Converting XLS files to various formats is necessary for data management and presentation. ODS, XPS, PostScript, and PDF/A-1b offer unique advantages and are suitable for different scenarios.

ODS is widely used for compatibility with many office suites. XPS preserves document fidelity and is ideal for sharing and archiving. PostScript is a versatile page description language often used for printing and graphic design. PDF/A-1b ensures long-term archiving by complying with strict preservation standards.

This guide will illustrate how to convert Excel to ODS, XPS, PostScript, and PDF/A-1b with Python using Spire.XLS for Python, leveraging their specific strengths to meet diverse needs.

• Convert Excel to ODS, XPS, and PostScript with Python
• Convert Excel to PDF/A-1b Using Python

Install Spire.XLS for Python

This scenario requires Spire.XLS for Python and plum-dispatch v1.7.4. They can be easily installed in your Windows through the following pip command.

pip install Spire.XLS

If you are unsure how to install it, please refer to this tutorial: How to Install Spire.XLS for Python on Windows.

Convert Excel to ODS, XPS, and PostScript with Python

To convert Excel to ODS, XPS, and PostScript documents, you can utilize Workbook.SaveToFile() method. It supports converting CSV to Excel and PDF, Excel to PDF and XLSX, etc. By using this method provided by Spire.XLS for Python, you can seamlessly transform your documents into these formats while maintaining accuracy without data loss. Read the following steps to learn more:

Steps to convert Excel to ODS, XPS, and PostScript:

1. Create a new Workbook object.
2. Import the file to be converted from the disk using Workbook.LoadFromFile() method.
3. Convert it to ODS, XPS, or PostScript with Workbook.SaveToFile() method.

Here is the code example for reference:

from spire.xls import *
from spire.xls.common import *

# Create a Workbook object
workbook = Workbook()

# Load the file from the disk
workbook.LoadFromFile("sample.xlsx")

# Save the document to an ODS file
workbook.SaveToFile("to_ods.ods", FileFormat.ODS)
# Save the document as an XPS file
workbook.SaveToFile("to_xps.xps", FileFormat.XPS)
# Save the document as a PostScript file
workbook.SaveToFile("to_postscript.ps", FileFormat.PostScript)

workbook.Dispose()

Note: Images 1, 2, and 3 show the results of converting Excel files to ODS, XPS, and PostScript formats, respectively.

How to Convert Excel Documents to PDF/A-1b Format

If you need to convert Excel to PDF/A-1b Format with Python, call Workbook.SaveToFile will help you. The steps to transform Excel documents to PDF/A-1b are similar to those above, except the former involves an additional step. This tutorial will guide you through the process with detailed steps and a code example.

Steps to convert Excel to PDF/A-1b

1. Instantiate a new Workbook object.
2. Read the Excel document from the disk using Workbook.LoadFromFile() method.
3. Set the PDF conformance level to PDF/A-1b.
4. Save the generated document as PDF with Workbook.SaveToFile() method.

Here is the code example for you:

from spire.xls import *
from spire.xls.common import *

# Create a Workbook object
workbook = Workbook()

# Open the file from the disk
workbook.LoadFromFile("sample.xlsx")

# Set the PDF conformance to PDF/A-1b
workbook.ConverterSetting.PdfConformanceLevel = PdfConformanceLevel.Pdf_A1B
# Convert the Excel document to PDF/A-1b
workbook.SaveToFile("to_pdfa1b", FileFormat.PDF)

workbook.Dispose()

Apply for a Temporary License

If you'd like to remove the evaluation message from the generated documents, or to get rid of the function limitations, please request a 30-day trial license for yourself.