Not only is Notepad++ free under the GPL licence but it is also possible to extend its functionality with plugins. Today I’ll be taking a look at the Notepad++ plugins repository which contains a few extra bells and whistles to take your text editor to the next level.

Notepad++ & Plugins

Notepad++ has already seen a few mentions here at MakeUseOf and has earned its place on our Best Of Windows Software list. We’ve also previously included it in our Windows text editor roundup, used it to find and replace words in multiple files and shown you how to switch out your default HTML source editor in favour of Notepad++. If you’ve not yet got it, head on over to the project homepage and download for free.

Luckily there is a healthy collection of third-party plugins, some of which have made their way into the latest Notepad++ release after proving their worth. The program has its very own plugin manager (which is ironically a plugin itself) from which to janitor your add-ons and updates.

Choosing the right plugins depends entirely on what you use Notepad++ for, and there are a good number to trawl through. Installing plugins used to involve downloading archives and extracting to the ‘plugins’ directory, and while you can still do this it’s much easier to choose Plugins from the main taskbar then Plugin Manager to bring up the repository.

Once the list has refreshed you will be presented with an array of available downloads. For a better idea of what each plugin does simply click and read the description. Installing the add-ons is easy – check the box next to the plugin and click Install. Multiple plugins can be installed this way which is great because Notepad++ requires a restart before they show up.

If you do want to use the traditional download-and-extract method you’ll need to find the plugins first. Luckily there are a good number located at the npp-plugins SourceForge project page.

Recommended Plugins

Once again there’s no one-size-fits-all here, and each of you will find your own preferred plugins based on primary usage. Saying that, the following plugins do have somewhat of a broad appeal:

Explorer – A simple file explorer that sits on the left-hand side of your screen. Double click and files will open, just like that.

Compare – A surprisingly useful plugin for comparing two files, side-by-side.

AutoSave - Always forgetting to save on time? Let AutoSave save for you! Can be configured to use a timer or when Notepad++ loses focus/is minimized.

Location Navigate – Quickly jump backwards and forwards to parts of the document that you have modified, rather than trawling through all the stuff in between.

Lorem Ipsum – One for the web designers, a simple Lorem Ipsum script for instant Latin copy text.

MultiClipboard – Provides access to the last 10 copied items. Ctrl+V pastes the last copied text whereas Ctrl+Shift+V lets you choose from a list of 10 memorised copies.

XBrackets Lite – Forgetting just one bracket can ruin your whole afternoon – never again with XBrackets Lite!

Falling Bricks – Who said plugins have to be useful? Here’s a very simple Tetris clone to distract you when the time is right.

Using The Plugins

Once you’ve selected the plugins you’ll want, hit Install and let them download. You will be notified that a restart is required, agree and Notepad++ will appear once again with your bounty of add-ons enabled.

To use the plugins, visit the Plugins menu in the main taskbar and select from there. Some will have multiple functions and options and others will be very basic “enable or disable” affairs. To remove plugins (or check for updates) launch the Plugin Manager again, choose the Installed tab, select a plugin and click Remove.

Conclusion

Hopefully you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for in this excellent plugins respository. It’s a fantastic way of turbo-charging Notepad++ to be even more useful, and the right add-ons can really help tailor the application to your needs.

If you have any personal favourites, plugins you can’t live without or if you prefer a different text editor entirely then let us know in the comments below this article.

But simply having one of these notebooks won’t be enough to spark your productivity and get your steam pumping towards optimal efficiency. Here are a few ways you can elevate your Moleskine from “just another notebook” to “I can’t live without this anymore.”

1. Stay Productive With Circle To-Do Lists

The most basic to-do list is often no more than a list of shoddy descriptions of tasks that are crossed out when completed. While this simplicity may be enough for simple tasks that are either “done” or “not done,” you may need a more elegant system for longer-term tasks.

In steps the Circle Method. Basically, this method starts each list item with an empty circle beside it and gradually fills those circles with marks depending on the tasks’ completion levels.

