# Handwritten Signature on MS Word



## sammey19 (Jul 29, 2007)

I would like to know where to find a free program to sign my name on a Microsoft Word Document, if anyone has any suggestions please answer this thread.


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## jimr381 (Jul 20, 2007)

It is built into Word 2002 and later using the hand writing recognition. What version of Word are you using?


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## slurpee55 (Oct 20, 2004)

If you are wanting an actual signature, scan a real one and then post it in as a picture - not hard at all.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

I'm going to join this thread 

I have done the scanning of the signature, however, years ago, I had a 3rd party program that would let me imbed the signature over the signature line, leaving the signature line intact, you can't do this with the scanned picture....any ideas as to how to do something like that now?


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## jimr381 (Jul 20, 2007)

With autotext you can have it place a typed and handwritten image signature that is scanned in as well. I sometimes help users with setting this up if they like it.  Typically I have them set it up with something like jimsig and have it replace it with autocorrect like I was stating an autocorrect entry. Let me know if these fit your needs and I can give detailed instructions on how to do either or.


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## caraewilton (Nov 7, 2007)

Why not just paste behind text.


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## jimr381 (Jul 20, 2007)

The Autotext and/or Autocorrect will place both the typed and handwritten scanned in image in there as well.


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## Cyps (Jan 3, 2006)

AcaCandy said:


> I'm going to join this thread
> 
> I have done the scanning of the signature, however, years ago, I had a 3rd party program that would let me imbed the signature over the signature line, leaving the signature line intact, you can't do this with the scanned picture....any ideas as to how to do something like that now?


Making the signature pic as a transparent Gif would achieve that.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

jimr381 said:


> With autotext you can have it place a typed and handwritten image signature that is scanned in as well. I sometimes help users with setting this up if they like it.  Typically I have them set it up with something like jimsig and have it replace it with autocorrect like I was stating an autocorrect entry. Let me know if these fit your needs and I can give detailed instructions on how to do either or.


Yes, detailed instructions would be good. With software like this, feel free to treat me like a 6 year old with the details 

Hopefully I'm not going to end up hijacking the original issue, but, instead help there as well.


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## caraewilton (Nov 7, 2007)

Hi guys.
With a little experimentation, a scanner and a little patience I have created a picture of a signature which I am able to insert above the signature line.

In order to achieve this took the following steps:

1.	Signed name on blank page
2.	Scanned signature using black and white settings
3.	Used The Gimp to remove white back ground
a.	Opened the signature file in The Gimp
b.	Used the fuzzy selector tool to select the white back ground
c.	Inverted the section using the [ctrl] + _ hotkey
d.	Opened a new picture using the acquire from clipboard option
e.	Saved the new signature as a *.gif
4.	Opened MS Word
5.	Wrote letter
6.	Inserted *.gif image
7.	Clicked on image and selected the In Front of Text text wrapping option
8.	Sized and positioned signature above the line

It looks pretty good and took about 10 minutes from start to finish._


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## jimr381 (Jul 20, 2007)

OK you will need to first Scan in your signature or hand write it out with the Handwriting recognition feature built into Office 2002+. To access the handwriting feature built into MS Office if you do not see the toolbar at the top of your screen you will go to "Tools">>"Speech" and then cancel out of the wizard. This will have a toolbar appear at the top of your window which will allow you to use the handwriting tools. From the toolbar select "Handwriting">>"Drawing Pad" and then write out your signature and click on the "Insert Drawing" button.(I personally think this is ugly, but some like using it)

Now that you have your handwritten signature in here you will want to type your name/title and closing line above or below the signature image. 

Select both the image and text that you want to use repeatedly then go to "Insert">>"Autotext">>"New" and then give the autotext a name like Jimssig. When you now type out Jimssig and hit enter it will replace it with the previously typed out text. 

Alternately you could setup an Autocorrect entry for the signature. To do this select the text and images go to "Tools">>"Autocorrect Options" and in the replace field type in something like jimssig and click on the "add" button. Now whenever you type in jimssig and hit the spacebar it will replace it with your signature as well.

Cara I was not trying to address scanning, I was trying to automate the process of inserting all of it quickly in a snap.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

jim, will your way make the signature appear like Cara's example? That is what I was really looking for. And will your automate procedure somehow work with the sig being super-imposed over the sig line....


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

caraewilton said:


> Hi guys.
> With a little experimentation, a scanner and a little patience I have created a picture of a signature which I am able to insert above the signature line.
> 
> In order to achieve this took the following steps:
> ...


_

What is gimp? 

And with this, I can just save that image and use it on anything else, right?_


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## jimr381 (Jul 20, 2007)

Aye it will be saved within the Normal.dot so any new word docs that you make will have to access to it. I will check out what she has done on Tuesday when I get back into work, since I cannot download files on this PC I am on at the moment.


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## caraewilton (Nov 7, 2007)

The Gimp is an opensource graphics editor. It can be downloaded from:
http://www.gimp.org/
Yes it work anywhere.


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## caraewilton (Nov 7, 2007)

I combined Jims idea into mine. Works perfectly! Thanks Jim, have a cool added feature to use with my letter writing now!


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Thanks to both of you  I already have my sig scanned in, so I should be a little ahead of the game


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

caraewilton said:


> I combined Jims idea into mine. Works perfectly! Thanks Jim, have a cool added feature to use with my letter writing now!


Awesome!  I can hardly wait to see if I can replicate it


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## bomb #21 (Jul 1, 2005)

@ Candy: do you think it's advisable for the attached zip to have a (presumably) genuine signature in?


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## caraewilton (Nov 7, 2007)

Good point, did not think of that


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## sammey19 (Jul 29, 2007)

jimr381 said:


> OK you will need to first Scan in your signature or hand write it out with the Handwriting recognition feature built into Office 2002+. To access the handwriting feature built into MS Office if you do not see the toolbar at the top of your screen you will go to "Tools">>"Speech" and then cancel out of the wizard. This will have a toolbar appear at the top of your window which will allow you to use the handwriting tools. From the toolbar select "Handwriting">>"Drawing Pad" and then write out your signature and click on the "Insert Drawing" button.(I personally think this is ugly, but some like using it)
> 
> Now that you have your handwritten signature in here you will want to type your name/title and closing line above or below the signature image.
> 
> ...


Thanks Thats allot of help!
Wow! I've never seen such a popular thread I've made!

!COOL!


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

You can mark the thread solved using the THREAD TOOLS drop down menu.

I think I'll give this a shot myself later today. Cara's instructions look easy enough that I might be able to follow them


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## jimr381 (Jul 20, 2007)

Np, if you have further questions feel free to post them.


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