using the program for the first time.

You will process the document automatically and save the recognition results to a file. You will proof the document but will not edit it inside the OmniPage Text Editor.

 

What you do

What happens

1.

Setup your scanner using the Scanner Wizard, if this is not already done.

Configures OmniPage to work with your scanner.

2.

Select Start > All Programs > Nuance OmniPage 18 > OmniPage [Professional] 18

Opens OmniPage on your computer.

3.

Place the document correctly in your scanner.

 

4.

From the Get Page drop-down list, select a scan option for your document: black-and-white, grayscale or color.

Allows you to determine how pictures or colored texts and backgrounds will look in the exported document. Scan Color is available only if you have a color scanner.

5.

From the Layout Description drop down list, check Automatic is selected. For a wide range of documents, this is the best choice.

Configures the program to place zones on the page and decide their properties automatically.

6.

From the Export Results drop-down list, check that Save to File is selected.

This means you will be able to name your export file after you have proofed the document.

7.

Make sure 1-2-3 is selected in the Workflow drop-down list. Click the Start button.

OmniPage will start to scan in your document. A thumbnail appears with a progress indicator. The OCR Proofreader appears.

8.

Use the OCR Proofreader to modify words that the program suspects have not been recognized correctly.

The OCR Proofreader operates like a spelling checker in a word processing program, but with added OCR-specific features. It removes markings from words you proof.

9.

Click in the Text Editor. Select Text Editor formatting levels one after another, to see how the page appears in each.

Viewing each Text Editor formatting level guides you which level to choose at saving time.

10.

Click Resume to restart proofing. When the message OCR Proofreading is complete appears, click on OK.

This ends the OCR Proofreader process. The Save to File dialog box will appear.

11.

Choose a file name, file type, path and formatting level to save your recognized document. Click on OK.

By default, View result is enabled, so your document will be automatically opened in the word processing program associated with the file type that you selected.

12.

Inspect the document in your word processing program.

You have successfully used OmniPage 18 to recognize your document and open it in your target application!

 

  • If you succeeded in getting good results from the sample image files, but not from the scanned page, check your scanner installation and settings: in particular brightness and image resolution. See Setting up your scanner and Scanner troubleshooting.

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Quick Start Guide