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ScanTools Plus
User’s Guide
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ii ScanTools Plus
READ ME FIRST!
It is important that you read and are familiar with the following
parts of this User's Guide BEFORE installing and operating
ScanTools® Plus software. This User's Guide is a basic overview of
ScanTools Plus software. Use online help to find details of the
functionality of the software.
System Requirements
Located in the Overview. Before you start, be sure that you have the right
hardware and software on your system.
Training
To ensure optimal use and to receive complete support, Scantron offers
training on ScanTools Plus. Visit our Web site at www.scantron.com or
call 1-800-336-3426, extension 6123.
iv ScanTools Plus
T
Table of Contents
Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Preface xvii
Internet Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx
User’s Guide v
Chapter 1:
Overview 1
OMR Scanners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Image Scanners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
User Exits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Capabilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
vi ScanTools Plus
Migrating Applications from Earlier Versions of ScanTools Software . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Copy Application Files for Migration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Migrating from Earlier Versions of ScanTools Plus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Migrating from Image ScanTools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Migrating from ScanTools II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Migrating from ScanTools (16-bit, Windows 3.x or later environment) . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Migrating from ScanTools - DOS environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
iNAME Image Archiving Migration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
iNAME Merge Migration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Image Enable Disable Utility Migration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
RealTime OCR Migration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
User Exit Migration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Chapter 2:
Installation and Configuration 33
Chapter 3:
Modify/Create an Application 63
Task Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Modifying an Existing Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Creating a New Application. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Installing an Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Deleting an Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Chapter 4:
How to Scan Documents 97
Task Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Chapter 5:
Editing Data 109
Creating a Copy of an Edit Profile for use with the Same Application . . . . . . . . . . 118
User’s Guide ix
Chapter 6:
Scoring Data 127
Create a Copy of a Score Profile for use with the Same Application . . . . . . . . . . 135
Chapter 7:
Converting Data 139
x ScanTools Plus
Fixed Length Records (.SDF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
SPSS for Windows (.SPS and .DA1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
DOSSIER (.DSA or .DSE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
IBM 3881 (.ASC or .EBC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Y2K Compliant (.Y2K). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Create a Copy of a Conversion Profile for use with the Same Application . . . . . . . 151
Chapter 8:
Archiving Images 155
Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
User’s Guide xi
Chapter 9:
ScanFlex Option 169
Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Scanning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Chapter 10:
User Exits 179
Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Appendix A:
Tutorial: Creating an Application
for an Image Scanner 183
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Form #223022 General Purpose Answer Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
801 Sample Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Selecting Document Image Format Settings in the Image Clips Window. . . . . . . . 197
Appendix B:
Tutorial: Creating an Application
for an OMR Scanner 253
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
General Purpose Answer Sheet No. 221681. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
User’s Guide xv
Releasing for Scanning and Saving the Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Appendix C:
Data File Format 309
Appendix D:
Glossary 311
Preface
The purpose of this User's Guide is to help you install and
operate ScanTools Plus software. The User's Guide makes
the following assumptions:
Document Organization
The ScanTools Plus User's Guide consists of the
following:
Internet Access
We invite you to visit our Web site at www.scantron.com.
xx ScanTools Plus
1
In this chapter:
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 3
Capabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 11
Calling for Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 12
Support Web Site. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 14
Registering the Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 16
Using Online Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 17
Upgrading from Earlier Versions of ScanTools Software
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 22
Migrating Applications from Earlier Versions of
ScanTools Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 25
Chapter 1:
Overview
ScanTools Plus software runs under Microsoft Windows.
It resides on a host computer attached to a Scantron
scanner. It supports both OMR and Image technology
scanners.
OMR Scanners
OMR scanners process Optical Mark Recognition (OMR)
forms. The source data is recorded on each form by filling
in small circles (sometimes referred to as bubbles or ovals)
with a pencil or pen. The marked forms are organized and
placed in a scanner. Then the ScanTools Plus Scanning
Module starts the scanning process. The scanner detects
the marks as they pass under the read head and sends data
to ScanTools Plus software regarding the position and
darkness of each mark on the form.
User’s Guide 1
Chapter 1: Overview
Image Scanners
Image scanners capture an image of the form as it passes
through the read head of the scanner. OMR data is created
from the scanned image in one of two ways, depending on
the scanner model and/or user selection in the ScanTools
application definition:
2 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 1: Overview
System Requirements
System Requirements
To install and run ScanTools Plus software, you must have
the proper computer hardware and operating system. If
you attempt to install ScanTools Plus software on an
unsupported operating system, you receive an error
message and are unable to install. The requirements are
different depending on which scanner you are using, and
what action you are performing.
User’s Guide 3
Chapter 1: Overview
System Requirements
4 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 1: Overview
System Requirements
6 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 1: Overview
System Requirements
User’s Guide 7
Chapter 1: Overview
System Requirements
System Notes
• The Fast User Switching function of Windows Vista
and Windows XP is not supported by ScanTools Plus.
Only one instance of ScanTools Plus can be running
on a PC at one time, even when under separate user
accounts using Fast User Switching.
• We recommend an Internet connection and a web
browser for accessing online product registration,
support information, and product updates. It is not
required for product operation.
• Internet Explorer® v4.0 or greater is required for
access to online help. Access to the Internet is not
required. If you do not have Internet Explorer, you
can download it from the Microsoft Web site
(www.microsoft.com).
• 5000i with speed upgrade and OpScan iNSIGHT 70/
150 scanners with Windows Vista Business Edition
must have the most recent version of the iPORT
scanner drivers (v2.2.1) installed before the 5000i/
OpScan iNSIGHT 70/150 Utility Software and
ScanTools Plus can be installed and run.
• To download the iPORT scanner drivers, access:
http://www.scantron.com
8 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 1: Overview
System Requirements
User Exits
For any User Exit work, you must use a compiler that can
create Windows Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs).
Scantron has developed and tested user exits using the
following development platforms:
User’s Guide 9
Chapter 1: Overview
System Requirements
10 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 1: Overview
Capabilities
Capabilities
ScanTools Plus software supports:
• Scantron OpScan iNSIGHT, 5000i, iNSIGHT,
OpScan, and EZData scanners for application
development and scanning
• Use of existing ScanTools applications and profiles
• Online editing, edit correction, file conversion, and
scoring
• Post-scan editing, edit correction, scoring, image
archiving, and file conversion
• Scan-time archiving using iNAME™
• The ScanFlex option. It allows scanning of plain
paper, laser-printed forms with form ID marks and
timing marks, only on image scanners.
• The RealTime Character Recognition option. It allows
scanning and recognition of machine printed and hand
printed text, only on image scanners.
