How to Create Multi-Column PDF Document inside .NET Applications

This technical tip shows how .NET developers create multi-column PDF document using Aspose.Pdf for .NET. In magazines and newspapers, we mostly see that news are displayed in multiple columns on the single pages instead of the books where text paragraphs are mostly printed on the whole pages from left to right position. Many document processing applications like Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat Writer allow users to create multiple columns on a single page and then add data to them. Aspose.Pdf for .NET also offers the feature to create multiple columns inside the pages of PDF documents. In order to create multi-column PDF file, we can make use of Aspose.Pdf.FloatingBox class as it provides ColumnInfo.ColumnCount property to specify the number of columns inside FloatingBox and we can also specify the spacing between columns and columns widths using ColumnInfo.ColumnSpacing and ColumnInfo.ColumnWidths properties accordingly. Please note that FloatingBox is an element inside Document Object Model and it can have obsolete positioning as compared to relative positioning (i.e. Text, Graph, Image etc). Column spacing means the space between the columns and the default spacing between the columns is 1.25cm. If the column width is not specified, then Aspose.Pdf for .NET calculates width for each column automatically according to the page size and column spacing. The code example is given below to demonstrate the creation of two columns with Graphs objects (Line) and they are added to paragraphs collection of FloatingBox, which is then added paragraphs collection of Page instance.

//C# Code Sample

Document doc = new Document();
// specify the left margin info for the PDF file
doc.PageInfo.Margin.Left = 40;
// specify the Right margin info for the PDF file
doc.PageInfo.Margin.Right = 40;
Page page = doc.Pages.Add();

Aspose.Pdf.Drawing.Graph graph1 = new Aspose.Pdf.Drawing.Graph(500, 2);
// Add the line to paraphraphs collection of section object
page.Paragraphs.Add(graph1);

//specify the coordinates for the line
float[] posArr = new float[] { 1, 2, 500, 2 };
Aspose.Pdf.Drawing.Line l1 = new Aspose.Pdf.Drawing.Line(posArr);
graph1.Shapes.Add(l1);
//Create string variables with text containing html tags

string s = "" +

" How to Steer Clear of money scams "
+ "";
//Create text paragraphs containing HTML text

HtmlFragment heading_text = new HtmlFragment(s);
page.Paragraphs.Add(heading_text);

Aspose.Pdf.FloatingBox box = new Aspose.Pdf.FloatingBox();
//Add four columns in the section
box.ColumnInfo.ColumnCount = 2;
//Set the spacing between the columns
box.ColumnInfo.ColumnSpacing = "5";

box.ColumnInfo.ColumnWidths = "105 105";
TextFragment text1 = new TextFragment("By A Googler (The Official Google Blog)");
text1.TextState.FontSize = 8;
text1.TextState.LineSpacing = 2;
box.Paragraphs.Add(text1);
text1.TextState.FontSize = 10;

text1.TextState.FontStyle = FontStyles.Italic;
// Create a graphs object to draw a line
Aspose.Pdf.Drawing.Graph graph2 = new Aspose.Pdf.Drawing.Graph(50, 10);
// specify the coordinates for the line
float[] posArr2 = new float[] { 1, 10, 100, 10 };
Aspose.Pdf.Drawing.Line l2 = new Aspose.Pdf.Drawing.Line(posArr2);
graph2.Shapes.Add(l2);

// Add the line to paragraphs collection of section object
box.Paragraphs.Add(graph2);

