Creating a PDF file?

Question

I looked into iTextSharp and SharpPDF and Report.Net as well as PDFSharp.

None of these open source projects have good documentation OR do not work with VS 2012.

Does anyone have a recommended solution or can show me the documentation?

My employer blocks many sites and although Google is not blocked, some of the results are.

I plan on using C# with WinForms and obtaining my data from an Access DB

Solution 1

Hey @Cocoa Dev get this a complete example with diferent functions.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Web;
using System.Web.UI;
using System.Web.UI.WebControls;

using System.IO;
using iTextSharp.text.pdf;
using System.Data;
using System.Text;
using System.util.collections;
using iTextSharp.text;
using System.Net.Mail;

public partial class PDFScenarios : System.Web.UI.Page
{
public string P_InputStream = "~/MyPDFTemplates/ex1.pdf";
public string P_InputStream2 = "~/MyPDFTemplates/ContactInfo.pdf";
public string P_InputStream3 = "~/MyPDFTemplates/MulPages.pdf";
public string P_InputStream4 = "~/MyPDFTemplates/CompanyLetterHead.pdf";
public string P_OutputStream = "~/MyPDFOutputs/ex1_1.pdf";

//Read all 'Form values/keys' from an existing multi-page PDF document
public void ReadPDFformDataPageWise()
{
PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(Server.MapPath(P_InputStream3));
AcroFields form = reader.AcroFields;
try
{
for (int page = 1; page <= reader.NumberOfPages; page++)
{
    foreach (KeyValuePair<string, AcroFields.Item> kvp in form.Fields)
    {
        switch (form.GetFieldType(kvp.Key))
        {
            case AcroFields.FIELD_TYPE_CHECKBOX:
            case AcroFields.FIELD_TYPE_COMBO:
            case AcroFields.FIELD_TYPE_LIST:
            case AcroFields.FIELD_TYPE_RADIOBUTTON:
            case AcroFields.FIELD_TYPE_NONE:
            case AcroFields.FIELD_TYPE_PUSHBUTTON:
            case AcroFields.FIELD_TYPE_SIGNATURE:
            case AcroFields.FIELD_TYPE_TEXT:
                int fileType = form.GetFieldType(kvp.Key);
                string fieldValue = form.GetField(kvp.Key);
                string translatedFileName = form.GetTranslatedFieldName(kvp.Key);
                break;
        }
    }
}
}
catch
{
}
finally
{
    reader.Close();
}
}

//Read and alter form values for only second and 
//third page of an existing multi page PDF doc.
//Save the changes in a brand new pdf file.
public void ReadAlterPDFformDataInSelectedPages()
{
PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(Server.MapPath(P_InputStream3));
reader.SelectPages("1-2"); //Work with only page# 1 & 2
using (PdfStamper stamper = new PdfStamper(reader, new FileStream(Server.MapPath(P_OutputStream), FileMode.Create)))
{
    AcroFields form = stamper.AcroFields;
    var fieldKeys = form.Fields.Keys;
    foreach (string fieldKey in fieldKeys)
    {
        //Replace Address Form field with my custom data
        if (fieldKey.Contains("Address"))
        {
            form.SetField(fieldKey, "MyCustomAddress");
        }
    }
    //The below will make sure the fields are not editable in
    //the output PDF.
    stamper.FormFlattening = true;
}
}

//Extract text from an existing PDF's second page.
private string ExtractText()
{
    PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(Server.MapPath(P_InputStream3));
    string txt =  PdfTextExtractor.GetTextFromPage(reader, 2, new LocationTextExtractionStrategy());
    return txt;
}

//Create a brand new PDF from scratch and without a template
private void CreatePDFNoTemplate()
{
    Document pdfDoc = new Document();
    PdfWriter writer = PdfWriter.GetInstance(pdfDoc, new FileStream(Server.MapPath(P_OutputStream), FileMode.OpenOrCreate));

    pdfDoc.Open();
    pdfDoc.Add(new Paragraph("Some data"));
    PdfContentByte cb = writer.DirectContent;
    cb.MoveTo(pdfDoc.PageSize.Width / 2, pdfDoc.PageSize.Height / 2);
    cb.LineTo(pdfDoc.PageSize.Width / 2, pdfDoc.PageSize.Height);
    cb.Stroke();

    pdfDoc.Close(); 
}

private void fillPDFForm()
{
    string formFile = Server.MapPath(P_InputStream);
    string newFile = Server.MapPath(P_OutputStream);
    PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(formFile);
    using (PdfStamper stamper = new PdfStamper(reader, new FileStream(newFile, FileMode.Create)))
    {
        AcroFields fields = stamper.AcroFields;

        // set form fields
        fields.SetField("name", "John Doe");
        fields.SetField("address", "xxxxx, yyyy");
        fields.SetField("postal_code", "12345");
        fields.SetField("email", "[email protected]");

        // flatten form fields and close document
        stamper.FormFlattening = true;
        stamper.Close();
    }
}

