Take the following steps to start a project and to add some code that creates a set of master forms and uses them to recognize and process a form using LEADTOOLS High Level Forms Interface:

1. Start Visual Studio .NET.
2. Choose File->New->Project... from the menu.
3. In the New Project dialog box, choose either "Visual C# Projects" or "Visual Basic Projects" in the Projects Type List, and choose "Windows Application" in the Templates List.
4. Type the project name as "Recognizing and Process a Form (High Level)" in the Project Name field, and then choose OK. If desired, type a new location for your project or select a directory using the Browse button, and then choose OK.
5. Add the following lines at the top of the Form1.cs/Form1.vb file:

   [C#]

   
   using Leadtools;
   using Leadtools.Codecs;
   using Leadtools.Forms;
   using Leadtools.Forms.Ocr;
   using Leadtools.Forms.Recognition;
   using Leadtools.Forms.Auto
   using System.IO; 
   

   [Visual Basic]

   
   Imports Leadtools
   Imports Leadtools.Codecs
   Imports Leadtools.Forms
   Imports Leadtools.Forms.Ocr Imports
   Leadtools.Forms.Recognition
   Imports Leadtools.Forms.Auto
   Imports System.IO
   

6. Add the following members to the Form1 class:

   [C#]

   
   //Create the Auto Forms Engine
   AutoFormsEngine autoEngine;
   RasterCodecs formsCodec;
   //Create a collection of OCR Engines
   List<IOcrEngine> ocrEngines;
   //Create the repository of master forms
   DiskMasterFormsRepository formsRepository
   string myDocumentsDir;
   

   [Visual Basic]

   
   'Create the Auto Forms Engine
   Dim autoEngine As AutoFormsEngine
   Dim formsCodec As RasterCodecs
   'Create a collection of OCR Engines
   Dim ocrEngines As List(Of IOcrEngine)
     'Create the repository of master forms
   Dim formsRepository As DiskMasterFormsRepository
   Dim myDocumentsDir As String 
   

7. Add the following code to the Load event of the form (Form1_Load()):

   [C#]

   
   try  
   { 
       RasterSupport.Unlock(RasterSupportType.OcrPlus, "Enter valid key here");
       RasterSupport.Unlock(RasterSupportType.Forms, "Enter valid key here");
       RasterSupport.Unlock(RasterSupportType.Document, "Enter valid key here");
       RasterCodecs.Startup(); 
   
       formsCodec = new RasterCodecs();
    
   //Create an OCR Engine for each processor on the machine. This 
   //allows for optimal use of thread during recognition and processing.
       ocrEngines = new List<IOcrEngine>();
           for (int i = 0; i < 1; i++)
           {
               ocrEngines.Add(OcrEngineManager.CreateEngine(OcrEngineType.Plus, false));
               ocrEngines[i].Startup(null,null,null,null);
           }
       myDocumentsDir = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.MyDocuments);
   
    //Point repository to directory with existing master forms 
       formsRepository = new DiskMasterFormsRepository(formsCodec, Path.Combine(myDocumentsDir, @"LEADTOOLS Images\Forms\MasterForm Sets\OCR"));
       autoEngine = new AutoFormsEngine(formsRepository, ocrEngines, null, AutoFormsRecognitionManager.Default | AutoFormsRecognitionManager.Ocr, 30, 80, true);           
    } 
    catch (Exception ex) 
    { 
       MessageBox.Show(ex.Message); 
    } 
   

   [Visual Basic]

   
   Try
    RasterSupport.Unlock(RasterSupportType.OcrPlus, "Enter valid key here")
    RasterSupport.Unlock(RasterSupportType.Forms, "Enter valid key here")
    RasterSupport.Unlock(RasterSupportType.Document, "Enter valid key here")
   
    RasterCodecs.Startup()
    formsCodec = New RasterCodecs()
   
                 'Create an OCR Engine for each processor on the machine. This 
                 'allows for optimal use of thread during recognition and processing.
    ocrEngines = New List(Of IOcrEngine)()
    For i As Integer = 0 To 0
     ocrEngines.Add(OcrEngineManager.CreateEngine(OcrEngineType.Plus, False))
     ocrEngines(i).Startup(Nothing,Nothing,Nothing,Nothing)
    Next i
                 myDocumentsDir = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.MyDocuments)
   
                'Point repository to directory with existing master forms 
                 formsRepository = New DiskMasterFormsRepository(formsCodec, Path.Combine(myDocumentsDir, "LEADTOOLS Images\Forms\MasterForm Sets\OCR"))
                 autoEngine = New AutoFormsEngine(formsRepository, ocrEngines, Nothing, AutoFormsRecognitionManager.Default Or AutoFormsRecognitionManager.Ocr, 30, 80, True)
   
