Make a digital version of your signature
THE free Preview program included with Mac OS X has always been useful for tasks like opening and displaying photos and PDF files.
The latest version of Preview for Mac OS X 10.7 adds a few features to the dependable little program, including the ability to snap a picture of your handwritten signature with the Mac’s webcam — a signature you can later embed into PDF files.
To make a digital version of your John Hancock, sign your name clearly in ink on a small piece of white paper. Next, open the Preview program, which is in the Mac’s Applications folder (if you do not see it in the Dock). Under the Preview menu, choose Preferences. In the Preferences box, click the Signatures tab.
Follow the instructions on the screen and hold up the paper with your hand-scrawled signature, so that the Mac’s camera can capture the image. Click the Accept button when you have snapped a satisfactory shot of the signature.
Later, when you want to use the signature to sign PDF forms electronically, click the pencil icon at the top of the Preview window to turn on the Annotations toolbar. Select your scribble from the Signatures pop-up menu and then click in the part of the document you want to sign.
Apple has more information on other Mac OS X 10.7 Preview features at support.apple.com/kb/
HT2506. — NYT