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Forms on CD-ROM

Frequently Asked Questions

What are forms on CD-ROM?

Why should I send in the registration form for my book?

I have a question about my forms on CD-ROM product. Where do I start?

How do I install or copy files from the Forms CD?

What file formats are these forms in?

Why do the word processing forms on the Forms CD look different from the samples in the book?

How do I open and fill out the word processing form files?

When I double click a form file, it opens in a word processor I don't want to use. What should I do?

How do I open and fill out PDF form files?

How do I open and fill out the spreadsheets?

What technical support is available from Nolo?

What are forms on CD-ROM?

Some Nolo books come with a CD-ROM that contains forms discussed in the book. The forms are usually in one of three different formats: Rich Text Format, Portable Document Format, or spreadsheet format. For more on these formats, see "What file formats are these forms in?" (below).

Why should I send in the registration form for my book?

To receive technical support of any kind, you need to register your product. If you purchased your book directly from Nolo.com, you are already registered.

I have a question about my forms on CD-ROM product. Where do I start?

Start with the README.HTM file included on each Forms CD. This file may answer your question. To view the README.HTM file, follow these instructions:
- Windows:
  1. On your PC's desktop, double-click the My Computer icon.
  2. Right-click the icon for the CD-ROM drive the Forms CD was inserted into.
  3. Select "Open."
  4. Double click the file README.HTM.
- Macintosh:
  1. On your Mac desktop, double-click the icon for the Forms CD that you inserted.
  2. Double-click on the file README.HTM.
Look at the instructions in the book the Forms CD came with. (Instructions on how to use the CD are usually found in the appendix.)
If you have a question about your word processor, spreadsheet program, or Adobe Reader, consult the documentation that came with these products -- do not ask Nolo's Technical Support staff.

How do I install or copy files from the Forms CD?

Windows

After inserting the Forms CD into your CD-ROM drive, follow the instructions that appear on your screen. If you don't see the "Welcome" screen when you insert the CD-ROM, double click the My Computer icon with the CD in the drive. Then double click your CD-ROM drive icon. If you still don't see the "Welcome" screen, select "Start > Run" and enter "D:\welcome".

Macintosh

Close the Forms CD window if it is open.
Click on the Forms CD icon and drag it to the location on your computer where you'd like to copy it.
Read the message and if you want to go ahead, click "OK."

What file formats are these forms in?

Nolo Forms CDs include forms in at least one of the file formats described below. You can tell what format a file is in by the three-letter extension after the period in the file name. In the following descriptions, the extensions are the capital letters that appear in parentheses.

Rich Text Format (RTF) -- these files can be read by most recent word processing programs, including all versions of Microsoft Word, WordPad for Windows and recent versions WordPerfect.
Portable Document Format (PDF) -- these files can only be read if you have Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 or higher. You can download Adobe Reader for free from www.adobe.com. Some files in this format cannot be filled in using your computer -- you'll need to print them out and complete them by hand or with a typewriter.
Spreadsheet (XLS) -- these files can be opened and completed with Microsoft's Excel or another spreadsheet program that "understands" XLS files.

Why do the word processing forms on the Forms CD look different from the samples in the book?

We've kept the general format of the form files as simple as possible to allow for viewing and editing across as many word processing programs as possible. You can add formatting yourself using your word processor. Refer to your word processor's help for instructions on how to do so -- do not ask Technical Support staff.

How do I open and fill out the word processing form files?

Step 1: Opening a File

Windows users can open a file by selecting its "shortcut" as follows: (1) Click the Windows "Start" button; (2) open the "Programs" subfolder; (3) open the appropriate forms subfolder (refer to your book's appendix for the name of the forms folders); and (4) click the shortcut to the form you want to work with.

Both Windows and Macintosh users can open a file directly by double clicking it. Use My Computer or Windows Explorer (Windows), or the Finder (Macintosh), to go to the folder you installed or copied the Forms CD's files to. Then, double click the file you want to open. Note: If double clicking the file does not open it in the word processor you want to use to edit or print the file, you can open the file directly from your preferred word processor, as explained in the next paragraph.