• Command-line entry/context file invocation
• The Download Plus Utility for OpScan iNSIGHT 2/4
and OpScan scanners equipped with Download
firmware for OMR applications. See the scanner
Download firmware documentation and online help
for more information.
User’s Guide 11
Chapter 1: Overview
Calling for Help
12 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 1: Overview
Calling for Help
User’s Guide 13
Chapter 1: Overview
Support Web Site
Services Available
The Support Web Site gives you access to the following:
14 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 1: Overview
Support Web Site
User’s Guide 15
Chapter 1: Overview
Registering the Software
Online Registration
1. Select Support on the Internet from the ScanTools
Plus Help menu, or, if desired, go directly to the
Scantron Web site at www.scantron.com.
16 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 1: Overview
Using Online Help
User’s Guide 17
Chapter 1: Overview
Using Online Help
Contents
Click the Contents tab to browse through topics by
category. There are a number of books; each book
contains individual help topics. From this dialog box, you
can do the following:
Index
Click the Index tab to display a list of index entries. To
find a particular topic, either type a word you are looking
for or scroll through the list.
Search
Click the Search tab to search for keywords that may be
contained in a help topic. To find topics that contain a
word, enter the word in the text box near the top of the
Search tab, then click List Topics. A list of topic titles
containing the word you typed in will appear in the list
box. Double click on a topic title to display a topic. You
can also select a topic title and then click the Display
button to display a topic.
18 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 1: Overview
Using Online Help
Favorites
Use the Favorites tab to create a list of your favorite
topics. Begin by finding the topic using any of the above
three methods (contents, index, or search). Once you find
a topic you would like to add to your favorites list, select it,
then click the Favorites tab. The topic title will display in
the “Current topic:” text box at the bottom of the screen.
Click the Add button to add the topic to your favorites
list.
User’s Guide 19
Chapter 1: Overview
Using Online Help
Buttons
There are four buttons available at the top of the main
Help window. These buttons are described below.
20 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 1: Overview
Using Online Help
Links
Within the topic window are words that appear in green
underline; these are links to other topics. Place your cursor
over the green underlined words and the cursor changes
to a hand shape. Click the left mouse button to display the
new information.
User’s Guide 21
Chapter 1: Overview
Upgrading from Earlier Versions of ScanTools Software
22 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 1: Overview
Upgrading from Earlier Versions of ScanTools Software
User’s Guide 23
Chapter 1: Overview
Upgrading from Earlier Versions of ScanTools Software
24 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 1: Overview
Migrating Applications from Earlier Versions of ScanTools Software
User’s Guide 25
Chapter 1: Overview
Migrating Applications from Earlier Versions of ScanTools Software
Backward Compatibility
26 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 1: Overview
Migrating Applications from Earlier Versions of ScanTools Software
Backward Compatibility
User’s Guide 27
Chapter 1: Overview
Migrating Applications from Earlier Versions of ScanTools Software
Backward Compatibility
28 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 1: Overview
Migrating Applications from Earlier Versions of ScanTools Software
Backward Compatibility
There is no backward compatibility. Applications and
profiles saved with ScanTools Plus version 7.1 or greater
cannot be used in previous versions of ScanTools (16-bit
Windows environment).
NOTE: Sample Application 701 was created in the 16-bit,
Windows version of ScanTools to demonstrate
application migration.
User’s Guide 29
Chapter 1: Overview
Migrating Applications from Earlier Versions of ScanTools Software
Backward Compatibility
There is no backward compatibility. Applications and
profiles saved with ScanTools Plus version 7.1 cannot be
used in ScanTools (DOS or 16-bit Windows
environments).
30 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 1: Overview
Migrating Applications from Earlier Versions of ScanTools Software
User’s Guide 31
Chapter 1: Overview
Migrating Applications from Earlier Versions of ScanTools Software
32 ScanTools Plus
2
In this chapter:
Before You Install . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 34
Installing ScanTools Plus Software. . . . . . . . . . . page 35
Removing (Uninstalling) ScanTools Plus Software
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 49
ScanTools Plus Configuration Settings . . . . . . . page 52
Chapter 2:
Installation and Configuration
This chapter describes how to install, remove, and
configure ScanTools Plus software. If you experience any
problems during the installation, do the following:
User’s Guide 33
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
Before You Install
34 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
Installing ScanTools Plus Software
User’s Guide 35
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
Installing ScanTools Plus Software
36 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
Installing ScanTools Plus Software
User’s Guide 37
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
Installing ScanTools Plus Software
38 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
Installing ScanTools Plus Software
User’s Guide 39
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
Installing ScanTools Plus Software
40 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
Installing ScanTools Plus Software
User’s Guide 41
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
Installing ScanTools Plus Software
42 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
Installing ScanTools Plus Software
User’s Guide 43
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
Installing ScanTools Plus Software
Click OK.
44 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
Installing ScanTools Plus Software
User’s Guide 45
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
Installing ScanTools Plus Software
11. The setup program will begin copying files. The Setup
Status progress screen is displayed during the
installation.
46 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
Installing ScanTools Plus Software
Click OK.
User’s Guide 47
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
Installing ScanTools Plus Software
48 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
Removing (Uninstalling) ScanTools Plus Software
User’s Guide 49
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
Removing (Uninstalling) ScanTools Plus Software
50 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
Removing (Uninstalling) ScanTools Plus Software
Click Yes.
4. The Setup Status screen is displayed, followed by the
Uninstall Complete screen.
Click Finish.
User’s Guide 51
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
ScanTools Plus Configuration Settings
52 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
ScanTools Plus Configuration Settings
Scanner Configuration
1. From the Configure menu, click Scanner Configu-
ration. The Scanner Configuration dialog box is dis-
played. This dialog box displays differently depending
on which scanner model is selected (see below).
NOTE: The dialog boxes displayed below are examples
only. For example, the Scanner Model in the dialog
box for OpScan iNSIGHT 70/150, 5000i, and
OpScan 10/15/21 scanners shows a 5000i. The
options will be the same for the OpScan
iNSIGHT 70/150 and OpScan 10/15/21
scanners.
User’s Guide 53
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
ScanTools Plus Configuration Settings
54 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
ScanTools Plus Configuration Settings
User’s Guide 55
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
ScanTools Plus Configuration Settings
56 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
ScanTools Plus Configuration Settings
User’s Guide 57
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
ScanTools Plus Configuration Settings
58 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
ScanTools Plus Configuration Settings
User’s Guide 59
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
ScanTools Plus Configuration Settings
EZData Scanners
60 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
ScanTools Plus Configuration Settings
directory. You can view the log at any time with a text
editor.