TextFragment text2 = new TextFragment(@"Sed augue tortor, sodales id, luctus et, pulvinar ut, eros. Suspendisse vel dolor. Sed quam. Curabitur ut massa vitae eros euismod aliquam. Pellentesque sit amet elit. Vestibulum interdum pellentesque augue. Cras mollis arcu sit amet purus. Donec augue. Nam mollis tortor a elit. Nulla viverra nisl vel mauris. Vivamus sapien. nascetur ridiculus mus. Nam justo lorem, aliquam luctus, sodales et, semper sed, enim Nam justo lorem, aliquam luctus, sodales et,nAenean posuere ante ut neque. Morbi sollicitudin congue felis. Praesent turpis diam, iaculis sed, pharetra non, mollis ac, mauris. Phasellus nisi ipsum, pretium vitae, tempor sed, molestie eu, dui. Duis lacus purus, tristique ut, iaculis cursus, tincidunt vitae, risus. Sed commodo. *** sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Nam justo lorem, aliquam luctus, sodales et, semper sed, enim Nam justo lorem, aliquam luctus, sodales et, semper sed, enim Nam justo lorem, aliquam luctus, sodales et, semper sed, enim nAenean posuere ante ut neque. Morbi sollicitudin congue felis. Praesent turpis diam, iaculis sed, pharetra non, mollis ac, mauris. Phasellus nisi ipsum, pretium vitae, tempor sed, molestie eu, dui. Duis lacus purus, tristique ut, iaculis cursus, tincidunt vitae, risus. Sed commodo. *** sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Sed urna. . Duis convallis ultrices nisi. Maecenas non ligula. Nunc nibh est, tincidunt in, placerat sit amet, vestibulum a, nulla. Praesent porttitor turpis eleifend ante. Morbi sodales.nAenean posuere ante ut neque. Morbi sollicitudin congue felis. Praesent turpis diam, iaculis sed, pharetra non, mollis ac, mauris. Phasellus nisi ipsum, pretium vitae, tempor sed, molestie eu, dui. Duis lacus purus, tristique ut, iaculis cursus, tincidunt vitae, risus. Sed commodo. *** sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Sed urna. . Duis convallis ultrices nisi. Maecenas non ligula. Nunc nibh est, tincidunt in, placerat sit amet, vestibulum a, nulla. Praesent porttitor turpis eleifend ante. Morbi sodales.");
box.Paragraphs.Add(text2);

page.Paragraphs.Add(box);

string outFile = "c:/pdftest/Muli-Column.pdf";
//Save the Pdf
doc.Save(outFile);

' Load the PDF file
Dim doc As Document = New Document("source.pdf")
' Get the first link annotation from first page of document
Dim linkAnnot As LinkAnnotation = CType(doc.Pages(1).Annotations(1), LinkAnnotation)
' Modification link: change link destination
Dim goToAction As Aspose.Pdf.InteractiveFeatures.GoToAction = CType(linkAnnot.Action, Aspose.Pdf.InteractiveFeatures.GoToAction)
' Specify the destination for link object
' The first parameter is document object, second is destination page number.
' The 5ht argument is zoom factor when displaying the respective page. When using 2, the page will be displayed in 200% zoom
goToAction.Destination = New Aspose.Pdf.InteractiveFeatures.XYZExplicitDestination(doc, 1, 1, 2, 2)
' Save the document with updated link
doc.Save("PDFLINK_Modified_output.pdf") 

//VB.NET Code Sample

Dim doc As Document = New Document()
' specify the left margin info for the PDF file
doc.PageInfo.Margin.Left = 40
' specify the Right margin info for the PDF file
doc.PageInfo.Margin.Right = 40
Dim page As Page = doc.Pages.Add()

Dim graph1 As Aspose.Pdf.Drawing.Graph = New Aspose.Pdf.Drawing.Graph(500, 2)
' Add the line to paragraphs collection of section object
page.Paragraphs.Add(graph1)

'specify the coordinates for the line
Dim posArr() As Single = {1, 2, 500, 2}
Dim l1 As Aspose.Pdf.Drawing.Line = New Aspose.Pdf.Drawing.Line(posArr)
graph1.Shapes.Add(l1)
'Create string variables with text containing html tags

Dim s As String = "  How to Steer Clear of money scams "
'Create text paragraphs containing HTML text

Dim heading_text As HtmlFragment = New HtmlFragment(s)
page.Paragraphs.Add(heading_text)

