Abstract: The visual form of data from a computer program is received and stored in a database. The visual form of the data may be received, for example, in response to a print operation by the computer program or by some other operation Such as a cut and paste sequence of operations or by sending the data to another application. The visual form of the data may be stored as a vector image that permits scalability. The visual form of the data may be stored with other identifying information or tags in the database to facilitate searching of the database. The data in the database may be encoded in a manner that ensures data integrity and that permits detection of when data has been compromised. In one embodiment, a service layer application is provided to control access to the database by performing encoding and decoding of the data in the database. The service layer may have an application programming interface that permits many applications to have access to the database.

Abstract: Data representing a visual form of data is received. The data including content data and format data indicating the manner in which the content data is to be visually represented. At least some of the content data is identified in accordance with a template, which includes one or more extraction instructions. The retrieved data may then be stored in the identified content data. Or, in response to the data, an action may be taken such as initiating a process. A template may be applied to several data files, storing visual forms of data and the information from those files may be stored in a database in association with the visual forms of data. A user may input an extraction instruction by visually identifying a region of a sample visual form of data and selecting a manner to extract the content data in reference to the identified region.