---
title: BaseConverter
summary: API reference for BaseConverter.
status: draft
owner: SAIF Doc Gen
last_reviewed: 2026-09-17
library: PdfAPI.SyncFusionCore
reference_type: package
---

# BaseConverter

`BaseConverter` is the abstract template-method base for all eight format converters (`WordConverter`, `ExcelConverter`, `RtfConverter`, `TxtConverter`, `ImageConverter`, `TiffConverter`, `HtmlConverter`, `PdfConverter`). It owns the conversion timing, status/result assembly, and exception capture that would otherwise be duplicated across every converter, and delegates only the format-specific work — the actual byte transformation and Syncfusion converter configuration — to each subclass. It is physically compiled into `PdfAPI.SyncFusionCore` but declares the namespace `PdfAPI.Core.Convert`, so consumers referencing only `PdfAPI.Core` cannot see it.

## Purpose
- Provide a single, shared implementation of [Execute a single conversion](../../operations/execute-single-conversion.md)
  (OP-SFC-002) so that timing, status stamping, and error handling are identical across every converter ([BR-SFC-006](../../business-rules.md#br-sfc-006-result-stamped-syncfusion-processor), [BR-SFC-007](../../business-rules.md#br-sfc-007-conversion-success-requires-non-null-document), [BR-SFC-010](../../business-rules.md#br-sfc-010-conversion-exceptions-captured-not-rethrown)).
- Force each subclass to declare its own `SourceConversionType` and to implement the two
  format-specific extension points (`ConvertItem`, `ConfigureConverter`).

## Context
- Namespace: `PdfAPI.Core.Convert`
- Assembly/package: `PdfAPI.SyncFusionCore` (`Pdf.Local.Client` NuGet package)

## Public members
| Member | Signature | Purpose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ConversionType | `abstract SourceConversionType ConversionType { get; }` | Identifies which source format this converter handles; set by each subclass to its own enum value (e.g. `OfficeWordDoc`, `RTF`, `Tiff`). |
| Convert | `PdfResult Convert(Stream stream, ConvertRequest request)` | Executes a full conversion: starts a stopwatch, calls `ConfigureConverter` then `ConvertItem`, builds and returns a `PdfResult` with `Status`, `Elapsed`, `PdfProcessorType = Syncfusion`, and the produced document; catches and captures any conversion exception rather than letting it propagate ([BR-SFC-010](../../business-rules.md#br-sfc-010-conversion-exceptions-captured-not-rethrown)). |

## Extension points (protected)
| Member | Signature | Purpose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ConvertItem | `protected abstract byte[] ConvertItem(Stream stream, ConvertRequest request)` | Performs the format-specific byte transformation from the source stream to PDF bytes; implemented independently by each subclass. Not part of the public API — only reachable by subclasses. |
| ConfigureConverter | `protected abstract void ConfigureConverter(PdfOptions options)` | Declared as a hook for applying request-supplied options (such as PDF/A conformance) to the underlying Syncfusion converter before conversion runs. Not part of the public API — only reachable by subclasses. Currently a no-op in every in-scope converter subclass; none of the eight concrete implementations apply `options` to their underlying converter. |

## Behavioral notes
- `Convert` always returns a `PdfResult`; a thrown exception from `ConvertItem` or
  `ConfigureConverter` is caught inside `Convert` and reported through the result rather than re-thrown to the caller ([BR-SFC-010](../../business-rules.md#br-sfc-010-conversion-exceptions-captured-not-rethrown)).
- `Elapsed` on the returned `PdfResult` reflects the time spent inside `Convert`, including both
  `ConfigureConverter` and `ConvertItem`.
- A successful result requires a non-null produced document; when `ConvertItem` returns null, the
  result is not reported as successful even though no exception was thrown ([BR-SFC-007](../../business-rules.md#br-sfc-007-conversion-success-requires-non-null-document)).

## Constraints and usage notes
- This type cannot be instantiated directly (`abstract`); it is always used through one of the
  eight concrete converter subclasses.
- Consumers that reference only `PdfAPI.Core` (the contracts library) cannot see this type, since
  its declared namespace does not match its owning assembly.

## Related documentation
- [API reference](../index.md)
- [Operations and processes](../../operations-processes.md)
- [Business rules](../../business-rules.md)

## Sources
- `PdfApi.SyncFusionCore\Convert\BaseConverter.cs`