//Helper functions
private void SendEmail(MemoryStream ms)
{
    MailAddress _From = new MailAddress("[email protected]");
    MailAddress _To = new MailAddress("[email protected]"); 
    MailMessage email = new MailMessage(_From, _To); 
    Attachment attach = new Attachment(ms,  new System.Net.Mime.ContentType("application/pdf")); 
    email.Attachments.Add(attach);  
    SmtpClient mailSender = new SmtpClient("Gmail-Server"); 
    mailSender.Send(email);  
}

private void DownloadAsPDF(MemoryStream ms)
{
    Response.Clear();
    Response.ClearContent();
    Response.ClearHeaders();
    Response.ContentType = "application/pdf";
    Response.AppendHeader("Content-Disposition", "attachment;filename=abc.pdf");
    Response.OutputStream.Write(ms.GetBuffer(), 0, ms.GetBuffer().Length);
    Response.OutputStream.Flush();
    Response.OutputStream.Close();
    Response.End();
    ms.Close();
}


//Working with Memory Stream and PDF
public void CreatePDFFromMemoryStream()
{
    //(1)using PDFWriter
    Document doc = new Document();
    MemoryStream memoryStream = new MemoryStream();
    PdfWriter writer = PdfWriter.GetInstance(doc, memoryStream);
    doc.Open();
    doc.Add(new Paragraph("Some Text"));
    writer.CloseStream = false;
    doc.Close();
    //Get the pointer to the beginning of the stream. 
    memoryStream.Position = 0;
    //You may use this PDF in memorystream to send as an attachment in an email
    //OR download as a PDF
    SendEmail(memoryStream);
    DownloadAsPDF(memoryStream);

    //(2)Another way using PdfStamper
    PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(Server.MapPath(P_InputStream2));
    using (MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream())
    {
        PdfStamper stamper = new PdfStamper(reader, ms);
        AcroFields fields = stamper.AcroFields;
        fields.SetField("SomeField", "MyValueFromDB");
        stamper.FormFlattening = true;
        stamper.Close();
        SendEmail(ms);
    }
}

//Burst-- Make each page of an existing multi-page PDF document 
//as another brand new PDF document
private void PDFBurst()
{
    string pdfTemplatePath = Server.MapPath(P_InputStream3);
    PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(pdfTemplatePath);
    //PdfCopy copy;
    PdfSmartCopy copy;
    for (int i = 1; i < reader.NumberOfPages; i++)
    {
        Document d1 = new Document();
        copy = new PdfSmartCopy(d1, new FileStream(Server.MapPath(P_OutputStream).Replace(".pdf", i.ToString() + ".pdf"), FileMode.Create));
        d1.Open();
        copy.AddPage(copy.GetImportedPage(reader, i));
        d1.Close();
    }
}



//Copy a set of form fields from an existing PDF template/doc
//and keep appending to a brand new PDF file.
//The copied set of fields will have different values.
private void AppendSetOfFormFields()
{
    PdfCopyFields _copy = new PdfCopyFields(new FileStream(Server.MapPath(P_OutputStream), FileMode.Create));
    _copy.AddDocument(new PdfReader(a1("1")));
    _copy.AddDocument(new PdfReader(a1("2")));
    _copy.AddDocument(new PdfReader(new FileStream(Server.MapPath("~/MyPDFTemplates/Myaspx.pdf"), FileMode.Open)));
    _copy.Close();
}
//ConcatenateForms
private byte[] a1(string _ToAppend)
{
    using (var existingFileStream = new FileStream(Server.MapPath(P_InputStream), FileMode.Open))
    using (MemoryStream stream = new MemoryStream())
    {
        // Open existing PDF
        var pdfReader = new PdfReader(existingFileStream);
        var stamper = new PdfStamper(pdfReader, stream);
        var form = stamper.AcroFields;
        var fieldKeys = form.Fields.Keys;

        foreach (string fieldKey in fieldKeys)
        {
            form.RenameField(fieldKey, fieldKey + _ToAppend);
        }
        // "Flatten" the form so it wont be editable/usable anymore
        stamper.FormFlattening = true;
        stamper.Close();
        pdfReader.Close();
        return stream.ToArray();
    }
}

//Working with Image
private void AddAnImage()
{
    using (var inputPdfStream = new FileStream(@"C:\MyInput.pdf", FileMode.Open))
    using (var inputImageStream = new FileStream(@"C:\img1.jpg", FileMode.Open))
    using (var outputPdfStream = new FileStream(@"C:\MyOutput.pdf", FileMode.Create))
    {
        PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(inputPdfStream);
        PdfStamper stamper = new PdfStamper(reader, outputPdfStream);
        PdfContentByte pdfContentByte = stamper.GetOverContent(1);
        var image = iTextSharp.text.Image.GetInstance(inputImageStream);
        image.SetAbsolutePosition(1, 1);
        pdfContentByte.AddImage(image);
        stamper.Close();
    }

