平板电脑输入面板(Tablet Input Panel)是一个 Windows 7 程序，看起来很简单，但实际上非常复杂。幸运的是，与大多数 Windows 7 内置软件一样，即使有许多选项，它也非常易于使用。您可以在Home Premium、Professional、Ultimate和Enterprise版本中找到它。与Windows 日记(Windows Journal)本一样，平板电脑输入面板(Tablet Input Panel)专为与平板电脑或触摸屏设备一起使用而设计，以使文本输入和手写识别变得流畅和轻松(recognition smooth and effortless)。平板电脑输入面板(Tablet Input Panel)了解多种语言，几乎可以将任何人的笔迹转换为清晰的文本。如果您想尝试一下，您可以通过鼠标或轨迹球以有限的方式使用它，这是对其能力的致敬，它仍然会识别您写的内容。
平板电脑输入面板(Tablet Input Panel)- 它有什么作用？
你有没有想过平板电脑输入面板(Tablet Input Panel)有什么好处？正如您将在本文后面看到的那样，您可以使用它来编写任何您想要的内容，或者在浏览器地址栏(browser address bar)或用户名/密码字段中输入文本。与Windows Journal不同，它提供了以图形形式保存您所写内容的选项，平板电脑输入面板(Tablet Input Panel)几乎可以立即将您的笔迹转换为键入的文本。更重要的是，它将以多种语言进行。如果您还没有在Windows 7中安装额外的语言，您可以从您的原始磁盘添加它们，或者，如果您有Ultimate 或 Enterprise 版本(Ultimate or Enterprise editions)，获取多语言用户界面(Multilingual User Interface)来自微软的包在(Microsoft) 这里(here)。有关语言包以及如何安装或删除它们的更多说明，请查看本文及其末尾推荐的文章：在Windows 7家庭版和专业版中(Home and Professional)安装并更改(Install and Change)为新的显示语言(New Display Language)。
它去哪儿了？
如果您有平板电脑或触摸屏计算机，或者正在使用平板电脑作为输入设备(input device)，那么您很可能已经看到平板电脑输入面板的边缘从(Tablet Input Panel)桌面屏幕(desktop screen)的左侧向外窥视。
如果它不存在，请打开Start Menu，然后单击'Programs -> Accessories -> Tablet PC -> Input Panel'。如果您刚刚安装了平板电脑或触摸屏设备，平板电脑输入面板(Tablet Input Panel)可能不会出现在您的开始菜单(Start Menu)上。如果是这种情况，请单击'Programs -> Programs and Features -> Turn Windows features on and off'。从那里，您将看到Tablet PC Components。确保选中此框，您应该一切顺利。
开始吧
有三种内置方式可以打开平板电脑输入面板(Tablet Input Panel)（除了通过在开始菜单的(Start Menu's)搜索框中键入(search box)平板电脑(Tablet)来打开它）。一种是将鼠标悬停在屏幕边缘显示的一小部分上，这将使其弹出更多。点击您可以看到的部分，它将完全打开。如果您不希望它位于默认的左侧位置，请单击'Tools -> Options -> Choose where the tab appears -> Right edge of the screen'。
要将面板停靠在另一个区域，请点击'Tools ->Docking ->Dock at Top of Screen or Dock at Bottom of Screen'。
如果您是这种设备的新手，打开平板电脑输入面板(Tablet Input Panel)的第二种方法可能不太明显。当您将光标放在屏幕上的文本输入区域(entry area)时，例如Web 浏览器(web browser)中的地址栏(address bar)或您可以输入用户名或密码(username or password)的地方，将出现输入面板图标(Input Panel icon)。点击它，您可以通过在输入面板(Input Panel)中书写来输入文本。
第三种方法是在任务栏上创建输入面板(Input Panel)的快捷方式。
默认情况下它不存在。右键单击任务栏，选择Toolbars，然后选择Tablet PC Input Panel。
如果平板电脑输入面板(Tablet Input Panel)在屏幕上打开的位置不方便，您可以像任何其他窗口一样拖动它。
平板电脑输入面板(Tablet Input Panel)也有一个虚拟键盘，如果您想打字而不是写字。在输入面板(Input Panel)屏幕的左上角，您会看到一个形状像键盘的图标。
点击它，你的键盘就会出现。
平板电脑输入面板(Tablet Input Panel)会以您上次使用的界面（键盘或笔）打开。默认情况下，当您将插入点(insertion point)放在用于输入密码的框中时，输入面板会自动切换到键盘。(Input Panel)
使平板电脑输入面板(Tablet Input Panel)独一无二
你还有什么其他选择？点击Tools -> Options，您会看到很多可能性。让我们来看看您可能想要做出的一些选择，以便平板电脑输入面板(Tablet Input Panel)按照您想要的方式工作。
您将看到的第一个选项选项卡是(Options)Opening。除了我们已经讨论过的输入面板选项卡的位置之外，您还可以选择打开(Input Panel)输入面板(Input Panel)的操作。我建议将其保留为默认的“点击输入面板图标或选项卡”('Tap the Input Panel icon or tab')，因为如果您选择“指向输入面板图标或选项卡” ，如果您的('Point to the Input Panel icon or the tab')笔或手指(pen or finger)很容易无意中打开输入面板(Input Panel)离得太近了。
第二部分允许您选择输入面板(Input Panel)图标的显示位置，并让您决定是否要在桌面上查看输入面板选项卡。(Input Panel)输入面板(Input Panel)图标是当您点击屏幕上的文本输入点时会出现的小图标（见上文）。您可以选择是否要在笔超出范围时显示“输入面板”选项卡。(Input Panel)默认情况下不选中此项，并且选项卡隐藏在屏幕边缘之外，直到您用光标靠近它。我选择检查这一点，因为显示的选项卡的一小部分不显眼，并且使用此选项我总是知道它的位置。如果您选择“显示输入面板从选项卡滑动打开”('Show Input Panel sliding open from the tab')（默认值）然后您的输入面板(Input Panel)将在您点击它时滑动打开。如果您不喜欢此动作或认为它太慢，请取消选中此选项。在我的电脑上，无论是选中还是未选中，我都看不出有什么区别。
