Manage Presentation Zoom in .NET

What this page is about

Create and customize Zoom with Aspose.Slides for .NET — jump between sections, add thumbnails and transitions in PowerPoint presentations.

Introduction

PowerPoint zooms let you navigate between specific slides and sections during a slide show. With Aspose.Slides for .NET, you can create slide, section, and summary zooms and customize their previews, borders, and transitions.

• To summarize an entire presentation on a single slide, use a Summary Zoom.
• To show selected slides only, use a Slide Zoom.
• To show a single section only, use a Section Zoom.

Slide Zoom

A slide zoom can make your presentation more dynamic, allowing you to navigate freely between slides in any order you choose without interrupting the flow of your presentation. Slide zooms are great for short presentations without many sections, but you can still use them in different presentation scenarios.

Slide zooms let you explore related information from a single overview slide.

For slide zoom objects, Aspose.Slides provides the ZoomImageType enumeration, the IZoomFrame interface, and methods on the IShapeCollection interface.

Create Zoom Frames

Use IShapeCollection.AddZoomFrame to place links to individual slides on an overview slide. This example creates two target slides with distinct backgrounds and labels, then adds a preview of each to the first slide and saves the presentation as PPTX. Frame positions and dimensions are specified in points.

using System.Drawing;
using Aspose.Slides;
using Aspose.Slides.Export;

using var presentation = new Presentation();
var overviewSlide = presentation.Slides[0];

var secondSlide = presentation.Slides.AddEmptySlide(overviewSlide.LayoutSlide);
var thirdSlide = presentation.Slides.AddEmptySlide(overviewSlide.LayoutSlide);

secondSlide.Background.Type = BackgroundType.OwnBackground;
secondSlide.Background.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
secondSlide.Background.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.Cyan;

var textBox = secondSlide.Shapes.AddAutoShape(ShapeType.Rectangle, 100, 200, 500, 200);
textBox.TextFrame.Text = "Second Slide";

thirdSlide.Background.Type = BackgroundType.OwnBackground;
thirdSlide.Background.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
thirdSlide.Background.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.DarkKhaki;

textBox = thirdSlide.Shapes.AddAutoShape(ShapeType.Rectangle, 100, 200, 500, 200);
textBox.TextFrame.Text = "Third Slide";

overviewSlide.Shapes.AddZoomFrame(20, 20, 250, 200, secondSlide);
overviewSlide.Shapes.AddZoomFrame(200, 250, 250, 200, thirdSlide);

presentation.Save("presentation.pptx", SaveFormat.Pptx);

Create Zoom Frames with Custom Images

Pass a custom image to IShapeCollection.AddZoomFrame to replace the target slide’s default preview. This example requires a local image, loads it with Images.FromFile, and adds it to the presentation using IImageCollection.AddImage. The resulting frame displays that image while still linking to the second slide.

using System.Drawing;
using Aspose.Slides;
using Aspose.Slides.Export;

using var presentation = new Presentation();
var overviewSlide = presentation.Slides[0];

var slide = presentation.Slides.AddEmptySlide(overviewSlide.LayoutSlide);
slide.Background.Type = BackgroundType.OwnBackground;
slide.Background.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
slide.Background.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.Cyan;

var textBox = slide.Shapes.AddAutoShape(ShapeType.Rectangle, 100, 200, 500, 200);
textBox.TextFrame.Text = "Second Slide";

using var image = Images.FromFile("image.png");
var previewImage = presentation.Images.AddImage(image);

overviewSlide.Shapes.AddZoomFrame(20, 20, 300, 200, slide, previewImage);

presentation.Save("presentation.pptx", SaveFormat.Pptx);

Format Zoom Frames

This example customizes two slide zoom frames. It assigns a local image to the first frame through IZoomObject.ZoomImage, and gives the second frame a five-point, dash-dot pink border through IShape.LineFormat. Setting IZoomObject.ShowBackground to false hides the second frame’s background. A local image is required for the custom preview; both frames retain their slide targets in the saved PPTX.