}

//Add Company Letter-Head/Stationary to an existing pdf
private void AddCompanyStationary()
{
    PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(Server.MapPath(P_InputStream2));
    PdfReader s_reader = new PdfReader(Server.MapPath(P_InputStream4));

    using (PdfStamper stamper = new PdfStamper(reader, new FileStream(Server.MapPath(P_OutputStream), FileMode.Create)))
    {
        PdfImportedPage page = stamper.GetImportedPage(s_reader, 1);
        int n = reader.NumberOfPages;
        PdfContentByte background;
        for (int i = 1; i <= n; i++)
        {
            background = stamper.GetUnderContent(i);
            background.AddTemplate(page, 0, 0);
        }
        stamper.Close();
    }
}

Solution 2

Try this example:

using iTextSharp.text;
// Set up the fonts to be used on the pages 
private Font _largeFont = new Font(Font.FontFamily.HELVETICA, 18, Font.BOLD, BaseColor.BLACK); 
private Font _standardFont = new Font(Font.FontFamily.HELVETICA, 14, Font.NORMAL, BaseColor.BLACK); 
private Font _smallFont = new Font(Font.FontFamily.HELVETICA, 10, Font.NORMAL, BaseColor.BLACK);
public void Build() 
{ 
   iTextSharp.text.Document doc = null;
   try 
   { 
       // Initialize the PDF document 
       doc = new Document(); 
       iTextSharp.text.pdf.PdfWriter writer = iTextSharp.text.pdf.PdfWriter.GetInstance(doc, 
           new System.IO.FileStream(System.IO.Directory.GetCurrentDirectory() + "\\ScienceReport.pdf", 
               System.IO.FileMode.Create));
       // Set margins and page size for the document 
       doc.SetMargins(50, 50, 50, 50); 
       // There are a huge number of possible page sizes, including such sizes as 
       // EXECUTIVE, LEGAL, LETTER_LANDSCAPE, and NOTE 
       doc.SetPageSize(new iTextSharp.text.Rectangle(iTextSharp.text.PageSize.LETTER.Width, 
           iTextSharp.text.PageSize.LETTER.Height));
       // Add metadata to the document.  This information is visible when viewing the 
       // document properities within Adobe Reader. 
       doc.AddTitle("My Science Report"); 
       doc.AddCreator("M. Lichtenberg"); 
       doc.AddKeywords("paper airplanes");
       // Add Xmp metadata to the document. 
       this.CreateXmpMetadata(writer);
       // Open the document for writing content 
       doc.Open();
       // Add pages to the document 
       this.AddPageWithBasicFormatting(doc); 
       this.AddPageWithInternalLinks(doc); 
       this.AddPageWithBulletList(doc); 
       this.AddPageWithExternalLinks(doc); 
       this.AddPageWithImage(doc, System.IO.Directory.GetCurrentDirectory() + "\\FinalGraph.jpg");
       // Add page labels to the document 
       iTextSharp.text.pdf.PdfPageLabels pdfPageLabels = new iTextSharp.text.pdf.PdfPageLabels(); 
       pdfPageLabels.AddPageLabel(1, iTextSharp.text.pdf.PdfPageLabels.EMPTY, "Basic Formatting"); 
       pdfPageLabels.AddPageLabel(2, iTextSharp.text.pdf.PdfPageLabels.EMPTY, "Internal Links"); 
       pdfPageLabels.AddPageLabel(3, iTextSharp.text.pdf.PdfPageLabels.EMPTY, "Bullet List"); 
       pdfPageLabels.AddPageLabel(4, iTextSharp.text.pdf.PdfPageLabels.EMPTY, "External Links"); 
       pdfPageLabels.AddPageLabel(5, iTextSharp.text.pdf.PdfPageLabels.EMPTY, "Image"); 
       writer.PageLabels = pdfPageLabels; 
   } 
   catch (iTextSharp.text.DocumentException dex) 
   { 
       // Handle iTextSharp errors 
   } 
   finally 
   { 
       // Clean up 
       doc.Close(); 
       doc = null; 
   } 
}

Comments

[John Saunders]

I have edited your title. Please see, "Should questions include “tags” in their titles?", where the consensus is "no, they should not".

[SixOThree]

I have done a round-about solution before where I generate html from data (which I display on the screen in a browser component) and then use wkhtmltopdf to convert that html to pdf files. It works quite well, but you do use Process.Start instead of making a call to a DLLs method. Meaning you don't get robust error handling you're used to in C#. I can post a few examples if you are interested.

[Chris Haas]

iTextSharp is a port of the Java library iText. There is a ton of documentation out there for iText including several printed books. Translation from Java to C# is very easy. For almost every Object.getName in Java you just use Object.Name in C#. 90% of the code can actually be ported over directly.

[Bruno Lowagie]

Wow, saying none of these open source projects have good documentation while the author of iText in Action is on StackOverflow is rather provocative. Did you overlook itextpdf.com/book and tinyurl.com/iiacsCH01 to tinyurl.com/iiacsCH16 or are you should playing with me?

[Bruno Lowagie]

possible duplicate of c# how to create a PDF file?

[Cocoa Dev]

Nice example but CreateXmpMetadata is not found. Among with all the code that starts with "this."

[CloudyMarble]

@CocoaDev whatsup dude? how about you show some effort and go to the link and copy paste the code of CreateXmpMetadata?