Add a Table of Contents to a Word Document Using the Syncfusion .NET Word Library

The Syncfusion^® .NET Word Library allows users to create and update the table of contents (TOC) in a Word document using C# without relying on Microsoft Word or interop dependencies. Build the TOC based on headings with custom styles. Include page numbers and hyperlinks for easy navigation.

Watch this video to learn how to create and update the table of contents in a Word document using the Syncfusion .NET Word Library.

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Create and update TOC in Word document using C#

Learn how to create and update table of contents (TOC) in Word documents programmatically using C# with the Syncfusion .NET Word Library. This guide demonstrates building TOC based on headings with page numbers and hyperlinks for easy navigation.

Step 1: Create a new project

Start by creating a new C# Console Application project.

Step 2: Install the NuGet package

Add the Syncfusion.DocIO.Net.Core package to your project from NuGet.org.

Step 3: Add required namespaces to create and update TOC

Add the following namespaces to your Program.cs file:

c#
using Syncfusion.DocIO;
using Syncfusion.DocIO.DLS;
using Syncfusion.DocIORenderer;
using System.IO;

Step 4: Create a Word document and add section

Create a new Word document and add a section with initial text content.

c#
WordDocument document = new WordDocument();
//Add the section into the Word document
IWSection section = document.AddSection();
string paraText = "AdventureWorks Cycles, the fictitious company on which the AdventureWorks sample databases are based, is a large, multinational manufacturing company.";

Step 5: Insert table of contents

Insert a table of contents field with specified heading levels to the document.

c#
//Add the paragraph into the created section
IWParagraph paragraph = section.AddParagraph();
//Append the TOC field with LowerHeadingLevel and UpperHeadingLevel to determines the TOC entries
paragraph.AppendTOC(1, 3);

Step 6: Add first chapter with heading

Add a new section with the first chapter heading and content.

c#
//Add the section into the Word document.
section = document.AddSection();
//Add the paragraph into the created section
paragraph = section.AddParagraph();
//Add the text for the headings
paragraph.AppendText("First Chapter");
//Set a built-in heading style
paragraph.ApplyStyle(BuiltinStyle.Heading1);
//Add the text into the paragraph
section.AddParagraph().AppendText(paraText);

Step 7: Add second chapter with heading

Add a new section with the second chapter heading and content.

c#
//Add the section into the Word document
section = document.AddSection();
//Add the paragraph into the created section
paragraph = section.AddParagraph();
//Add the text for the headings
paragraph.AppendText("Second Chapter");
//Set a built-in heading style
paragraph.ApplyStyle(BuiltinStyle.Heading2);
//Add the text into the paragraph
section.AddParagraph().AppendText(paraText);

Step 8: Add third chapter with heading

Add a new section with the third chapter heading and content.

c#
//Add the section into the Word document
section = document.AddSection();
//Add the paragraph into the created section
paragraph = section.AddParagraph();
//Add the text into the headings
paragraph.AppendText("Third Chapter");
//Set a built-in heading style
paragraph.ApplyStyle(BuiltinStyle.Heading3);
//Add the text into the paragraph
section.AddParagraph().AppendText(paraText);

Step 9: Update TOC

Update the table of contents with the chapter entries.

Run

c#
//Update the table of contents
  document.UpdateTableOfContents();

Step 10: Save the Word document

Save the Word document to a file stream in DOCX format.

c#
//Create file stream
  FileStream outputFileStream = new FileStream(Path.GetFullPath(@"Output/Result.docx"), FileMode.Create, FileAccess.ReadWrite);
  //Save the Word document to file stream
  document.Save(outputFileStream, FormatType.Docx);
  // Close resource
  outputFileStream.Close();
  document.Close();