WinCvt

Windows converters (also referred to as office converters) are the .cvt files which allow one application to open or save files from a completely foreign format.

WinCvt consists of a shared DLL for writing applications which use converters, file type detector, documentation, command line conversion, a converter wizard, converter installer, and converter interrogator.

A converter is a special DLL which exports known functions to perform conversion tasks. Conversion is based around the common format of RTF. A file is "imported" from its native format into RTF, and "exported" from RTF to its native format.

A converter can implement import conversion, export conversion, or both. Each converter has a list of capabilities for the formats it is capable of importing and capable of exporting, stored in the converter file itself.

Once a converter is installed in the system, these capabilities are installed into a common location in the registry so that applications can utilise all known converters.

WinCvt implements all of these functions both in command line tools for users and administrators, as well as in a documented API which other applications can use. The mechanics of converters are abstracted by these functions.