Windows Journal是一款主要为使用平板电脑或触摸屏计算机或使用平板电脑和笔作为输入设备(input device)的人设计的应用程序，以这种方式使用时效果最佳。虽然这样的输入对于Windows 7(Windows 7)来说不一定是自然的，但对于Windows 8.1界面来说它们应该是自然的，对吧？让我们看看是否是这种情况以及它是如何工作的。
Windows Journal是Windows 7的(Windows 7)家庭高级版(Home Premium)、专业版(Professional)、旗舰版和企业版(Ultimate and Enterprise editions)的内置应用程序之一。它出现在Windows 8和 8.1 的所有标准版本中，但奇怪的是，它在(Windows 8)Windows RT（平板设备版本）中不可用。
在哪里可以找到 Windows 日记本
要在 Windows 7 中启动Windows Journal ，请在开始菜单搜索框中键入(Start Menu)journal，然后单击Windows Journal。如您所见，Windows Journal文件也会出现——这些是包含的模板文件。
您也可以通过转到All Programs -> Accessories -> Tablet PC -> Windows Journal来打开它。
要在 Windows 8.1 中启动Windows(Windows Journal)日记本，请开始在“开始(Start)”屏幕中键入journal ，然后在出现时选择Windows Journal 。或者从应用程序(Apps)视图中选择Windows 日记本。(Windows Journal)您将在Windows 附件(Windows Accessories)文件夹中找到它的快捷方式。
如果您发现自己喜欢使用Windows 日记(Windows Journal)本，您可以按照我们在此处的说明为“开始(Start)”屏幕创建自己的快捷方式：将所有内容固定到Windows 8开始屏幕的(Start Screen)完整指南(Complete Guide)。
Microsoft没有对Windows Journal本身对Windows 8和 8.1 进行实质性更改，因此本文其余部分的插图将反映WIndows 7界面。
注意：(NOTE:)由于我没有触摸屏设备，我将描述它如何与连接到台式计算机的(desktop computer)Wacom 数位板(Wacom tablet)一起工作。如果您没有平板电脑并想用其他输入设备(input device)尝试它，它可以与鼠标一起使用，但精度不会很高。
如何安装和使用(Install & Use)Journal Note Writer 打印机驱动程序(Journal Note Writer Printer Driver)
首次打开Windows Journal时，系统可能会询问您是否要安装(Windows Journal)Journal Note Writer 打印机(Journal Note Writer Printer)驱动程序。你做！Journal Note Writer 打印机(Journal Note Writer Printer)驱动程序不是真正的打印机，而是将文件转换为Windows Journal(Windows Journal)格式并将Windows Journal文件转换为可打印图形的实用程序。
如果您打算导入任何内容，则必须安装Journal Note Writer 打印机(Journal Note Writer Printer)驱动程序。您无需为此进行任何设置 - Journal Note Writer 打印机(Journal Note Writer Printer)驱动程序已配置为正确导入其他文件。
如您所料，打印机驱动程序还允许您打印Windows日记(printer driver)笔记(Windows Journal)。点击Tools -> Options -> Other -> File Import Preferences -> Journal Note Writer Properties -> Output Format。您可以选择标准打印(standard printing)或“打印为图像”('Print as an image')。
标准打印(Standard printing)是为主要是文本的文件设计的，假设您在计算机上安装了文档中的所有或大部分字体。如果文档主要是图形，或者如果它包含您没有的字体，您将需要选择'Print as an image'。在做出选择时，您还可以为 Windows 日记本笔记选择默认文件(Windows Journal)夹。(default folder)
是时候写作了——还有更多！
安装Journal Note Writer 打印机(Journal Note Writer Printer)驱动程序并打开Windows Journal后，您将看到看起来像笔记本纸的空白页，顶部有一个标题区域。这在Windows 7、Windows 8 和 8.1 中是相同的。
您可以在页面的任何位置开始书写。
如果笔记本纸不是您想要的，Windows Journal还附带了用于方格纸、日历和待办事项列表以及黄色“便笺”备忘录等内容的内置模板，您可以选择屏幕颜色(screen color)、页面上出现的线条类型，以及线条之间的间距。从文件(File)菜单中，选择页面设置(Page Setup)。
从那里，您可以浏览Paper、Style和"Background and Title Area"的选项。
这是您选择“纸张”(Paper)选项卡时将看到的内容。纸张类型如图所示。您还可以选择虚拟纸张的宽度和高度(width and height)，以及它是以纵向还是横向模式(portrait or landscape mode)显示。
这就是您将在样式(Style)选项卡上看到的内容。你可以选择你的虚拟纸是如何排列的（或者根本没有线条），线条的颜色，屏幕左侧是否有边缘线，以及线条的颜色。(margin line)如果纯白色不吸引您，您也可以更改纸张颜色。(paper color)
如果您不喜欢纯背景或带线条的(plain background)背景，“背景和标题区域”("Background and Title Area")选项卡上还有很多其他选项。将图片或图案(picture or pattern)放在背景中，并指定它的去向和引人注目的程度。您还可以决定是否要在页面顶部设置标题区域，以及是否显示注释的创建日期和时间。(date and time)
如果您想保存您设置页面的方式，您可以创建自己的模板。我将在单独的教程中介绍这一点。
如何使用Windows 日记本菜单和配置选项(Windows Journal Menus & Configuration Options)
向Windows Journal介绍自己的最简单方法就是开始写作。当Windows 日记(Windows Journal)本启动时，您面前有一个新的空白文档，因此您甚至不必转到“文件(File)”菜单来打开一个。但是，如果您想打开新笔记或模板中的新笔记，请点击“文件(File)”菜单，然后点击“新建笔记(New Note)”或“来自模板的新笔记”("New Note from Template")。如果你喜欢，在标题区域(title area)写一个标题，然后在下方区域写任何你想要的。
