Create Simple PDF File Using iTextSharp Library

iTextSharp

iTextSharp is a library that allows you to create and manipulate PDF documents. 

It enables developers looking to enhance web applications and other applications with dynamic PDF document generation and/or manipulation.

Before proceeding you should have the iTextSharp library file.

You can download the iTextSharp.dll from here.

1. Open VisualStudio and then create a new ASP.NET web application.
2. Add a reference to the iTextSharp.dll file to your project.
3. Add the following namespaces before proceeding:
   
   1. using System;  
   2. using iTextSharp.text.pdf;  
   3. using System.IO;  
   4. using iTextSharp.text;  
   5. using System.Diagnostics;  
4. In the designer, drag and drop two buttons as follows,
   
   
   
   
5. For the Generate PDF File button, write the following code to generate the PDF file:
   
   1. protected void btnGeneratePDFFile_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) {  
   2.     //Create document  
   3.     Document doc = new Document();  
   4.     //Create PDF Table  
   5.     PdfPTable tableLayout = new PdfPTable(4);  
   6.     //Create a PDF file in specific path  
   7.     PdfWriter.GetInstance(doc, new FileStream(Server.MapPath("Sample-PDF-File.pdf"), FileMode.Create));  
   8.     //Open the PDF document  
   9.     doc.Open();  
   10.     //Add Content to PDF  
   11.     doc.Add(Add_Content_To_PDF(tableLayout));  
   12.     // Closing the document  
   13.     doc.Close();  
   14.     btnOpenPDFFile.Enabled = true;  
   15.     btnGeneratePDFFile.Enabled = false;  
   16. }  
   17. private PdfPTable Add_Content_To_PDF(PdfPTable tableLayout) {  
   18.     float[] headers = {  
   19.         20,  
   20.         20,  
   21.         30,  
   22.         30  
   23.     }; //Header Widths  
   24.     tableLayout.SetWidths(headers); //Set the pdf headers  
   25.     tableLayout.WidthPercentage = 80; //Set the PDF File witdh percentage  
   26.     //Add Title to the PDF file at the top  
   27.     tableLayout.AddCell(new PdfPCell(new Phrase("Creating PDF file using iTextsharp", new Font(Font.HELVETICA, 13, 1, new iTextSharp.text.Color(153, 51, 0)))) {  
   28.         Colspan = 4, Border = 0, PaddingBottom = 20, HorizontalAlignment = Element.ALIGN_CENTER  
   29.     });  
   30.     //Add header  
   31.     AddCellToHeader(tableLayout, "Cricketer Name");  
   32.     AddCellToHeader(tableLayout, "Height");  
   33.     AddCellToHeader(tableLayout, "Born On");  
   34.     AddCellToHeader(tableLayout, "Parents");  
   35.     //Add body  
   36.     AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "Sachin Tendulkar");  
   37.     AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "1.65 m");  
   38.     AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "April 24, 1973");  
   39.     AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "Ramesh Tendulkar, Rajni Tendulkar");  
   40.     AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "Mahendra Singh Dhoni");  
   41.     AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "1.75 m");  
   42.     AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "July 7, 1981");  
   43.     AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "Devki Devi, Pan Singh");  
   44.     AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "Virender Sehwag");  
   45.     AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "1.70 m");  
   46.     AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "October 20, 1978");  
   47.     AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "Aryavir Sehwag, Vedant Sehwag");  
   48.     AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "Virat Kohli");  
   49.     AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "1.75 m");  
   50.     AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "November 5, 1988");  
   51.     AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "Saroj Kohli, Prem Kohli");  
   52.     return tableLayout;  
   53. }  
   54. // Method to add single cell to the header  
   55. private static void AddCellToHeader(PdfPTable tableLayout, string cellText) {  
   56.     tableLayout.AddCell(new PdfPCell(new Phrase(cellText, new Font(Font.HELVETICA, 8, 1, iTextSharp.text.Color.WHITE))) {  
   57.         HorizontalAlignment = Element.ALIGN_CENTER, Padding = 5, BackgroundColor = new iTextSharp.text.Color(0, 51, 102)  
   58.     });  
   59. }  
   60. // Method to add single cell to the body  
   61. private static void AddCellToBody(PdfPTable tableLayout, string cellText) {  
   62.     tableLayout.AddCell(new PdfPCell(new Phrase(cellText, new Font(Font.HELVETICA, 8, 1, iTextSharp.text.Color.BLACK))) {  
   63.         HorizontalAlignment = Element.ALIGN_CENTER, Padding = 5, BackgroundColor = iTextSharp.text.Color.WHITE  
   64.     });  
   65. }  
   Don't be confused by the code above, I am extracting the methods for reusability purposes.
   
   I will explain whats happening in the preceding methods.
   
   btnGeneratePDFFile_Click
   In this method I am creating the PDF file in a specific location. Then I am calling the Add_Content_To_PDF method.
   
   Add_Content_To_PDF
   In this method I am giving the sizes of the cells as well as PDF file width and then I am adding content to the PDF file usigng the two methods AddCellToHeader and AddCellToBody.
   
   AddCellToHeader
   In this mehtod I am adding a single cell to the PDF header with some style.
   
   AddCellToBody
   In this mehtod I am adding a single cell to the PDF body with some style. 
   
6. Now in the Open PDF button click write the following code to open the PDF that has been created:
   
   1. protected void btnOpenPDFFile_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)  
   2. {  
   3.     //Open the PDF file  
   4.     Process.Start(Server.MapPath("Sample-PDF-File.pdf"));  
   5.     btnGeneratePDFFile.Enabled = true;  
   6.     btnOpenPDFFile.Enabled = false;  
   7. }  
7. Save the files and run the project. Click on Generate PDF; your PDF file will be generated. Then click on the Open PDF file, you will get the created PDF.
   
8. If your code is not working then I have added a project to this article you can download and test. 

So in this way we can create a PDF simply by using the iTextSharp library.