4.13 Understanding and Configuring Document Conversions with OpenOffice

Kablink Vibe uses the OpenOffice converter to perform document conversions. Documents undergo two types of conversions:

  • Word conversion when they are first added to the Vibe site

  • HTML conversion when they are viewed as HTML from the Vibe site

If the OpenOffice converter is crashing with certain file types during either of the conversion processes, you can exclude the problematic file types from being indexed to the Vibe site or viewed as HTML from the Vibe site.

4.13.1 Configuring Which File Formats Can Be Viewed as HTML

Many file formats in Kablink Vibe can be viewed as HTML by default, as described in Viewing the File in HTML Format in the Kablink Vibe 4.0.1 User Guide. File formats that can be viewed as HTML by default are: .123, .bmp, .db, .doc, .docx, .dotm, .drw, .dxf, .htm, .html, .lwp, .odf, .odf, .odp, .ods, .odt, .pct, .ppt, .pptx, .prz, .qpw, .rtf, .sdw, .shw, .sxw, .tif, .txt, .vsd, .wpd, .xls, .xlsx, .sxi

Some file formats cannot be viewed as HTML by default. This is because the quality of these files is lessened when viewed as HTML. However, if you choose, you can enable non-default file formats to be viewed as HTML.

Not all file formats can be enabled to be viewed as HTML in Vibe, but many can be. If you are unsure whether Vibe supports a particular file format to be viewed as HTML, try it and see. Kablink Vibe provides a significantly smaller set of formats that can be converted than Novell Vibe.

You can enable additional file formats to be viewed as HTML during the Vibe installation, as described in Installing and Setting Up a Basic Vibe Site in the Kablink Vibe 4 Installation Guide.

4.13.2 Excluding File Types from Being Indexed or Displaying as HTML

If the OpenOffice converter is crashing with certain file types during either of the conversion processes, you can restrict the problematic file types from being converted.

In order to determine if the OpenOffice converter is crashing during word conversion or HTML conversion, you need to carefully examine the server log file. After you determine where OpenOffice is crashing, continue with the appropriate section:

Excluding File Types from Being Indexed to the Vibe Site

IMPORTANT:Performing the following procedure causes the file types that you specify to be excluded from searches performed in Vibe.

  1. Change to the following directory:

    Linux:

    		 
    /opt/novell/teaming/apache-tomcat/
                           webapps/ssf/WEB-INF/classes/config

    Windows:

    		 
    c:\Program Files\Novell\Teaming\apache-tomcat\
                           webapps\ssf\WEB-INF\classes\config

  2. Open the ssf.properties file in a text editor.

  3. Search for the following line:

    exclude.from.openoffice.indexing.extensions=

  4. Make a backup copy of the ssf-ext.properties file, which is located in the same directory as the ssf.properties file.

  5. Open the ssf-ext.properties file in a text editor.

  6. Copy the exclude.from.openoffice.indexing.extensions= line from the ssf.properties file to the bottom of the ssf-ext.properties file.

  7. Add the file types that are causing OpenOffice to crash to be the value of this property. For example, exclude.from.openoffice.indexing.extensions=.pptx,.odf

  8. Save and close the ssf-ext.properties file.

  9. Close the ssf.properties file without saving it.

  10. Stop and restart Vibe.

Excluding File Types from Being Displayed in HTML

You can display files in HTML view as described in Viewing the File in HTML Format in Working with Folder Entries in the Kablink Vibe 4.0.1 Advanced User Guide. If OpenOffice crashes during this HTML conversion process with certain files, you can exclude the problematic file types from being converted. These file types can then no longer be viewed in HTML. For information on how to exclude file types from displaying in HTML, see Section 4.13.1, Configuring Which File Formats Can Be Viewed as HTML.