这是您的新页面的外观，标题空间(title space)中写有标题。这是默认的空白(default blank) “笔记本纸”("notebook paper")页面。
玩弄笔的大小和颜色(size and color)。您可以点击屏幕顶部的笔图标，或转到"Tools -> Options -> Pen Settings"。笔的工作方式与圆珠笔(ballpoint pen)或毡尖记号笔类似，具体取决于您选择的笔尖形状和大小。(point shape and size)你也可以调整你想要画的线条的粗细和颜色(thickness and color)，所以应该没有什么新东西要学——除了你不需要每次想要制作不同类型的线时都拿起不同的笔线。
荧光笔选项的设置方式相同，它们的工作方式就像我们都习惯的荧光笔一样。同样(Again)，您可以以任何您想要的方式更改点类型和线条粗细。(point type and line thickness)
如果您写错了，并且您的数位笔(tablet pen)没有自带橡皮擦，请点击橡皮擦图标(eraser icon)，然后点击错误的书写(mistaken writing)，它就会消失。
Windows Journal允许您在文档中放置各种颜色的标志。这些可用于标记重要物品或仅用于装饰您的笔记。单击(Click)工具栏中的标志(Flag)图标，或从插入(Insert)菜单中选择标志。(Flag)您可以选择旗帜的颜色。
旗帜只有一种尺寸，但您可以通过抓住轮廓并将其移动到任何您喜欢的位置来调整旗帜的大小。
奇怪的是，Windows Journal不允许您在标志上使用橡皮擦工具。(Eraser)您必须选择编辑(Edit)菜单，然后选择“撤消设置标志”("Undo Set Flag")。
是时候画画了！
Windows Journal也可用于非常基本的素描和绘图(sketching and drawing)，尽管任何想要制作严肃艺术品的人无疑都拥有更复杂的工具。尽管如此，笔的颜色和宽度选项(color and width options)以及荧光笔提供了一些创造性的机会。荧光笔以有趣的方式相互交互——一些颜色覆盖其他颜色，一些颜色混合。值得尝试一下，看看会发生什么。这是用荧光笔创建的抽象涂鸦。
好的，我写了一些东西，现在呢？- 如何从Windows 日记本中导出(Windows Journal)
一旦你创建了一个笔记，然后呢？您可以按原样保存手写笔记，以图形格式、.TIF 文件或Web Archive.MHTML文件，但奇怪的是，您不能通过从“文件(File)”菜单中选择“另存为”来执行此操作。(Save As)相反，点击文件(File)菜单并选择导出为(Export As)。
从那里您可以选择您喜欢的文件类型。(file type)
图形当然很好，但Windows Journal还可以让您将手写笔记保存为文本，并具有内置的手写识别功能。您可以直接从Windows Journal以原始手写格式或在文本转换(text conversion)后通过电子邮件发送您的笔记。我将在本教程的第二部分介绍如何转换为电子邮件。让我们开始进行文本转换。
带有套索形状的图标是文本选择工具(selection tool)。点击该工具，然后拖动笔在要选择的文本周围画一个循环。将笔从数位板上提起以完成循环。
当您抬起笔时，所选内容将变为包围文本的矩形。
点击“操作(Actions)”菜单，然后点击“将手写内容转换为文本”("Convert Handwriting to Text")。转换后的文本(Converted Text)框出现，您可以查看Windows 日记(Windows Journal)本认为您编写的内容。不幸的是，如果您要写的单词不在列表中，您必须单击“取消(Cancel)”并再次写下该单词。
您可以使用Windows 日记(Windows Journal)本(Things)执行的其他操作
如果您不想用笔完成所有操作，可以使用键盘插入文本。点击插入(Insert)菜单，然后点击文本框(Text Box)。在笔记中的任意位置点击(Tap)并拖动您的数位笔以创建文本框(text box)，然后键入您想要的任何内容。
如果该框最终出现在错误的位置，请点击选择工具(Selection Tool)，然后点击文本框(text box)。然后将笔悬停在文本框(text box)的边框上。您的指针将变为熟悉的四向箭头，然后您可以将文本框(text box)重新定位到您想要的任何位置。四尖箭头起初可能有点难以定位，因为您必须将鼠标悬停在框的边界上才能出现。
您还可以通过点击“导入(Import)”菜单将文本导入Windows 日记(Windows Journal)本笔记。这与在其他Microsoft产品中的工作方式相同，但它还有一个额外的好处，即您可以使用Windows 日记(Windows Journal)本在文档上进行标记，并使用您的手写注释进行保存。
结论
Windows Journal是一个严肃的工具，使用起来也很有趣。它的手写识别工具(recognition tool)在相当清晰的手写方面做得非常好。我什至在我用轨迹球“写”的文本上尝试了它作为实验，它做得很好。它可以让您充分利用您的笔和数位板(pen and tablet)，并提供多种选择。无需像过去那样购买专门的软件——Windows 7、Windows 8 和 8.1 内置了一个不错的实用程序。还有什么人想要的呢？
How to Create Basic Notes & Drawings with Windows Journal
Windows Journal is an application designed primarily for people who use tablet or touchscreen computers or use a tablet and pen as an input device, and it works best when used that way. While such inputs are not necessarily natural to Windows 7, they should be natural for the Windows 8.1 interface, right? Let's see if that's the case and how it works.
Windows Journal is one of Windows 7's built-in applications for the Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise editions. It appears in all standard versions of Windows 8 and 8.1, but oddly, it is not available in Windows RT - the version for tablet devices.
Where to find Windows Journal
To start Windows Journal in Windows 7, type journal into the Start Menu search box, then click on Windows Journal. As you can see, Windows Journal files will also appear--those are the included template files.
