Requester specified transformations of encoded data in dispersed storage network memory

A computing device of a dispersed storage network (DSN), the computing device comprises:

• an interface;
• memory;
• and
• a processing module operably coupled to the memory and the interface, wherein the processing module is operable to:
• receive, via the interface and from a requesting device of the DSN, a data access request regarding a set of encoded data slices, wherein a data segment of data is dispersed storage error encoded to produce the set of encoded data slices, wherein the data access request includes an expected data type format and a requested return data format, and wherein the computing device is capable of processing the data segment into the requested return data format;
• issue data access requests to storage units of the DSN, wherein a set of storage units stores the set of encoded data slices and the set of storage units includes the storage units,
• when a decode threshold number of encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices have been received from the storage units, decode the decode threshold number of encoded data slices to recover the data segment in a DSN format;
• determine whether a data type of the data segment in the DSN format is consistent with the expected data type format;
• and
• when the data type of the data segment is consistent with the expected data type format:
• determine whether a conversion is necessary to produce the data segment in the requested return data format;
• and
• when the conversion is necessary:
• format the recovered data segment in accordance with the requested return data
• format to produce a formatted and recovered data segment;
• and
• send, via the interface, the formatted and recovered data segment to the requesting device of the DSN.