Accessing StringReader step results

Most StringReader step results are returned in arrays. Each string model contains an array of occurrences, including strings read. To access the results of a particular string, you must specify the string's StringModel and OccurrenceIndex. For example, the first string in the string model "Lot" could be found using StringReader.StringModels("Lot").StringsRead(1).FormattedString.

Typically, you access the results by displaying the outputs from the Link editor. In this example, the number of strings found in the string model is accessible like this:

At design-time, you can also use the Quick Evaluate pane to examine the value of a feature. To change the model or index of the feature you want to access, move the cursor over the item in parentheses, and when the cursor changes shape (from an arrow to a hand), click to pop up the selection box, as shown in the following illustration.

String formatting

Your results can be formatted in several ways. By selecting StringsRead(OccurrenceIndex).FormattedString, the results will include a space character between any characters that are separated by a space in the string. By selecting StringsRead(OccurrenceIndex).String, the results will not include any space characters, regardless of the existence of spaces in the string. By selecting StringReader.Text, the result will not be an array of strings, but rather a single string comprising all the strings in the image, including both space characters within strings and new line characters between strings.

The basic Results pane shows results established from all the strings found in the image. To see more granular results, use the Quick Evaluate pane.

String results.

The StringModels collection contains an array of the string models used to locate and read the strings. Each string model entry contains a StringsRead collection. The StringsRead collection is itself an array of objects, with each entry including information about a string read.

To create an array of the StringsRead collections from all string models, use FLATTEN(StringReader.StringModels, Item.StringsRead). To create an array of only the strings found across all string models, use FLATTEN(StringReader.StringModels, Item.StringsRead, SubItem.String).
Character results.

The Characters collection, found in the StringsRead collection, is an array of objects that contain information about the individual characters in one of the strings in the StringsRead collection. For example, to access the score of the first character found in the first string located using the "Lot" string model, use StringReader.StringModels("Lot").StringsRead(1).Characters(1).Score. The information in the Characters collection includes the specific character, the font, the homogeneity, the scale, the score, and the position of each detected character.