Create Header Footer

Here is a step-by-step guide to explain the following C# source code to create headers and footers using Aspose.Words for .NET functionality. Make sure you have included the Aspose.Words library in your project before using this code.

Step 1: Set document directory path

// The path to the documents directory.
string dataDir = "YOUR_DIRECTORY_OF_DOCUMENTS";

Be sure to specify the correct path to your documents directory where the edited document will be saved.

Step 2: Create a document and a document generator

Document doc = new Document();
DocumentBuilder builder = new DocumentBuilder(doc);

Here we create an instance of the Document class and an instance of the DocumentBuilder class which will allow us to manipulate the document and add elements.

Step 3: Set page parameters and first header

Section currentSection = builder.CurrentSection;
PageSetup pageSetup = currentSection.PageSetup;

// Specify if we want the headers/footers of the first page to be different from the other pages.
// You can also use the PageSetup.OddAndEvenPagesHeaderFooter property to specify
// different headers/footers for odd and even pages.
pageSetup.DifferentFirstPageHeaderFooter = true;
pageSetup.HeaderDistance = 20;

builder.MoveToHeaderFooter(HeaderFooterType.HeaderFirst);
builder.ParagraphFormat.Alignment = ParagraphAlignment.Center;

builder.Font.Name = "Arial";
builder.Font.Bold = true;
builder.Font.Size = 14;

builder.Write("Aspose.Words - Creating Headers/Footers - Title Page.");

pageSetup.HeaderDistance = 20;
builder. MoveToHeaderFooter(HeaderFooterType.HeaderPrimary);

We set the page parameters, including the header distance, and then move to the main header (HeaderPrimary). We use the document generator to add text and format the header.

Step 4: Insert an image and text in the main header

builder.InsertImage(ImagesDir + "Graphics Interchange Format.gif", RelativeHorizontalPosition.Page, 10,
     RelativeVerticalPosition.Page, 10, 50, 50, WrapType.Through);

builder.ParagraphFormat.Alignment = ParagraphAlignment.Right;

builder.Write("Aspose.Words - Building headers/footers.");

builder. MoveToHeaderFooter(HeaderFooterType.FooterPrimary);

We use the document generator to insert an image in the upper left corner of the main header, then we add some right-aligned text.

Step 5: Insert a table in the main footer

builder.StartTable();

builder.CellFormat.ClearFormatting();

builder.InsertCell();

builder.CellFormat.PreferredWidth = PreferredWidth.FromPercent(100 / 3);

builder.Write("Page ");
builder.InsertField("PAGE", "");
builder.Write(" of ");
builder.InsertField("NUMPAGES", "");

builder.CurrentParagraph.ParagraphFormat.Alignment = ParagraphAlignment.Left;

builder.InsertCell();

builder.CellFormat.PreferredWidth = PreferredWidth.FromPercent(100 * 2 / 3);

builder.Write("(C) 2001 Aspose Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.");

builder.CurrentParagraph.ParagraphFormat.Alignment = ParagraphAlignment.Right;

builder.EndRow();
builder.EndTable();

builder.MoveToDocumentEnd();

Step 6: Add a new page and set headers/footers

builder. InsertBreak(BreakType.PageBreak);
builder.InsertBreak(BreakType.SectionBreakNewPage);

currentSection = builder. CurrentSection;
pageSetup = currentSection.PageSetup;
pageSetup.Orientation = Orientation.Landscape;
// This section doesn't need a different header/footer for the first page, we only need one title page in the document,
// and the header/footer for this page has already been defined in the previous section.
pageSetup.DifferentFirstPageHeaderFooter = false;

// This section displays the headers/footers of the previous section by default, call currentSection.HeadersFooters.LinkToPrevious(false) to break this link,
// the page width is different for the new section, so we need to set different cell widths for a footer table.
currentSection.HeadersFooters.LinkToPrevious(false);

// If we want to use the already existing headers/footers for this section,
// but with a few minor changes, it might make sense to copy the headers/footers
// from the previous section and apply the necessary changes where we want them.
CopyHeadersFootersFromPreviousSection(currentSection);

HeaderFooter primaryFooter = currentSection.HeadersFooters[HeaderFooterType.FooterPrimary];

Row row = primaryFooter.Tables[0].FirstRow;
row.FirstCell.CellFormat.PreferredWidth = PreferredWidth.FromPercent(100 / 3);
row.LastCell.CellFormat.PreferredWidth = PreferredWidth.FromPercent(100 * 2 / 3);

// Save the document
doc.Save(dataDir + "WorkingWithHeadersAndFooters.CreateHeaderFooter.docx");

We add a page break and a section break to create a new page where the primary headers/footers will be visible. We set the parameters for the new section, then we use the CopyHeadersFootersFromPreviousSection method to copy the headers/footers from the previous section. Finally, we set the appropriate cell widths for the main footer table and save the document.

