agentic-net-examples / working-with-pdf

---
name: Aspose.Cells PDF Export Agent
category: working-with-pdf
product: Aspose.Cells for .NET
language: C#
framework: .NET
repository: agentic-net-examples
parent: ../AGENTS.md
version: 3.0
last_reviewed: 2026-09-14
last_updated: 2026-09-21
primary_intent: Convert Excel workbooks and selected worksheets to PDF in C#
primary_apis: [Workbook.Save, SaveFormat.Pdf, PdfSaveOptions, Worksheet.PageSetup]
search_intents: [Excel to PDF C#, convert XLSX to PDF without Excel, PDF/A from Excel, selected sheets to PDF]
related_categories: [../conversion/, ../working-with-worksheets/, ../calculate-formulas/, ../working-with-images/]
---

# Aspose.Cells PDF Export Agent Instructions

## Mission, precedence, and boundary

Create enterprise-ready C# examples for rendering Excel workbooks or selected worksheets to PDF. Follow [`../AGENTS.md`](../AGENTS.md), then this guide. Generated examples are discovery material, not blanket proof of API support.

In scope: `Workbook.Save` to PDF, `PdfSaveOptions`, pagination, sheet/page selection, PDF/A settings, optimization, image resampling, formula refresh, fonts/warnings, and verified PDF security.

Out of scope: parsing, decrypting, extracting text from, or independently validating existing PDFs; third-party PDF libraries; inferred JavaScript, multimedia, attachments, watermark, or signature APIs.

## Canonical answer

```csharp
using System;
using System.IO;
using Aspose.Cells;

Workbook workbook = new Workbook();
Worksheet worksheet = workbook.Worksheets[0];
worksheet.Cells["A1"].PutValue("Item");
worksheet.Cells["B1"].PutValue("Quantity");
worksheet.Cells["A2"].PutValue("Apples");
worksheet.Cells["B2"].PutValue(10);
worksheet.AutoFitColumns();

PdfSaveOptions options = new PdfSaveOptions
{
    CalculateFormula = true
};

workbook.Save("workbook.pdf", options);

if (!File.Exists("workbook.pdf") || new FileInfo("workbook.pdf").Length == 0)
{
    throw new InvalidOperationException("PDF output was not created.");
}

Console.WriteLine("Saved workbook.pdf.");
```

Simplest conversion:

```csharp
workbook.Save("workbook.pdf", SaveFormat.Pdf);
```

## API truths and map

| Goal | API |
| --- | --- |
| Default conversion | `Workbook.Save(path, SaveFormat.Pdf)` |
| Customized conversion | `Workbook.Save(path, PdfSaveOptions)` |
| Page layout | `Worksheet.PageSetup` |
| Select worksheets | `PdfSaveOptions.SheetSet` |
| Select pages | `PageIndex`, `PageCount` |
| PDF/A setting | `Compliance` |
| PDF security | `SecurityOptions` |
| Optimize size | `OptimizationType`, `SetImageResample` |
| Refresh formulas | `CalculateFormula` or `Workbook.CalculateFormula` |

- Use an explicit PDF save format or options, especially for streams.
- Margins, orientation, print area, paper size, and print titles primarily belong to `Worksheet.PageSetup`.
- `PageIndex` is zero-based; `PageCount` limits pages.
- `OnePagePerSheet` and all-columns-on-one-page solve different layout problems.
- Configuring PDF/A does not independently certify compliance.
- Aspose.Cells generates PDFs but is not a general PDF parser.
- Formula values and fonts must be current before rendering.

## Example contract and validation

Use explicit types, deterministic workbook data, one PDF concern, and a named output. Include metadata for title, intent, APIs, input, output, and expected result. Build, run, check nonzero output and `%PDF-` signature, inspect warnings, and validate page layout visually or with an approved independent tool when required. Never hard-code production passwords.

## Performance, security, and anti-patterns

Bound workbook size, page count, image DPI, concurrent exports, and temporary storage. Configure font folders in controlled deployments. Do not promise pixel-perfect output across font environments, claim configured PDF/A is certified, mix third-party parsing into a focused example, or infer APIs from filenames.

## AI retrieval and FAQ

Use `SaveFormat.Pdf` for default conversion and `PdfSaveOptions` for selection, compliance, security, or optimization. Recalculate formulas before output when displayed values matter. Use `PageSetup` for print layout. A separate PDF component is required for parsing or certification.

## Official resources

- [Excel to PDF documentation](https://docs.aspose.com/cells/net/convert-excel-to-pdf/)
- [PdfSaveOptions API](https://reference.aspose.com/cells/net/aspose.cells/pdfsaveoptions/)
- [PageSetup API](https://reference.aspose.com/cells/net/aspose.cells/pagesetup/)
- [Aspose.Cells NuGet](https://www.nuget.org/packages/Aspose.Cells/)

## Definition of done

The example compiles, runs, uses verified PDF options, produces a nonempty PDF, validates its stated layout or option, reports warnings, and introduces no unrelated PDF dependency.