How do I wrap text when converting handwriting to text in OneNote?

[tablet user]

I'm using MS OneNote for tablet PCs and am trying to convert chunks of
handwriting (as opposed to single lines) to text.

The problem is that it treats each line of handwriting as a whole paragraph.
That is, the original line breaks are retained once it's turned into text.
Since I can fit a lot more text onto a line than handwriting, I end up having
line breaks after only a few words.

I can't find anything in 'Help' about converting more than a line of
handwriting at a time. Is this just how the program works, or am I missing
something?

 

[Chris H.]

How is the handwriting written? Are you writing sentences beneath each
other, or a continuous line with periods, etc.?
--
Chris H.
Microsoft Windows MVP/Tablet PC
Tablet Creations - http://nicecreations.us/
Associate Expert
Expert Zone -

 

[tablet user]

I'm writing continuous sentences , continuing with just one space after a
period. I only skip down to a new line when I run out of space on a line,
which OneNote then reads as a deliberate line break.

(thanks for responding-this problem is really preventing 0neNote from being
useful, and it otherwise seems like a great program.)

 

[Chris H.]

Hmmm. I don't see that issue here. You're running OneNote SP1, correct?
--
Chris H.
Microsoft Windows MVP/Tablet PC
Tablet Creations - http://nicecreations.us/
Associate Expert
Expert Zone -

 

[tablet user]

Yes, OneNote 2003 SP1.

So is this just a problem I'm having? I.e., are you saying that OneNote is
capable of converting handwriting to text without keeping the line breaks
that occur naturally when you fill one line and skip to the next?

If so, I REALLY want to fix this problem, as this is the one thing that
keeps OneNote from being a functional program.

Is there anything obvious I might be missing? The only other information I
can think to add is this: I can only highlight one line of handwriting at a
time when I'm using the tablet pen (by clicking on the arrow box that appears
to the left of each line), so what I do when I want to convert more than one
line of text is highlight the whole page by clicking on the page tab on the
right-hand side, and then select 'convert handwriting to text. Every time it
keeps the line breaks from the handwriting, which obviously is not useful
because then I have to go in manually and backspace each line up to the
previous line, which is laborious and seems like a problem a great program
like OneNote would never have.

Could this have anything to do with switching between tablet and laptop
mode? This is the only thing I can think of...the screen size is very
different when I'm using the vertical tablet mode versus when I'm using the
screen horizontally, but I can't convert handwriting to text in what would be
the proper way in either screen position.

Thanks again for replying...if there is in fact a solution for this problem,
I will be elated because I could finally start using OneNote in a functional
way.

 

[Chris H.]

If you're creating new lines by "skipping" to another line, you're invoking
the line breaks. The positioning, either Landscape or Portrait mode
shouldn't make any difference - at least it doesn't here. You may want to
take a look at the Page Settings under the File drop-down menu. There are a
lot of possibilities there for you.

Also, since you're a new Tablet PC and OneNote user, I would suggest taking
a look at the OneNote demo:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011423061033.aspx It is
about 45 minutes in length, but absolutely priceless.

I would also suggest, if you're running Office 2003 on your Tablet, that you
download and install the Tablet PC Update: Improved Ink Recognition from
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...79-34ad-494d-8108-80085ace23be&displaylang=en
BTW - We have a separate Tablet PC newsgroup, if you have strictly Tablet
questions: microsoft.public.windows.tabletpc.
--
Chris H.
Microsoft Windows MVP/Tablet PC
Tablet Creations - http://nicecreations.us/
Associate Expert
Expert Zone -

 

[tablet user]

How do I keep from 'skipping' to another line? All I do is move down one line
when I run out of writing space, just as I would when running out of writing
space on a pad of paper.

 

[Chris H.]

Perhaps you're starting a bit to the right on the input area, instead of
flush left? Have you viewed the demo video yet? You may have an enhanced
understanding of OneNote when you complete it. I think I've watched it
maybe a dozen times, and continue to pick up new info each time.
--
Chris H.
Microsoft Windows MVP/Tablet PC
Tablet Creations - http://nicecreations.us/
Associate Expert
Expert Zone -

 

[tablet user]

No, I'm starting flush left. I haven't watched that particular video yet
(currently on a 24Kps connection) but I've done ALL the tutorials, read all
the tips files, etc. Evevything seems to show info for converting only small
amounts of handwriting to text, not whole pages.

I appreciate all your suggestions. Perhaps you can tell me the steps you
follow when converting handwriting to text? I must be missing something
obvious--the more I think about it, there's no way OneNote would function
like this.

I haven't changed any settings, but maybe is there some command to retain
the formatting of handwriting that is mistaKenly turned on?

I also have the recognition download you suggested.

 

[tablet user]

I thought I'd add that it always treats each line of handwriting
individually. That is, when I click to select a block of writing, it only
selects one line at a time, although the tutorials and help files indicate
that you can select BLOCKS of handwriting.

 

[Grant Robertson]

I thought I'd add that it always treats each line of handwriting
individually. That is, when I click to select a block of writing, it only
selects one line at a time, although the tutorials and help files indicate
that you can select BLOCKS of handwriting.

