# Windows Vista Tablet PC, handwriting and Open Source Software **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [May 15, 2008, 12:37am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/windows-vista-tablet-pc-handwriting-and-open-source-software/137651 "2008-05-15T00:37:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Axel\_E](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/7c8e57/32.png) [@Axel\_E](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Axel_E)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 12:37am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/windows-vista-tablet-pc-handwriting-and-open-source-software/137651/1 "2008-05-15T00:37:34Z")
Dear all, sorry for asking something off-topic. I know there are many Windows experts on this list and I couldn’t find any response somewhere else yet. I have a handheld PC running Windows Vista Ultimate (actually an OQ02) which has a handwriting recognition tool. This works very nicely for input of text into, say, Internet Explorer, or Notepad or any other Microsoft-manufactured software. But it doesn’t for Firefox or OpenOffice or other open source software I have tried so far. What is the reason for this ? Thank you very much, Best regards, Axel ---
**Author:** ![Axel\_E](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/7c8e57/32.png) [@Axel\_E](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Axel_E)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 2:18am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/windows-vista-tablet-pc-handwriting-and-open-source-software/137651/2 "2008-05-15T02:18:13Z")
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Axel E. wrote: | Dear all, | | sorry for asking something off-topic. I know there are | many Windows experts on this list and I couldn’t find | any response somewhere else yet. | | I have a handheld PC running Windows Vista Ultimate (actually | an OQ02) which has a handwriting recognition tool. | This works very nicely for input of text into, say, Internet Explorer, | or Notepad or any other Microsoft-manufactured software. | But it doesn’t for Firefox or OpenOffice or other open source software | I have tried so far. | What is the reason for this ? Nobody has implemented the necessary code for these programs to talk to the handwriting recognition API in Windows? * * * Phillip G. Twitter: [twitter.com/cynicalryan](http://twitter.com/cynicalryan) Blog: [http://justarubyist.blogspot.com](http://justarubyist.blogspot.com) ~ It takes an uncommon mind to think of these things. ~ — Calvin -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.8 (MingW32) Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - [http://enigmail.mozdev.org](http://enigmail.mozdev.org) iEYEARECAAYFAkgrgTMACgkQbtAgaoJTgL8y2wCdHe+ggL4GUnjNXYdsuq9+Sqkk mhQAoIEWrcO6btBnZ1T8Z8lLe0WzVc/R =ZTOM -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- ---
**Author:** ![Axel\_E](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/7c8e57/32.png) [@Axel\_E](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Axel_E)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 12:48pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/windows-vista-tablet-pc-handwriting-and-open-source-software/137651/3 "2008-05-15T12:48:05Z")
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Axel E. wrote: | yes, of cours, and your response is probably a good example of how to write a default response to a post 🙂 | But do you know something about how to get some information about | where to start if one wanted to implement that API ? I am | almost exclusively coding on a Linux platform — so I need a little | help here. The Microsoft Development Network is a good start for all things MS API related: > **[Microsoft Learn: Build skills that open doors in your career](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/)** > > Gain technical skills through documentation and training, earn certifications and connect with the community Given the amount of blogs hosted on MSDN, maybe you can even find one about Handwriting (or at least Tablet PCs), too! Heck, depending on how the WIN32API gem works, it might be possible to access this API from Ruby, too (rapid prototyping :). As a note: If you haven’t developed for Windows yet, or ever, it might be a good idea to look at .NET rather than Win32, especially to make 64bit versions available in an easier way. Maybe you can use Mono, too. If you feel brave, though, you could work through Raymond Chen’s ‘exercises’ on his blog, The Old New Thing: > **[The Old New Thing](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/)** * * * Phillip G. Twitter: [twitter.com/cynicalryan](http://twitter.com/cynicalryan) Blog: [http://justarubyist.blogspot.com](http://justarubyist.blogspot.com) ~ - You know you’ve been hacking too long when… …you make a mathematical proof and try to compile it to test if it is correct. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.8 (MingW32) Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - [http://enigmail.mozdev.org](http://enigmail.mozdev.org) iEYEARECAAYFAkgsFJUACgkQbtAgaoJTgL/pWgCfdIykAyjxlSwxFFTHmBq7M8cE TQwAn392GjhR83nVMORN1PwmFXPNhywH =46M8 -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- ---
**Author:** ![Axel\_E](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/7c8e57/32.png) [@Axel\_E](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Axel_E)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 9:50am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/windows-vista-tablet-pc-handwriting-and-open-source-software/137651/4 "2008-05-15T09:50:54Z")
-------- Original-Nachricht -------- > Datum: Thu, 15 May 2008 09:17:44 +0900 > Von: Phillip G. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) > An: removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid > Betreff: Re: [OT] Windows Vista Tablet PC, handwriting and Open Source Software > | I have a handheld PC running Windows Vista Ultimate (actually > | an OQ02) which has a handwriting recognition tool. > | This works very nicely for input of text into, say, Internet Explorer, > | or Notepad or any other Microsoft-manufactured software. > | But it doesn’t for Firefox or OpenOffice or other open source software > | I have tried so far. > | What is the reason for this ? > > Nobody has implemented the necessary code for these programs to talk to > the handwriting recognition API in Windows? Philip, yes, of cours, and your response is probably a good example of how to write a default response to a post 🙂 But do you know something about how to get some information about where to start if one wanted to implement that API ? I am almost exclusively coding on a Linux platform — so I need a little help here. Thank you, Axel