using System.Drawing;
using Aspose.Slides;
using Aspose.Slides.Export;

using var presentation = new Presentation();
var overviewSlide = presentation.Slides[0];

var secondSlide = presentation.Slides.AddEmptySlide(overviewSlide.LayoutSlide);
var thirdSlide = presentation.Slides.AddEmptySlide(overviewSlide.LayoutSlide);

secondSlide.Background.Type = BackgroundType.OwnBackground;
secondSlide.Background.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
secondSlide.Background.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.Cyan;

var textBox = secondSlide.Shapes.AddAutoShape(ShapeType.Rectangle, 100, 200, 500, 200);
textBox.TextFrame.Text = "Second Slide";

thirdSlide.Background.Type = BackgroundType.OwnBackground;
thirdSlide.Background.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
thirdSlide.Background.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.DarkKhaki;

textBox = thirdSlide.Shapes.AddAutoShape(ShapeType.Rectangle, 100, 200, 500, 200);
textBox.TextFrame.Text = "Third Slide";

var firstZoomFrame = overviewSlide.Shapes.AddZoomFrame(20, 20, 250, 200, secondSlide);
var secondZoomFrame = overviewSlide.Shapes.AddZoomFrame(200, 250, 250, 200, thirdSlide);

using var image = Images.FromFile("image.png");
var previewImage = presentation.Images.AddImage(image);

firstZoomFrame.ZoomImage = previewImage;

secondZoomFrame.LineFormat.Width = 5;
secondZoomFrame.LineFormat.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
secondZoomFrame.LineFormat.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.HotPink;
secondZoomFrame.LineFormat.DashStyle = LineDashStyle.DashDot;

secondZoomFrame.ShowBackground = false;

presentation.Save("presentation.pptx", SaveFormat.Pptx);

Section Zoom

A section zoom links to a section in your presentation. Use it to revisit a topic or show how different parts of the presentation connect.

For section zoom objects, Aspose.Slides provides the ISectionZoomFrame interface and methods on the IShapeCollection interface.

Create Section Zoom Frames

Create a section with ISectionCollection.AddSection, then pass the returned section to IShapeCollection.AddSectionZoomFrame. This example places a section zoom on the first slide and links it to a section beginning with a colored slide. The frame’s position and dimensions are specified in points, and the presentation is saved as PPTX.

using System.Drawing;
using Aspose.Slides;
using Aspose.Slides.Export;

using var presentation = new Presentation();
var overviewSlide = presentation.Slides[0];

var slide = presentation.Slides.AddEmptySlide(overviewSlide.LayoutSlide);
slide.Background.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
slide.Background.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.YellowGreen;
slide.Background.Type = BackgroundType.OwnBackground;

var section = presentation.Sections.AddSection("Section 1", slide);
var sectionZoomFrame = overviewSlide.Shapes.AddSectionZoomFrame(20, 20, 300, 200, section);

presentation.Save("presentation.pptx", SaveFormat.Pptx);

Create Section Zoom Frames with Custom Images

The image overload of IShapeCollection.AddSectionZoomFrame lets you display a custom preview without changing the destination section. This example requires a local image, which is loaded with Images.FromFile and added through IImageCollection.AddImage. The saved presentation contains a section zoom on the first slide linked to the newly created section.

using System.Drawing;
using Aspose.Slides;
using Aspose.Slides.Export;

using var presentation = new Presentation();
var overviewSlide = presentation.Slides[0];

var slide = presentation.Slides.AddEmptySlide(overviewSlide.LayoutSlide);
slide.Background.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
slide.Background.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.YellowGreen;
slide.Background.Type = BackgroundType.OwnBackground;

using var image = Images.FromFile("image.png");
var previewImage = presentation.Images.AddImage(image);

var section = presentation.Sections.AddSection("Section 1", slide);
var sectionZoomFrame = overviewSlide.Shapes.AddSectionZoomFrame(20, 20, 300, 200, section, previewImage);

presentation.Save("presentation.pptx", SaveFormat.Pptx);

Change a Section Zoom’s Target Section

Use ISectionZoomFrame.TargetSection to redirect an existing section zoom without recreating it. Choose a populated section from the same presentation’s Sections collection. Assigning an empty section leaves the current target unchanged, so check ISection.GetSlidesListOfSection before assigning it. See Manage Slide Sections for more about sections.