Your problem is that you are just writing on the next line without
forcing OneNote to extend the paragraph BEFORE you write there. First
you have to set the [ Tools / Options ; Display ; Adjust the darkness...
] settings so that you can see the note containers and writing guides on
the screen. Some people like to turn these off so they can pretend that
they are just writing on a blank piece of paper then complain when
OneNote can't read their minds. Then you need to make sure OneNote
extends the paragraph down one line before you actually start writing on
that line. Otherwise OneNote assumes you want to start a new paragraph.
You force it to drop down another line by writing almost all the way to
the end of the current line. If you don't have a word to fit you have to
write a squiggly line and go back and erase it later.

I have written an entire article about this exact issue with pictures and
everything and let someone post it up on the web somewhere but I can't
even remember where it is now. That is how much my life is screwed up
right now.

 

[tablet user]

Thanks for the suggestions. I also found the "continue previous paragraph"
button on the toolbar, which also comes in handy, though again seems to need
to be done per individual line.

If you do ever find the article you wrote on this issue, I'd love to see it.
The help files and tutorials and so on seem to gloss over this problem, which
is weird because it is the one and only barrier to the total functionality of
this program.

Thanks again.

I thought I'd add that it always treats each line of handwriting
individually. That is, when I click to select a block of writing, it only
selects one line at a time, although the tutorials and help files indicate
that you can select BLOCKS of handwriting.

Your problem is that you are just writing on the next line without
forcing OneNote to extend the paragraph BEFORE you write there. First
you have to set the [ Tools / Options ; Display ; Adjust the darkness...
] settings so that you can see the note containers and writing guides on
the screen. Some people like to turn these off so they can pretend that
they are just writing on a blank piece of paper then complain when
OneNote can't read their minds. Then you need to make sure OneNote
extends the paragraph down one line before you actually start writing on
that line. Otherwise OneNote assumes you want to start a new paragraph.
You force it to drop down another line by writing almost all the way to
the end of the current line. If you don't have a word to fit you have to
write a squiggly line and go back and erase it later.

I have written an entire article about this exact issue with pictures and
everything and let someone post it up on the web somewhere but I can't
even remember where it is now. That is how much my life is screwed up
right now.

 

[Kathy Jacobs]

I think the article Grant is looking for is the one he sent me.
Unfortunately, it slipped off the bottom of my to-do list before I got it
posted. I'll try and get it done by Monday...

Sorry about that Grant...

--
Kathryn Jacobs, Microsoft MVP PowerPoint and OneNote
Co-author of Unleash the Power of OneNote- Available now from Holy Macro!
Books
Get OneNote answers at http://www.onenoteanswers.com

Thanks for the suggestions. I also found the "continue previous paragraph"
button on the toolbar, which also comes in handy, though again seems to
need
to be done per individual line.

If you do ever find the article you wrote on this issue, I'd love to see
it.
The help files and tutorials and so on seem to gloss over this problem,
which
is weird because it is the one and only barrier to the total functionality
of
this program.

Thanks again.

I thought I'd add that it always treats each line of handwriting
individually. That is, when I click to select a block of writing, it
only
selects one line at a time, although the tutorials and help files
indicate
that you can select BLOCKS of handwriting.

Your problem is that you are just writing on the next line without
forcing OneNote to extend the paragraph BEFORE you write there. First
you have to set the [ Tools / Options ; Display ; Adjust the darkness...
] settings so that you can see the note containers and writing guides on
the screen. Some people like to turn these off so they can pretend that
they are just writing on a blank piece of paper then complain when
OneNote can't read their minds. Then you need to make sure OneNote
extends the paragraph down one line before you actually start writing on
that line. Otherwise OneNote assumes you want to start a new paragraph.
You force it to drop down another line by writing almost all the way to
the end of the current line. If you don't have a word to fit you have to
write a squiggly line and go back and erase it later.

I have written an entire article about this exact issue with pictures and
everything and let someone post it up on the web somewhere but I can't
even remember where it is now. That is how much my life is screwed up
right now.

 

[PhilC]

Make sure you have toggled on "View->Show Ink Groups". Then if you do the
things suggested by Chris (in "Tools->Options->Display" adjust the darkness
so that you can see the Writing Guide, and wait for the next line to darken
before you write there), it should work.

Phil

 

[PhilC]

A follow up to my previous post:

Assuming you have "Show Ink Groups" turned on:
If you start writing the subsequent line before ON has extended the writing
guide on its own, your next line won't be grouped with the previous line.
Only if wait until ON has extended the writing guide down before you write
there will the subsequent line be grouped with the previous.

A related option is "Tools->Options-Handwritting"
"Set the width...."

If you select the first option ("Wait until ...), ON doesn't extend the
writing guide until you have written nearly to the right margin. (Sometimes
you want to go to the next line sooner).

If you select the second option ("Display the writing guide ..."), ON limits
the width of your line and forces you to drop down to a subsequent line
(possibly sooner than you want to).

So neither work like I would like it to. I would like one option; extend
the writing guide shortly into a line, but don't force me to go the next line
before I've reached the right margin. If I want to go the the next line well
before the right margin, the extended writing guide is available. If I want a
completely independent writing guide, generate that when I start a new line
after leaving a blank line after my last line. (In other words, force me to
leave a blank line in order to create an independent writing guide).