如果您根本不希望显示输入面板(Input Panel)，请取消选中“使用输入面板选项卡”('Use the Input Panel tab')。你为什么想做这个？因为平板电脑输入面板(Tablet Input Panel)的行为与大多数其他Windows程序不同。单击输入面板(Input Panel)右上角(hand corner)的红色 X不会关闭它。它只是将其返回到屏幕边缘的隐藏位置。如果你想让它消失，你必须在这里禁用它。当您想再次使用平板电脑输入面板(Tablet Input Panel)时，请查看本文的入门(Getting it started)部分。
手写(Handwriting)选项卡为您提供了几个选项：您的行宽，以及在平板电脑输入面板(Tablet Input Panel)为您提供新的书写行之前，您距离书写行的末端有多近。我建议只是玩弄这些选项并以吸引您的方式设置它们。
“墨迹到文本的转换”('Ink to text conversion')选项卡可让您选择平板电脑输入面板(Tablet Input Panel)将您的笔迹转换为文本的速度。默认转换(default conversion)非常快，您可能不希望它走得那么快。这是您应该尝试的另一个选项，直到找到适合您的设置。
文本完成(Text Completion)选项卡为您提供了两个选项。您可以让输入面板(Input Panel)在您书写时自动完成您的单词，并在可能的情况下建议它认为正确的单词。您可能已经通过其他Windows程序或 Web 浏览器熟悉了这一点。它将弹出一个建议列表，您可以选择正确的文本。
您还可以让输入面板(Input Panel)根据您已经编写的内容预测您接下来要写的内容（预测文本）。(Predictive text)当它正常工作时，它可以极大地加快您的文本输入。预测文本仅适用于英语(English)（美国和英国方言(US and UK dialects)）、法语、意大利语、德语和西班牙语(Spanish)。中文(Chinese)（繁体和简体）的(Traditional and Simplified)文本预测(Text prediction)是逐个字符进行的。
插入(Insertion)选项卡是什么？这是平板电脑输入面板(Tablet Input Panel)的另一个奇怪之处。当您第一次打开Input Panel时，您会在屏幕右侧看到一系列按钮。当您开始编写时，这些按钮会消失，取而代之的是窗口底部的一个选项卡，上面写着Insert。
此选项选项(Options)卡允许您选择选项卡出现在窗口的哪一侧，以及您是否点击或指向它以插入文本。同样(Again)，我建议将其保留为默认的“点击插入按钮”('Tap the insert button') ，因为如果您的笔或手指(pen or finger)移动错误的方式，很容易进入插入模式。(Insert)您还可以选择是否希望平板电脑输入面板(Tablet Input Panel)在您暂停时自动插入字符，并告诉它在插入前要等待多长时间。默认情况下未选中此项。这是您应该尝试的另一种选择，看看您是否喜欢它，或者它是否会让您发疯。
在“高级(Advanced)”选项卡上，您可以设置您喜欢的安全级别。Microsoft在此处(here)提供了一个图表，告诉您不同的安全级别。默认级别为中高(Medium-High)。如果您接受默认设置，当平板电脑输入面板(Tablet Input Panel)检测到您正在输入密码时，它将自动切换到键盘，但您将无法看到您正在敲击哪些键。这不是触摸屏设备或平板电脑(tablet computer)的问题，但如果您使用平板电脑和笔作为输入设备(input device)，我真的不知道微软如何(Microsoft)期望您使用此设置输入密码。众所周知，密码不会在屏幕上显示为可识别的字符，因此您根本无法判断您是否输入正确。如果您使用平板电脑输入设备(tablet input device)，我认为最好的折衷方案是切换到中等(Medium)安全级别。
但是等等，还有更多！
在本期中，我们介绍了基础知识和选项。您已经设置并配置了平板电脑输入面板，让您的(Tablet Input Panel)生活更轻松(life easy)。该系列的下一个教程将更详细地介绍书写、识别、格式化等，第三个教程将涵盖更高级的功能。因此，请随时返回以获取有关该工具的更多信息或查看下面推荐的文章。
Getting Started with Windows 7’s Tablet Input Panel
The Tablet Input Panel is a Windows 7 program that looks simple, but is actually quite sophisticated. Fortunately, as with most Windows 7 built-in software, even with its many options it's very easy to use. You'll find it in the Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions. Like Windows Journal, the Tablet Input Panel is designed specifically for use with a tablet or touchscreen device, to make text entry and handwriting recognition smooth and effortless. Tablet Input Panel understands multiple languages and can convert nearly anyone's handwriting to legible text. It's a tribute to its abilities that you can use it in a limited way with a mouse or trackball if you'd like to experiment, and it will still recognize what you wrote.
Tablet Input Panel - What Does it Do?
