Convert PowerPoint Presentations in Handout Mode Using Java

Handout Mode Export

Aspose.Slides provides the ability to convert presentations into various formats, including creating handouts for printing in Handout mode. This mode allows you to configure how multiple slides appear on a single page, making it useful for conferences, seminars, and other events. You can enable this mode by setting the setSlidesLayoutOptions method in the IPdfOptions, IRenderingOptions, IHtmlOptions, and ITiffOptions interfaces.

To configure Handout mode, use the HandoutLayoutingOptions object, which determines how many slides are placed on a single page and other display parameters.

Below is a code example showing how to convert a presentation to PDF in Handout mode.

// Load a presentation.
Presentation presentation = new Presentation("sample.pptx");
try {
    // Set the export options.
    HandoutLayoutingOptions slidesLayoutOptions = new HandoutLayoutingOptions();
    slidesLayoutOptions.setHandout(HandoutType.Handouts4Horizontal);  // 4 slides on one page horizontally
    slidesLayoutOptions.setPrintSlideNumbers(true);                   // print slide numbers
    slidesLayoutOptions.setPrintFrameSlide(true);                     // print a frame around slides
    slidesLayoutOptions.setPrintComments(false);                      // no comments

    PdfOptions pdfOptions = new PdfOptions();
    pdfOptions.setSlidesLayoutOptions(slidesLayoutOptions);

    // Export the presentation to PDF with the chosen layout.
    presentation.save("output.pdf", SaveFormat.Pdf, pdfOptions);
} finally {
    if (presentation != null) presentation.dispose();    
}

Keep in mind that the setSlidesLayoutOptions method is available only for certain output formats, such as PDF, HTML, TIFF, and when rendering as images.

FAQ

What is the maximum number of slide thumbnails per page in Handout mode?

Aspose.Slides supports presets up to 9 thumbnails per page with horizontal or vertical ordering: 1, 2, 3, 4 (horizontal/vertical), 6 (horizontal/vertical), and 9 (horizontal/vertical).

Can I define a custom grid, such as 5 or 8 slides per page?

No. The number and ordering of thumbnails are controlled strictly by the HandoutType class; arbitrary layouts are not supported.

Can I include hidden slides in the Handout output?

Yes. Enable the hidden slides using the setShowHiddenSlides method in the export settings for the target format, such as PdfOptions, HtmlOptions, or TiffOptions.