Create Simple PDF File Using iTextSharp Library

In this article I will show you how to create a simple PDF file using the 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 http://itextpdf.com/download.php.

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:
    

   using System;

   using iTextSharp.text.pdf;

   using System.IO;

   using iTextSharp.text;

   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:
   
   protected void btnGeneratePDFFile_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
   

   {

       //Create document

       Document doc = new  Document();
       //Create PDF Table

       PdfPTable tableLayout = new PdfPTable(4);

    

       //Create a PDF file in specific path

       PdfWriter.GetInstance(doc, new FileStream(Server.MapPath("Sample-PDF-File.pdf"), FileMode.Create));

    

       //Open the PDF document

       doc.Open();

    

       //Add Content to PDF

       doc.Add(Add_Content_To_PDF(tableLayout));

    

       // Closing the document

       doc.Close();

    

       btnOpenPDFFile.Enabled = true;

       btnGeneratePDFFile.Enabled = false;

   }

   private PdfPTable Add_Content_To_PDF(PdfPTable tableLayout)

   {

       float[] headers = { 20, 20, 30, 30 };  //Header Widths

       tableLayout.SetWidths(headers);        //Set the pdf headers

       tableLayout.WidthPercentage = 80;       //Set the PDF File witdh percentage

    

      //Add Title to the PDF file at the top

      tableLayout.AddCell(new PdfPCell(new Phrase("Creating PDF file using iTextsharp", new Font(Font.HELVETICA, 13, 1, new iTextSharp.text.Color(153, 51, 0)))) { Colspan = 4, Border = 0, PaddingBottom = 20, HorizontalAlignment = Element.ALIGN_CENTER });         

    

      //Add header

      AddCellToHeader(tableLayout, "Cricketer Name");

      AddCellToHeader(tableLayout, "Height");

      AddCellToHeader(tableLayout, "Born On");

      AddCellToHeader(tableLayout, "Parents");           

    

      //Add body

      AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "Sachin Tendulkar");

      AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "1.65 m");

      AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "April 24, 1973");

      AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "Ramesh Tendulkar, Rajni Tendulkar");

    

      AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "Mahendra Singh Dhoni");

      AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "1.75 m");

      AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "July 7, 1981");

      AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "Devki Devi, Pan Singh");

    

      AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "Virender Sehwag");

      AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "1.70 m");

      AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "October 20, 1978");

      AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "Aryavir Sehwag, Vedant Sehwag");

    

      AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "Virat Kohli");

      AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "1.75 m");

      AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "November 5, 1988");

      AddCellToBody(tableLayout, "Saroj Kohli, Prem Kohli");

    

      return tableLayout;

   }

    

   // Method to add single cell to the header

   private static void AddCellToHeader(PdfPTable tableLayout,string cellText)

   {          

       tableLayout.AddCell(new PdfPCell(new Phrase(cellText, new Font(Font.HELVETICA, 8, 1, iTextSharp.text.Color.WHITE))) {HorizontalAlignment = Element.ALIGN_CENTER, Padding=5, BackgroundColor = new iTextSharp.text.Color(0, 51, 102) });

   }

    

   // Method to add single cell to the body

   private static void AddCellToBody(PdfPTable tableLayout, string cellText)

   {           

       tableLayout.AddCell(new PdfPCell(new Phrase(cellText, new Font(Font.HELVETICA, 8, 1, iTextSharp.text.Color.BLACK))) { HorizontalAlignment = Element.ALIGN_CENTER,Padding = 5, BackgroundColor = iTextSharp.text.Color.WHITE });

   }
   
   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:
   
   protected void btnOpenPDFFile_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
   {
       //Open the PDF file
       Process.Start(Server.MapPath("Sample-PDF-File.pdf"));
       btnGeneratePDFFile.Enabled = true;
       btnOpenPDFFile.Enabled = false;
   }
   
   
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.