Dim box As Aspose.Pdf.FloatingBox = New Aspose.Pdf.FloatingBox()
'Add four columns in the section
box.ColumnInfo.ColumnCount = 2
'Set the spacing between the columns
box.ColumnInfo.ColumnSpacing = "5"

box.ColumnInfo.ColumnWidths = "105 105"
Dim text1 As Aspose.Pdf.Text.TextFragment = New Aspose.Pdf.Text.TextFragment("By A Googler (The Official Google Blog)")
text1.TextState.FontSize = 8
text1.TextState.LineSpacing = 2
box.Paragraphs.Add(text1)
text1.TextState.FontSize = 10

text1.TextState.FontStyle = Aspose.Pdf.Text.FontStyles.Italic
' Create a graphs object to draw a line
Dim graph2 As Aspose.Pdf.Drawing.Graph = New Aspose.Pdf.Drawing.Graph(50, 10)
' specify the coordinates for the line
Dim posArr2() As Single = {1, 10, 100, 10}
Dim l2 As Aspose.Pdf.Drawing.Line = New Aspose.Pdf.Drawing.Line(posArr2)
graph2.Shapes.Add(l2)

' Add the line to paragraphs collection of section object
box.Paragraphs.Add(graph2)

Dim text2 As Aspose.Pdf.Text.TextFragment = New Aspose.Pdf.Text.TextFragment("Sed augue tortor, sodales id, luctus et, pulvinar ut, eros. Suspendisse vel dolor. Sed quam. Curabitur ut massa vitae eros euismod aliquam. Pellentesque sit amet elit. Vestibulum interdum pellentesque augue. Cras mollis arcu sit amet purus. Donec augue. Nam mollis tortor a elit. Nulla viverra nisl vel mauris. Vivamus sapien. nascetur ridiculus mus. Nam justo lorem, aliquam luctus, sodales et, semper sed, enim Nam justo lorem, aliquam luctus, sodales et,nAenean posuere ante ut neque. Morbi sollicitudin congue felis. Praesent turpis diam, iaculis sed, pharetra non, mollis ac, mauris. Phasellus nisi ipsum, pretium vitae, tempor sed, molestie eu, dui. Duis lacus purus, tristique ut, iaculis cursus, tincidunt vitae, risus. Sed commodo. *** sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Nam justo lorem, aliquam luctus, sodales et, semper sed, enim Nam justo lorem, aliquam luctus, sodales et, semper sed, enim Nam justo lorem, aliquam luctus, sodales et, semper sed, enim nAenean posuere ante ut neque. Morbi sollicitudin congue felis. Praesent turpis diam, iaculis sed, pharetra non, mollis ac, mauris. Phasellus nisi ipsum, pretium vitae, tempor sed, molestie eu, dui. Duis lacus purus, tristique ut, iaculis cursus, tincidunt vitae, risus. Sed commodo. *** sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Sed urna. . Duis convallis ultrices nisi. Maecenas non ligula. Nunc nibh est, tincidunt in, placerat sit amet, vestibulum a, nulla. Praesent porttitor turpis eleifend ante. Morbi sodales.nAenean posuere ante ut neque. Morbi sollicitudin congue felis. Praesent turpis diam, iaculis sed, pharetra non, mollis ac, mauris. Phasellus nisi ipsum, pretium vitae, tempor sed, molestie eu, dui. Duis lacus purus, tristique ut, iaculis cursus, tincidunt vitae, risus. Sed commodo. *** sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Sed urna. . Duis convallis ultrices nisi. Maecenas non ligula. Nunc nibh est, tincidunt in, placerat sit amet, vestibulum a, nulla. Praesent porttitor turpis eleifend ante. Morbi sodales.")
box.Paragraphs.Add(text2)

page.Paragraphs.Add(box)

Dim outFile As String = "c:/pdftest/Muli-Column.pdf"
'Save the Pdf
doc.Save(outFile)