You can also open it by going to All Programs -> Accessories -> Tablet PC -> Windows Journal.
To start Windows Journal in Windows 8.1, start typing journal into the Start screen and choose Windows Journal when it appears. Or choose Windows Journal from the Apps view. You will find its shortcut in the Windows Accessories folder.
If you find you like working with Windows Journal, you can create your own shortcut for the Start screen by following our instructions here: The Complete Guide to Pinning Everything to the Windows 8 Start Screen.
Microsoft has made no substantial changes in Windows Journal itself for Windows 8 and 8.1, so the illustrations in the rest of the article will reflect the WIndows 7 interface.
NOTE: Since I don't own a touchscreen device, I'm going to describe how it works with a Wacom tablet attached to a desktop computer. If you don't have a tablet and want to try it with another input device, it will work with a mouse, but not with any great precision.
How to Install & Use the Journal Note Writer Printer Driver
When you open Windows Journal for the first time, you may be asked if you want to install the Journal Note Writer Printer driver. You do! The Journal Note Writer Printer driver is not an actual printer, but a utility that converts files to Windows Journal format, and converts Windows Journal files to printable graphics.
If you plan to import anything you must have the Journal Note Writer Printer driver installed. You don't have to set anything up for this—the Journal Note Writer Printer driver is already configured to import other files properly.
The printer driver also, as you might expect, lets you print your Windows Journal notes.Tap Tools -> Options -> Other -> File Import Preferences -> Journal Note Writer Properties -> Output Format. You can choose standard printing or 'Print as an image'.
Standard printing is designed for files that are mostly text, with the assumption that you have all or most of the fonts in the document installed on your computer. If the document is mostly graphics, or if it contains fonts you don't have, you'll want to select 'Print as an image'. While you're making that choice, you can also choose your default folder for your Windows Journal notes.
Time to Write—and More!
After the Journal Note Writer Printer driver is installed and Windows Journal opens, you'll see what looks like a blank page of notebook paper, with an area at the top for a title. This is the same in Windows 7, Windows 8 and 8.1.
You can start writing anywhere on the page.
If notebook paper isn't what you want, Windows Journal also comes with built-in templates for things like graph paper, a calendar and to-do list and a yellow "sticky note" memo, and you can choose your screen color, the type of lines that appear on the page, and how far apart the lines will be spaced. From the File menu, choose Page Setup.
From there, you can go through the options for Paper, Style, and "Background and Title Area".
This is what you'll see when you choose the Paper tab. The types of paper are shown in the illustration. You can also choose the width and height of your virtual paper and whether it is displayed in portrait or landscape mode.
