Absolute Beginners Guide to Tablet PCs

Inevitably, you will want to share your super-cool notes and sketches with others. Doing so is not quite as straightforward as sharing paper, but it's a lot handier for working in a team. There are several methods for sharing your notes, as I will discuss here.

The Windows Journal Viewer

If you want to share your Windows Journal notes with others who do not have a Tablet PC, they can download the Microsoft Windows Journal Viewer. Simply tell them to visit http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/tabletpc/downloads/default.asp where there should be a link to the viewer.

Tip

People you work with who don't have a Tablet PC can download the Windows Journal Viewer in order to view your notes.

The viewer is similar to Excel and Word viewers, in that the person can see the content of the file, but not edit it. This allows you to take notes in your own handwriting, and yet use the Internet, email, or your local network to share your notes with others.

Exporting Notes

Windows Journal also allows you to export notes into two formats: Web Archive format (.mht), and Tagged Image File format (.tif).

MHT Format

Web Archive format is readable by Internet Explorer, which means that saving your notes in this format allows anyone with a Windows-based machine to view the notes.

Tip

MHT format is probably the easiest for others to use, because most people have Internet Explorer. Always check with the person you're trying to share files with to determine his or her preference.

In addition to Internet Explorer, MHT files can be viewed in Office XP and 2003, and in Office 2000 with the Web Archive add-in. You can get the add-in at http://office.microsoft.com/downloads/2000/webarchive.aspx.

Realize that although Internet Explorer accounts for the majority of browsers in the world, it is not on everyone's machine. Just make sure that if you're saving the file in MHT format that your intended audience has the capability to open the file. Figure 6.18 shows how the MHT file looks in Internet Explorer.

Figure 6.18. In Internet Explorer, the MHT file appears just like the Windows Journal file, and even has a navigation pane.

TIF Format

An industry standard, TIF files can be viewed in numerous applications, including Microsoft Office applications and almost all image-editing programs. This is more of a cross-platform solution than the MHT file, but for many, it is not as easy to view. Microsoft Office Document Imaging does a good job displaying TIF files, and even keeps the multiple pages separate. Again, determine the needs of the recipient before deciding which method to use.

The Absolute Minimum

Here are the key points to take away from this chapter:

  • View the Windows Journal tutorial. It has some good pointers, and lays the foundation for learning more.

  • You'll never run out of paper in Windows Journal. Just tap the Next Page button, and you have more space to scrawl and doodle.

  • If you want to insert space between notes, use the Insert/Remove Space tool.

  • Convert ink to text if you want to include it in another document.

  • You can easily search for ink in documents if you want to find handwritten notes.

  • Have your workgroup install the Windows Journal Viewer if they don't have Tablet PCs.

  • Export notes in MHT or TIF format so others can view them without Windows Journal or a viewer.

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