FileNet Document Export and Conversion Utilities

• Export Documents from FileNet Imaging and Document Servers
• Convert FileNet proprietary image formats to TIFF format
• Convert FileNet COLD documents to text or TIFF format
• Convert FileNet multi-page documents to multi-page TIFF format

Overview

Latitude Consulting's document export utility provides the capability of doing bulk extracts of documents from FileNet Imaging Servers or FileNet Document/Content Servers (IDM IS or CS/DS servers). Document pages and meta-data (index values) extracted from the FileNet server are written to a Windows compatible file system where they can be read or processed by other applications.

The export utility extracts both documents and index values from the FileNet server and stores them into disk files. Any text contained in an annotation is exported. COLD documents are exported both in their native format and also converted to text. Optionally, COLD documents can be converted to TIFF, with or without a background image. Single-page TIFFs can be combined into multi-page TIFFs.

The export utility captures the current state of each document. Changes made to a document's index fields after the document was written to optical disk will be included in the export, even though FileNet never writes the changes to optical disk. Another important advantage is that the export can be done incrementally. Exports can be done in stages; if new documents are added to the system after the export is complete, those new documents can be selectively exported.

Latitude Consulting's document export utility is not a service; you do not need to ship your optical disks to us for conversion. It is a utility program that you use to export documents at your location whenever needed.

In addition to providing the export utility, Latitude Consulting also provides the support services you need to insure that your export is successful. We will assist you in analyzing your situation to determine the best course of actions. And, if needed, we will make reasonable customizations to adapt the export utility to your needs.

Export Options

Latitude Consulting's export utility stores provides the following export options:

• Documents to be extracted can be selected by Document Class and range of Document ID numbers.
• Documents may optionally be filtered by an "Additional Selection Criteria" in the form of a SQL expression.
• Options allow the exporting of documents, index values or both.
• The text of annotations may optionally be exported.
• Numeric and Menu type fields may be exported, formatted or unformatted.
• Folders that a document is filed in may optional be exported.
• Compound document links (CS/DS servers only) may optionally be exported.

Output Format

Latitude Consulting's export utility stores exported FileNet documents in disk files within a Windows compatible file system. For each document extracted, the following files will be created:

• One file containing the indexing information for the document. All user defined and system index fields are exported.
• One file for each page in the exported document. FileNet Banded images are converted to TIFFs (not all FileNet proprietary formats are supported). All other other page types are exported in their original format.
• COLD documents are written in their native format, plus optionally written to a separate file in text format.
• The text of any annotations may optionally written to a file.
• Log files are created showing all activity and any errors.

Additional Conversion Options

In addition to the standard output files described above, additional conversions and reformatting can be performed. These additional conversion options are provided in order to present the extracted documents in a more usable format. The available conversion options are:

• Index information originally stored in a separate text file for each document is combined into a single "csv" file with one record for each document.
• FileNet documents that consist of multiple single page TIFFs are combined into a single multi page TIFF.
• FileNet documents that are in FileNet's COLD format may be converted into TIFF images or into text documents. When converted into a text documents, multi-page COLD documents are combined together into a single text file with each page separated by a Form-Feed character (ASCII character 12). When COLD documents are converted to text only, background images, if any, will not be included. When COLD documents are converted into TIFF images, text and background image, if any, are combined together into a TIFF image. Multiple pages are combined together into a multi-page TIFF.
• The file extension of the documents will be changed back to an extension appropriate for the type of document, (.tif, .pdf, .doc, etc.). TIFF, pdf, and COLD documents are recognized by an internal examination of the file. The extensions selected for all other file types are based on the Mime Type stored in FileNet for that document.