5. Click OK.
User’s Guide 61
Chapter 2: Installation and Configuration
ScanTools Plus Configuration Settings
Confirmations
From the Configure menu, select Confirmations. The
Confirmations dialog box is displayed.
62 ScanTools Plus
3
In this chapter:
Task Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 64
Parts of an Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 67
Creating a ScanTools Plus Application . . . . . . . page 81
Making an Application Disk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 90
Installing an Application. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 93
Deleting an Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 95
Chapter 3:
Modify/Create an Application
This chapter describes how to modify or create a
ScanTools Plus application using the ScanTools Plus
Application Module.
User’s Guide 63
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Task Summary
Task Summary
This section briefly describes how to modify an existing
ScanTools Plus application and how to create a new
ScanTools Plus application. Subsequent sections in this
chapter provide additional details.
64 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Task Summary
User’s Guide 65
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Task Summary
66 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Parts of an Application
Parts of an Application
A ScanTools Plus application is a set of rules that governs
how your computer collects data from your scanner and
how it stores this information on your disk. The
Application Module enables you to create or modify
applications.
User’s Guide 67
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Parts of an Application
Document Definition
A document is one or more sheets that together contain
the data for one document record. A document with
more than one sheet is called a booklet.
Sheet 4
A Document Can Be
Sheet 3
Sheet 2
Sheet 1
or
A Sheet A Booklet
(Made up of
many sheets)
Features of a Form
Forms must be printed to precise tolerances so that they
are reliable for holding data. The ScanFlex option allows
for forms printed with less tight printing tolerances to be
scanned successfully on image scanners. Forms scanned
by Scantron scanners have the following features:
68 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Parts of an Application
User’s Guide 69
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Parts of an Application
Form IDs
Leading Edge
Bias Bar
(for EZData Scanners)
Guide
Edge
Timing
Marks
IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
A B C D E F G H I J
Grid
70 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Parts of an Application
Tools
ScanTools Plus software provides a set of tools that you
use to create the grids and other data that populate a
record format (see Tutorials, Appendices A and B). These
tools are arranged as buttons in the upper left corner of
the application module window. See the list of tools and
associated tool buttons below:
User’s Guide 71
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Parts of an Application
location; but, you may change the size and shape of the
clip region using Ctrl + drag. There is a Clip Attributes
button to access the Clip Attributes dialog for defining
archive information and characteristics of the image clip
associated with a grid. The image definitions are only used
when scanning with an image scanner.
72 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Parts of an Application
User’s Guide 73
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Parts of an Application
74 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Parts of an Application
For grayboxes and bar codes, you can also use the Grid
Measurement dialog to define or modify each region.
Select the Grid Measurement dialog from either the
Graybox Tool dialog or the Bar Code Tool dialog to
define the unit of measurement and exact location of the
graybox or bar code clip and evaluate regions. For more
information on grid measurement, see online help.
NOTE: For OpScan iNSIGHT 2/4 (with Imaging)
Scanner Users: As absolute Units of Measurement
(.001 in and .01 mm) is an advanced feature of
ScanTools Plus software, utilizing the full capabilities
of OpScan iNSIGHT 2/4 (with Imaging) scanners,
you should ensure that your scanner includes the
advanced features in scanner Manufacturing Level
ML013 or greater. To verify your scanner
Manufacturing Level, look at the serial number label
on the back of the scanner and read the “ML”
number:
User’s Guide 75
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Parts of an Application
76 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Parts of an Application
User’s Guide 77
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Parts of an Application
78 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Parts of an Application
Application Options
The Options item on the ScanTools Plus Application
Module window menu bar enables you to select other
parameters associated with a ScanTools Plus application:
User’s Guide 79
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Parts of an Application
80 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Creating a ScanTools Plus Application
User’s Guide 81
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Creating a ScanTools Plus Application
Or;
82 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Creating a ScanTools Plus Application
3. Click OK.
User’s Guide 83
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Creating a ScanTools Plus Application
more than one sheet, make sure the sheets are in the
correct order. Click the Scan All button. When the
sample document has completed scanning,
information about the timing marks and the form ID
marks of each sheet is displayed in the lower half of
the dialog box.
7. Click OK.
Import a Document
WARNING: Whenever you modify an application in
ScanTools Plus software, any edit, score, or
84 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Creating a ScanTools Plus Application
User’s Guide 85
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Creating a ScanTools Plus Application
86 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Creating a ScanTools Plus Application
4. Click OK.
User’s Guide 87
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Creating a ScanTools Plus Application
8. Click OK.
88 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Creating a ScanTools Plus Application
10. Select the boundaries of the grid using the OMR Tool.
(See the tutorials in Appendices A and B for
examples.)
Select Options
From the Options selection on the menu bar, you can
define other parameters associated with the application
definition. These include Sequence of documents,
Confirmations, Read Controls, Form ID Matching, and
iNAME Configuration. Save the ScanTools Plus
Application. Select Application from the menu bar; then,
select Save.
User’s Guide 89
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Making an Application Disk
90 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Making an Application Disk
User’s Guide 91
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Making an Application Disk
6. Confirm that these are the files you want to copy and
make changes if necessary.
92 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Installing an Application
Installing an Application
If you need to use a ScanTools Plus application that
resides in a location other than where ScanTools Plus is
currently configured in its Paths dialog, use Install
Application. This feature copies all application files to the
location currently defined in the Paths dialog.
User’s Guide 93
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Installing an Application
94 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Deleting an Application
Deleting an Application
Deleting an application with ScanTools Plus software
enables accurate deletion of all associated files. Use the
following steps:
User’s Guide 95
Chapter 3: Modify/Create an Application
Deleting an Application
5. Confirm that these are the files you want to delete, and
make any necessary changes by clicking on the file
name to de-select it.
96 ScanTools Plus
4
In this chapter:
Task Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 98
Parts of the ScanTools Plus Window . . . . . . . . . page 99
Configuring the Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 100
Scanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 102
Chapter 4:
How to Scan Documents
This chapter describes how to scan documents.
User’s Guide 97
Chapter 4: How to Scan Documents
Task Summary
Task Summary
This section briefly describes how to scan documents.
• Select an Application.
• Select or Create a Data file.
• Select an Edit profile (optional - only for editing).
NOTE: If you are using an image scanner and edit
correction will be performed after scanning
(post-scan editing), you should select an edit
profile during scanning so that image clips can be
acquired and presented properly later in the
post-scan editor. Image clips of edit failures are
created during scanning, using the edit profile
selected at scan time. A different edit profile can
be selected for post-scan editing; however, there
may not be image clips displayed in the post-scan
editor for all edit failures, depending on how the
edit profiles differ. A field could have passed
editing during scanning, but failed using a
different edit profile in post-scan editing, therefore
the image clip was not captured during scanning.
