Override screen keyboard in Windows 8 to get an image instead of text from pen input

Question

I need to get an image not text from what user writes with his pen (finger) on screen keyboard in Windows 8, just like this:

http://blogs.msdn.com/cfs-filesystemfile.ashx/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-43-49-metablogapi/6560.image19_5F00_60633FC8.png

The purpose for that is, that I need to ask user to put his sign, then get its .bmp/.png/.whatever image, and send it to an image recognizer to authenticate the user.

Is it possible to programmatically override pen input in Windows 8 and get image as the result of user input?

Answer 1

The on-screen keyboard only ever returns text, even in pen modes. That's how it can interoperate with Notepad, for example.

If you are working in windows8 desktop then you can simply use an InkCanvas. see http://blogs.msdn.com/b/bsinghal/archive/2007/12/11/wpf-using-the-inkcanvas-control.asp

You may also wish to try the ink sample for Metro apps http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/windowsapps/Input-simplified-ink-sample-11614bbf