• New Item: To start a new item in the list, draw an empty circle.
• Next Item: To distinguish the next task you want to tackle, place a dot in the center.
• Item Started: To mark a task that you’ve started, cross the circle with a diagonal slash.
• Item Cancelled: To mark a task as trashed, cross the circle with an opposite slash.
• Halfway Complete: When you’re halfway through a task, fill in half of the circle.
• Fully Complete: When a task is completely finished, fill it in all the way.

The method is smart and extremely versatile, allowing you to change the status of a task if necessary.

2. Organize Using The Quadrant Technique

If your notes require a lot of internal referencing, then the Quadrant Technique will be a lifesaver for you. The only downside is that it requires an initial time investment to set up the notebook.

Set up your notebook by dividing each page in half – draw a line through the center, separating the top from the bottom. This will create four quadrants: the top-left quadrant is A, the bottom-left quadrant is B, the top-right quadrant is C, and the bottom-right quadrant is D.

Each group of four quadrants is called a block. Now go through and number each block, starting with 1. I like to place the number in quadrant A, but feel free to put it wherever you like.

That’s it for set up. Now, if you’re writing notes in quadrant 38C (block 38, quadrant C) and need to reference something in block 12, quadrant A, just insert a parenthesis: (12A). Done.

3. Create An Index In The Back

Set aside the last 10 pages of your Moleskine notebook and use them to create a system of indexing. This is extremely useful if you have notes on various topics and intend to reference them over and over again.

In order to use an index, you’ll need to number your pages from start to end. If you’re using the Quadrant Technique, you can use that as your reference instead.

Indexing itself is simple. If you have a page of notes comparing different laptops, flip back to the index and write on a new line, Laptop Comparison, page 38. Now, if you need to reference that comparison, you can find it easily. Instead of flipping through the entire notebook, you only need to flip through the 10 or so pages in the index.

The indexing system grows more useful as your notebook grows more packed with information.

4. Divide The Notebook With Plastic Tabs

Bump up your notebook’s organization by using plastic divider tabs, especially if you use your Moleskine for more than one purpose.

If you’re using the previously mentioned quadrant technique and indexing system, you might feel tempted to just fill out your notebook as you go. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it certainly isn’t optimal. Wouldn’t it be easier on your mind to split up the notebook in chunks and assign each chunk to a topic?

The plastic tabs, then, are a great way to visualize the different sections. Combine this with the other organizational techniques, and you’ll soon find your Moleskine becoming an integral part of your life.

5. Choose the Right Pen

Believe it or not, you can boost your Moleskine notebook to the next level simply by switching to a different pen. Which pen should you switch to? That’s entirely up to you. However, there are a few guidelines for which pens work well with the Moleskine.

• Choose a pen that doesn’t bleed. Using a pen that bleeds through the pages can be disastrous. At best, you’ll render clean pages unusable. At worst, you’ll render past work illegible. Mostly, you’ll just turn your notebook into a mess of ink spots, and that might keep you from wanting to use it anymore.
• Choose a pen that doesn’t smear. Similar to the bleeding problem, a wet pen that smears easily will result in notes that can no longer be read. Even if you’re careful as you write, the ink will smear as soon as you close the notebook. Avoid smearing pens unless you want to wait for the ink to dry every time you jot down a note.
• Choose a pen that feels comfortable in your hand. It’s amazing how holding the right pen can make you want to write more. Pen comfort is individual, so you’ll need to find one that fits your hand well. It doesn’t matter if you need a thin pen, fat pen, long pen, short pen, or one with rubber grips – get one that you enjoy writing with.

If you need a recommendation, try using the Pilot G2 pen. It won’t break the bank, it doesn’t smear or bleed, and it writes smoothly.

Conclusion

If you don’t use your Moleskine all that often, then you probably won’t gain much benefit from applying these tricks to your routine. However, if you use your Moleskine enough that you carry it around with you everywhere, then these tricks can heighten your notebook to the next level.  Let us know in the comments what tricks you use.

