Handwriting, forms and diagram editing

[gavinwebb]

Looking for some guidance and ideas for extending a Nettalk app.  We develop applications for doctors in practice.  I can use TinyMCE to create document templates, do some merging of data fields and present TinyMCE as a document editor.  However, I would like to extend this with these ideas:

Using something like a Wacom Bamboo pad and pen device to allow the user to open a screen to simply handwrite onto.  I don't need to convert the handwriting to text, just store it as an image.

Also maybe integrating some extension that allows the user to build some sort of form - like you can build forms in MS Word, then use the Bamboo to check the boxes, handwrite, annotate onto preloaded images etc.

Any idea where I can look for addins that can do this that I can integrate into my Nettalk app?

[John Fligg]

Gavin - I currently use Capesoft Draw in my main C8 app to load a form, draw on it, save and reload it.

I am assuming you can implement Draw into an NT6 app, see no reason why not. In fact you had better be able to because that is exactly what I will be doing in due course myself.

HTH

John Fligg

[bruce2]

Draw is a windows control, not an HTML control. So it's not gonna work the same in an HTML page. There may be components out there to do this, but I don't know of any personally.

[AZIS350]

Since we will be trying to incorporate signature capture in an upcoming NT6 project destined for iPad use, we have started to research how that can be accomplished since it is not something which is typically inherent in web-based applications. What I have found so far are a few jscript products out there, here are two that we are starting to look at:

http://webification.com/signature-for-web-forms-jsignature and http://www.unbolt.net/jSignature/ (same product)
http://thomasjbradley.ca/lab/signature-pad/ and a youtube video of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzdUgB4-UMs

I don't know if they will be suitable, but thought I would share this on your post. The same concept for signature capture I think may work for your purposes of text annotation, etc.

Our mobile applications require customer signature, and so far we have used the standard 'electronic' signature where the client types their initials and we capture the IP address and time/date stamp (and now with NT6 we can capture the geocode as well), and usually that is considered a legal signature (at least here in the U.S.). However, our clients that purchase our software have their own thoughts on this, and really prefer the standard signature capture as if they were signing a piece of paper. So not one to turn away potential sales, we're looking to find a signature capture solution as well (and as you mentioned, not to convert to text but simply a graphic tool that allows a 'drawing' on a web-based app and then save it for later viewing). I'd be interested in hearing also about any other solutions or experiences in capturing signatures on a tablet with web-based apps (i.e. NT6). I think jquery is going to be the way to go to find a solution.

Bruce - perhaps this is something that your team may consider incorporating into NT down the road since for mobile apps it is a in-demand topic? In either case, if we are successful in implementing one of these products in the coming months I"ll post back here.

[linas@debetas.lt]

Hi AZIS350

Thats very nice ... and I already see where I can implement and use this. Also it looks very simple.

Linas

[AZIS350]

There is also a second part to that Youtube video on applying the Thomas Bradley signature-pad JS. The second video shows you how to save the signature and retrieve it from the server. Looks pretty straightforward, but I haven't tried it yet.

Here's the link for the second video: http://youtu.be/FHkWXLUWT6U

If you have a chance to implement it before we do Linas, would you mind letting this forum know how it worked out in NT?

Bob