Additionally, for grayboxes and software bar
codes, we recommend the same edit type be used
at both scan time and at post-scan editing.
98 ScanTools Plus
Chapter 4: How to Scan Documents
Parts of the ScanTools Plus Window
User’s Guide 99
Chapter 4: How to Scan Documents
Configuring the Context
Scanning
Once you have configured the context for your scanning
task, load the documents to be scanned into your scanner.
You can start scanning in one of three ways:
• An edit error; the edit profile that you are using forces
scanning to stop.
Scanner Errors
A scanner error occurs when your scanner is not capable
of performing its basic functions with a sheet, for reasons
such as:
Edit Errors
The edit profile you select (if any) may contain validation
tests or other criteria that documents must conform to;
i.e., the presence of data in mandatory fields, the absence
of multiple marks, etc. If a document fails an edit profile's
tests, ScanTools Plus software can handle the document or
document record in one of several ways:
2. In the Text box, type the correct data for the field.
NOTES
Chapter 5:
Editing Data
This chapter describes edit profiles and the editing
process.
Task Summary
This section briefly describes how to modify an existing
edit profile, how to create a new edit profile, how to edit a
data file using an edit profile, and how to manually edit a
data file.
5. Select Edit.
4. Edit the data file in the Modify Data File dialog and
save your changes.
Edit Profile
Data editing is used to check field data scanned by
ScanTools Plus software. Edit profiles are defined
separately from the application, but work only with the
specific ScanTools Plus application that was selected when
the profile was created. Any number of different edit
profiles can be defined for a single ScanTools Plus
application.
Post-Scan Editing
This section describes how to have ScanTools Plus
software edit an existing data file after scanning by using
an edit profile. Chapter 4 (Scanning) describes how to use
edit profiles for online editing which occurs during
scanning.
The Data File group box and the Edit Profile group box
determine what data file and edit profile will be used for
post-scan editing.
Making Corrections
When you start the edit cycle, ScanTools Plus software
evaluates the document records in the data file according
to the criteria described in the edit profile.
NOTES
Chapter 6:
Scoring Data
This chapter describes score profiles and the scoring
process.
Task Summary
This section briefly describes how to modify an existing
score profile, how to create a new score profile, how to
score during scanning, and how to score an existing data
file.
4. Select Scan.
5. Select Score.
Score Profile
ScanTools Plus software can score single-answer multiple-
choice or true/false tests while they are being scanned or
they can be scored later (after the sheets have been
scanned) using the data files. Score profiles contain the
rules that ScanTools Plus software needs to score the
documents.
13. Click the Save button along the bottom of the dialog
box; then click OK. You have completed the score
profile.
NOTES
Chapter 7:
Converting Data
This chapter describes the conversion profile and how to
convert standard ScanTools Plus data files into other data
formats.
Task Summary
This section briefly describes how to modify an existing
conversion profile, create a new conversion profile,
convert a data file during scanning, and convert an existing
data file.
4. Select Scan.
5. Select Convert.
Conversion Profile
When you scan documents using ScanTools Plus software,
document records are written to a standard text file in
ScanTools Plus software format. This format is described
in Appendix C.
• Delimited ASCII
• Fixed length records
• SPSS® for Windows
• DOSSIER®
• IBM 3881 (ASCII or EBCDIC character sets)
• Y2K Compliant
• DIF
• Sheet Compile
• SPSS/PC+
NOTES
Chapter 8:
Archiving Images
Overview
During scanning, image scanners running with ScanTools
Plus can capture an image of any of the following items:
• OMR grid
• bar code
• graybox
• entire side of a sheet
iNAME Merge
The image files generated by scan-time iNAME image
archiving do not contain the background form image and
are not rotated or scaled during scanning. iNAME Merge
is a post-scan operation that enables you to do any
combination of the following tasks for whole sheet clips
and/or individual grid clips:
Post-Scan Archiving
Post-scan archiving is done separately after scanning,
using the data file and a corresponding .tif file that was
generated during scanning. Optionally, if you have the .tif
file(s) of the background of the form being scanned, it can
be merged with the individual image clips, resulting in the
clips positioned over the appropriate area of the form.
Chapter 9:
ScanFlex Option
Overview
The optional ScanFlex module is for use with image
scanners only. Using a Scantron OpScan iNSIGHT 70/
150, 5000i, iNSIGHT 20, iNSIGHT 30, or OpScan
iNSIGHT 2/4 (with Imaging) scanner, ScanFlex enables
you to scan OMR forms manufactured using a wide
variety of printing technologies, and printed on plain
paper. For example, you can print your own forms using a
PostScript™ laser printer, plain paper, and Scantron
DesignExpert™ software with the PrintFlex™ option.
Scanner Compatibility
You can use ScanFlex with OpScan iNSIGHT 70/150,
5000i, iNSIGHT 20, iNSIGHT 30, and OpScan
iNSIGHT 2/4 (with Imaging) image scanners.
ScanFlex Features
• Timing Track Location - If the timing track is
printed within a defined area of the form, ScanFlex
will find it and adapt to its location.
• Timing Mark Height and Width - ScanFlex expects
timing marks to be a consistent height and width. It
can optionally be set to ignore doodling or other
marks in the timing track that are not consistent with
average timing mark height and width.
• OMR Response Spacing - After the timing track has
been located, ScanFlex locates OMR responses
relative to the OMR response spacing you selected for
your application.
• OMR Response Scaling - ScanFlex can optionally
adapt to small variations in OMR response spacing.
Your form design must include a form ID mark in a
designated place to use this option.
• Image Clipping - If image clipping is performed,
ScanFlex will automatically adjust the size of the clip
area to compensate for variations in print location.
• Graybox Evaluation - If grayboxes are analyzed,
ScanFlex will automatically adjust the size of the
evaluation area to compensate for variations in print
location. This includes ICR/OCR grayboxes.
• Software Bar Code Evaluation - If software bar
codes are decoded, ScanFlex will automatically adjust
the size of the evaluation area to compensate for
variations in print location.
See online help for information about implementing each
feature in your form and in your ScanTools Plus
application.
Forms Design
You can use Scantron DesignExpert software to design
forms. It has drawing tools and other features specifically
engineered for OMR form design. In addition, it has an
optional PrintFlex module that enables you to print forms
for use with ScanTools Plus with ScanFlex. Other popular
graphic design software can also be used to design forms
although such products may not be specifically intended
for OMR form design and printing.
Printing Forms
• Printing Technology - You can use a PostScript laser
printer or an offset printing press to print your forms.
Other printing technologies are also possible.