Easypad

Easypad is an incredibly simple notepad app. Its main selling point is its cute widget, which looks something like this:

You can control the widget size:

Although the 1×1 widget is so tiny that it fits just two words; in fact, it fits the words “so tiny” perfectly, so if one of your words is something like “discombobulating”, you’re going to have to go with the 2×1 widget at least.

In terms of actual writing, Easypad isn’t overwhelmingly complicated (to say the least). Here’s what a note looks like when you’re writing it:

You can also select one of several backgrounds, that carry over to the widget:

The “crumpled paper” look (bottom-left) is so crumpled that its difficult to actually read whatever it is you’re trying to write. The other paper backgrounds are cute, and don’t interfere with the text.

That’s pretty much all you’re going to get with Easypad, really. If you’re just looking for a quick notepad which lets you see your notes right from the homescreen, you just found it. But if that’s a bit too simple for you, you might want to talk a look at the next app, called…

AK Notepad

AK Notepad supports note reminders, themes, tags, sorting, searching, and lots more. Of course, it also has its own widget:

Now let’s look at the interface:

That’s the default writing interface. I’m not a big fan of the lines, so let’s see if we can change that.

Indeed, the settings menu lets you switch themes, and thankfully, also disable the horizontal lines. After a bit of tweaking, I got the note to look like this:

Much, much better. Now, those hash tags you see at the end of the note bring me to the next AK Notes feature I like, which is simple note labeling. After adding those two hash tags to my note, I can see them in the Labels list:

And you can tap any one of them to see at a glance all of my notes about awesome things, or bears.

AK Notepad also offers notes sync with Catch.com, a service we looked at when covering Catch Notes for iOS (by the same company). It does require opening an account, and doesn’t support my favorite note-sync service, Simplenote. Another handy AK Notepad feature is passcode protection, but it only applies to launching the entire app: You can’t protect just specific notes. Also, your passcode may only consist of four digits:

You may not use letters, and can’t select anything longer than four digits. A bit of an odd restriction, but there it is.

Final Thoughts

Both of these apps keep things simple, and do what it says on the tin. They don’t burst with features (although AK Notepad does have a few tricks under its hat), but that’s the whole point really. If you’re looking for a simple, quick, and free Android notepad apps, one of these two will surely get the job done.

All of us I guess want something that offers more than the one Windows hands us. Going by its name, you would think that TinyPad is a minnow. Going by “˜notepad-ish’ looks, it’s a pretty one at that. But an application cannot survive on looks alone. It is the features that should make the cut.

If you are thinking just how interesting an application to replace Notepad can be, you could start off by downloading TinyPad. The 1.34MB free download packages some features that are part and parcel for a typical Notepad replacement and some extras which are more for the online lives we lead these days.

Let’s Start With A Simple Note.

As is apparent, TinyPad lets us save an unlimited number of notes in a tabbed way. The tabs can be renamed to better describe them. We can also use the formatting toolbar to “˜beautify’ the way we write our notes. We cannot change the font but we can change the size and the color.

For easier readability and better note-taking, bulleted lists are supported. Also for organization, a time stamp can be added with a single click.

TinyPad has a search feature to find the snippets within long pieces of text. A smooth Highlight feature lets us enter a word and it gets marked out in blue in the active tab.

If note taking has to be a rapid fire activity, then I guess we don’t have time to pause and save the notes we are creating. TinyPad tells us not to bother as it auto-saves every note created.

But what do we do with the several notes we have created already?

We certainly don’t want to make TinyPad a beehive of tabs. The solution is in archiving the notes (Archive the selected pad) we don’t need immediately. That keeps them from our line of sight but they can be easily brought to the fore with a click on View the archive cabinet.

Export all my pads to a folder on the disk ensures that I have a backup in a safer location. But an online solution is what makes TinyPad stand slightly apart from its fellow blood brothers. We can Sync our notes automatically online, and keep them backed up.

TinyPad secures all our notes online with a 256-bits encryption algorithm to keep us safe from sniffers.

