Help with documents please

[t_jay17]

Is it possible to scan a form into the pc erase the data off of it and fill it out with different data?

[ranchhand]

No. A scan is a graphic, same as a picture you import from your digital camera. You could, in theory, import it into Photoshop and attempt it, but it is highly doubtful that you will have good success. Even if you could "erase" the current text, entering new text would be an impossibility.

[greymalkin]

it is possible, it would just be tedious..you would need to
1 - import the form into photoshop

2 - attempt to match the font/font size by taking a sample of the type and uploading to a site like www.whatthefont.com

3 - Assuming you can match the font, use photoshop to then erase all the entered data and save the "blank" form as a template b/c you will probably mess up a few times .

4 - Create a new layer and start filling out the form with your matched font at the appropriate size...you may even have to type it then resize the typed layer for getting the size just right.

5 - apply any filters needed to make the type look like it fits in, then flatten the image

[Ai Haibara]

t_jay17: Have you tried checking the websites of the company/office using the form? They might have a version you can download and fill out/print, such as a version you can simply load into Excel, or OpenOffice.org's Calc, for example. It's what some of the government offices in my local area do, I believe.

[t_jay17]

No it is a form that my mother needs she is a teacher if I can't get it with photoshop ill try to remake the form for her.

[Squash]

t_jay17,

I once needed to change some information on a hard copy of an insurance form. I scanned it into Photoshop and was able to find the letters and numbers I needed from other places on the form, copy them to new layers, and overlay them on top of the data to be changed. Also overlayed copied white space from blank areas of the form to cover unwanted letters. Getting the spacing right was tough, but I finally got it good enough for my purposes -- it had to pass a cursory inspection by a bureaucrat. I only needed to change an address, though, so it may not work for you if your needs are more extensive.

The freeware Gimp would work, too, if you don't have Photoshop.

As greymalkin said, it will be tedious.

[gadgetguy]

If I understand you correctly, you're not trying to correct bad entries but rather you just need use a form that has already been filled in with your own information. This isn't as hard as everyone is making it out to be. It can be done in Irfanview fairly easily. Scan the document in, open it in Irfanview, select a line of data that you want to replace. Select "Insert Text Into Selection" from the Edit menu. Enter the text, uncheck "Text Is Transparent", and select an appropriate background color. The only trick is to select a font size that fits in the space provided, but you can always undo and try again. If you just want to blank the lines, just don't enter any text.

[redwudz]

There are a few OCR programs that come with scanners that may be able to do this, OmniPage is one, though you would probably need the full featured versions. They can sometimes import forms with all the boxes in the right places, but they usually need a lot of corrections or adjustments. And you need a very clean source copy. Photoshop or IrfanView may be easier, unless you need laser printer quality output.

I usually just OCR the text, and create new boxes and formatting myself.