• Paper - Use white, 24# bond paper with 84
brightness.
• Ink - Laser printer toner (ink) is usually scanner
readable. OMR forms require both scanner readable
and non-readable areas. You can control whether
printing is scanner readable or not by setting colors
and screen percentages in your form design and by
testing your printed forms.
• Testing Tools - In addition to the ScanFlex
Alignment Guide described above, you can use the
Sheet Image Diagnostic tool provided with ScanTools
Plus software to verify that your printing is either
scanner readable or not readable, as required, and that
marks are in the correct response positions.
Scanning
• Background Form Images - If required for
archiving and editing in your application, background
form images can be merged with image clips when
ScanFlex is enabled. To have the images align as well
as possible, use the OMR/Merge Horizontal
Adjustment in the Applications Settings of the
ScanTools application. The background form image
TIFF file should be supplied by the vendor who
printed the form, and should be in the same
orientation as the way the form is scanned. If you use
Scantron DesignExpert with PrintFlex software for
creating the form, you can create a background form
image TIFF file using the Export Background Form
Image option. If you have a file not supplied by the
form vendor, it may be suitable for application
definition, but might not be suitable for image
archiving and editing.
• Powered by ScanFlex - When ScanFlex is installed
and enabled in your application and you are using an
OpScan iNSIGHT 70/150, 5000i, iNSIGHT 20,
iNSIGHT 30, or OpScan iNSIGHT 2/4 (with
Imaging) scanner, a “Powered by ScanFlex” pop-up
message is displayed briefly every time you start a
scanning session.
ScanFlex/PrintFlex Guarantee
(Applicable to ScanFlex licensed users ONLY)
NOTES
Chapter 10:
User Exits
Overview
User exits are fixed points in the ScanTools Plus software
at which you can call and execute routines you have
written. They give you an easy way to add capabilities to
ScanTools Plus software. You can initiate actions during
scanning that cannot be implemented using ScanTools
Plus software alone; therefore, you have greater flexibility
to tailor ScanTools Plus software to your applications.
• Scanning
• Request scanner actions that alter the normal
sequence of events in the scanning cycle.
• Post-scan editing
• Modify the data to be edited and the edit error
prompt before these are presented to the user.
• Do special edit checks at the record or field level
both before and after the data has been presented
to and edited by the user.
• Force a field to be skipped so a user will not see
the field and optionally place data in the field
(possibly from a pop-up menu of choices).
• Do verification at the field or record level of the
data, after it has been edited, and force the field or
record to be re-edited upon failure of this verifica-
tion.
• Post-scan scoring
• Modify the data to be scored prior to scoring.
• Analyze the data or other information and cause
the data record to not be scored.
• Capture the scores generated during scoring.
• Analyze the scores or other information and cause
the scored record to not be written to disk.
NOTES
Appendix A:
Tutorial: Creating an Application
for an Image Scanner
Introduction
This tutorial is intended to help you successfully define an
image application for use with post-scan archiving, using
the ScanTools Plus Application Module. In this tutorial,
you will start with a form #223022 General Purpose
Answer Sheet that has been designed for data collection.
From there, you will define image clips, fields, grids, clip
regions, translate tables, and grayboxes using the
ScanTools Plus Application Module. When you are done,
You have now successfully set the initial settings for your
ScanTools Plus application.
Files\Scantron\ScanTools Plus\Applications
with file name 223022.tif.
4. Click OK.
3. Click OK.
In the Image Clips window, you can select how you want
the clips acquired. You can select between whole sheet or
8. Click Close.
Defining a Field
Learning Objectives In this lesson, you will:
• Define a field.
Terms Display Field: When checked, the fields are displayed on
the screen whenever a document is scanned or edited.
More than one field can be defined as a display field;
however, a total of 20 characters can be displayed during
scanning operations. Any fields defined after the 20-
character limit will not appear.
• date fields
• evaluate fields
• any fields that will store total and/or subtest scores
when scoring.
In this lesson, you will define the Name field that will
collect the first and last names as well as the middle initial
of the respondents. The field will be alphanumeric.
• Name = Name.
• Type = Alphanumeric.
• In the Attributes group box, verify that Display
Field is selected.
• Fixed Length = Blank.
3. Click OK. The field has been defined. The next task is
to define grids which will define the response
positions from which data will be collected.
ScanTools Plus has default settings for the image clips that
are acquired. However, it is a good idea to go through the
settings and optimize them for your purposes. We will do
that in the next lesson.
Procedure 1. Set the Zoom Level control so that the entire grids
for Last Name and First Name and M (Middle
Initial) are visible in the screen.
4. Next, you will enlarge the clip region for the Last
Name grid to include the handprint boxes above the
bubbles. To do this, place the cursor over the top grid
line and click and drag while pressing the Ctrl key.
When the grid outline is where you want it, release the
left mouse button and the Ctrl key. If you make a
mistake, simply try again.
NOTE: The clip region can also be defined in an area
completely separate from the grid. To do this,
press the Ctrl key, then click and drag a box
anywhere on the form. The resulting clip area is
still associated with the highlighted grid for editing
purposes.
12. Select the First Name and M grid and repeat steps 2
through 12 (above) to select the proper settings for
You have now successfully set the clip attributes for the
Last Name and First Name and M grids.
• Learn how to collect date data using one field and five
grids.
• Associate grids of different types with a single field
with a Date type.
Terms Two Digit Response: A grid type that uses the decimal
characters 01 through 99.
• date fields
• evaluate fields
• any fields that will store total and/or subtest scores
when scoring.
Concept We will use the five grids listed below to collect data for
the field Birth Date. These grids will be associated with a
single field named Birth Date that is 8 characters long
and of type Date. All five grids will appear under the
BIRTH DATE data area on the General Purpose
Answer Sheet (form #223022).
• Type = Numeric
• Mark Style = Bubble
• Cell spacing (Cell) = 1
• Timing mark spacing (TM) = 1
• Orientation = Down
4. While holding the Ctrl key, drag the top and left grid
lines so that the entire BIRTH DATE data area is
included in the clip region.
• Name = ID Number
• Type = Numeric
• No boxes should be checked in Attributes.
• Fixed Length = Blank
2. Click OK.
• Type = Numeric
• Mark Style = Bubble
• Cell spacing (Cell) = 1
• Timing mark spacing (TM) = 1
• Orientation = Down
3. Type the name of the table in the Name field. For this
tutorial, type Gender.
7. Click OK.
• Name = Gender.
• Type = Alphanumeric.
• No boxes should be checked in Attributes.
• Fixed Length = Blank.