TinyPad is integrated with SharedNote. With this online service, we can not only back up all our notes for free but also use it to publish our note to the SharedNote community or share it with someone with a URL.

The published note can be further spread out using the common social networks.

TinyPad further attests to the popularity of Twitter by integrating it within itself. Give it your Twitter account name and it will retrieve your latest Tweets. Using the Twitter toolbar, we can also update our status from within TinyPad. Though without any frills it’s, I guess, only for the guy who always has to keep his eye on the blue birdie.

What’s important for me as a TinyPad user is how hassle free my note taking can be – the shortcuts (see it under Preferences) and the auto-save function. Also I can keep the application out of the way and toggle its visibility using a couple of hot spots on the top-right and top left of the screen. Or just let it auto-start and let it sit in the System Tray.

Notepad software should be light on system resources. In my case it’s consuming around 1MB-1.3MB with 4-5 tabs open.

If you like your software with a bit of look about them, TinyPad also gives us seven themes to play around with. That’s the cool Blue look in the screenshots. Looks can come second when it comes to functionality, especially from notepad software that’s supposed to be there for us within a click’s notice. That’s why the automatic syncing is valuable…even more than sharing.

Let us know your user opinion on TinyPad. Also let us know about your favorite application to replace Notepad.

TinyPad v3.0 works on all Windows operating systems (98/XP/Vista/Win7 32-bits and 64-bits).

That’s why we get new, smart note taker applications that aim to do a better job than their cousins on the market. According to me, an effective note taking application should satisfy a few basic needs.

• The notes should be easy to create, preferably with a click or two.
• The notes should be easy to archive, preferably in a single location.
• The notes should be easy to find, preferably with a letter word or two.
• The notes should be preferably accessible in any application and any location.

OrangeNote meets the first three and one part of the last criteria. Note taking is a simple activity but nobody said that you couldn’t do it with some style. That’s where the smooth, slick interface of OrangeNote scores. But is it all look and no substance? Let’s find out.

OrangeNote ““ Is it Noteworthy?

OrangeNote is a free 2.7MB download. The only hitch is that you should have Microsoft’s .Net Framework 3.5 installed or install it along with OrangeNote’s installation. OrangeNote is based on Windows Presentation Foundation (for graphical user interfaces) that’s a part of the Net Framework. That’s why you get a look like this ““

OrangeNote takes its place as a System Tray icon. Creating a note is fast and easy. Right click on the orange icon or use CTRL+SPACE. Click on the New Note link just above the search box. Or you can speed boost it by pressing CTRL+SPACE and Tab (shortcut for a new note) in rapid succession (for productivity, it pays to learn the key combos).

There isn’t any deep learning involved. A new note opens up with the background Window darkened. It’s a smart note taker – the orange colored new note has descriptive commands with the shortcut keys. Take a look at the screenshot below and you can make out all the functions for yourself.

You can add a title, add tags for better indexing or add a special hotkey for an important note. Of these, the tag and the title become very important when you have hundreds of notes in your system.

The visual functions add the style quotient to each note and this is where the smart note taker OrangeNote is a lot different from its blander counterparts. Change font color, change the font size on the fly and even change the color of the note. Your notes also get spell checked.

OrangeNote As A Clipboard Manager

OrangeNote automatically saves every scrap you cut or copy while OrangeNote is running. It extends the Clipboard and you can reuse previously copied text with a click. By default, it saves the last 80 texts. There are several key combos that can be used for rapid fire copying and pasting.

For example, cyclic paste (using CTRL+WIN+V) can be used to fire off a series of pastes in the order they were copied.

Or the ClipKeys feature which uses the numeric keys to paste text in the sequence they were copied. Copied text can be pasted back into any application, offline or online.

All of these features can be customized under Options.

OrangeNote As A Backup Utility

The ability to store copied text can be a lifesaver while filling out online forms. In case of an application or a system failure, text can be retrieved from OrangeNote. So, just keep copying the fields to the clipboard for some backup.

