Troubleshooting InfoPath form conversion issues

InfoPath presents unique conversion challenges because it differs significantly from standard file types such as MS Word or Excel. InfoPath separates a form’s layout from its data and supports extensive custom development and external data connections. This makes it more akin to a development environment than a simple file format.

If you encounter errors when converting InfoPath files, refer to the InfoPath troubleshooting guide, which provides solutions for the majority of common issues.

If you continue to experience problems after referring to the troubleshooting guide, follow the steps below:

1. Add the following line to the appSettings section of the Document Converter Service’s configuration file and restart the service:

<add key="Muhimbi.IO.TempFile.DisableDelete" value="true" />

This prevents the service from deleting temporary files. Find the configuration file in the Conversion Service installation directory. A shortcut is available in the Start menu.

2. Convert the problematic InfoPath file.

3. The converted file remains in the Document Conversion Service account’s temporary directory. Locate this directory path in the Document Converter Service’s log file. Enable debug logging if needed. On Windows server 2008, the directory path resembles the following:

C:\\Documents and Settings\\<service account name>\\Local Settings\\Temp\.

4. Log in with the Conversion Service’s account, navigate to the InfoPath XML file in the temporary folder, and open it in InfoPath. This highlights any configuration issues.

5. After troubleshooting, remove the added key from the configuration file. Otherwise, temporary files will accumulate and consume hard disk space.