2. Click OK.
• Type = Gender
• Mark Style = Bubble
• Cell spacing (Cell) = 1
• Timing mark spacing (TM) = 1
• Orientation = Down
NOTE: Notice that the grid width in the Grids list is “6.”
This is to accommodate the longest string which is
Female.
• Name = Education.
• Type = Numeric.
• No boxes should be checked in Attributes.
• Fixed Length = Blank.
2. Click OK.
6. Draw the first grid on top of the left column for the
GRADE or EDUCATION data area. The numbers
1 through 8 will be placed.
Use Copy and Paste to define grids for the Part One and
Part Two fields.
Terms Clipboard: A place in your computer’s memory that an
item can be copied to and pasted from.
3. Click OK.
• Grayscale = Bitone
• Compression = CCITT G4 Fax
• Rotation = Up
• Dynamic Threshold Data Type for Bitone Clips =
Mixed/Handprint (This is the most flexible
type.)
• Bitone Edge Contrast Enhancement = Checked
(To remove shadows around dark areas.)
6. Click OK.
You now have successfully defined the two grids that will
be copied complete with clip attribute settings. Next you
will copy these grids to other locations on the form and to
multiple fields.
3. Ensure that the Part One field in the fields list and the
second grid in the grids list are both highlighted.
10. Click the Paste button to paste the grid over response
positions 1 through 16.
11. Click and drag the grid that you just pasted to the
proper position over response positions 51 through
66.
12. Click Append to associate the grid with the Part Two
field.
15. Click on the Part Two field to ensure that the grids
will be appended to the correct field.
17. Click Append to associate the grid with the Part Two
field.
NOTE: The grid is still on the clipboard, so there is no
need to copy the grid a second time.
19. Click Append to associate the grid with the Part Two
field.
In this lesson, you will define the field and grid, then select
the appropriate graybox and clip attribute settings.
• Name = Comments
• Type = Alphanumeric.
• No boxes should be checked in Attributes.
• The Fixed Length check box must be checked
and the length of the field equal to or greater than
the number of characters specified in the output
length field on the Graybox tool -- in this case 99.
You have now successfully defined the field that will store
the data for the Comments grid.
• Name = Score
• Type = Numeric.
• No boxes should be checked in Attributes.
• Fixed Length = 6 for this example. A total score
requires a minimum of 5, and a subtest score requires
a minimum of 4.
10. Hold down the Ctrl key, then click to highlight those
files that you would like copied to the drive and
directory you chose in step 8. (We recommend
copying them all.) To de-select a file, simply click on it
again while holding the Ctrl key.
11. When you have selected the files you wish to copy,
click the Copy button to copy the files.
Appendix B:
Tutorial: Creating an Application
for an OMR Scanner
Introduction
This tutorial is intended to help you successfully define an
OMR application using the ScanTools Plus Application
Module. In this tutorial, you will start with a General
Purpose Answer Sheet No. 221681 that has been designed
for data collection. From there, you will define fields,
grids, and translate tables using the ScanTools Plus
Application Module. When you are done, you will have a
ScanTools application that is ready to scan for data
collection.
5. Click OK.
You have now successfully set the initial settings for your
ScanTools Plus application.
4. Click OK.
NOTE: If the number 700 has been used, select the next
sequential number.
4. Click OK.
Defining a Field
Learning Objectives In this lesson, you will:
• Define a field.
Terms NOTE: The following terms are found in the Ouput Field
Entry dialog box.
• date fields
• evaluate fields
• any fields that will store total and/or subtest scores
when scoring.
Concept When you define a field, you are setting aside space in the
output record for data. A field can be alphanumeric,
numeric, 1-digit, 2-digit, date, or evaluate. Most fields have
grids associated with them for data collection. However,
some fields do not have grids associated with them. These
fields can be used to store other data. A later lesson will
show you how to use a field to store the Score of a test.
In this lesson, you will define the Name field that will
collect the first and last names as well as the middle initial
of the respondents. The field will be alphanumeric.
• Name = Name.
• Type = Alphanumeric.
• In the Attributes group box, verify that Display
Field is selected.
• Type = Alphanumeric
• Mark Style = Bubble
• Cell spacing (Cell) = 1
• Timing mark spacing (TM) = 1
• Orientation = Left
• Define a field.
• Mark the corners of a grid region on a blank form to
help you place your grid.
• Scan the form to use as a background form image for
application development only.
• Define the grid using the corners as a guide.
• Restore the 2216811.tif and 2216812.tif background
form images for use in the remaining lessons.
Concept While we strongly recommend getting a background form
image from your forms vendor, you may run into a
situation where you need to define an application without
a background form image. In those situations, you will
need to use a different method for grid placement than
the one you just learned.
• Name = Ident
• Type = Numeric
• In the Attributes group box, no boxes should be
checked
• Fixed Length = Unchecked
3. Click OK. The field has been defined and added to the
Fields list in the lower left corner.
• Type = Numeric
• Mark Style = Bubble
• Cell spacing (Cell) = 1
• Timing mark spacing (TM) = 1
• Orientation = Left
• Learn how to collect date data using one field and five
grids.
• Associate grids of different types with a single field
with a Date type.
Terms Two Digit Response: A grid type that uses the decimal
characters 01 through 99.
• date fields
• evaluate fields
• any fields that will store total and/or subtest scores
when scoring.
Concept We will use the five grids listed below to collect data for
the field Birth Date. These grids will be associated with a
single field named Birthdate that is 8 characters long and
of type Date. All five grids will appear under the BIRTH
DATE data area on the General Purpose Answer Sheet
No. 221681.
• Name = Birthdate.
• Type = Date.
• In the Attributes field, be sure no boxes are checked.
• Check the Fixed Length option and set the field
length to 8 by typing an 8 in the text box.
• Type = Numeric
7. Click OK.
• Name = Gender.
• Type = Alphanumeric.
• No boxes should be checked in Attributes.
• Fixed Length = Unchecked.
2. Click OK.
• Type = Gender
• Mark Style = Bubble
• Cell spacing (Cell) = 1
• Timing mark spacing (TM) = 1
• Orientation = Left
NOTE: While the translate table entries are defined as
Male and Female, the grid will display only an M
and an F to denote the two response positions.
• Name = Grade.
• Type = Numeric.
• No boxes should be checked in Attributes.
• Fixed Length = Unchecked.
2. Click OK.
6. Draw the first grid on top of the left column for the
Grade or Education data area. The numbers 1
through 8 will be placed.
• Name = Items
• Type = 1-Digit
• No boxes should be checked in Attributes.
• Fixed Length = Unchecked
3. Click OK.
3. Ensure that the Items field in the Fields list and the
last grid placed in the Grids list are both highlighted.
