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Convert XPS to PDF in Java

XPS (XML Paper Specification) is a fixed-layout document format developed by Microsoft, while PDF (Portable Document Format) is a widely-used format for sharing and printing documents across different platforms. In many real-world scenarios, you may need to convert XPS files to PDF. Java, being a popular and versatile programming language, provides several ways to achieve this conversion. This blog post will guide you through the process of converting XPS to PDF using Java, covering core concepts, usage scenarios, common pitfalls, and best practices.

Table of Contents#

  1. Core Concepts
  2. Typical Usage Scenarios
  3. Common Pitfalls
  4. Best Practices
  5. Code Examples
  6. Conclusion
  7. FAQ
  8. References

Core Concepts#

XPS#

XPS is based on XML and describes the content, layout, and appearance of a document. It uses XML to define text, graphics, and other elements, making it a platform-independent format. However, not all applications support XPS natively, which is why conversion to a more widely-supported format like PDF is often necessary.

PDF#

PDF is a universal document format that preserves the document's layout, fonts, and graphics across different devices and operating systems. It is supported by a vast number of applications, making it ideal for document sharing and archiving.

Java Libraries for Conversion#

To convert XPS to PDF in Java, we typically rely on third-party libraries. Popular options include Aspose.XPS (which provides native XPS processing), Apache PDFBox (for assembling images into PDF), and JODConverter. For XPS reading and rendering, dedicated XPS libraries are required since PDFBox does not natively support XPS format.

Typical Usage Scenarios#

  1. Document Sharing: When you need to share an XPS document with others who may not have XPS-viewing software, converting it to PDF ensures that the document can be opened and viewed on a wide range of devices.
  2. Archiving: PDF is a more stable and widely-supported format for long-term archiving. Converting XPS files to PDF helps in maintaining the integrity of the documents over time.
  3. Printing: Many printers have better support for PDF files than XPS. Converting XPS to PDF can simplify the printing process.

Common Pitfalls#

  1. Dependency Management: Using third-party libraries means you need to manage their dependencies carefully. Incorrect versioning or missing dependencies can lead to runtime errors.
  2. Memory Issues: Converting large XPS files can consume a significant amount of memory. If not handled properly, it can lead to OutOfMemoryError.
  3. Font and Graphics Rendering: Some complex fonts or graphics in the XPS file may not be rendered correctly in the PDF. This can result in missing or distorted elements in the output.

Best Practices#

  1. Proper Dependency Management: Use a build tool like Maven or Gradle to manage the dependencies of the libraries you are using. This ensures that the correct versions of the libraries are used and all dependencies are resolved.
  2. Memory Optimization: When converting large files, process the document in chunks instead of loading the entire file into memory at once. You can also set appropriate heap size limits for your Java application.
  3. Testing: Always test the conversion process with a variety of XPS files, including those with complex fonts and graphics, to ensure that the output PDF is of high quality.

Code Examples#

Using Apache PDFBox with Image Conversion for XPS to PDF#

Since Apache PDFBox and JavaFX WebView do not natively support XPS format, a common approach is to first convert XPS to renderable images using a dedicated XPS library or tool, then use PDFBox to assemble those images into a PDF.

import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.PDDocument;
import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.PDPage;
import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.PDPageContentStream;
import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.graphics.image.PDImageXObject;
 
import javax.imageio.ImageIO;
import java.awt.image.BufferedImage;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
 
public class XpsToPdfConverter {
 
    public static void convertXpsToPdf(String xpsFilePath, String pdfFilePath) throws IOException {
        PDDocument pdfDocument = new PDDocument();
 
        try {
            List<BufferedImage> images = XpsToImageConverter.convertXpsToImages(xpsFilePath);
 
            for (BufferedImage image : images) {
                PDPage page = new PDPage();
                pdfDocument.addPage(page);
 
                PDPageContentStream contentStream = new PDPageContentStream(pdfDocument, page);
                PDImageXObject pdImage = PDImageXObject.createFromByteArray(
                    pdfDocument, 
                    imageToBytes(image), 
                    "xps_page"
                );
 
                float scale = Math.min(page.getMediaBox().getWidth() / image.getWidth(),
                                       page.getMediaBox().getHeight() / image.getHeight());
                contentStream.drawImage(pdImage, 0, 0, 
                    image.getWidth() * scale, image.getHeight() * scale);
                contentStream.close();
            }
 
            pdfDocument.save(pdfFilePath);
        } finally {
            pdfDocument.close();
        }
    }
 
    private static byte[] imageToBytes(BufferedImage image) throws IOException {
        java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream baos = new java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream();
        ImageIO.write(image, "PNG", baos);
        return baos.toByteArray();
    }
 
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        try {
            convertXpsToPdf("input.xps", "output.pdf");
        } catch (IOException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
    }
}

Alternative: Using Aspose.XPS for Direct Conversion

For a more direct approach, consider using Aspose.XPS which provides native XPS processing:

import com.aspose.xps.XpsDocument;
import com.aspose.xps.rendering.SaveFormat;
 
public class XpsToPdfConverterAspose {
 
    public static void convertXpsToPdf(String xpsFilePath, String pdfFilePath) throws Exception {
        XpsDocument xpsDoc = new XpsDocument(xpsFilePath);
        xpsDoc.save(pdfFilePath, SaveFormat.PDF);
    }
}

Explanation:

  • The first example converts XPS pages to images using a helper class, then uses PDFBox to create a PDF from those images.
  • The alternative using Aspose.XPS provides direct XPS to PDF conversion without intermediate image steps.
  • On Windows, you can also use the XpsConverter command-line tool to convert XPS to PDF, then use PDFBox for further processing if needed.

Conclusion#

Converting XPS to PDF in Java is a useful task in many real-world scenarios. By understanding the core concepts, being aware of common pitfalls, and following best practices, you can achieve high-quality conversions. Dedicated XPS libraries like Aspose.XPS, combined with PDF generation tools like Apache PDFBox, provide the necessary APIs to handle the conversion process effectively.

FAQ#

Q1: Can I convert multiple XPS files to PDF in one go?#

Yes, you can write a loop in Java to iterate over multiple XPS files and call the conversion method for each file.

Q2: Are there any free alternatives to Apache PDFBox?#

iText is another popular library for working with PDF files in Java. Note that iText is licensed under AGPL, which requires that if you distribute modified versions of the software, you must also release your source code under the same license.

Q3: What if the XPS file contains password protection?#

You need to handle the password authentication before loading the XPS file. Some libraries may provide methods to handle password-protected files.

References#

2025-10