add border to pdf page using itext

Question

this is my source code. why am I not able to add border to my pdf page even after enabling borders for all sides? I've set border and its color too still I'm not able to add border.

void create() throws DocumentException,IOException{
        // step 1
        Document document = new Document();
        // step 2
        PdfWriter writer=PdfWriter.getInstance(document, new FileOutputStream(RESULT));
        document.setPageSize(PageSize.LETTER);
        document.setMargins(36, 72, 108, 180);
        document.setMarginMirroring(false);
        // step 3
        document.open();
        // step 4
        Rectangle rect= new Rectangle(36,108);
        rect.enableBorderSide(1);
        rect.enableBorderSide(2);
        rect.enableBorderSide(4);
        rect.enableBorderSide(8);
        rect.setBorder(2);
        rect.setBorderColor(BaseColor.BLACK);
        document.add(rect);
         Font font = new Font(Font.FontFamily.TIMES_ROMAN, 26, Font.UNDERLINE, BaseColor.BLACK);
        Paragraph title= new Paragraph("CURRICULUM VITAE\n\n",font);
        title.setAlignment(Element.ALIGN_CENTER);
        document.add(title);
        Font f1= new Font (Font.FontFamily.UNDEFINED, 13, Font.NORMAL, BaseColor.BLACK);
        Paragraph info= new Paragraph("Name\n\nEmail\n\nContact Number",f1);
        Paragraph addr= new Paragraph("Street\n\nCity\n\nPin",f1);
        PdfPTable table = new PdfPTable(2);
        table.setWidthPercentage(100);
        table.spacingAfter();
        PdfPCell cell = new PdfPCell(info);
        cell.setHorizontalAlignment(Element.ALIGN_LEFT);
        cell.disableBorderSide(Rectangle.BOX);
        cell.setExtraParagraphSpace(1.5f);
        table.addCell(cell);
        cell = new PdfPCell(addr);
        cell.setHorizontalAlignment(Element.ALIGN_RIGHT);
        cell.disableBorderSide(Rectangle.BOX);
        cell.setExtraParagraphSpace(1.5f);
        table.addCell(cell);
        document.add(table);
        document.add(new Chunk("\n"));
        document.add(new LineSeparator(2f,100,BaseColor.DARK_GRAY,Element.ALIGN_CENTER,-1f));

Solution 1

1. You didn't define a border width.
2. You're adding the border only once. What if you want the border to appear on every page?

You can fix (1.) by adding:

rect.setBorder(Rectangle.BOX);
rect.setBorderWidth(2);

Note that I would remove the enableBorderSide() calls. You'll notice that you've used the setBorder() method in the wrong way.

To fix (2.), I would use a page event. Note that you can't use document.add() in a page event, so you'll have to do something as described in the DrawRectangle example that was written in answer to the question iText: PdfContentByte.rectangle(Rectangle) does not behave as expected

You didn't define a page size when creating the Document object, which means that iText will be using PageSize.A4. A couple of lines later, you use PageSize.LETTER. These values are immutable Rectangle objects. You can create a new Rectangle using the dimensions/coordinates of PageSize.A4 (or in your case: PageSize.LETTER). You can obtain the dimensions using the getWidth() and getHeight() method and the coordinates using getLeft(), getBottom(), getRight() and getTop().

Solution 2

    Rectangle rect= new Rectangle(577,825,18,15); // you can resize rectangle 
     rect.enableBorderSide(1);
     rect.enableBorderSide(2);
     rect.enableBorderSide(4);
     rect.enableBorderSide(8);
     rect.setBorderColor(BaseColor.BLACK);
     rect.setBorderWidth(1);
     document.add(rect);

Comments

[user3819936]

how to add border as the size of page. I'm using letter as page size, so what parameters should be passed?

[Bruno Lowagie]

I've updated my answer. This will give you an idea on how to get the parameters you need to create the Rectangle you want to use to draw a border.

[user3819936]

thanx I got it :) if I add bordr at every new page then will there be any problem? or can you please tell me which method to use to add border to entire pdf?

[Bruno Lowagie]

The problem with your approach is that you don't know when a new page will be added. Sure, you know when you manually use document.newPage(), but in some cases iText starts a new page automatically when content doesn't fit on the current page. That's why you should add the border in the onEndPage() method of a page event.

[user3819936]

table.addCell(String.format("Page %d of", writer.getPageNumber())); this is how we add table to each page... what is the corresponding method for adding rectangle?

[user3819936]

this method is for adding table, I want corresponding method for rectangle in page event so that I won't need 2 add page border again and again....... or is there any method for adding solid border??

[user3819936]

btw I read your book 3-4 days back... amazing author you are... Reading is not my cup of tea but I loved reading your book.. the way you explain things is very simple and interesting too! :)

[user3819936]

I want corresponding method for rectangle in page event so that I won't need 2 add page border again and again....... or is there any method for adding solid border??

[Bruno Lowagie]

Adding a rectangle can be done with the rectangle() method, but I don't think I understand the question. You're already adding a table: I see table.addCell() in your question. Why not define a border for the cell? Then you don't have to worry about adding it yourself.

[Bruno Lowagie]

Adding a border in the onEndPage() event is just a matter of copying some code from the example I mentioned ( itextpdf.com/sandbox/objects/DrawRectangle ) into the body of the onEndPage() method.

[user3819936]

is there any method in itext than render pdf in a jframe?

[Bruno Lowagie]

iText is about creating PDF, not about rendering PDF, not about Swing components, so the answer is: no, that's out of scope for iText.

[Bruno Lowagie]

The answer is no, that's out of scope for iText.