Convert Excel to PDF with Azure functions
Syncfusion® Excel (XlsIO) library is a .NET Excel library used to create, read, and edit Excel documents. Using this library, you can convert Excel documents into PDF in Azure Functions.
Steps to convert Excel to PDF with Azure Functions programmatically:
Step 1: Create a new Azure Function project.
Create a new Azure function project
Step 2: Select the framework Azure Functions v1 (.NET Framework) and select HTTP trigger as follows.
Select framework and HTTP trigger
Step 3: Install the Syncfusion.ExcelToPdfConverter.WinForms NuGet package as a reference to your .NET Framework applications from NuGet.org.
Install NuGet package
Step 4: Include the following namespaces in Function1.cs file.
C#
using System.IO; using Syncfusion.XlsIO; using Syncfusion.ExcelToPdfConverter; using Syncfusion.Pdf; using System.Net.Http.Headers;
Step 5: Add the following code snippet in the Run method of the Function1 class to open and modify the Excel document in Azure Functions and return the output document to the client end.
C#
Stream stream = req.Content.ReadAsStreamAsync().Result; // Instantiate the spreadsheet creation engine using (ExcelEngine excelEngine = new ExcelEngine()) { // Instantiate the Excel application object IApplication application = excelEngine.Excel; // Assigns default application version application.DefaultVersion = ExcelVersion.Excel2013; IWorkbook workbook = application.Workbooks.Open(stream); // Access a worksheet from workbook IWorksheet worksheet = workbook.Worksheets[0]; // Open the Excel document to Convert ExcelToPdfConverter converter = new ExcelToPdfConverter(workbook); // Initialize PDF document PdfDocument pdfDocument = new PdfDocument(); // Convert Excel document into PDF document pdfDocument = converter.Convert(); MemoryStream memoryStream = new MemoryStream(); // Save the PDF file pdfDocument.Save(memoryStream); // Create the response to return HttpResponseMessage response = new HttpResponseMessage(HttpStatusCode.OK); // Set the PDF document content response response.Content = new ByteArrayContent(memoryStream.ToArray()); // Set the contentDisposition as attachment response.Content.Headers.ContentDisposition = new ContentDispositionHeaderValue("attachment") { FileName = "Output.pdf" }; // Set the content type as PDF format mime type response.Content.Headers.ContentType = new System.Net.Http.Headers.MediaTypeHeaderValue("application/pdf"); // Return the response with output PDF stream return response; }
Step 6: Right-click the project and select Publish. Then, create a new profile in the Publish Window.
Publish window
Step 7: Create App service using Azure subscription and select a hosting plan.
Create App Service
Syncfusion® Excel (XlsIO) library will work from basic hosting plan (B1). So, select the hosing plan as needed. Syncfusion Excel (XlsIO) library will not work if the hosting plan is Consumption.
Configure Hosting Plan
Step 8: After creating the profile, click the Publish button.
Publish
Step 9: Now, go to the Azure portal and select App Services. After running the service, click Get Function URL by copying it. Then, paste it into the below client sample (which will request the Azure Function to convert Excel to PDF with Azure Functions). You will get the PDF document as shown below.
Output PDF document
A complete Azure function sample can be downloaded from Convert ExcelToPDF from Azure Function.zip.
Steps to post the request to Azure function with template Excel document:
- Create simple console application to request the Azure function API.
- Add the following code snippet into Main method to request the Azure function with template Excel document and get the converted PDF document.
C#
// Open the required template Excel file Stream fileStream = File.Open(@"../../Data/Input.xlsx", FileMode.Open); // Create memory stream to save the template MemoryStream inputStream = new MemoryStream(); // Copy the file stream into memory stream fileStream.CopyTo(inputStream); // Dispose the file stream fileStream.Dispose(); try { // Create HttpWebRequest with hosted azure function URL HttpWebRequest req = (HttpWebRequest)WebRequest.Create("Your Azure function url"); // Set request method as POST req.Method = "POST"; // Get the request stream to strore the Excel document stream Stream stream = req.GetRequestStream(); // Write the Excel document stream into request stream stream.Write(inputStream.ToArray(), 0, inputStream.ToArray().Length); // Gets the responce from the Azure Function request HttpWebResponse res = (HttpWebResponse)req.GetResponse(); // Create file stream to save the output PDF file FileStream outStream = File.Create("Sample.pdf"); // Copy the responce stream into file stream res.GetResponseStream().CopyTo(outStream); // Dispose the input stream inputStream.Dispose(); // Dispose the file stream outStream.Dispose(); } catch (Exception ex) { throw; } // Launch the output document System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("Sample.pdf");
Console application can be downloaded from DownloadConvertedPDF.zip.
Know more about Syncfusion® Excel (XlsIO) library through the documentation, where you can find features like charts , drawing objects , chart to image conversion and worksheet to image conversion etc. with respective code examples.
Refer here to explore the rich set of Syncfusion® Excel (XlsIO) library features.
Note:
Starting with v16.2.0.x, if you reference Syncfusion® assemblies from a trial setup or from the NuGet feed, include a license key in your projects. Refer to the link to learn about generating and registering the Syncfusion® license key in your application to use the components without a trial message.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed learning about Convert Excel to PDF with Azure functions.
You can refer to our XIsIO’s feature tour page to learn about its other groundbreaking features. Explore our UG documentation and online demos to understand how to manipulate data in Excel documents.
If you are an existing user, you can access our latest components from the License and Downloads page. For new users, you can try our 30-day free trial to check out XlsIO and other Syncfusion® components.
If you have any queries or require clarification, please let us know in the comments below or contact us through our support forums, Support Tickets, or feedback portal. We are always happy to assist you!