Have you ever wondered about Tablet Input Panel and what's it good for? As you will see later on in this article, you can use it to write anything you want, or to enter text into a browser address bar, or a username/password field. Unlike Windows Journal, which offers the option of saving what you've written in graphic form, the Tablet Input Panel will convert your handwriting into typed text almost immediately. And what's more, it will do it in multiple languages. If you don't already have the extra languages installed in Windows 7, you can add them from your original disks, or, if you have Ultimate or Enterprise editions, get the Multilingual User Interface packs from Microsoft here. For more instructions about language packs and how to install or remove them, check out this article and the ones recommended at the end of it: Install and Change to a New Display Language in Windows 7 Home and Professional.
Where'd it go?
If you have a tablet or touchscreen computer, or are using a tablet as an input device, chances are good you've seen the edge of the Tablet Input Panel peeking out at you from the left side of your desktop screen.
If it's not there, open the Start Menu, then click on 'Programs -> Accessories -> Tablet PC -> Input Panel'. If you've just installed a tablet or touchscreen device, the Tablet Input Panel may not appear on your Start Menu. If this is the case, click on 'Programs -> Programs and Features -> Turn Windows features on and off'. From there, you'll see Tablet PC Components. Make sure this box is checked and you should be good to go.
Getting it started
There are three built-in ways to open Tablet Input Panel (besides opening it by typing Tablet on the Start Menu's search box). One is to hover over the small part of it that shows at the edge of your screen, which will make it pop out a bit more. Tap on the section you can see, and it will open fully. If you don't want it at the default left-side location, click 'Tools -> Options -> Choose where the tab appears -> Right edge of the screen'.
To dock the panel in another area, tap 'Tools ->Docking ->Dock at Top of Screen or Dock at Bottom of Screen'.
The second way to open up Tablet Input Panel may not be quite so obvious, if you're new to this kind of device. When you place your cursor in a text entry area on the screen, such as the address bar in a web browser or a place where you can enter a username or password, the Input Panel icon will appear. Tap this, and you can enter your text by writing in the Input Panel.
The third way is to create a shortcut to the Input Panel on your taskbar.
It's not there by default. Right-click on the taskbar, choose Toolbars, and select Tablet PC Input Panel.
If the place where the Tablet Input Panel opens on your screen is inconvenient, you can drag it around like any other window.
The Tablet Input Panel also has a virtual keyboard, if you'd like to type instead of write. In the upper left corner of the Input Panel screen you'll see an icon shaped like a keyboard.
Tap it and your keyboard will appear.
