Rendering / Converting Word document to Image in Word Library

12 Aug 202213 minutes to read

The Essential DocIO converts the Word document to images using the RenderAsImages method.

Refer to the following links for assemblies and NuGet packages required based on platforms to convert the Word document to image.

• Word to image conversion assemblies
• Word to image conversion NuGet packages

The following namespaces are required to compile the code in this topic:

For WPF, Windows Forms, ASP.NET and ASP.NET MVC applications

• using Syncfusion.DocIO
• using Syncfusion.DocIO.DLS
• using Syncfusion.OfficeChart
• using Syncfusion.OfficeChartToImageConverter

For ASP.NET Core, Blazor, Xamarin, WinUI and .NET MAUI applications

• using Syncfusion.DocIO
• using Syncfusion.DocIO.DLS
• using Syncfusion.DocIORenderer

TIPS

1. You can get the good quality converted images by specifying the image type as Metafile in the platforms targeting .NET Framework.
2. You can specify the quality of the converted charts by setting the scaling mode.

The following code illustrates how to convert the Word document to image.

C#

//Loads an existing Word document
WordDocument wordDocument = new WordDocument("Template.docx", FormatType.Docx);
//Initializes the ChartToImageConverter for converting charts during Word to image conversion
wordDocument.ChartToImageConverter = new ChartToImageConverter();
//Sets the scaling mode for charts (Normal mode reduces the file size)
wordDocument.ChartToImageConverter.ScalingMode = ScalingMode.Normal;
//Converts word document to image
Image[] images = wordDocument.RenderAsImages(ImageType.Bitmap);
int i = 0;
foreach (Image image in images)
{
    //Saves the images as jpeg
    image.Save("WordToImage_" + i + ".jpeg", ImageFormat.Jpeg);
    i++;
}
//Closes the document
wordDocument.Close();

VB.NET

'Loads an existing Word document
Dim wordDocument As New WordDocument("Template.docx", FormatType.Docx)
'Initializes the ChartToImageConverter for converting charts during Word to image conversion
wordDocument.ChartToImageConverter = New ChartToImageConverter()
'Sets the scaling mode for charts (Normal mode reduces the file size)
wordDocument.ChartToImageConverter.ScalingMode = ScalingMode.Normal
'Converts word document to image
Dim images As Image() = wordDocument.RenderAsImages(ImageType.Bitmap)
Dim i As Integer = 0
For Each image As Image In images
	'Saves the images as jpeg
	image.Save("WordToImage_" & i & ".jpeg", ImageFormat.Jpeg)
	i += 1
Next
'Closes the document
wordDocument.Close()

UWP

//DocIO supports Word to image conversion in Windows Forms, WPF, ASP.NET and ASP.NET MVC platform alone

ASP.NET Core

//Opens the file as Stream.
using (FileStream docStream = new FileStream("Template.docx", FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read))
{
    //Loads file stream into Word document.
    using (WordDocument wordDocument = new WordDocument(docStream, Syncfusion.DocIO.FormatType.Automatic))
    {
        //Creates a new instance of DocIORenderer class.
        using (DocIORenderer render = new DocIORenderer())
        {
            //Converts Word document to images.
            Stream[] imageStreams = wordDocument.RenderAsImages(); 
            int i = 0;
            foreach (Stream stream in imageStreams)
            {
                //Resets the stream position.
                stream.Position = 0;
                //Creates the output image file stream.
                using (FileStream fileStreamOutput = File.Create("WordToImage_" + i + ".jpeg"))
                {
                    //Copies the converted image stream into created output stream.
                    stream.CopyTo(fileStreamOutput);
                }
                i++;
            }
        }
    }
}

Xamarin

//Opens the file as Stream.
using (Stream docStream = typeof(App).GetTypeInfo().Assembly.GetManifestResourceStream("Sample.Assets.Template.docx"))
{
    //Loads file stream into Word document.
    using (WordDocument wordDocument = new WordDocument(docStream, Syncfusion.DocIO.FormatType.Automatic))
    {
        //Creates a new instance of DocIORenderer class.
        using (DocIORenderer render = new DocIORenderer())
        {
            //Converts Word document to images.
            Stream[] imageStreams = wordDocument.RenderAsImages();
            int i = 0;
            foreach (Stream stream in imageStreams)
            {
                //Resets the stream position.
                stream.Position = 0;
                //Saves the stream as a file in the device and invoke it for viewing.
                Xamarin.Forms.DependencyService.Get<ISave>().SaveAndView("WordToImage_" + i + ".jpeg", "image/jpeg", stream as MemoryStream);
                i++;
            }
        }
    }
}

You can download a complete working sample from GitHub.

