Converted Documents

  • Article

When you choose to convert a document, either through the user interface or programmatically, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 invokes the DocConversionLoadBalancerService service for the Web application. This service in turn invokes the appropriate DocConversionLauncherService service, which passes the document to the document converter. The document converter generates the converted copy. Office SharePoint Server 2007 retrieves the converted copy, processes it, and finally, places it in the same document library as the original file.

When processing the converted copy, Office SharePoint Server 2007 does the following:

  • Applies the applicable document metadata from the original source file to the converted copy. This includes the content type, version, and permissions information from the original.

    If the converted copy is a 2007 Microsoft Office system file format, Office SharePoint Server 2007 also demotes the appropriate document metadata into the converted copy itself.

  • Adds the following information to the converted copy’s metadata:

    • ParentID   A string that represents the name of the original file on which the converted copy is based.

    • ParentVersionID   An integer that represents the version number of the original file on which the converted copy is based.

    • Converter   The GUID of the document converter that generated the converted copy.

    The ParentID and ParentVersionID fields are columns that are actually included on each document library in Office SharePoint Server. However, the columns are hidden for document libraries in Web applications that do not have document converters enabled.

  • Places the converted copy into the same document library as the original file.

  • Optionally, sends alerts by e-mail to anyone specified to be notified.

  • Raises a transform list event that a document conversion has been performed.

You can edit and update converted copies in the same way you would any other document stored in a document library. However, making certain changes to the converted copy may affect its relationship to the original file from which it was generated. For more information, see Relationship Between Original and Converted Documents.

See Also

Concepts

Document Converters Overview
Document Converters
Custom Processing of Converted Documents