The Tablet Input Panel opens up with whichever interface (keyboard or pen) you used last. By default, Input Panel automatically switches to the keyboard when you place the insertion point in a box for entering a password.
Making the Tablet Input Panel uniquely yours
What other options do you have? Tap Tools -> Options and you can see a wealth of possibilities. Let's go through some of the choices you might want to make, so that the Tablet Input Panel works the way you want it to.
The first Options tab you'll see is Opening. Besides the location of the Input Panel tab, which we've already discussed, you can choose which action opens the Input Panel. I would suggest leaving it as the default 'Tap the Input Panel icon or tab' because, if you choose 'Point to the Input Panel icon or the tab', it's all too easy to open up the Input Panel inadvertently if your pen or finger gets too close.
The second section lets you choose where the Input Panel icon appears, and lets you decide whether you want to see the Input Panel tab on your desktop. The Input Panel icon is the little one that will show up when you tap a text-entry point on your screen (see above). You can choose whether you want the Input Panel tab to show even when your pen is out of range. This is not checked by default, and the tab is hidden outside the edge of the screen until you come close to it with your cursor. I've chosen to check this, since the tiny portion of the tab that shows is unobtrusive and with this option I always know where it is located. If you choose 'Show Input Panel sliding open from the tab' (the default) then your Input Panel will slide open when you tap it. If you don't like this motion or if you think it's too slow, un-check this. On my computer, I see no difference at all whether this is checked or un-checked.
If you don't want the Input Panel showing up at all, un-check 'Use the Input Panel tab'. Why would you want to do this? Because the Tablet Input Panel doesn't behave like most other Windows programs. Clicking the red X in the upper right hand corner of the Input Panel doesn't close it. It just returns it to its hidden spot at the edge of your screen. If you want it gone, you'll have to disable it here. When you want to use the Tablet Input Panel again, check the Getting it started section of this article.
The Handwriting tab gives you a couple of options: the width of your line, and how close to the end of the writing line you get before Tablet Input Panel gives you a new line to write on. I'd suggest just playing around with these options and setting them in a way that appeals to you.
The 'Ink to text conversion' tab lets you choose how fast the Tablet Input Panel converts your handwriting to text. The default conversion is pretty rapid, and you may not want it to go quite that fast. This is another option you should play around with till you find settings that suit you.
The Text Completion tab offers you two options. You can have the Input Panel complete your words for you automatically as you write, suggesting what it thinks is the correct word when it can. You may be familiar with this already from other Windows programs or your web browser. It will pop up a list of suggestions, and you can choose the correct text.
You can also have the Input Panel predict what you're going to write next (Predictive text), based on what you've already written. When this works properly, it can speed up your text entry enormously. Predictive text works only in English (US and UK dialects), French, Italian, German, and Spanish. Text prediction in Chinese (Traditional and Simplified) is done on a character-by-character basis.
What is the Insertion tab all about? This is another oddity of Tablet Input Panel. When you first open up the Input Panel, you'll see an array of buttons on the right side of the screen. When you start to write, those buttons vanish and are replaced by a tab on the bottom of the window that says Insert.
This Options tab lets you choose which side of the window the tab appears on, and whether you tap or point to it to insert text. Again, I'd suggest leaving it as the default 'Tap the insert button', because it's very easy to get into Insert mode if your pen or finger moves the wrong way. You can also choose whether you want the Tablet Input Panel to insert characters automatically when you pause, and tell it how long to wait before inserting. This is unchecked by default. It's another option you should play around with to see if you like it or whether it drives you nuts.
On the Advanced tab, you can set the level of security you prefer. Microsoft provides a chart that tells you about the different levels of security here. The default level is Medium-High. If you accept the default, when the Tablet Input Panel senses that you are entering a password, it will switch to the keyboard automatically, but you won't be able to see which keys you're tapping. This isn't a problem with a touchscreen device or a tablet computer, but if you're using a tablet and pen as an input device I honestly do not know how Microsoft expects you to enter passwords with this setting. As we all know only too well, passwords don't show up as recognizable characters on the screen, so you won't be able to tell whether you're typing them correctly at all. I think the best compromise if you're using a tablet input device is to switch to the Medium level of security.
But wait, there's more!
In this installment, we've covered the basics and the options.You've gotten Tablet Input Panel set up and configured to make life easy for you. The next tutorial in the series will go into more detail about writing, recognition, formatting and more, and the third tutorial will cover the more advanced features. So don't hesitate to come back for more info on the tool or check out the articles recommended below.