OrangeNote As A Note Indexer

It’s better if you add tags and titles for easier retrieval, but even without organizational slackness, notes are indexed and searchable.

Final Notes”¦

OrangeNote brings eye candy to a humdrum activity like note taking. And yes, without losing out on effectiveness. As a note archiving app and a clipboard utility, it performs a double function. The only bummer could be its dependency on the .Net Framework. A user could very well prefer a lighter app without the elegance. If you like a dash of color in your apps, try out OrangeNote and let us know your thoughts.

OrangeNote also has a paid Pro Edition which comes with remote synchronization features. The free edition of OrangeNote (ver.1.0) is a 2.7MB download and is supported on Windows XP / 2003 / Vista.

Update: The developer sent us an email requesting us to put up a small comment saying that the app is again being actively developed. He has also released an upgrade. Check it out

Two productivity apps that come natively on the iPod Touch/iPhone can be used offline: Calendar and Mail. Updating the native Calendar app with an entry in your iPod Touch/iPhone and seeing the same updates on your GCal has been possible thanks to Google Sync, which also syncs your Contacts and Gmail from your Google Account. Since the Mail app downloads your Gmail messages, you can read them offline, and sync the read messages when you get a Wi-Fi signal.

Productivity, however, encompasses more than just using the e-mail and calendar functions. Some people may need task management apps, better note-taking systems, the ability to edit documents or read their feeds. Check these apps to help you stay productive on the road!

Note: Not all apps are completely usable offline, because for some, you have to gather and save your information when you’re on Wi-fi so you can enjoy it during offline mode.

TASKS

Reqall, version 3.1.2

One of the most full-featured task management (and memory jogging) apps offering exquisitely complete features on the free version (the Pro version has more advanced features for the power user, such as ability to add tasks by email, and to get your Shopping List texted to you), the Reqall [iTunes link, website] iDevice app conveniently has a Shopping List, in addition to a To-Do List and a Notes section (see the Notes apps below) to which you can easily add tasks in offline mode by pressing the “+” icon.

If you include a date when you’re adding a task, then you will also see it (in addition to the category of Shopping List or To-Do) in the Today, Soon, or Later lists in the Time tab, which is if you’re interested in seeing your tasks by dates, just like in a calendar. When you have a Wi-fi signal, the app will automatically sync to your Reqall account, so you can access your To-Dos, Shopping List and Notes on the web, IM, email, by phone (U.S., Canada and UK residents can call Reqall to add, be reminded of, or share tasks with their Reqall contacts), and even Blackberry.

Milpon (For Remember the Milk), version 2.2

Although Milpon [iTunes link] is a third party application (not developed by popular task management app, Remember the Milk), this app is a free alternative for RTM users with no Pro account (required to use the free, native RTM app). With Milpon, you can add tasks in offline mode to your Remember the Milk account by tapping the “+” sign and see them listed by due dates (Overview tab), categories of personal, study, work (List tab), and tags (Tag tab). When you have a Wi-fi signal, you can press on the Refresh icon to sync tasks.

Find more details and screenshots in Angelina’s article.

NOTES

Reqall, version 3.1.2

Reqall, also mentioned in the Tasks section of this article, has a spectacular Notes section where you can access your notes (that you might have added in the website or by phone, as previously mentioned) in full (regardless of whether you only have 2 or 30+) and even edit in offline mode. Your edits to existing notes will be synced the next opportunity your iPod encounters a Wi-fi signal while you have the app open.

Editing new, un-synced notes, however, isn’t possible till after you sync. Thus, either be as thorough as possible before you finish the new note, or copy and paste your words into a new note with your edits. To add a new note, just tap the “+” icon and start off with the word “note” (alternatively, you can also select Notes in the “In” tab to add it to the Notes collection). If you have an external 3.5mm iPod Touch microphone or a pair of earbuds with built-in microphone, you can also add notes by voice.

One more tip: Even though you can’t organize your notes, Reqall has a great, real-time search function that will find any notes you may have stashed in your account.

