Visual Form

Visual Form is the software platform created by Digiwrite to develop and supply applications and services based on  Anoto Pen & Paper technology. 

Initially developed only for internal use (to speed-up the development of applications by Digiwrite S.r.l.), it is now available also for commercial use (only for certified Anoto/Digiwrite partners):

- it offers a powerful ICR, integrating a ICR/OCR (ICR based on Vision Objects technology, for language and the Italian context) that enables an effective interpretation of the text whenever required;

- it offers a visual environment (Visual Form IDE) to graphically design the layout of forms and the associated application logic;

- it includes an integrated security system (users, pens, groups, privilege of access, etc.) controlled by the user through  Web or Intranet interface;

- it enables a “standard” treatment of transaction acquisition (producing graphic files and in XML format) without writing any code;

- it integrates and expands Anoto SDK releasing the user from “direct” control of pen related methods and gives the programmer a vast collection of objects to be personalized by the applications;

- by means of a customized component the operator can see what the system has received, elaborated (e.g. the reconstructed image) and interpreted data (highlighting any errors); furthermore it gives the enabled user the possibility of editing interpreted data (correcting any errors) confirming the transaction. All by means of a front-end accessible via Internet or Intranet;

- the system is potentially compatible with all management software on the market.

A quick insight into the logical flow of planning applications using Visual Form by Digiwrite:

Application planning

The designer uses Visual Form IDE to define the application “logic” (data to interpret, file formats, etc.); uses Visual Form Admin for defining the application, its use by users, pens as well as the enjoyment of the validation by the same users. The formulated data is memorized in the Visual Form database.

Custom logic planning, web applications and databases

The second planning stage deals with the analysis and development of the custom software components (DB, web application and servlet Java elaboration) using the support of Visual Form SDK.

Transactions and processing

The user sends the transaction via Anoto pen; the Visual Form Engine carries out qualification and security tests after which data processing begins identifying the requested application and refers to the database for the logic of the same (fields to be detected, type of ICR recognition, constrictions for transaction validity and files to produce). VF Engine completes its tasks by applying the specified defined logic in the Custom Logic Servlet. The result is a communication to the user of the transaction result (suspended, if compulsory data is missing, or completed) and, when positive, the generation of the XML file and foreseen images, as well as the memorization of the transaction in the Visual Form database. The updating of the custom database is carried out if required by the specific logic.

Data validation comes under the VF Module Checker interface.