Installing and Using an Ink DeviceSince version 10.2, Mac OS X has supported handwriting recognition, meaning you can input text and graphics using a pen and tablet device. This is accomplished through Mac OS X's Ink technology. When you install an Ink-compatible device, an Ink pane appears in the System Preferences utility; you use this to configure how you want handwriting recognition to work. Then, you can input directly into most applications or input into the InkPad application and paste the content into another application. Installing a TabletTablet devices enable you to input information and execute control using a pen-type mouse you use to "write" on the tablet. NOTE
Installing a tablet is no more complicated than installing any other device. You simply connect the tablet to an available USB port. However, because the tablet needs power to operate, you must connect it using a USB port that provides power to peripheral devices. You can connect it to a USB port on the Mac itself, one on an ADC display, or one on a powered USB hub. You can't connect it to a USB port on the keyboard, though. Then you install the software provided with the tablet. That is all there is to it. NOTE Because Ink support is built in to Mac OS X, you might wonder why you need to install additional software. You should install the software that comes with the tablet to ensure that the latest drivers are installed. The Wacom software also provides access to advanced configuration options that are beyond those you can configure with Mac OS X's Ink technology. Covering the details of advanced configuration of a tablet is beyond the scope of this chapter. To explore the tablet software, open the Wacom Tablet application installed in the Wacom folder located in the Applications folder. Configuring InkBefore you get started with Ink, you need to understand that getting handwriting recognition to work reliably takes some time and experimentation. Unless you have picture-perfect penmanship, you will have to do some trial and error to get it to work reliably. Expect to spend some time and effort configuring and experimenting with Ink. Make adjustments to Ink, and then try writing. Then, make more adjustments and try again. Eventually, you will be able to make it work pretty well. After you have installed a tablet, you need to turn on handwriting recognition and configure it:
You can access additional controls by clicking the Options button on the Settings tab (see Figure 22.9). Figure 22.9. Use these options to fine-tune Ink to match your handwriting style.Continue experimenting with writing in the InkPad and making adjustments until your writing is recognized reliably. This will take some time and patience, but if you continue refining the adjustments, you can make it work fairly reliably. NOTE There are numerous adjustments you can make to the tablet, pen, and mouse using the Wacom Tablet application. For example, you can configure the mouse's buttons and the pen's button. Covering the details of this application is beyond the scope of this chapter. If you are going to use a tablet, you should explore this application to better configure your tablet. Using InkAfter you have configured Ink to reliably recognize your handwriting, there are two general ways you can use it. One is to make all input via the InkPad application by switching to the InkPad window when you are in another application. For example you can use Ink to write an email message. When you click the Send button the text you input is pasted into the active document window. You can then edit it just like text you typed.You can also write directly in many applications:
Not all applications recognize Ink input, but most OS X applications do. The best way to figure out whether an application you use supports Ink is to try it. If an application doesn't support direct entry using Ink, you can always use the InkPad to enter text. TIP If you click the Graphic mode button (the star) at the bottom of the InkPad window, you can also draw in the window and paste the result into your documents. NOTE The most advanced tablets are incorporated into LCD monitors so you can input directly onto the images on which you are working. Check them out at www.wacom.com/lcdtablets/index.cfm. |