---
title: "Add New Form with Criteria - Lasernet 9 Training Form Engine"
slug: "add-new-form-with-criteria"
description: "In this exercise, you can learn how to add a new form, design a report by using XML as input data, and set up the required criteria to recognize the form."
tags: ["Form Editor", "Lasernet criterion"]
updated: 2026-03-06T08:35:37Z
published: 2026-03-06T08:35:37Z
canonical: "kb.lasernetgroup.com/add-new-form-with-criteria"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.lasernetgroup.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Add New Form with Criteria

**Applies to:** Lasernet 9

In this exercise, you can learn how to add a new form and design a report by using XML as input data. You are also to set up the required criterion/criteria to recognize the form.

The form criterion is used by the Form Engine to look for the key data in specific locations in the input data and recognize a form in the form list.

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> If no criteria are specified for a form, such a form is not processed.

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> This article describes a software version that is no longer supported. Although the software will no longer receive updates or technical support, existing documentation, such as this article, will be retained for reference purposes but will no longer be updated. If you have any questions, contact [Lasernet Support](https://support.lasernetgroup.com/new-ticket).

## Exercise

Download and import the attached configuration called **02. Add New Form with Criteria in Lasernet Developer 9**. Afterward, follow these steps listed:

1. On the **Tools** panel, click **Forms** to open a form area.
2. Click the **Add** button on the top toolbar.
3. Otherwise, you can drag the Form item to the form area.
4. As another alternative, you can right-click in the form area and then click **Add** in the context menu that appears.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/1627558550476.png)

1. Enter the name of the new form in the **Name** field.
2. Select **XML** as an input format.
3. Select **EMF** as an output format. Once you are done, click **Ok** to confirm changes.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/1627558549722.png)

1. Click the **Thumbnails** button to toggle viewing thumbnails or a list of forms.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/1627558549901.png)

1. Double-click the form named **Sample** to enter the design mode.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/1627558549597(1).png)

Before you can set up a new form, you are to open a grab file, which shows in the input view window of Lasernet Form Editor. A grab file contains the output data as delivered from the application for which you want to create a report.

1. On the **Form** menu, click **Select Grab File(s)**.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/image-QT65WLVA.png)

Browse for the directory on your computer where the relevant grab file is located. This is most likely the Grab subdirectory of your configuration.

1. Select the **Sample.xml** file located in the **Sample** folder, and then click **Open**.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/1627558550047.png)

You can set up a criterion in the input of Lasernet Form Editor by using the **Criterion** tool and selecting an XPath. You can also manually add a criterion with the help of the **Criteria** dialog. You can access this function by clicking **Criteria** on the **Form** menu.

1. On the Developer toolbar, select the **Criterion** tool to set up the first criterion. You can use one or several criteria, so the Form Engine can recognize and process a form.
2. Move the cursor to the **<FirstCriterion>** element and select the element itself or its value.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/1627558550787.png)

1. Accept the default settings for selected XPath, which is **Report**/**FirstCriterion**, as well as the match value, which is **Sample**. From the **Operators** drop-down box, you can select an operator needed to match a value. In this example, the contains operator is used.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/1627558549249.png)

1. Repeat step 10 – 12. Select **<SecondCriterion>**, which contains the **Lasernet** value.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/1627558549387.png)

1. Repeat step 10 – 12. Select **<ThirdCriterion>** and set the equal operator to match the **7** value.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/1627558549094.png)

1. The input view shows three objects, which are dark-grey highlighted, illustrating that the form contains three criteria to recognize the XML data.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/1627558550611.png)

1. To edit the criteria, click **Criteria** on the **Form** menu. Each criterion has a name defined by a letter that is used for a form expression. You can manually add new form criteria, edit the existing list, or manipulate items available in the list by moving each up or down. Ensure that the form expressions are listed in the expected order after moving a criterion up or down.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/1627558550170.png)

## Attachments

- [02.-Add-New-Form-with-Criteria(1).lnconfigx](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/02.-Add-New-Form-with-Criteria(1).lnconfigx)