Evernote, version 3.2.1 [Requires Favoriting A Note While Online]

Evernote [iTunes link, website] is a multi-functional note-capturing tool that can accept your notes from a variety of sources, and help you a great deal in school. While offline, you can access the notes from your Evernote account and create new notes right from your iPod Touch, but if you want to edit your rich text notes (say, ones that contain more than one type of font), you only have the options of appending text to your note, which means you can’t edit the text present in your note before appending, unless you copy and paste the text from the unrevised note and add your edits to the new note. For plain text notes, you won’t have that problem and will be able to edit them (in the beginning, at the end, etc).

To access notes offline, you will have to Favorite a note (by tapping the star) when you’re still connected to a Wi-fi network. You can also add notes by voice again if you have an external 3.5mm iPod Touch microphone or one integrated with your earbuds.

Simplenote, version 2.51

Simplenote [iTunes link, website] has an incredibly clean app that works well for adding text notes. Creating an account through the app was easy and required no clicking of an email confirmation link. Right when there was a Wi-fi signal, the notes synced instantly (I was very surprised by the lack of waiting time) to your account so you can access your notes on SimpleNote’s web-based application, which has a similar look. Even when you’re not using the web app, you can still access all your notes right on your iPod in offline mode.

DOCUMENTS

Documents 2 Free By Savy Soda (Google Docs Viewer/Editor), version 2.0

GDocs viewing apps flow in the hundreds in the App Store, but one that allows editing GDocs for free and offline isn’t as easy to find. Documents 2 Free [iTunes link, website] is almost there, letting you download and view your documents and spreadsheets from your GDocs account, edit them and upload them to GDocs. Once you download though, viewing and editing can be done offline.

It seems too great for the price of $0, but be warned that you might have to rename your GDocs Word documents’ extensions to .txt and upload them to GDocs with that name because this app doesn’t seem to read (or create) .doc files. That’s my workaround for the sometimes-unviewable Word documents in the app. Besides editing your GDocs, this app will also let you create new text documents, spreadsheets (.csv) and even sounds (.wav), that you can upload to GDocs (yes, even sound files since GDocs now accepts any file).

Dropbox, version 1.0.1 [Requires Favoriting A File While Online]

Often-favorited file-syncing application, Dropbox [iTunes link, website] enables you to not only view your photos and videos, but also your documents (.rtf, .txt, .doc, .pdf, etc).

You’ll have to press the star to add documents to your Favorites, which is the collection of files you can view offline, just like in Evernote. While the concept of keeping synced files across devices is neat, especially for students, this app lacks certain basic functions, such as the ability to edit, among others.

READER

Stanza (E-Book Reader), version 2.0 [Requires Downloading While Online]

Save yourself from having to go to the library or the bookstore, because with the e-book reading app, Stanza [iTunes link, website], you will have access to the catalogs of free e-book sources (such as king of public domain books, Project Gutenberg) and bookstores.

If you’re not so sure about squinting at the small screen, try adjusting the font size (Stanza offers a lot of options so you can customize the look and layout of the book) or even the effects and tapping functions. Just download the free e-book (or paid e-book from the bookstores) from the catalog in the Get Books tab while you’re online and enjoy it anywhere, regardless of whether you’re connected or not! You can also transfer in e-books you have in your computer with Stanza Desktop application, available for PC and Mac.

Read It Later Free, version 2.0.1 [Requires Syncing While Online]

While Stanza saves e-books to your iPod/iPhone, the free version of Read It Later [iTunes link, website] saves web articles so you can view them offline. You do need an account if you want to view your saved articles on the web, and use the bookmarklet for your mobile Safari browser while online, that will help you save a webpage.

If you use Read It Later’s Firefox addon (which enables you to save webpages from your desktop browser), just open the app when you’re online so it will sync the saved webpages and you’ll be able to view those articles on your iPod later in offline mode.

