Troubleshooting installing Aspose.Slides for Node.js via Java

When installing aspose.slides.via.java using npm, there are cases where errors occur during the compilation of java and node-gyp modules. We have investigated these errors in more detail and identified specific requirements for the versions of installed programs and packages.

Version requirements

For Node.js 12 and earlier:
- Python not higher than 3.10.
- For Windows, it is recommended to install Visual Studio Build Tools no newer than 2017.
- npm java package version: 0.12.1.
For Node.js 13:
- Same requirements as for Node.js 12.
For Node.js 14:
- Python 3.10.
- npm java package version: 0.14.0.
For Node.js 15:
- Python 3.12.
- npm java package version: 0.14.0.
For Node.js 16 and newer:
- Python 3.12.
- npm java package version: 0.14.0.

Follow the instructions below to install the required programs.

Installation on Unix

Install Node.js.
Install Python.
Install Java (JDK 1.8).
Install a proper C/C++ compiler toolchain, such as GCC.

Installation on macOS

Install Node.js.
Install Python.
Install Java (JDK 1.8) and modify JVMCapabilities section in /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.x_xxx.jdk/Contents/Info.plist with root privilege. jdk1.8.x_xxx.jdk depends on your jdk version. Make it look like this:

<key>JavaVM</key>
    <dict>
        <key>JVMCapabilities</key>
        <array>
                <string>JNI</string>
                <string>BundledApp</string>
                <string>CommandLine</string>
        </array>

Install the Xcode Command Line Tools standalone by running xcode-select --install. – OR – Alternatively, if you already have the full Xcode installed, you can install the Command Line Tools under the menu Xcode -> Open Developer Tool -> More Developer Tools....

Installation on Windows

Install Node.js.
Install Python from the Microsoft Store.
Install Java (JDK 1.8).
Install Visual C++ Build Environment (using “Visual C++ build tools” if using a version older than VS2019, otherwise use “Desktop development with C++” workload or Visual Studio Community using the “Desktop development with C++” workload).

Ensure that Node.js, Python, and Java are added to the PATH variable.

Installation of Aspose.Slides for Node.js via Java on Node.js version 14 and newer

Simply use the command:

npm i aspose.slides.via.java

Installation of Aspose.Slides for Node.js via Java on Node.js version 12 or 13

Aspose.Slides for Node.js via Java needs to be installed manually. Use the following command:

For Node.js 12:

npm i java@0.12.1

For Node.js 13:

npm i java@0.13.0

After that, download aspose.slides.via.java and extract it to the node_modules/aspose.slides.via.java folder.

Validation of installation

To validate the installation, create a file index.js in the root of your project with the following content:

var aspose = aspose || {};
var java = require('java');
aspose.slides = require("aspose.slides.via.java");

var presentation = new aspose.slides.Presentation();
var slide = presentation.getSlides().get_Item(0);
slide.getShapes().addAutoShape(aspose.slides.ShapeType.Line, 50, 150, 300, 0);
presentation.save("lineShape.pptx", aspose.slides.SaveFormat.Pptx);

Execute this file using the command node index.js.

Additional Information

It is not possible to cover all possible problems within the scope of this article. Since problems arise due to the compilation of java and node-gyp modules the following links will also be useful:

Installation Licensing