You can also open a file from within your word processor. To do this, start your word processor, then select "File > Open." Use the Open dialog box to navigate to where the form files were installed and select the file you want. If these directions are unclear, consult your word processor's help system.

Step 2: Editing Your Document

Fill in the form according to the instructions and sample agreements in the book. Underlines indicate where to enter your information, frequently with instructions in brackets. Delete the underlines and instructions from your completed document.

Step 3: Printing Your Document

Use your word processor's "File > Print" command to print your document.

Step 4: Saving Your Document

After filling in the form, use the "Save As" command to save and rename the file. Because all the files are "read-only," you will not be able to use the "Save" command. (This is to prevent you from accidentally overwriting the original files.)

When I double click a form file, it opens in a word processor I don't want to use. What should I do?

If double clicking the file opens a word processor that's not the one you want to use to edit or print the file, open the file directly from your preferred word processor. Here's how:

Start the word processor you want to use.
Select "File > Open."
Use the Open dialog box to navigate to where the form files were installed and select the file you want.

How do I open and fill out PDF form files?

Step 1: Opening a File

You can also open a file from within Adobe Reader. To do this, start Adobe Reader, then select "File > Open." Use the Open dialog box to navigate to where the form files were installed and select the PDF file you want.

Step 2: Filling in Your Form

If the form has fill-in text fields, navigate from field to field using your mouse or the Tab key. Type in the information requested.

Forms without fill-in fields must be completed by hand or typewriter after you have printed them out.

Step 3: Printing Your Document

Use Adobe Reader's "File > Print" command to print your document.

Step 4: Saving Your Document

Some PDF forms are enabled with "document rights" that allow you to save your filled-in form to your hard disk. When you open these forms in Reader, you'll see a document rights message box if this feature is available. If you are using an earlier version of Adobe Reader, you will be prompted to download a newer version that will allow you to save.

You will not be able to save forms that do not have document rights enabled, but you can still print out completed versions of these forms.

Use Adobe Reader's "Save As" command to save and rename the file. Because all the form files are "read-only," you will not be able to use the "Save" command. (This is to prevent you from accidentally overwriting the original PDF files.)

How do I open and fill out the spreadsheets?

Step 1: Opening a File

Both Windows and Macintosh users can open a spreadsheet file directly by double clicking it. Use My Computer or Windows Explorer (Windows), or the Finder (Macintosh), to go to the folder you installed or copied the Forms CD's files to. Then, double click the file you want to open. Note: If double clicking the file does not open it in the spreadsheet program you want to use to edit or print the file, you can open the file directly from your preferred spreadsheet program , as explained in the next paragraph.

You can also open a file from within your spreadsheet program by starting your spreadsheet program and selecting "File > Open." Use the Open dialog box to navigate to where the form files were installed and select the spreadsheet file you want.

Step 2: Editing the Spreadsheet

While filling in the spreadsheets, consult the instructions, sample spreadsheets, and CD-Rom appendix in the book for help. Some spreadsheets are created to perform automatic calculations as you fill the cells.

Step 3: Printing Your Document

Use your spreadsheet program’s "Print" command to print out your document.

Step 4: Saving Your Document

After filling in the spreadsheet, use the "Save As" command to save and rename the file. Because all the files are "read-only," you will not be able to use the "Save" command. (This is to prevent you from accidentally overwriting the original files.)

Each spreadsheet program uses different commands to open, format, save, and print documents. For specific instructions on performing these tasks, consult the program's help files.

What technical support is available from Nolo?

Contact Nolo's Technical Support if:

Your computer can't read the Forms CD, but can read other CD-ROMs.
A file that should be on the Forms CD is not there.

Nolo will be happy to replace a Forms CD if it is defective. We are not able to answer questions about opening and editing files with specific word processing or spreadsheet programs. For this kind of help, please consult your program's help file or contact its manufacturer.

Nolo's Technical Support staff cannot answer legal questions.