Example source code to create headers and footers with Aspose.Words for .NET

// The path to the documents directory.
string dataDir = "YOUR_DIRECTORY_OF_DOCUMENTS";

Document doc = new Document();
DocumentBuilder builder = new DocumentBuilder(doc);

Section currentSection = builder.CurrentSection;
PageSetup pageSetup = currentSection.PageSetup;
// Specify if we want headers/footers of the first page to be different from other pages.
// You can also use PageSetup.OddAndEvenPagesHeaderFooter property to specify
// different headers/footers for odd and even pages.
pageSetup.DifferentFirstPageHeaderFooter = true;
pageSetup.HeaderDistance = 20;

builder.MoveToHeaderFooter(HeaderFooterType.HeaderFirst);
builder.ParagraphFormat.Alignment = ParagraphAlignment.Center;

builder.Font.Name = "Arial";
builder.Font.Bold = true;
builder.Font.Size = 14;

builder.Write("Aspose.Words Header/Footer Creation Primer - Title Page.");

pageSetup.HeaderDistance = 20;
builder.MoveToHeaderFooter(HeaderFooterType.HeaderPrimary);

// Insert a positioned image into the top/left corner of the header.
// Distance from the top/left edges of the page is set to 10 points.
builder.InsertImage(ImagesDir + "Graphics Interchange Format.gif", RelativeHorizontalPosition.Page, 10,
	RelativeVerticalPosition.Page, 10, 50, 50, WrapType.Through);

builder.ParagraphFormat.Alignment = ParagraphAlignment.Right;

builder.Write("Aspose.Words Header/Footer Creation Primer.");

builder.MoveToHeaderFooter(HeaderFooterType.FooterPrimary);

// We use a table with two cells to make one part of the text on the line (with page numbering).
// To be aligned left, and the other part of the text (with copyright) to be aligned right.
builder.StartTable();

builder.CellFormat.ClearFormatting();

builder.InsertCell();

builder.CellFormat.PreferredWidth = PreferredWidth.FromPercent(100 / 3);

// It uses PAGE and NUMPAGES fields to auto calculate the current page number and many pages.
builder.Write("Page ");
builder.InsertField("PAGE", "");
builder.Write(" of ");
builder.InsertField("NUMPAGES", "");

builder.CurrentParagraph.ParagraphFormat.Alignment = ParagraphAlignment.Left;

builder.InsertCell();

builder.CellFormat.PreferredWidth = PreferredWidth.FromPercent(100 * 2 / 3);

builder.Write("(C) 2001 Aspose Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.");

builder.CurrentParagraph.ParagraphFormat.Alignment = ParagraphAlignment.Right;

builder.EndRow();
builder.EndTable();

builder.MoveToDocumentEnd();

// Make a page break to create a second page on which the primary headers/footers will be seen.
builder.InsertBreak(BreakType.PageBreak);
builder.InsertBreak(BreakType.SectionBreakNewPage);

currentSection = builder.CurrentSection;
pageSetup = currentSection.PageSetup;
pageSetup.Orientation = Orientation.Landscape;
// This section does not need a different first-page header/footer we need only one title page in the document,
// and the header/footer for this page has already been defined in the previous section.
pageSetup.DifferentFirstPageHeaderFooter = false;

// This section displays headers/footers from the previous section
// by default call currentSection.HeadersFooters.LinkToPrevious(false) to cancel this page width
// is different for the new section, and therefore we need to set different cell widths for a footer table.
currentSection.HeadersFooters.LinkToPrevious(false);

// If we want to use the already existing header/footer set for this section.
// But with some minor modifications, then it may be expedient to copy headers/footers
// from the previous section and apply the necessary modifications where we want them.
CopyHeadersFootersFromPreviousSection(currentSection);

HeaderFooter primaryFooter = currentSection.HeadersFooters[HeaderFooterType.FooterPrimary];

Row row = primaryFooter.Tables[0].FirstRow;
row.FirstCell.CellFormat.PreferredWidth = PreferredWidth.FromPercent(100 / 3);
row.LastCell.CellFormat.PreferredWidth = PreferredWidth.FromPercent(100 * 2 / 3);

doc.Save(dataDir + "WorkingWithHeadersAndFooters.CreateHeaderFooter.docx");

FAQ’s

Q: How can I add a header to my document in Aspose.Words?

A: To add a header to your document in Aspose.Words, you can use the Document.FirstSection.HeadersFooters.Add(HeaderFooterType.HeaderPrimary) method. This method adds a primary heading to the first section of your document.

Q: How can I add a footer to my document in Aspose.Words?

A: To add a footer to your document in Aspose.Words, you can use the Document.FirstSection.HeadersFooters.Add(HeaderFooterType.FooterPrimary) method. This method adds a primary footer to the first section of your document.

Q: How can I add text to my header or footer in Aspose.Words?

A: To add text to your header or footer in Aspose.Words, you can use the HeaderFooter.Paragraphs property to get the paragraph collection of the header or footer, then add a paragraph containing your text to this collection using the ParagraphCollection.Add method.

Q: Can I customize header or footer content with images and page numbers in Aspose.Words?

A: Yes, you can customize header or footer content with images and page numbers in Aspose.Words. You can use objects like Shape to add images and objects like Field to add page numbers to your header or footer.

Q: Can I change the font, size and color of text in my header or footer in Aspose.Words?

A: Yes, you can change the font, size and color of text in your header or footer in Aspose.Words. You can access text formatting properties such as Font to change the font, Size to adjust the size, and Color to set the text color.