Methods and apparatus for comparing blank forms represented in a digital
format to digitized filled-in forms are described. Different errors are
attributed different weights when attempting to correlate regions of
blank and filled-in forms. Foreground pixels in the blank form which are
not found in a corresponding portion of a filled-in form are attributed
greater error significance than foreground pixels, e.g., pixels which may
correspond to added text, found in the filled-in form which correspond to
a background pixel value in the blank form. A virtual filled-in form
including content, e.g., pixel values, from the filled-in form is
generated from the content of the filled-in form and pixel value location
mapping information determined from comparing the blank and filled-in
forms. Various analysis is performed on a block basis, but in some
embodiments the final pixel mapping to the virtual form is performed on a
pixel by pixel rather than a block basis.