OCR to text account key - what is that?

[mahakala_]

Hi I am trying to use flow with powerapps to get OCR to text functionality.  While building out in flow, I added the Computer Vision API for the OCR to text, and one of the fields is an account key.  I am not sure what that is.  I am using a trial version of of powerapps, so I am guessing I need a license for the OCR?  Can someone please help.   My canvas app will take a picture I have taken with the phone, and it will convert the numbers in the image into text.  I am trying to go through flow to do it.  If you have other suggestions please advise. Thanks.

[PaulD1]

Yes, just as you need to get an API key to use Azure Cognitive Services, you need an API key to use Azure Blob Storage.

Blob Storage is cheap (cents per month) for the sort of capacity you will use creating a demo and even for larger quantities works out pretty efficient (plus for a scenario such as this, you can just delete the files once processed keeping the storage costs minimal, add an action in Flow to do that).

Sequence is:
1. PowerApps - save to Blob storage (with given path/file name - can use GUID() to generate unique file name

2. PowerApps - call Flow passing in your path/file name

3. Flow performs OCR to Text on given path/file name, returns value (The OCRd text) to PowerApps

In my sample code, UploadedImageDetect is my Add Picture control and TextFromBlob is my Flow which returns the parameter OCRText.

[mahakala_]

Hi @PaulD1 ,

I am trying the free blob storage in azure as well as OCR.  I added the blob storage as a data source in powerapps and I am able to upload images into blob storage.  Initially i didn't realize I had to actually create the folder 'imagetest' in blob storage, so now after doing so I am seeing the image being uploaded to it.   So the first half of the code you provided me worked:

AzureBlobStorage.CreateBlockBlob(
"imagetest",
"mytest1.jpg",
UploadedImage2.Image
);

/*

Set(
varOCRtext,
TextFromBlob.Run("imagetest/mytest1.jpg").OCRText
)

*/

However when I uncommented the second part of the code, it gave me an error:  "Incompatible type.  We can't evaluate your formula because the context variable types are incompatible with the types of values in other places in your app."  It seems to be pointing to the UploadedImage2.Image:

Also I am getting an error in the label text where I point it to varOCRtext.  The error is "Name isn't valid.  This identifier isn't recognized.  This error appears most commonly when a formula refers to something that no longer exists (for example, a control that you've deleted)."  This is odd because this is the only screen that is using this context variable.  Could my flow set up be messing this up?  Thanks.

[mahakala_]

Hi @JoeF-MSFT ,

Sorry for getting back to you late.  But I am currently trying the azure ocr again.  I will try the article that you have suggested once I am finished testing azure.  Thank you for your help.  

[mahakala_]

Hi @PaulD1 ,

Just to add on to the last message I sent you, I think the error message I was getting: 'Incompatible type. We can't evaluate your formula because the context variable types are incompatible with the types of values in other places in your app.' from the expression:  

Set(
varOCRtext,
TextFromBlob.Run("imagetest/mytest1.jpg").OCRText
)

This error could be because I have set up my flow incorrectly?  And as a result, the expression TextFromBlob.Run("imagetest/mytest1.jpg").OCRText is not returning a text?  Just in case this is the case I want to show you a screen shot of my flow:

Thanks, Hope you can help me.  

[mahakala_]

Hi @JoeF-MSFT ,

I have been using flow, along with azure's OCR api to build the OCR to text functionality in powerapps.  And in the flow, I have been using the Respond to a PowerApp action, and it has worked for me.  However, this does not seem to work while building the flow through solutions.  Here is what I have:

I am not sure what value to respond with in the respond to powerapp action.   In the regular flow that I had working, I respond with a detected text seen below:

My second half of the question is, how does powerapps canvas see this solution flow even if everything is set up correctly?  I have dug up some documentation, and some mention that I can import solutions programmatically by using the ImportSolutionRequest message.  Sorry as I am a powerapp beginner, I can follow the flow and i can understand you can associate controls with flows, but I can't seem to figure out how to associate with the solution that is built.  Hope you can help. Thanks.

[JoeF-MSFT]

Hi @mahakala_ ,

To your first question, try using the following experssion: items('Apply_to_each_2')?['text']

To your second question what you can do is export the flow from the solution and import it again but outside a solution. 

[mahakala_]

Hi @JoeF-MSFT ,

Thanks for your response, but unfortunately the expression items('Apply_to_each_2')?['text'] did not work.  When saving the flow I am getting the error:  Flow save failed with code 'InvalidWorkflowRunAction' and message 'The workflow run action 'Respond_to_a_PowerApp_or_flow' has type 'Response' that could not be nested under an action of type 'foreach'.'.

On the other hand, I was able to export the solution and import it as a flow, so thank you for that. 

And while I am still trying to find out how to respond back to flow with this, I am also trying to find out how to connect and initiate this flow from powerapps.  The article that you provided me show the flow that started as a manual trigger to upload an image.  I want to upload the image from powerapps.  I was able to do that with @PaulD1 implementation of the OCR to text version going through flow and using azure api.  In this scenario using the AI builder solution as a flow is a little different.  How would I invoke it from powerapps if I am using an 'add picture' control to upload to flow to convert OCR to text?  Thank You. 

[JoeF-MSFT]

Hi @mahakala_ ,

Thanks for sharing a screenshot. The error is telling us that we cannot put the 'Respond to a Power App action' on an applied to each loop. 

What you can do is save each line in an array variable and return that variable back to Power Apps outside the loop.