Convert an Excel document to PDF in WinUI

8 Dec 20238 minutes to read

Syncfusion XlsIO is a WinUI Excel library used to create, read, edit and convert Excel documents programmatically without Microsoft Excel or interop dependencies. Using this library, you can convert an Excel document to PDF in WinUI.

Prerequisites

To use the WinUI 3 project templates, install the Windows App SDK extension for Visual Studio. For more details, refer here.

WinUI Desktop app

Step 1: Create a new C# WinUI Desktop app. Select Blank App, Packaged (WinUI 3 in Desktop) project.

Step 2: Name the project and click Create button.

Step 3: Install the Syncfusion.XlsIORenderer.Net NuGet package as a reference to your project from NuGet.org.

NOTE

Starting with v16.2.0.x, if you reference Syncfusion assemblies from trial setup or from the NuGet feed, you also have to add “Syncfusion.Licensing” assembly reference and include a license key in your projects. Please refer to this link to know about registering Syncfusion license key in your applications to use our components.

Step 4: Add a new button in MainWindow.xaml as shown below.

C#

<Window
    x:Class="Convert_Excel_to_PDF.MainWindow"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    xmlns:local="using:Convert_Excel_to_PDF"
    xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
    xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
    mc:Ignorable="d">

    <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center">
        <Button x:Name="myButton" Click="ConvertExceltoPDF">Convert Excel to PDF</Button>
    </StackPanel>
</Window>

Step 5: Include the following namespaces in the MainWindow.xaml.cs.

C#

using Syncfusion.XlsIO;
using Syncfusion.Pdf;
using Syncfusion.XlsIORenderer;

Step 6: Include the below code snippet in the new action method of ConvertExceltoPDF in MainWindow.xaml.cs to convert an Excel document to PDF.

C#

using (ExcelEngine excelEngine = new ExcelEngine())
{
    IApplication application = excelEngine.Excel;
    application.DefaultVersion = ExcelVersion.Xlsx;

    //Load an existing file
    Assembly assembly = typeof(App).GetTypeInfo().Assembly;
    using (Stream inputStream = assembly.GetManifestResourceStream("Convert_Excel_to_PDF.InputTemplate.xlsx"))
    {
        IWorkbook workbook = application.Workbooks.Open(inputStream);

        //Initialize XlsIO renderer.
        XlsIORenderer renderer = new XlsIORenderer();

        //Convert Excel document into PDF document 
        PdfDocument pdfDocument = renderer.ConvertToPDF(workbook);

        //Create the MemoryStream to save the converted PDF.      
        MemoryStream pdfStream = new MemoryStream();

        //Save the converted PDF document to MemoryStream.
        pdfDocument.Save(pdfStream);
        pdfStream.Position = 0;

        // Save the PDF file or perform any other action with the PDF
        SaveHelper.SaveAndLaunch("Sample.pdf", pdfStream); 
    }
}

Save PDF document in WinUI

C#

public static async void SaveAndLaunch(string filename, MemoryStream stream)
{
    StorageFile storageFile;
    string extension = Path.GetExtension(filename);
    //Gets process windows handle to open the dialog in application process.
    IntPtr windowHandle = System.Diagnostics.Process.GetCurrentProcess().MainWindowHandle;
    if (!Windows.Foundation.Metadata.ApiInformation.IsTypePresent("Windows.Phone.UI.Input.HardwareButtons"))
    {
        FileSavePicker savePicker = new();
        
        if (extension == ".pdf")
        {
            savePicker.DefaultFileExtension = ".pdf";
            savePicker.SuggestedFileName = filename;
            //Saves the file as Pdf file.
            savePicker.FileTypeChoices.Add("PDF", new List<string>() { ".pdf" });
        }

        WinRT.Interop.InitializeWithWindow.Initialize(savePicker, windowHandle);
        storageFile = await savePicker.PickSaveFileAsync();
    }
    else
    {
        StorageFolder local = ApplicationData.Current.LocalFolder;
        storageFile = await local.CreateFileAsync(filename, CreationCollisionOption.ReplaceExisting);
    }
    if (storageFile != null)
    {
        using (IRandomAccessStream zipStream await storageFile.OpenAsync(FileAccessMode.ReadWrite))
        {
            //Writes compressed data from memory to file.
            using Stream outstream = zipStream.AsStreamForWrite();
            outstream.SetLength(0);
            byte[] buffer = stream.ToArray();
            outstream.Write(buffer, 0, buffer.Length);
            outstream.Flush();
        }

        //Creates message dialog box. 
        MessageDialog msgDialog = new("Do you want to view the Document?", "File has been converted successfully");
        UICommand yesCmd = new("Yes");
        msgDialog.Commands.Add(yesCmd);
        UICommand noCmd = new("No");
        msgDialog.Commands.Add(noCmd);

        WinRT.Interop.InitializeWithWindow.Initialize(msgDialog, windowHandle);

        //Showing a dialog box. 
        IUICommand cmd = await msgDialog.ShowAsync();
        if (cmd.Label == yesCmd.Label)
        {
            //Launch the saved file. 
            await Windows.System.Launcher.LaunchFileAsync(storageFile);
        }
    }
}

A complete working example of how to convert an Excel document to PDF in WinUI is present on this GitHub page.

By executing the program, you will get the PDF document as follows.

Click here to explore the rich set of Syncfusion Excel library (XlsIO) features.

An online sample link to convert an Excel document to PDF in ASP.NET Core.