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ABBYY FineReader 6.0 User’s Guide
General Information on Page Layout Analysis
Page layout analysis can be carried out both automatically and manually. In most cases, FineReader
manages the complex task of page layout analysis by itself. Start automatic analysis by clicking on the
2-
Read button. Recognition and layout analysis are performed simultaneously.
Note: A stand-alone page layout analysis procedure is also available (Process>Analyze Layout menu).
You may run this stand-alone procedure if needed, but note that here page layout analysis quality may
be inferior, as the coupled layout analysis/recognition procedure uses additional information acquired
during recognition to aid layout analysis.
You may wish to draw blocks manually if:
1. Only part of a page is to be recognized;
2. Automatic layout analysis has resulted in blocks being drawn incorrectly.
Tip:
● In some cases automatic layout analysis quality may be improved by altering the page
layout analysis options. To view the current layout analysis options:
Recognition tab,
Tools>Options menu.
● If the application has drawn some blocks incorrectly, it is often faster to edit the incorrect
blocks using the block editing tools than to delete the blocks and draw them manually
again.
Block Types
Blocks are image areas enclosed in frames. They tell the system which image areas are to be recognized
and in what order. The blocks also influence the way in which the original page layout is retained. Dif-
ferent types of blocks have differently colored frames. Block frame colors can be changed on the
View
tab of the Options dialog (Tools>Options menu) in the Appearance group. Select the required block
type in the
Item field and the color you want in the Color field.
The following block types are available:
Recognition Area - this block type is used for automatic recognition and analysis. After you click the 2-
Read button, all blocks of this type will be automatically analyzed and recognized.
Tex t - this block type is used for text image areas and should only contain text formatted in one col-
umn. If there are pictures inside the text, draw separate blocks around them.
Table - this block type is used for table image areas or for areas of text structured in a table. When the
application reads blocks of this type, it draws vertical and horizontal separators inside the block to form
a table. This block is represented as a table in the output text. You can draw and edit tables manually.
Picture - this block type is used for image areas containing pictures. A block of this type may enclose
an actual picture or any other object (e.g. a section of text) you wish displayed as a picture in the rec-
ognized text.
Barcode (Corporate Edition only) - this block type is used for barcode image areas. If your document con-
tains a barcode, and you do not want it to be displayed as a picture but as a series of letters and numbers in
the recognized text instead, draw a separate block for the barcode and set the block type to barcode.