The following code snippet illustrates how to convert a Word document to an image using custom image resolution.

C#

//Load an existing Word document.
using (WordDocument wordDocument = new WordDocument(@"Template.docx", FormatType.Docx))
{
    //Initialize the ChartToImageConverter for converting charts during Word to image conversion.
    wordDocument.ChartToImageConverter = new ChartToImageConverter();
    //Set the scaling mode for charts (Normal mode reduces the file size).
    wordDocument.ChartToImageConverter.ScalingMode = ScalingMode.Normal;
    //Convert the word document to images.
    Image[] images = wordDocument.RenderAsImages(ImageType.Metafile);
    //Declare the variables to hold custom width and height.
    int customWidth = 1500;
    int customHeight = 1500;
    foreach (Image image in images)
    {
        MemoryStream stream = new MemoryStream();
        image.Save(stream, ImageFormat.Png);
        //Create a bitmap of specific width and height.
        Bitmap bitmap = new Bitmap(customWidth, customHeight, PixelFormat.Format32bppPArgb);
        //Get the graphics from an image.
        Graphics graphics = Graphics.FromImage(bitmap);
        //Set the resolution.
        bitmap.SetResolution(300, 300);
        //Recreate the image in custom size.
        graphics.DrawImage(System.Drawing.Image.FromStream(stream), new Rectangle(0, 0, bitmap.Width, bitmap.Height));
        //Save the image as a bitmap.
        bitmap.Save(@"ImageOutput" + Guid.NewGuid().ToString() + ".png");
    }
}

VB.NET

'Load an existing Word document.
Using wordDocument As WordDocument = New WordDocument("Template.docx", FormatType.Docx)
    'Initialize the ChartToImageConverter for converting charts during Word to image conversion.
    wordDocument.ChartToImageConverter = New ChartToImageConverter()
    'Set the scaling mode for charts (Normal mode reduces the file size).
    wordDocument.ChartToImageConverter.ScalingMode = ScalingMode.Normal
    'Convert the word document to images.
    Dim images() As Image = wordDocument.RenderAsImages(ImageType.Metafile)
    'Declare the variables to hold custom width and height.
    Dim customWidth As Integer = 1500
    Dim customHeight As Integer = 1500
    For Each image As Image In images
        Dim stream As MemoryStream = New MemoryStream
        image.Save(stream, ImageFormat.Png)
        'Create a bitmap of specific width and height.
        Dim bitmap As Bitmap = New Bitmap(customWidth, customHeight, PixelFormat.Format32bppPArgb)
        'Get the graphics from an image.
        Dim graphics As Graphics = Graphics.FromImage(bitmap)
        'Set the resolution.
        bitmap.SetResolution(300, 300)
        'Recreate the image in custom size.
        graphics.DrawImage(System.Drawing.Image.FromStream(stream), New Rectangle(0, 0, bitmap.Width, bitmap.Height))
        'Save the image as a bitmap.
        bitmap.Save(("ImageOutput" + (Guid.NewGuid.ToString + ".png")))
    Next

End Using

UWP

//DocIO only supports Word to image conversion in Windows Forms, WPF, ASP.NET and ASP.NET MVC platform.

ASP.NET Core

//DocIO only supports Word to image conversion in Windows Forms, WPF, ASP.NET and ASP.NET MVC platform.

Xamarin

//DocIO only supports Word to image conversion in Windows Forms, WPF, ASP.NET and ASP.NET MVC platform.

You can download a complete working sample from GitHub.

NOTE

1. Word to Image conversion is not supported in Silverlight, Windows Phone, WinRT, Universal and Universal Windows Platform applications.
2. In Azure Web Service and Azure APP Service, .NET GDI+ (System.Drawing) does not support the Metafile image (vector image). So, the image will be generated as Bitmap (raster image).
3. Creating an instance of the ChartToImageConverter class is mandatory to convert the charts present in the Word document to Image. Otherwise, the charts are not preserved in the generated image.
4. The ChartToImageConverter is supported from .NET Framework 4.0 onwards.
5. Total number of images may vary based on unsupported elements in the input Word document.
6. Word to Image conversion has the same limitations and unsupported elements of Word to PDF conversion.
7. Different styles of underlines and borders are known limitations in Word to Image conversion in ASP.NET Core, Xamarin, Blazor, WinUI, and .NET MAUI platforms.
8. In ASP.NET Core, Blazor, Xamarin, WinUI and .NET MAUI platforms, to convert Word document to images we recommend you to use Word to image assemblies or NuGet as a reference in your application.

See Also

• How to convert word to tiff using C#, VB.NET