The following example loads a presentation file, which must contain multiple populated sections, an existing section zoom named Section navigation, and a section with the unique name Results. It searches all slides for the zoom and finds the destination by name rather than by a collection index that can change when sections are reordered. If names are not unique, use ISection.SectionId to identify the destination instead.

using System;
using System.Linq;
using Aspose.Slides;
using Aspose.Slides.Export;

using var presentation = new Presentation("section-zoom.pptx");

var zoom = presentation.Slides.SelectMany(slide => slide.Shapes).OfType<ISectionZoomFrame>().FirstOrDefault(shape => shape.Name == "Section navigation");
var targetSection = presentation.Sections.FirstOrDefault(section => section.Name == "Results");

if (zoom == null || targetSection == null)
{
    Console.WriteLine("The section zoom or destination section was not found.");
}
else if (targetSection.GetSlidesListOfSection().Count == 0)
{
    Console.WriteLine("The destination section is empty.");
}
else
{
    Console.WriteLine($"Current section: {zoom.TargetSection?.Name}");
    zoom.TargetSection = targetSection;
    presentation.Save("section-zoom-updated.pptx", SaveFormat.Pptx);
}

Format Section Zoom Frames

This example moves and resizes a section zoom to 100 by 75 points, assigns a local image through IZoomObject.ZoomImage, and applies a 2.5-point, dash-dot brown border. It enables IZoomObject.ReturnToParent to return to the originating slide after the section, disables IZoomObject.ShowBackground, and sets IZoomObject.TransitionDuration to 1.5 seconds. A local image is required for the custom preview.

using System.Drawing;
using Aspose.Slides;
using Aspose.Slides.Export;

using var presentation = new Presentation();
var overviewSlide = presentation.Slides[0];

var slide = presentation.Slides.AddEmptySlide(overviewSlide.LayoutSlide);
slide.Background.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
slide.Background.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.YellowGreen;
slide.Background.Type = BackgroundType.OwnBackground;

var section = presentation.Sections.AddSection("Section 1", slide);

var sectionZoomFrame = overviewSlide.Shapes.AddSectionZoomFrame(20, 20, 300, 200, section);
sectionZoomFrame.X = 100;
sectionZoomFrame.Y = 300;
sectionZoomFrame.Width = 100;
sectionZoomFrame.Height = 75;

using var image = Images.FromFile("image.png");
var previewImage = presentation.Images.AddImage(image);

sectionZoomFrame.ZoomImage = previewImage;

sectionZoomFrame.ReturnToParent = true;
sectionZoomFrame.ShowBackground = false;

sectionZoomFrame.LineFormat.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
sectionZoomFrame.LineFormat.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.Brown;
sectionZoomFrame.LineFormat.DashStyle = LineDashStyle.DashDot;
sectionZoomFrame.LineFormat.Width = 2.5f;

sectionZoomFrame.TransitionDuration = 1.5f;

presentation.Save("presentation.pptx", SaveFormat.Pptx);

Summary Zoom

A summary zoom provides an overview of presentation sections. During a slide show, you can use it to jump to a section, skip ahead, or revisit a topic without following the slide order.

For summary zoom objects, Aspose.Slides provides the ISummaryZoomFrame, ISummaryZoomSection, and ISummaryZoomSectionCollection interfaces and methods on the IShapeCollection interface.

Create a Summary Zoom

Use IShapeCollection.AddSummaryZoomFrame to create an overview of the presentation’s sections. This example creates four sections with distinct slide backgrounds and adds a summary zoom to the first slide. The frame’s position and dimensions are specified in points, and the resulting overview is saved in a PPTX presentation.

using System.Drawing;
using Aspose.Slides;
using Aspose.Slides.Export;

using var presentation = new Presentation();
var overviewSlide = presentation.Slides[0];

var slide = presentation.Slides.AddEmptySlide(overviewSlide.LayoutSlide);
slide.Background.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
slide.Background.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.Brown;
slide.Background.Type = BackgroundType.OwnBackground;

presentation.Sections.AddSection("Section 1", slide);

slide = presentation.Slides.AddEmptySlide(overviewSlide.LayoutSlide);
slide.Background.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
slide.Background.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.Aqua;
slide.Background.Type = BackgroundType.OwnBackground;

presentation.Sections.AddSection("Section 2", slide);

slide = presentation.Slides.AddEmptySlide(overviewSlide.LayoutSlide);
slide.Background.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
slide.Background.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.Chartreuse;
slide.Background.Type = BackgroundType.OwnBackground;

presentation.Sections.AddSection("Section 3", slide);

slide = presentation.Slides.AddEmptySlide(overviewSlide.LayoutSlide);
slide.Background.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
slide.Background.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.DarkGreen;
slide.Background.Type = BackgroundType.OwnBackground;

presentation.Sections.AddSection("Section 4", slide);

var summaryZoomFrame = overviewSlide.Shapes.AddSummaryZoomFrame(150, 50, 300, 200);

presentation.Save("presentation.pptx", SaveFormat.Pptx);

