Problems with the library IFilter

Question

I want to use the IFilter interface to extract and then search the text from different documents. The IFilter interface fits this need perfectly, but there is an issue with 32/64 bit components.

The host OS is 64-bit. The application is 32-bit. I want to extract text from a .docx file, so I try to install the 32-bit Office 2010 Filter Pack. The installer fails with a message: 'The MSI Installer type does not match the platform architecture.'

When I install the 64-bit version of the Filter Pack, the 32-bit dlls are not installed so the filters are still not available. How do I install the 32-bit filters on a 64-bit system? it's possible ?

Thanks a lot in advance

Answer 1

I found a way to install Filter Pack 32bits in a 64bits OS. To other file formats is similar. Install Filter Pack 32 bits in a 32bits OS. Copy ifilters files in directory “C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Filters” from 32 bits OS to the a directory “C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Filters” in 64bits OS.

Answer 2

There is no support for installing the 32-bit filters on 64-bit Windows. The only solution you have is to install the 64-bit filters and create a 64-bit out-of-proc COM server application that exposes the functionality you require. This app could load the 64-bit filters and COM would handle the inter-process communication between your 32-bit app and the 64-bit out-of-proc COM server.