This will ensure that the pasted grid will be placed in
the correct order in the Grids list.
You have now successfully defined the grids for the Items
field on the bottom sheet.
• Name = Score
• Type = Numeric.
• No boxes should be checked in Attributes.
• Fixed Length = 6 for this example. A total score
requires a minimum of 5, and a subtest score requires
a minimum of 4.
12. When the files you wish to copy are selected, click the
Copy button to copy the files.
Appendix C:
Data File Format
Scanned data is formatted and stored in data files. The
files contain standard ASCII characters and can be viewed
with a text editor. Before scanning, you need to create and
select a data file using the ScanTools Plus Main window
Data File menu.
The New Data File dialog box enables you to enter the
name for a new data file.
A data file can have a long file name. The name can
include spaces but must not include any of the following
special characters:
: “ | < > ? / *
Appendix D:
Glossary
A
application A set of rules that governs how your personal computer
collects data from your scanner and how it stores this
information on your disk. It contains one or more
document definitions and their associated output formats.
application module The software used to create an application consisting of
one or more documents. The application module has its
own set of menus separate from the ScanTools main
window. For details, see Application Module in online
help.
archiving Image archiving is the process of extracting individual
image clips and associated items from the master clip file
created during scanning, and writing the archival clips as
separate entities into a user-defined directory. It is a
process of rearranging clips and fields from data record
B
background form image A color TIFF file that matches the printed form that will
be scanned. This file is used in application definition,
post-scan editing, and image archiving.
C
character A character is: (1) A single letter, digit, or symbol, or (2)
the string of response positions on a form that is needed
to represent a single letter, digit, or symbol.
D
data file A computer file that contains data from scanned
documents.
dialog box A Microsoft Windows term for a box or window that is
displayed on your screen when ScanTools Plus software
needs more information to complete a task.
document One or more sheets, when scanned, produce one
document record in a data file. One document creates one
document record, and many documents can be in one
application.
document definition The part of an application that defines where information
is located on a document. It governs how the computer
handles the information from data the scanner provides.
The definition includes number of sheets in the
document, location of form ID marks, timing marks, and
skew marks, location and types of grids, and which field
the data from each grid will be stored in.
E
edit profile A set of rules used to determine whether data collected
from scanning is valid, and what to do if it isn't.
F
field A portion of a document record that is reserved for one
piece of information.
file A file is a collection of records that contain related
information stored on disk and retrieved from disk at the
same time.
file bar The area of the scanning module main window which
allows you to select the current context for the action you
are performing. You can select the desired application,
data file, and appropriate profile. The display of the file
bar is controlled from the main window Options, File Bar
menu.
file format The format of a file specifies the manner in which data is
internally represented in it. ScanTools Plus gives you the
ability to convert files to a number of standard formats
that are used by other software packages.
form A sheet(s) of paper on which data is gathered and can be
scanned. The sheet(s) contains Form ID Marks and timing
marks, and it complies with dimensional restrictions
imposed by the scanner.
form ID marks Small black rectangles at the top of the form that uniquely
identify it. ScanTools Plus requires that each sheet in an
application has a unique form ID mark.
G
graybox (ICR/OCR) A defined region of a form that is evaluated for the
presence of data, for recognition of machine printed and
hand printed text, and for archiving of the associated
image clip. It is defined in a ScanTools Plus application
using the Graybox tool and requires installation of the
optional RealTime Character Recognition component for
implementation.
• Alphabetic, no space
• Alphanumeric
• Bar code
• BCD - binary-coded decimal
• Binary
• Binary (scoring)
• Binary with Parity
• Graybox
• Literal
• Litho-code
• Numeric
• One-digit response
• Two-digit response
I
ICR/OCR Intelligent Character Recognition/Optical Character
Recognition (for image scanners only). The interpretation
of both hand printed and machine printed letters and
numbers. ICR is also called Handprint Recognition. See
documentation for the optional RealTime Character
Recognition component for additional information,
including application definition for character recognition
and formatting handprint and machine print areas for best
results.
K
key The actual data that the sheet (data) is scored against.
key data In scoring, the correct responses for a test. Key data can
be either in the form of a document filled in with the
correct responses or data files created when the correctly
filled in documents have been scanned.
key from image Key from Image (KFI) literally means looking at an image
and keying in the characters.
L
linked grids Two or more non-contiguous grids can be defined as one
grid by using the OMR tool Add Link to Grid button.
After defining one grid, you can continue the grid in
another location on the same sheet by pressing the button
and defining another grid. The grids can be on the same
side of a single sheet or they can span the front and back
of a single sheet. They cannot span across multiple sheets.
Linked grids must be of the same type and output length;
however, the grid spacing can be different.
literal A character or string that is always written to every
document record. It is created in a ScanTools Plus
application using the Literal tool.
litho-code A litho-code is an optional, binary-coded serial number
unique to every form. They are pre-printed grids that are
used to check that all sheets in a booklet are from the
same individual document.
M
mark all that apply field An output field attribute that allows data collection from a
single grid where two or more response positions can be
marked. Each response is translated to one or more
characters defined in a translate table.
N
NCS Header A block of data at the beginning of every document
record that identifies it.
O
omit An omit is when no response positions have been marked
in a response position string. Omits are indicated in
records by a space.
OMR - Optical Mark Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) is the process of
Recognition machine recognition of pencil or pen marks on a page and
the production of a text data file output. The technology
supports multiple choice questions, surveys, and mark-all-
that-apply questions using defined grids of bubble
response positions. Unlike “mark sense” software, the
OMR solution not only determines which marks have
been filled in by the respondent, but is able to distinguish
the intended response when more than one bubble has
been marked. This is important in applications like test
scoring where erasures may appear as dark marks and be
incorrectly scored.
OMR from Image In ScanTools Plus Application Settings, an option that
creates OMR data from a scanned image that is stored in
the buffer in the memory of the personal computer
attached to the scanner; the image is accessed by
ScanTools Plus software. When the configured scanner is
an OpScan iNSIGHT 70/150, 5000i, iNSIGHT 20, or
iNSIGHT 30, this is always used.
OMR from Scanner In ScanTools Plus Application Settings, an option that
allows OMR data to be created in the scanner and sent to
ScanTools Plus software in ASCII format. Transmitting
ASCII data is faster than transmitting an image. This
P
path A path specifies a file's logical location on disk. It consists
of the disk drive designation, one or more directory
names, the file name, and the file extension. Its format is:
\Parentdirectory\subdirectory\filename.ext.
phantom clips For image scanners only. Phantom clips are empty image
clips taken to provide targeting for post-scan editing.