Add and Remove a Summary Zoom Section

A summary zoom stores its ISummaryZoomSection objects in ISummaryZoomFrame.SummaryZoomCollection. This example creates an overview of two sections, adds a third section using ISummaryZoomSectionCollection.AddSummaryZoomSection, and removes the first section’s entry using ISummaryZoomSectionCollection.RemoveSummaryZoomSection. Removing the entry leaves the presentation section and its slides intact.

using System.Drawing;
using Aspose.Slides;
using Aspose.Slides.Export;

using var presentation = new Presentation();
var overviewSlide = presentation.Slides[0];

var slide = presentation.Slides.AddEmptySlide(overviewSlide.LayoutSlide);
slide.Background.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
slide.Background.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.Brown;
slide.Background.Type = BackgroundType.OwnBackground;

var firstSection = presentation.Sections.AddSection("Section 1", slide);

slide = presentation.Slides.AddEmptySlide(overviewSlide.LayoutSlide);
slide.Background.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
slide.Background.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.Aqua;
slide.Background.Type = BackgroundType.OwnBackground;

presentation.Sections.AddSection("Section 2", slide);

var summaryZoomFrame = overviewSlide.Shapes.AddSummaryZoomFrame(150, 50, 300, 200);

slide = presentation.Slides.AddEmptySlide(overviewSlide.LayoutSlide);
slide.Background.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
slide.Background.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.Chartreuse;
slide.Background.Type = BackgroundType.OwnBackground;

var thirdSection = presentation.Sections.AddSection("Section 3", slide);

summaryZoomFrame.SummaryZoomCollection.AddSummaryZoomSection(thirdSection);

summaryZoomFrame.SummaryZoomCollection.RemoveSummaryZoomSection(firstSection);

presentation.Save("presentation.pptx", SaveFormat.Pptx);

Format Summary Zoom Sections

This example formats the first entry in ISummaryZoomFrame.SummaryZoomCollection, using the zero-based index 0. It requires a local image for IZoomObject.ZoomImage, applies a 1.5-point, dash-dot black border, and sets IZoomObject.TransitionDuration to 1.5 seconds. Setting IZoomObject.ReturnToParent to false disables the automatic return to the summary slide for this entry.

using System.Drawing;
using Aspose.Slides;
using Aspose.Slides.Export;

using var presentation = new Presentation();
var overviewSlide = presentation.Slides[0];

var slide = presentation.Slides.AddEmptySlide(overviewSlide.LayoutSlide);
slide.Background.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
slide.Background.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.Brown;
slide.Background.Type = BackgroundType.OwnBackground;

presentation.Sections.AddSection("Section 1", slide);

slide = presentation.Slides.AddEmptySlide(overviewSlide.LayoutSlide);
slide.Background.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
slide.Background.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.Aqua;
slide.Background.Type = BackgroundType.OwnBackground;

presentation.Sections.AddSection("Section 2", slide);

var summaryZoomFrame = overviewSlide.Shapes.AddSummaryZoomFrame(150, 50, 300, 200);

var summarySection = summaryZoomFrame.SummaryZoomCollection[0];

using var image = Images.FromFile("image.png");
var previewImage = presentation.Images.AddImage(image);

summarySection.ZoomImage = previewImage;
summarySection.ReturnToParent = false;

summarySection.LineFormat.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
summarySection.LineFormat.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.Black;
summarySection.LineFormat.DashStyle = LineDashStyle.DashDot;
summarySection.LineFormat.Width = 1.5f;

summarySection.TransitionDuration = 1.5f;

presentation.Save("presentation.pptx", SaveFormat.Pptx);

FAQ

Can I control returning to the ‘parent’ slide after showing the target?

Yes. Set IZoomObject.ReturnToParent to true to return to the originating slide after the target content is shown.

Can I adjust the ‘speed’ or duration of the Zoom transition?

Yes. Set IZoomObject.TransitionDuration to control the transition duration in seconds.

Are there limits on how many Zoom objects a presentation can contain?

There is no hard API limit documented. Practical limits depend on overall presentation complexity and the viewer’s performance. You can add many Zoom frames, but consider file size and rendering time.