Using Windows XP > Pen and Ink

Add Ink to E-Mail Messages

Published: September 2, 2003
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SummarySummary
Configuring Microsoft Office XPConfiguring Microsoft Office XP
Adding Ink to an E-Mail MessageAdding Ink to an E-Mail Message
Formatting the Ink Writing and Drawing AreaFormatting the Ink Writing and Drawing Area
TipTip

Summary

Personalize your e-mail messages by adding handwritten words and drawings. With the Microsoft Office XP Pack for Tablet PC, you can now include ink in your Microsoft Outlook® 2002 e-mail messages.

First, set up Microsoft Outlook to insert ink in your e-mail messages. Then find out how to compose an e-mail message with ink. You can customize the ink writing and drawing area to suit your needs.

Configuring Microsoft Office XP

To send e-mail messages with ink, you must first install the Office XP Pack for Tablet PC from the Microsoft Download Center. You also need to set Microsoft Word as your e-mail editor.

To make Word your default e-mail editor in Outlook 2002

1.

On the Tools menu, tap Options, and then tap the Mail Format tab.

2.

In the message format area, check the box next to Use Microsoft Word to edit e-mail messages.

3.

Tap OK.

Adding Ink to an E-Mail Message

You can add ink to new e-mail messages, or reply to an e-mail message with an ink message.

To add ink to a new e-mail message

1.

On the shortcut bar, tap New. New button 

2.

Tap inside the body of the message where you would like to add ink.

3.

On the e-mail message toolbar, tap Insert Ink Drawing and Writing. Insert Ink Drawing and Writing button 

The writing and drawing area will appear in the body of the message. You can now draw or write in this area. You can also use the Ink toolbar to change your pen settings.

Handwritten e-mail message and ink toolbar

To include ink in an e-mail reply

1.

On the shortcut bar, tap Reply. Reply button 

2.

Tap inside the body of the message window where you would like to add ink.

3.

On the e-mail message toolbar, tap Insert Ink Drawing and Writing. Insert Ink Drawing and Writing button 

The writing and drawing area will appear in the body of the message. You can now draw or write in this area. You can also use the Ink toolbar to change your pen settings.

Handwritten e-mail message and ink toolbar

Formatting the Ink Writing and Drawing Area

The ink writing and drawing area is treated like any other picture. You can resize the area, change its horizontal alignment, and add a custom border.

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To resize the ink area, drag any of the blue handles Blue handles that appear around the edge of the ink area.

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To change the horizontal alignment of the ink area, first select the area. Then, on the Format menu, tap Paragraph, and on the Indents and Spacing tab, choose an alignment from the Alignment box.

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To add a custom border to the ink area, on the Format menu, tap Borders and Shading. From the Borders tab, you can adjust line settings, including style, color, and width.

Tip

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If the writing area loses focus, tap anywhere inside it to begin using ink again.

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E-mail messages containing ink can quickly become large files, taking up considerable hard disk space. To keep file size down, change your Outlook settings to save messages as HTML files. On the Microsoft Outlook Tools menu, tap Options, tap the Mail Format tab, and then select HTML in the Compose in this message format box.