Does anybody know how to test Sdl.WorldServer.FileTypeSupport.Server.PDFConverter.exe in a command line at server?

Our WS 10.4.4 PDF Converter AA stopped working and is always time out due to FTS PDF converter process is hanging there forever. Does anybody know how to test Sdl.WorldServer.FileTypeSupport.Server.PDFConverter.exe in a command line at server?

Thanks in advance,

Jack

  • Sorry for the late answer but I'll note it down anyway for future reference.

    The Sdl.WorldServer.FileTypeSupport.Server.PDFConverter.exe is a process that is spawned as-needed when you use a "Convert PDF to Word 2007-2010" automatic action in World Server.
    The process will convert a PDF document to a Word document.
    Normally this process is spawned internally by FTS.

    For special cases, where you need to debug why it doesn't work you can call it manually, from a command line prompt window.
    Below is a sample:

    c:\Program Files (x86)\SDL\FileTypeSupportServer\Sdl.WorldServer.FileTypeSupport.Server.PDFConverter.exe "<?xml version=+++1.0+++ encoding=+++ISO-8859-1+++?><PDFConverterSettings><Setting Id=+++LayoutReconstruction+++>Flowing</Setting><Setting Id=+++ImageAnchoring+++>Automatic</Setting><Setting Id=+++HeadersAndFooters+++>Detect</Setting><Setting Id=+++RecognizePDFText+++>Never</Setting><Setting Id=+++DetectTables+++>True</Setting></PDFConverterSettings>" "C:\test.pdf" "C:\test.pdf"

    (Note: Strangely, there are two identical C:\test.pdf arguments. One is used for the input file location, the other is used for output file location. The end result will be a c:\test.docx file though)

    To find out the exact settings to use in your specific case you can temporary set the FTS log level to Debug.
    Then create a sample project that uses a "Convert PDF to Word 2007-2010" automatic action.
    Look in the log file for entries like:

    "[2017-08-16 16:02:52,634] DEBUG FSE daemon 1 (1598b13) on host "CLJSDELTRIFOI01.global.sdl.corp" Sdl.WorldServer.FileTypeSupport.Server.Tasks.PDFConvertTask: Converting PDF file: '\\localhost\wssdk\unittest\testing\unit\data\AIS\Test\Clients\Projects\3037_pdf3\Source-English-US\DEV Engineer Challenge.pdf'
    [2017-08-16 16:04:16,097] DEBUG 12976 Sdl.WorldServer.FileTypeSupport.Server.Tasks.PDFConvertTask: PDF Converter setting: settingId='LayoutReconstruction', settingValue='Flowing'
    [2017-08-16 16:04:16,098] DEBUG 12976 Sdl.WorldServer.FileTypeSupport.Server.Tasks.PDFConvertTask: PDF Converter setting: settingId='ImageAnchoring', settingValue='Automatic'
    [2017-08-16 16:04:16,099] DEBUG 12976 Sdl.WorldServer.FileTypeSupport.Server.Tasks.PDFConvertTask: PDF Converter setting: settingId='HeadersAndFooters', settingValue='Detect'
    [2017-08-16 16:04:16,100] DEBUG 12976 Sdl.WorldServer.FileTypeSupport.Server.Tasks.PDFConvertTask: PDF Converter setting: settingId='RecognizePDFText', settingValue='Never'
    [2017-08-16 16:04:16,100] DEBUG 12976 Sdl.WorldServer.FileTypeSupport.Server.Tasks.PDFConvertTask: PDF Converter setting: settingId='DetectTables', settingValue='True'"

    Then copy the settings from the log into the above command line sample and execute it.

    Make sure you put the log level back to what it was before, otherwise FTS will slow down and fill up the disk due to too much logging.
  • Thank you Liviu!

    The following are the command and parameters I used:

    C:\Program Files (x86)\SDL\FileTypeSupportServer>Sdl.WorldServer.FileTypeSupport.Server.PDFConverter "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"ISO-8859-1\"?><PDFConverterSettings><Setting Id=\"LayoutReconstruction\">Flowing</Setting><Setting Id=\"ImageAnchoring\">Automatic</Setting><Setting Id=\"HeadersAndFooters\">Detect</Setting><Setting Id=\"RecognizePDFText\">Never</Setting><Setting Id=\"DetectTables\">True</Setting></PDFConverterSettings>" C:\temp\PDFin\test.pdf C:\temp\PDFout\test.docx

    It worked and resolved the issue.
  • Hi Liviu,

    I do have another issue you may help us to resolve it: The Human step assignee becomes System (Workflow as Submitter) after the new converted docx task. I checked the new task. The creator ID is correct but I don't know why but guess the issue is from PDF Converter AA. Any idea?

      

  • Hi Jack,

    There was a previous issue that had symptoms very similar to what you describe.
    It read: "Workflow steps assigned to the ‘submitter’ are being assigned to
    ‘system’ after executing the AA 'convert Office 2003 to Office 2007'".
    That issue was addressed by a hotfix in the past but I've checked and that hotfix only seems to fix Office 2003 to Office 2007 conversion AA.

    I suggest filing an issue with the described symptoms as this is most likely a WS bug rather than a mis-configuration on your side.