Discussion: OCAD on Windows 8 tablet

I am considering buying a tablet with mapping as the main purpose.

I am wondering whether it is possible to use a stylus pen to draw lines features etc. directly on the screen in OCAD on a Windows 8 tablet.

I guess you would have to use the freehand mode in OCAD to do that, but I am concerned that it would not work as using OCAD with a mouse and cursor you have to click - then release - then move around and then click again to draw a line following the movement of the cursor.

In e.g. MS paint you just click -- hold -- then move around to draw, without releasing the mouse button and I would guess that would be the equivalent of touching the screen with a stylus pen.

Does anyone have any experience with the use of OCAD on a tablet and especially manual drawing of lines with the pen?
Am I right with my concern?
Is it possible to fix it so that it works by some setting -- e.g. that a touch with the pen corresponds to a "click and release" ?

I know Open Orienteering Mapper have a freehand mode working just like MS paint, but I would prefer using OCAD if it is possible.

Any feedback is highly appreciated

It is possible, most mappers I know use win8 or win7 tablets with wacom style active stylus, And have been usin for years now. As far as I know they draw bezier curves like with mouse (push pen down +drag + release).

Ok, thank you :-)
My question is however if it is possible to draw it lines etc. "manually" with the freehand tool; not with the bezier tool. Do you know?

A little background: I have been using mobile computers and Ocad back to Window 98. I used the VIA wearable computer until Windows 7
Most recently used
Kupa Tablet with Windows 7
Acer table with Windows 8
Currently using Dell Venue 8 with Bluetooth mouse and GPS
The answer to your question about using Freehand mode is yes. Not quite sure why you would want to used Freehand since it leaves a point location every time you change direction. There is an option in Ocad preference to convert Freehand to Bezier curve.
You can draw nice Bezier curve lines directly on the screen with both a pen and a Bluetooth mouse
Tablets:
Since Windows 8 a number of tablets have come on the market. The 8 inch tablets are a convenient size while being light weight. The tablet should have Bluetooth capability for used with a mouse and GPS.
SD Card: The smaller tablets often have a microSD card. It is a convenient device for transferring files between the tablet and a desktop computer. Lately I just left the Ocad file on the micorSD card. Putting it in the tablet while in the field and hooking it up with SD card carrier when working on the desktop. This eliminated doing the transfer of files and having multiple versions of the map file.
Tablet Pens: There are a variety of tablet pens available. To do tablet mapping you need to use one of the fine point units not one of the wide fuzzy style ones. The pen should also have buttons for right and left clicking. Often the pens are unique to the particular tablet.
Mouse: A Bluetooth Mouse works beautifully with Ocad. You can move the Bluetooth mouse on your pant leg. A trick I learned from a European mapper.
Another option is to Velcro the tablet to board/sheet or plexiglass. The tablet can be in the upper left corner and a section of the mylar covered basemap can be mounted on the right side of the board. (Note- I am right-hand) With this method you can draw on the both the tablet and the basemap with pencils. The board also provides a surface for operating the Bluetooth mouse.
Ocad and GPS
Ocad 11 Standard has all the functions to do Mobile mapping. Prior to Ocad 11 the GPS function was only available in the Professional version. LiDAR is also incorporated in Ocad 11 Standard.
For mapping linear features like trails, stream and vegetation boundaries you can use your GPS track.

Ocad 8 standard had GPS function.

A professional mapper who stayed with me a couple of times in the past year decided to switch to using a tablet this summer. He was initially frustrated by the inability to make short-distance moves using the stylus. I can't remember what the exact problem was, maybe trying to select a particular object or something, but it was a big problem for him. I suggested that he try a cordless mouse and loaned him one. He was very skeptical, but was willing to take it out to the forest the next day and try. On his way home, he stopped at the store and bought one for himself. As mentioned above, he uses it on the thigh of his pants and it apparently works great.

I have a Win8 tablet and I got it to use with Open Orienteering Mapper. But OOM doesn't have active stylus support, so I really haven't used it much as I wanted to. If you're going to use OOM, it's better to use an Android tablet for fieldwork.

I need to try a cordless mouse.

I am bit confused by Pink Socks comment. Isn't OOM the same on a Win8 tablet and an Android tablet? How would an Android tablet be better for fieldwork?

A stylus pen would work fine on OOM on both Win8 and Android, right? It's just the extra features (right/left click etc) that wouldn't. Am I right?

Isn't OOM the same on a Win8 tablet and an Android tablet?

No. There are two versions of OOM. One is optimized for drafting on a desktop, and uses Windows/Mac. One is optimized for fieldwork on a tablet, and uses Android.

A stylus pen would work fine on OOM on both Win8 and Android, right?

I can't speak for OOM on Android, since I don't have that. But I do have a Win8 tablet (Dell Venue 8 Pro) and an active stylus. I can get the stylus to work on pretty much all apps and programs, except for OOM (nothing works: buttons, pen). I don't have a passive stylus for it, but I can't imagine that it wouldn't work, since it would essentially be replacing my fat fingers.