Use FloatingBox for PDF Layout in Java

Aspose.PDF for Java uses FloatingBox to build reusable text containers and column-based layouts.

Create and add a floating box

Use this example when text should be placed inside a bordered floating container.

1. Create a new PDF document and add a page.
2. Create a FloatingBox, set its size and border, and add text content.
3. Add the box to the page and save the document.

public static void createAndAddFloatingBox(Path outputFile) {
       try (Document document = new Document()) {
           Page page = document.getPages().add();

           FloatingBox box = new FloatingBox(400, 30);
           box.setBorder(new BorderInfo(BorderSide.All, 1.5f, Color.getDarkGreen()));
           box.setNeedRepeating(false);
           String phrase = "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce quam odio, sollicitudin ac mauris vel, suscipit pellentesque nisi.";
           box.getParagraphs().add(new TextFragment(phrase));

           page.getParagraphs().add(box);
           document.save(outputFile.toString());
       }
   }

Create a repeating multi-column layout

Use this example when long text should flow across multiple columns inside one floating box.

1. Create a page and configure margins.
2. Calculate the column widths and configure the FloatingBox column settings.
3. Add repeated text fragments to the box and save the document.

public static void multiColumnLayout(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();
        page.getPageInfo().setMargin(new MarginInfo(36, 18, 36, 18));

        int columnCount = 3;
        int spacing = 10;
        double width = page.getPageInfo().getWidth()
                - page.getPageInfo().getMargin().getLeft()
                - page.getPageInfo().getMargin().getRight()
                - (columnCount - 1) * spacing;
        double columnWidth = width / 3;

        FloatingBox box = new FloatingBox();
        box.setNeedRepeating(true);
        box.getColumnInfo().setColumnWidths(columnWidth + " " + columnWidth + " " + columnWidth);
        box.getColumnInfo().setColumnSpacing(String.valueOf(spacing));
        box.getColumnInfo().setColumnCount(3);

        String phrase = "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce quam odio, sollicitudin ac mauris vel, suscipit pellentesque nisi.";
        for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
            box.getParagraphs().add(new TextFragment(phrase));
        }

        page.getParagraphs().add(box);
        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Start each fragment as the first item in a column

Use this example when each inserted fragment should begin a fresh column flow segment.

1. Create a page and configure the multi-column FloatingBox.
2. Create text fragments and mark them with setFirstParagraphInColumn(true).
3. Add the box to the page and save the PDF.

public static void multiColumnLayout2(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();
        page.getPageInfo().setMargin(new MarginInfo(36, 18, 36, 18));

        int columnCount = 3;
        int spacing = 10;
        double width = page.getPageInfo().getWidth()
                - page.getPageInfo().getMargin().getLeft()
                - page.getPageInfo().getMargin().getRight()
                - (columnCount - 1) * spacing;
        double columnWidth = width / 3;

        FloatingBox box = new FloatingBox();
        box.setNeedRepeating(true);
        box.getColumnInfo().setColumnWidths(columnWidth + " " + columnWidth + " " + columnWidth);
        box.getColumnInfo().setColumnSpacing(String.valueOf(spacing));
        box.getColumnInfo().setColumnCount(3);

        String phrase = "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce quam odio, sollicitudin ac mauris vel, suscipit pellentesque nisi.";
        for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
            TextFragment text = new TextFragment(phrase);
            text.setFirstParagraphInColumn(true);
            box.getParagraphs().add(text);
        }

        page.getParagraphs().add(box);
        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Add a floating box with background color

Use this example when the floating container should have a visible background fill.

1. Create a new PDF document and add a page.
2. Create a FloatingBox, set its background color, and add text.
3. Place the box on the page and save the document.

public static void backgroundSupport(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();

        FloatingBox box = new FloatingBox(400, 30);
        box.setBackgroundColor(Color.getLightGreen());
        box.setNeedRepeating(false);
        box.getParagraphs().add(new TextFragment("text example"));

        page.getParagraphs().add(box);
        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Position a floating box with absolute offsets

Use this example when the floating box must appear at an exact offset on the page.

1. Create a page and prepare the surrounding text content.
2. Create a FloatingBox, set absolute positioning, and assign top and left offsets.
3. Add the content to the page and save the document.

public static void offsetSupport(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();

        FloatingBox box = new FloatingBox(400, 30);
        box.setTop(45);
        box.setLeft(15);
        box.setPositioningMode(ParagraphPositioningMode.Absolute);
        box.setBorder(new BorderInfo(BorderSide.All, 1.5f, Color.getDarkGreen()));
        box.getParagraphs().add(new TextFragment("text example 1"));

        page.getParagraphs().add(new TextFragment("text example 2"));
        page.getParagraphs().add(box);
        page.getParagraphs().add(new TextFragment("text example 3"));

        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Align text inside floating boxes

Use this example when floating boxes should demonstrate different vertical alignments with the same horizontal alignment.

1. Create a new PDF document and add a page.
2. Create multiple FloatingBox objects with different alignment settings.
3. Add them to the page and save the result.

public static void alignTextToFloat(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();

        FloatingBox floatBox = new FloatingBox(100, 100);
        floatBox.setVerticalAlignment(VerticalAlignment.Bottom);
        floatBox.setHorizontalAlignment(HorizontalAlignment.Right);
        floatBox.getParagraphs().add(new TextFragment("FloatingBox_bottom"));
        floatBox.setBorder(new BorderInfo(BorderSide.All, Color.getBlue()));
        page.getParagraphs().add(floatBox);

        FloatingBox floatBox2 = new FloatingBox(100, 100);
        floatBox2.setVerticalAlignment(VerticalAlignment.Center);
        floatBox2.setHorizontalAlignment(HorizontalAlignment.Right);
        floatBox2.getParagraphs().add(new TextFragment("FloatingBox_center"));
        floatBox2.setBorder(new BorderInfo(BorderSide.All, Color.getBlue()));
        page.getParagraphs().add(floatBox2);

        FloatingBox floatBox3 = new FloatingBox(100, 100);
        floatBox3.setVerticalAlignment(VerticalAlignment.Top);
        floatBox3.setHorizontalAlignment(HorizontalAlignment.Right);
        floatBox3.getParagraphs().add(new TextFragment("FloatingBox_top"));
        floatBox3.setBorder(new BorderInfo(BorderSide.All, Color.getBlue()));
        page.getParagraphs().add(floatBox3);

        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}