NetNewsWire Free, version 2.0.2 [Requires Downloading While Online]

NetNewsWire Free [iTunes link, website] is a simple Google Reader app that downloads your feeds (this can take a while if you are like me and have lot of feeds and unread items) to your iPod/iPhone when you’re online.  Once the app is done downloading, you can read all your GReader feeds in offline mode (just not the pictures accompanying the feeds’ articles), and mark items as read. Next time your device encounters a Wi-Fi signal and you have this app open, your GReader account’s unread items will be synced.

MobileRSS – Free Google Reader, version 2.2 [Requires Downloading While Online]

NetNewsWire is great if you just want to read your feeds, but if you want to add notes to feed items, manage folders, share your items by email, Facebook or Twitter, give MobileRSS [iTunes link] a try. Like NetNewsWire, MobileRSS will also download your feed items from your GReader account while online so you can enjoy them offline with accompanying pictures! After you mark items as read while offline, you’ll be able to sync read items in your GReader account the next time you get Wi-Fi. See more of this power app’s features in Nancy’s article.

Want to recommend another app? Hit us up in the comments!

That’s where doPDF shifts into place. This free PDF converter not only rescues you from having a hole drilled into your pocket where loose change starts to seep out but it also saves you a whole lot of productivity time as well.

Here’s How to Get Started

doPDF is extremely simple to use so if you don’t have a lot of patience with 3^rd party applications fear no more because you’ll have a smooth time with this software.

First you need to download this app. Once you’ve installed the application just open up a document in Microsoft Word, NotePad, WordPad or pretty much any other text editing software. I’m going to use Microsoft Word for the sake of this tutorial.

Next you have to go to File-> Print-> doPDF.

Now you just have to click OK and a small window will pop-up asking you where you’d like to save your new PDF document, once you’ve chosen your preferred location then click OK once again.

And you’re finished, it’s as easy as that! With these few steps you’ve just created a high quality PDF document.

Before the conversion:

After the conversion:

Conclusion:

The entire process from begining to end shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to complete. It is possible that as doPDF converts a document the file can suffer from minor unusually formatted images or texts, however for the most part doPDF is pretty accurate.

At the moment there’s no option to print web pages (for example: news articles or pages off a forum) that automatically divide into separate pages, thus you’ll most likely end up with lines that divide the article or page throughout your PDF document, if you decide to print directly from the web.

Another quick issue I discovered was the size of the file doPDF creates. The size of the document can be a bit large and sometimes daunting depending on how many images a page may contain, though if you can manage to use WinZip or a free similar app to ZIP the file up, it shouldn’t be much of an issue.

Please feel free to MakeUseOf the comment box below and leave us your thoughts.  What similar apps do you use?

A pretty straight forward and no fuss application. It does one thing and does it well. Download the application and install. Fire it up and you will be greeted by the main interface.

JOCR essentially allows you to take screenshots and then detect the text within the image, excellent for situations where you are copying from an image but you don’t want to type the text.

You can capture a region, a window or the entire desktop and then perform character recognition. Once you have captured the image just hit recognize and JOCR will attempt to give you the text from within the image.

It is pretty fast and the actual recognition time will depend upon the type of image you are trying to perform OCR on. The recognized text is placed on the clipboard and JOCR will open up a notepad file where you can paste the text and see how well JOCR fared. As you can see it did fairly well (just messing up Windows to IWindows in line 3)

Although JOCR is officially limited to reading screen grabs, however there is nothing stopping you from scanning a document, save it, open it up at 100 % and summon JOCR. It actually did a pretty good job when I opened this image and then took a screenshot of the window to read it.

JOCR requires that you have Microsoft Document Imaging installed on your system. If you have Office 2003 or higher, chances are that you have it installed. In case it is not, you can do so from within “Add and Remove Programs” and then choosing to install “Document Imaging”.

JOCR can recognize text in a number of languages ranging from Dutch to Hungarian to German to Russian. You would have to choose the language manually depending upon the type of characters you are going to be recognizing.

Although the application has not seen updates since some 2 years, it does a pretty good job on both black and white as well as colored images and could be a time saver with your scanned documents or images.

Have you ever used an OCR application? Which ones do you know about?