Convert PDF to PDF/X exchange format

Aspose.PDF for .NET enables you to convert a PDF file to a PDF/X compliant PDF file. This article explains how.

The following code snippets also work with Aspose.PDF.Drawing library.

Supported standards

Aspose.PDF for .NET supports the following standards: PDF/X-1a:2001, PDF/X-1a:2003, PDF/X-3:2003, PDF/X-4.

Convert PDF file to PDF/X-4 with external ICC profile

The following code snippet shows how to convert PDF files to PDF/X-4 compliant PDF and provide an external ICC profile to ensure the proper color rendition.

.NET Core 3.1

// For complete examples and data files, visit https://github.com/aspose-pdf/Aspose.PDF-for-.NET
private static void ConvertPdfToPdfX()
{
    // The path to the documents directory
    string dataDir = RunExamples.GetDataDir_AsposePdf_DocumentConversion();
    
    // Open PDF document
    using (var document = new Aspose.Pdf.Document(dataDir + "PDFToPDFX.pdf"))
    {
        // Set up the desired PDF/X format with PdfFormatConversionOptions
        Aspose.Pdf.PdfFormatConversionOptions options = new Aspose.Pdf.PdfFormatConversionOptions(Aspose.Pdf.PdfFormat.PDF_X_4, Aspose.Pdf.ConvertErrorAction.Delete);

        // Provide the name of the external ICC profile file (optional)
        options.IccProfileFileName = dataDir + "ISOcoated_v2_eci.icc";

        // Provide an output condition identifier and other necessary OutputIntent properties (optional)
        options.OutputIntent = new Aspose.Pdf.OutputIntent("FOGRA39");

        // Convert to PDF/X compliant document
        document.Convert(options);
        
        // Save PDF document
        document.Save(dataDir + "PDFToPDFX4_out.pdf");
    }
}

.NET 8

// For complete examples and data files, visit https://github.com/aspose-pdf/Aspose.PDF-for-.NET
private static void ConvertPdfToPdfA()
{
    // The path to the documents directory
    string dataDir = RunExamples.GetDataDir_AsposePdf_DocumentConversion();
    
    // Open PDF document
    using var document = new Aspose.Pdf.Document(dataDir + "PDFToPDFX.pdf");

    // Set up the desired PDF/X format with PdfFormatConversionOptions
    Aspose.Pdf.PdfFormatConversionOptions options = new Aspose.Pdf.PdfFormatConversionOptions(Aspose.Pdf.PdfFormat.PDF_X_4, Aspose.Pdf.ConvertErrorAction.Delete);

    // Provide the name of the external ICC profile file (optional)
    options.IccProfileFileName = dataDir + "ISOcoated_v2_eci.icc";

    // Provide an output condition identifier and other necessary OutputIntent properties (optional)
    options.OutputIntent = new Aspose.Pdf.OutputIntent("FOGRA39");

    // Convert to PDF/X compliant document
    document.Convert(options);
    
    // Save PDF document
    document.Save(dataDir + "PDFToPDFX4_out.pdf");
}