OmniPage Pro 9

OmniPage automatically 'zones' the page. Zoning is the process of working out which parts of the page contain text, graphics or tables. If the automatic process doesn't give the results you want - for example mistaking a logo as text - you can define the zones yourself. Handling all of the choices personally guarantees the best results overall but is only necessary for complex layouts.

OmniPage then launches the Proofreader, which works like Word's spelling checker (and can share Word's dictionary). This identifies letter combinations it's unsure of, showing the original scanned version above. Once you've made your changes, OmniPage saves the file in any of 26 formats, including all the leading word processors, spreadsheets and DTP programs.

OmniPage makes the entire process very simple and brings the possibility of the paperless office a little closer. Caere even bundles its PageKeeper document manager with OmniPage Pro 9, making the package irresistible to anyone requiring more than the most basic OCR. Overall, version 9 is a modest upgrade to an excellent product. OmniPage Pro 9 is the tool of choice for all but the most limited OCR uses. New features, such as colour capability and table conversion along with ever-greater accuracy, put it even further ahead of the competition.

Author: Kevin Partner