Phantom clipping is used extensively to provide cueing for
the data editor. Every response row/column in every
clipped grid and every resolved character in every ICR/
OCR graybox is represented by a phantom clip. If desired,
phantom clipping can be disabled from the Advanced
Configuration dialog box.
preslug Pre-printing of responses in OMR grids, often in black
ink, so they can be read by the scanner. This is typically
done on the form before it is given to the respondent. In a
ScanTools Plus application, preslug resolution is an output
R
RealTime Character An optional ScanTools Plus module that, with a Scantron
Recognition OpScan iNSIGHT 70/150, 5000i, iNSIGHT 20,
iNSIGHT 30, or OpScan iNSIGHT 2/4 (with Imaging)
scanner, enables you to scan and recognize machine
printed and hand printed text.
record A record is a collection of fields that contain related
information and are treated as a unit for data processing
purposes. For example, a record might contain the fields
Name, Age, Occupation, and Address where the
information in these fields applies to the same person.
record format A record format specifies how fields and character
constants are arranged as part of a record.
response position A response position is a circle or oval that can be marked
(“filled-in”) on a form to represent information. A
response position is sometimes called a “bubble.”
response position string The set of response positions on a form that are used to
represent a single character. Usually no more than one
response position in a string may be marked.
S
ScanFlex An optional ScanTools Plus module that, with a Scantron
OpScan iNSIGHT 70/150, 5000i, iNSIGHT 20,
iNSIGHT 30, or OpScan iNSIGHT 2/4 (with Imaging)
scanner, enables you to scan OMR forms manufactured
using a wide variety of printing technologies, and printed
on plain paper.
ScanFlex alignment guide A clear plastic tool that enables you to test your OMR
forms to verify that they can be processed with ScanTools
Plus with ScanFlex software. The ScanFlex Alignment
Guide is provided with both ScanTools Plus with
ScanFlex and Scantron DesignExpert with PrintFlex
software products.
scanner mark threshold See mark threshold.
score profile A set of rules used by ScanTools Plus software to score
the data collected during scanning, or later when scoring is
performed on a data file.
sheet A single piece of paper on which data has been entered
(can be one side or both sides). Documents can be
composed of more than one sheet.
sheet thickness Scanners support forms which vary in thickness
(measured by weight and thousandths of an inch).
Knowing the thickness of the form is important when
adjusting the scanner's feed mechanism. A feed
mechanism that is not set correctly may result in either
double-sheet picking or slippage. Adjusting sheet
thickness to the correct setting is scanner dependent.
T
tally field An output field attribute that causes ScanTools to collect
information about the mark quality of the grid
corresponding to this field. Data from this and other tally
fields are used by ScanTools to calculate a Worst Mark
Intensity Factor (WMIF) and Invalid Response Count
(IRC) for the document. These figures are written in the
NCS Header of the document record.
test A form used to mark choices from among alternative
answers to test questions. A test typically consists of
• Alphabetic, no space
• Alphanumeric
• Numeric
• One-digit response
• Two-digit response
U
UNC Universal Naming Convention or Uniform Naming
Convention. A UNC path name is one that starts with
“\\server name” rather than with a mapped drive letter.
UNC paths specify the name of a particular computer and
a particular directory or resource to be accessed. The
name of the computer is prefaced with two backslashes,
while the directory or resource is prefaced with one. For
example, \\SERVER1\VOL1.
NOTES
Index
A B
action bar, ScanTools Plus window . . . . . . . .99 background form image 176, 192, 208, 268, 280
Add Table button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228, 290 adding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190, 266
Add Translate Table dialog box . . . . . . 228, 290 defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189, 257, 312
alignment background merging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
guide (ScanFlex) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Bar Code Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
image archiving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 bar code, defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
alphabetic (no space), OMR grid type . . . . . . . 76 batch, defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
alphanumeric, OMR grid type . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 BCD (binary coded decimal), OMR grid type 77
Append command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207, 279 bias bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69, 313
application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311 binary (scoring), OMR grid type . . . . . . . . . . . 78
creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187, 264 binary with parity, OMR grid type . . . . . . . . . 78
defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 binary, OMR grid type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 binary-coded decimal, OMR grid type . . . . . . 77
deleting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 bitone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
installing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 booklet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195, 271 defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 sequence check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
saving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88, 195, 271 C
application disk, making . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 change edit profile values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
application module, defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311 character, defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Application Settings dialog box . . . . . . . 187, 264 checking image orientation . . . . . . . . . . 189, 265
Archive Image Scaling radio buttons . . . . . . 312 clip attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
archiving image clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155–156 setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
N guarantee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
navigation during editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 print a message about failed fields . . . . . . . . 114
NCS Header . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310 PrintFlex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169, 174
defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321 defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
New Data File dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309 guarantee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
New Document window . . . . . . . . . . . . 193, 269 printing forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
New Output Format dialog . . . . . . . . . . 194, 270 printing online help topics, help
numeric, OMR grid type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 printing topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
O R
omit, defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321 read controls, application option . . . . . . . . . . 80
OMR RealTime Character Recognition . 2, 33, 49, 69,
from image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321 73, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90, 323
from scanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321 record delimiter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204, 276 record format, defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
grid types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 record, defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
OMR Tool dialog box . . . 71, 204, 211, 276, 284 registering the software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
one digit response, OMR grid type . . . . . . . . . 78 registration, online . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
online edit correction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112, 322 reject failed records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
optical mark recognition (OMR) Release for scanning check box . . . . . . 250, 306
defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321 Remove Black from Background . . . . . . . . . 198
forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 removing ScanTools Plus software . . . . . . . . . 49
orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204, 276 Replace button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
outline method (for defining a grid) . . . 211, 284 response position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Output Field Entry dialog box . . . 202, 274, 281 defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
output field, defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .322 response position string, defined . . . . . . . . . 323
output format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194, 270 rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191, 199, 266
application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 run number, defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322 S
definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 sample application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185, 257
selecting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 saving the application . . . . . . . . . . . 88, 195, 271
saving to disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
P Scan Sheet button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208, 280
paper size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 ScanFlex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169, 173, 324
parts of an application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 alignment guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173, 324
Paste command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237, 296 background form images . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
path, defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322 compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
phantom clips, defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322 features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
plain paper printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 guarantee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170, 177
post-scan archiving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 printing forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 scanner configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
post-scan editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112, 119 scanner mark threshold, see mark threshold
automatically editing a data file . . . . . . . 120 scanning a sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208, 280
selecting edit options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 scanning documents
user exits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180 configuring the context . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
post-scan scoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137, 180 edit correction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
preslug, defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322 edit errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
PrinFlex overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
NOTES
Scantron Corporation
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www.scantron.com