Mastercook/Scanning Question

[mish]

I have a software program on my computer called Mastercook, where I save all my recipes. Is there a way to scan recipes (from magazines etc.), on my scanner, and save them to my computer program? I tried setting the scanner on text, but can't 'grab' the text to copy & paste into my program.

I tried opening the scanned pic/text in notepad, but can't recognize the text i.e. it's not in readable format.
TIA

 

[subfuscpersona]

The software that came with your scanner determines what format(s) can be used to save the scanned page. All scanners can save in graphics (picture) format - usually jpg. A reasonably newer scanner can also save in Adobe Acrobat Reader format (with the ability to search within the file using the Reader). Some scanners also include text conversion, however, this capability usually is poor and results in a scanned document with a lot of errors.

Neither a graphics format or Reader format will be recognizable to a human if the file is opened with Notepad.

You would have to check the documentation for MasterCook to see whether you can import scanned documents in these formats. (I would suspect not).

 

[Andy M.]

I have a scanner that's about 5 years old and it can scan text as text and converts it to a WORD document. It's not perfect and you have to do a lot of editing to fix errors. However, when you're finished, you have an editable MS WORD document.

Mish, does your scanner have options to select before you scan? Options such as: photo, document, copy, fax, OCR, etc. If so, select the OCR option (optical character recognition) to get to a WORD document.

 

[PytnPlace]

Mish, I wish I had the answer! I have Mastercook as well . . . in the process of trying to figure it out now and it's been a bear! It's probably me!

 

[mish]

I have a scanner that's about 5 years old and it can scan text as text and converts it to a WORD document. It's not perfect and you have to do a lot of editing to fix errors. However, when you're finished, you have an editable MS WORD document.

Mish, does your scanner have options to select before you scan? Options such as: photo, document, copy, fax, OCR, etc. If so, select the OCR option (optical character recognition) to get to a WORD document.

I have a Brother MFC 210C. Yes, I can select Photo Capture, Copy, Fax & Scan. I've read about an OCR program?, but don't think I have that option/feature when scanning. I read something re OCR is a program? that costs about $200-$300 - poked around the web, but didn't understand it.

If I could somehow 'grab' the text, I could copy & paste it into MC (I don't use their format anyway).

BTW, if anyone has mc, and would like to exchange recipes (mostly all my additions, I deleted most of theirs), let me know -- if I can figure out how.

 

[mish]

Mish, I wish I had the answer! I have Mastercook as well . . . in the process of trying to figure it out now and it's been a bear! It's probably me!

If I can help in any way let me know. I don't type in every line for ingredients. I copy and paste the entire recipe under directions. I've had the program for many many years, and upgraded several times.

I save pics in the recipe by right clicking on the pic (from the web), and insert the pic as well. Couldn't live w/o this program.

 

[Half Baked]

Are you MC users familar with MAD'S RECIPE EMPORIUM - Category Index

It's a great site for us.

 

[mish]

The software that came with your scanner determines what format(s) can be used to save the scanned page. All scanners can save in graphics (picture) format - usually jpg. A reasonably newer scanner can also save in Adobe Acrobat Reader format (with the ability to search within the file using the Reader). Some scanners also include text conversion, however, this capability usually is poor and results in a scanned document with a lot of errors.

Neither a graphics format or Reader format will be recognizable to a human if the file is opened with Notepad.

You would have to check the documentation for MasterCook to see whether you can import scanned documents in these formats. (I would suspect not).

Don't think the program or my scanner has the capacity/things you mentioned. I think they? stopped making MC i.e. updated versions some time ago. Definitely the format, opened in Notepad (my choice?), is unrecognizeable.

 

[mish]

Are you MC users familar with MAD'S RECIPE EMPORIUM - Category Index

It's a great site for us.

I think I've seen that one, HB. Thank you. I already have enough recipes of my own, I can't get around to. lol. I belong to a MC group through Yahoo, but don't understand the explanation - & there's no chat there :-( There is another site where you can download Emeril's, Gourmet & Epicuriouis, as I recall?), but I've misplaced the address.

 

[mish]

PP & HB, if it's any help, the way I set up my MC program (& it's an ongoing project), is creating new cookbooks, i.e. Poultry, Pasta, Seafood, Meat, Desserts, etc. - then, I break each of my new cookbooks down into sub-catagories like appetizers, main dishes, etc. Using my own method of breaking things down & catagorizing helps me find my recipes more easily.

I would like to go through my newspaper clippings, etc & transfer them into the MC program on my computer & get rid of all the paper - if I can figure out how to scan text.

 

[legend_018]

If you have scanner, than by definition, you should be able to scan anything. Whether it be a picture or text. Once it's scanned in, it should be saved some where in your computer? I'm not sure what file type your scanner saves to. Can you find the file at all that it scans? What is the extension. Example filename.TXT and TXT is the extension. Text should be even easier to scan than images.

 

[legend_018]

ACtually anything you scan in comes in as an image. I'm guessing that program doesn't allow images? If you can scan it in as a pdf file and if you can get the Full Version of Adobe, than you can copy the text from the pdf file and than paste it over in your program.

 

[legend_018]

Lastly, I see a freeware program that allows you to convert scanned images to text files.

Here is the link:

SimpleOCR free download. Convert your scanned images to text files or Word documents with SimpleOCR--the only OCR (Optical Character Recognition) application that is completly...