Having PEN be the default when opening a new Note.

[Marc Russo]

I bought a Wacom tablet to take all the notes I used to take on a Sticky
Post-it note pad. When i open a new note in OneNote, the default input is
always the "Type/SelectionTool" and since I have a Wacom pad and pen I would
like the default input to be the "Pen". This adds an extra step when opening
a new note and start to write something down. I imagine this is because
since Im on a PC and not a Tablet PC it thinks I want to type first. How do
I change this. The only thing I see in "Options", "Handwriting" is
"Automatically switch between Pen and Selection Tool" which I cant find when
that even works weather checked or not.

Help is much appreciated.

Marc

 

[Chris H.]

Marc, the "pen" function is designed for use in combination with Office 2003
and the handwriting options therein which need to be installed. However, on
a Tablet PC, since the Ink functions come from the Tablet digitizers, they
are automatically available. Adding the function from a writing pad isn't
the same as on a Tablet.
--
Chris H.
Microsoft Windows MVP/Tablet PC
Tablet Creations - http://nicecreations.us/
Associate Expert
Expert Zone -

 

[Marc Russo]

Chris,

Im not sure I understood your response. Althought I did enable the Office
Languag Toolbar but dont see how that is going to help my situation after
playing around with it.

Basically I want OneNote to have the "Pen" be the default writing or input
when I open a new note rather then the current default input of
"Type/Selection".

Thanks Marc

 

[Chris H.]

Marc, you're using emulation of the handwriting via a third-party writing
pad instead of the native Ink which is available in OneNote on a Tablet PC.
OneNote isn't aware of the input from the writing pad until you change over
to "pen," and that input could be from a mouse or the device you have.
--
Chris H.
Microsoft Windows MVP/Tablet PC
Tablet Creations - http://nicecreations.us/
Associate Expert
Expert Zone -

 

[Marc Russo]

So what your saying is there is no way for OneNote to auto recognize that I'm
using a pen unless I use a Tablet PC? Because a third-party pen pad will not
be recognized as anything other then a mouse by OneNote on a Windows XP PC.

What if Im not interested in it being aware of me using a pen or a mouse but
just to be on the pen by default?

Thanks, Marc

 

[Chris H.]

Basically, yes. The analogy here is the writing pad is an extension of the
mouse sensing system on your desktop. Unless you have a means (perhaps in
the writing pad software?) of setting it up, there is no automatic detection
since it is similar input - unlike a Tablet PC which reacts when the pen is
within a certain distance of the screen and it is picked up by the
digitizer.
--
Chris H.
Microsoft Windows MVP/Tablet PC
Tablet Creations - http://nicecreations.us/
Associate Expert
Expert Zone -

 

[Andrew Watt [MVP - InfoPath]]

Marc,

Unfortunately there is no facility that I can find that allows the
user to specify that OneNote starts with Pen selected.

Also I was unable to find a keyboard shortcut that allows you to
toggle between pen and text.

Andrew Watt
MVP - InfoPath

 

[Erik Sojka]

Marc,

However it should be said that selecting the pen from the toolbar is not
a tragically horrible workaround

 

[Marc Russo]

Erik,
No its not difficult at all, its just that I bought the pad to save time and
be more organized then having a bunch of post it notes all over my desk and
when you use it instead of a pen and paper and someone is on the other end of
the phone waiting for you to write something down I imagined this working for
me and being a time saver not taking more time. This I imagine a real basic
feture not to mention finding out after the fact that it wont recognize and
convert my writting.

Most Microsoft products give many many options like the way you want t
program to open up and whitch font and size, so this seemed like a no brainer.

Maybe the next version or SP? Well see.

Thank you everyone for your input and for letting me vent.

Marc