How to convert a scanned document to text?

Does anyone know how we can scan a text document and then convert it from image format to text format? Like a software program that takes the image and extracts the text from it.

I need such a tool for a project I'm working on. Otherwise I'll have to type all those pages on the computer.

Can anyone help?

Thanks,

Ladan

 

The program you are after is called OCR [Optical character recognition]

My software came with my scanner, but there are many free ones out there:
http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=OCR+freeware&btnG=Search&meta=

 

Thank you!

 

yeah better you can use Abby Fine Reader

 

any idea which's the best OCR out there, antman? or one which can even scan documents with texts on both sides of the documents (like as in books/newspapers)?

 

I will recommend you Abby Fine Reader...

 

so, it can do all of the above? thanks briansamuels

 

you can use MS Office to convert too

 

Where in MS oFfice does OCR?

I use Nuance Omnipage. All OCR packages I've seen have crap interfaces particularly if you want to do bulk.

 

Go to your Start Menu > Microsoft Office > Office Tools > Document Imaging.

~ Ladan

 

Anyway, I think that ABBYY Fine Reader does the conversion much better.

 

Owh, I am being late to know this thread. ABBYY Fine Reader do much better. But, is there any other free software like that? because I've to do the non profit job. so that, the free stuff is good for me..