This is what you'll see on the Style tab. You can choose how your virtual paper is lined (or have no lines at all), the color of the lines, and whether it has a margin line on the left of the screen or not, and the color of that line. You can also change the paper color if plain white doesn't appeal to you.
If you don't care for a plain background or one with lines, there are a lot of other options on the "Background and Title Area" tab. Put a picture or pattern in the background and specify where it goes and how noticeable it is. You can also decide whether you want a title area at the top of your page or not, and whether it will display the date and time the note was created.
If you want to save the way you've set the page up, you can create your own template. I will cover this in a separate tutorial.
How to Use the Windows Journal Menus & Configuration Options
The easiest way to introduce yourself to Windows Journal is to just start writing. You've got a new blank document in front of you when Windows Journal starts, so you don't even have to go to the File menu to open one. But if you want to open a new note, or a new note from a template, tap the File menu and then tap New Note or "New Note from Template". Write a title in the title area, if you like, and then write whatever you want in the lower area.
Here's what your new page will look like, with a title written in the title space. This is the default blank "notebook paper" page.
Play around with the pen size and color. You can either tap the pen icon at the top of the screen, or go to "Tools -> Options -> Pen Settings". The pen works just like a ballpoint pen or felt-tip marker, depending on the point shape and size you choose. You can also adjust the thickness and color of the line you want to make, so there shouldn't be anything new to learn—except that you don't need to pick up a different pen every time you want to make a different kind of line.
The highlighter options are set the same way, and they work just like the highlighters we're all used to. Again, you can change the point type and line thickness in whatever way you want.
If you make a mistake, and your tablet pen doesn't come with its own eraser, tap the eraser icon and then tap the mistaken writing and it will vanish.
Windows Journal lets you put flags of various colors in your document. These can be used to mark important items or just to decorate your note. Click on the Flag icon in the toolbar, or choose Flag from the Insert menu. You can choose the color of your flag.
The flags come in only one size, but you can resize the flag by grabbing the outline and moving it to whatever you like.
Oddly enough, Windows Journal doesn't let you use the Eraser tool on a flag. You will have to select the Edit menu, then choose "Undo Set Flag".
Time to Draw!
Windows Journal can also be used for very basic sketching and drawing, although anyone who wants to do serious artwork no doubt has far more sophisticated tools for that. Still, the pen color and width options plus the highlighters offer some opportunities to be creative. The highlighters interact with each other in interesting ways--some colors overlay others and some blend. It's worth experimenting with it to see what happens. Here's an abstract scribble created with highlighters.
OK, I Wrote Something, Now What? - How to Export from Windows Journal
Once you've created a note, then what? You can save your handwritten notes exactly as they are, in graphics format, as.TIF files, or as Web Archive.MHTML files, but oddly enough, you don't do this by choosing Save As from the File menu. Instead, tap the File menu and choose Export As.
From there you can choose the file type you prefer.
Graphics are fine, of course, but Windows Journal will also let you save your handwritten notes as text, with built-in handwriting recognition. You can email your notes either in their original handwritten format or after the text conversion, directly from Windows Journal. I'll cover the conversion to email in the second part of this tutorial. Let's get started with text conversion.
The icon with the lasso shape is the text selection tool. Tap that tool, then drag your pen to draw a loop around the text you want to select. Lift the pen off the tablet to complete the loop.
When you lift the pen, the selection will change to a rectangle that encloses the text.
Tap the Actions menu and then tap "Convert Handwriting to Text". The Converted Text box appears and you can take a look at what Windows Journal thought you wrote. Unfortunately, if the word you meant to write is not on the list, you'll have to click Cancel and write the word again.
Other Things you can Do with Windows Journal
If you don't want to do everything with your pen, you can insert text with your keyboard. Tap the Insert menu, then tap Text Box. Tap and drag your tablet pen anywhere in the note to create the text box, and then type whatever you want.
If the box ends up in the wrong place, tap the Selection Tool and then tap the text box. Then hover the pen over the border of the text box. Your pointer will change to the familiar four-pointed arrow, and you can then reposition the text box wherever you want. The four-pointed arrow may be a little tricky to position at first, because you have to hover exactly over the box boundaries for it to appear.
You can also import text into a Windows Journal note by tapping the Importmenu. This works just the same as in other Microsoft products, but it has the added bonus that you'll be able to mark on the document with Windows Journal and save it with your handwritten annotations.
Conclusion
Windows Journal is a serious tool that is also fun to use. Its handwriting recognition tool does a very good job on reasonably legible handwriting. I even tried it on text I'd "written" with a trackball as an experiment and it did fine. It lets you take full advantage of your pen and tablet and offers a lot of options. No need to buy specialized software, as was necessary in the past—Windows 7, Windows 8 and 8.1 have a decent utility built right in. What more could anyone want?
