Dan Escapa has some posted some screenshots of the new OneNote Indexing Task Bar and looks like “Note Flags” have changed to “Tags”.

When I first used OneNote, I found the student template lacking. For each class, students have many different types of information. For example, we have homework, lectures notes, solutions, quizzes, tests, recitation notes, syllabus, handouts, etc. Most of this information can be organized in OneNote but is very difficult to do so in just one section. So, I decided to create my own template.

Each class gets its own notebook. Inside each notebook, I have a section for each type of information. The first section is the class syllabus where I highlight the grading criteria and test dates. The second section is for lecture notes. The third is for recitation. The fourth is for class handouts. A fifth tab is for example tests and solutions and I have a final tab for miscellaneous. Georgia Tech is a very technology orientated university and most information is online. Handouts, syllabus, example tests, etc are PDF documents and can simply be “printed” to OneNote.

This system works well for me because I know where everything is and can reach it in a few clicks instead of using the search feature. I am curious to know how others have tailored OneNote for themselves. Feel free to leave a comment about it.

After a few day, I was annoyed I couldn’t change the colors fasters or record the lectures faster. I wanted easier access to all the pens and audio recording settings. So I added two new toolbars and changed my layout.

First, I Pens Toolbar and moved it to the left side instead of the top. Second, I added the audio recording settings Toolbar and placed it below the Pens Toolbar. Screenshot below.

I like this layout because it suits my needs better. What do you think? Do you use different colors and audio notes as much as I do?

Here is Microsoft’s description of the patch:

“This update fixes an issue that occurs when you write with the pen on some touch screen devices. The pen stroke is visible only as long as the pen is touching the screen.”

The patch failed for me for some reason. My guesses are I have OneNote 2007 and OneNote 2003 installed or my touch screen device is not affected. Is anyone else having problems with the patch?

There is some sad new thought, Matt from Windows With Ink had been working on a blogging powertoy for OneNote. Because of the latest news, he won’t release it anymore. It was very sad to know that before he began his hard work, he contacted the Microsoft guys and they never told him about the planned feature.  I don’t blame the Microsoft guys because they were under confidentiality agreements. (Update: Matt wrote back and said he might finish the powertoy.  I encourage all reader to post on his blog and ask him to finish it.)

For all the information about the new feature, please read Chris Prately’s blog and Joe Friend’s blog.

Once I get my hands on Beta 2, I will write all about the new tool and post screenshots and screencasts of it (assuming I can under the non-disclosure aggrement). In the meantime, here are the screenshots from Joe Friend’s blog.

New Features:

• Full Screen Mode (Full Page View)
• Get more desktop real estate with the Full Page View. This view gets rid of everything on the sides and the bottom and keep the toolbars on top.
• Unfilled Notes
• Have random notes that aren’t filed yet? It’s ok, they are kept under “Unfilled Notes”
• Color Codes for OneNote 2003 and OneNote 2007 Notebooks
• In the previous OneNote 2007 Beta release, all notebooks were color coded. But now, only notebook created in OneNote 2007 are color coded. Imported notebooks are white.
• Screen Clipping Tool
• This screen clipping tool lets you clip from a previous windows and the screen clip is sent directly to OneNote 2007.
• Automatic and Manual Page Extend
• Pages can now be extended manually and/or automatically!

My thoughts:

Full Screen mode is amazing and I use it constantly. I don’t have to manually turn off toolbars to get more writing/typing space. I haven’t used the unfilled notes feature yet because I am having trouble understanding how to use it. The different color codes is nice and helps keep track out different notebooks, especially between OneNote 2003 and OneNote 2007.

The screen clipping tool is useful, but I have mixed feelings about it. You can only clip from a previous windows, not a window of your choosing or the desktop. I find the Tablet PC Snipping Tool more useful.

I am really glad the developers brought back the Manual Page Extend. One of the reasons I didn’t use OneNote 2007 a lot was the automatic page extend. I found it helpful, but it would “kick in” too late for my taste. I had to read a couple of inches from the bottom for it to extend. I like writing/typing near the top of page, not the bottom. What would be even better is if there was a way to the automatic page extend can learn your habits or if you can modify when it “kicks in.”

Coming Up: Screen cast of the New Features

Via: Office Rocker

I have the two-punch combination/curse of having a Tablet PC with OneNote. It is a two-punch combination because of the wow factor. I attended lecture and see plenty of laptops propped open. I whip out my Tablet PC, prop it open and twist the screen around and fold it back in. All of this happens in slow-motion (think bullet time in the Matrix). I instantly get the “Ooooohhs”, “Ahhhs”, and “Cools”. Macs, eat your heart out.

With the coolness established, I fire up OneNote and start writing notes, establishing the usefulness. I don’t say a word at all. I just pay attention to lecture and write my notes, while noticing some eyes on what I am doing. This is the two-punch combination. I push Tablet PCs and OneNote at the same time.

It is a curse because it helps fuel “The Myth”. The myth that you need a Tablet PC to use OneNote. My solution is using OneNote in Tablet mode and Notebook mode during lectures, so people can see the real benefits of OneNote.

After class, people ask me more about my computer and OneNote. Naturally, I am happy to run through a quick demo and answer common questions (handwriting, erasing, pen, etc). I always tell then enough and never bore them. I don’t come off as pushing and hold things back for next time. Next class, if they are interested, they ask me more questions and I let them have a spin with my Tablet PC.

• Created a few Outlook folders for different subjects and added to Favorites.
• When reading blog entries, either move to a folder or delete them.
• Created a “Blogs To Process” folder in OneNote with Sections matching the Outlook Folders.
• Use the Outlook2OneNote PowerToy to move them into a matching OneNote Section.
• Reduce the text block in OneNote to just the essentials I want.
• Either copy the whole page or just the text block to another Folder/Section.

I’m an information pack-rat and love to be able to pull up ideas, concepts, and tidbits about a subject to create the best overall solution/design. This process allows me to get to the core message on other’s posts and create a great brainstorming/leads list. Plus it still has the links to the original in case I need to review the full post.

Although this process can be done utilizing some of the other Browser or RSS PowerToys, moving them to the folder doesn’t interrupt my blog reading. I like the ability to save up the entries in the Outlook folder and bulk process them using Select All, instead of sending each one individually.