                 Catch ex As Exception
    MessageBox.Show(ex.Message)
               End Try
            

8. LEADTOOLS ships several sample master and filled forms which we will use for this tutorial. The path to the images is hard-coded to the default install location so if you chose another path, you will need to change it accordingly. Add a button to the form and set its Text property to "Recognize and Process Form" then double-click it and add the following code to its handler:

   [C#]

   
   try
   {
       //For this tutorial, we will use the sample W9 sample filled form.
      string resultMessage = "Form not recognized";
      string formToRecognize = Path.Combine(myDocumentsDir, @"LEADTOOLS Images\Forms\Images\W9_OCR_Filled.tif");
   
       //Run the recognition and processing
      AutoFormsRunResult runResult = autoEngine.Run(formToRecognize, null);
      if (runResult != null)
      {
         FormRecognitionResult recognitionResult = runResult.RecognitionResult.Result;
         resultMessage = String.Format("This form has been recognized as a {0} with {1} confidence.", runResult.RecognitionResult.MasterForm.Name, recognitionResult.Confidence);
      }
   
      MessageBox.Show(resultMessage, "Recognition Results");
      ShowProcessedResults(runResult);  
   }
   
   catch (Exception ex)
   {
         MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
   }
                   

   [Visual Basic]

   
   Try
     'For this tutorial, we will use the sample W9 sample filled form.
     Dim resultMessage As String = "Form not recognized"
     Dim formToRecognize As String = Path.Combine(myDocumentsDir, "LEADTOOLS Images\Forms\Images\W9_OCR_Filled.tif")
   
     'Run the recognition and processing
     Dim runResult As AutoFormsRunResult = autoEngine.Run(formToRecognize, Nothing)
   
     If Not runResult Is Nothing Then
        Dim recognitionResult As FormRecognitionResult = runResult.RecognitionResult.Result
        resultMessage = String.Format("This form has been recognized as a {0} with {1} confidence.", runResult.RecognitionResult.MasterForm.Name, recognitionResult.Confidence)
     End If
   
     MessageBox.Show(resultMessage, "Recognition Results")
     ShowProcessedResults(runResult)
   
   Catch ex As Exception
     MessageBox.Show(ex.Message)
               End Try
                  

9. Add the following function to the class:

   [C#]

   
   private void ShowProcessedResults(AutoFormsRunResult runResult)
   {
            if (runResult == null)
               return;
   
            string resultsMessage = String.Empty;
            try
        {
               foreach (FormPage formPage in runResult.FormFields)
          {
                  foreach (FormField field in formPage)
            {
                     if (field != null)
              {
                        resultsMessage = String.Format("{0}{1} = {2}{3}",
                                                          resultsMessage,
                                                              field.Name,
                              (field.Result as TextFormFieldResult).Text,
                                                     Environment.NewLine);
              }
             }
            }
           }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
               MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
            }
            if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(resultsMessage))
               MessageBox.Show("No fields were processed", "Field ProcessingResults");
            else
               MessageBox.Show(resultsMessage, "Field ProcessingResults");
    } 
                   

   [Visual Basic]

   
   Private Sub ShowProcessedResults(ByVal runResult As AutoFormsRunResult)
      If runResult Is Nothing Then
         Return
      End If
   
      Dim resultsMessage As String = String.Empty
      Try
         For Each formPage As FormPage In runResult.FormFields
            For Each field As FormField In formPage
               If Not field Is Nothing Then
                  resultsMessage = String.Format("{0}{1} = {2}{3}", resultsMessage, field.Name, (CType(IIf(TypeOf field.Result Is TextFormFieldResult, field.Result, Nothing), TextFormFieldResult)).Text, Environment.NewLine)
               End If
   
            Next field
         Next formPage
      Catch ex As Exception
         MessageBox.Show(ex.Message)
      End Try
   
      If String.IsNullOrEmpty(resultsMessage) Then
         MessageBox.Show("No fields were processed", "Field ProcessingResults")
      Else
         MessageBox.Show(resultsMessage, "Field ProcessingResults")
      End If
   End Sub
                   

10. Add the following clean-up code to the FormClosing event handler:

    [C#]

    
    RasterCodecs.Shutdown();
    foreach (IOcrEngine ocrEngine in ocrEngines)
    {
        if (ocrEngine != null && ocrEngine.IsStarted)
        ocrEngine.Shutdown();
    }
                

    [Visual Basic]

    
    RasterCodecs.Shutdown()
    For Each ocrEngine As IOcrEngine In ocrEngines
       If Not ocrEngine Is Nothing AndAlso ocrEngine.IsStarted Then
          ocrEngine.Shutdown()
       End If
    Next ocrEngine
                   

11. Run the project and test it. Click the "Recognize and Process Form" button which will load a sample form image, recognize and process it, and display the results.