Method for document administration utilizing iconic representations within a data processing system

A method for document administration within a data processing system which utilizes iconic representations. A bit image or graphic iconic representation is created for selected textual documents and stored as a bit image or graphic object at a selected memory location within the data processing system. A reference or pointer to the memory location of each iconic representation is then stored within a descriptive profile associated with each document. Thereafter, the textual document may be transferred to a user location where graphic or bit image objects may or may not be supported. Upon an examination of the descriptive profile, a subsequent user supporting graphic or image objects may elect to retrieve the iconic representation by utilizing the reference stored therein. By separately storing an iconic representation for each textual document, such documents may be freely interchanged throughout a distributed data processing system whether or not individual users within the system support graphic or image objects. In this manner, those users supporting graphic or image objects may utilize the textual reference stored within each descriptive profile to retrieve an iconic representation for local utilization.