How to create a PDF file in Windows Forms?
PDF (Portable Document Format) is a file format used to display the document with same formatting, independent of application software, hardware, and operating system. Syncfusion Essential PDF is a .NET PDF library used to create, read, and edit PDF documents. Using this library, you can create a PDF document in Windows Forms.
Steps to create PDF programmatically:
- Create a new Windows Forms application project.
- Install the Syncfusion.Pdf.WinForms NuGet package as a reference to your .NET Framework applications from NuGet.org.
- Include the following namespaces in the Form1.Designer.cs file.
C#
using Syncfusion.Pdf;
using Syncfusion.Pdf.Graphics;
using System;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Windows.Forms;
VB.NET
Imports Syncfusion.Pdf
Imports Syncfusion.Pdf.Graphics
Imports System
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Drawing
Imports System.Windows.Forms
- Add a new button in Form1.Designer.cs to create PDF document as follows.
C#
private Button btnCreate;
private Label label;
private void InitializeComponent()
{
btnCreate = new Button();
label = new Label();
//Label
label.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(0, 40);
label.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(426, 35);
label.Text = "Click the button to view PDF file generated by Essential PDF";
label.TextAlign = System.Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter;
//Button
btnCreate.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(180, 110);
btnCreate.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(85, 26);
btnCreate.Text = "Create PDF";
btnCreate.Click += new EventHandler(btnCreate_Click);
//Create PDF
ClientSize = new System.Drawing.Size(450, 150);
Controls.Add(label);
Controls.Add(btnCreate);
Text = "Create PDF";
}
VB.NET
Private label As Label
Private WithEvents btnCreate As Button
Private Sub InitializeComponent()
label = New Label()
btnCreate = New Button()
'Label
label.Location = New Drawing.Point(0, 40)
label.Size = New Drawing.Size(426, 35)
label.Text = "Click the button to view PDF file generated by Essential PDF"
label.TextAlign = Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter
'Button
btnCreate.Location = New Drawing.Point(180, 110)
btnCreate.Size = New Drawing.Size(85, 26)
btnCreate.Text = "Create PDF"
'Create PDF
ClientSize = New Drawing.Size(450, 150)
Controls.Add(btnCreate)
Controls.Add(label)
Text = "Create PDF"
End Sub
- Add the following code in btnCreate_Click to create a PDF file with simple text.
C#
//Create a new PDF document
using (PdfDocument document = new PdfDocument())
{
//Add a page to the document
PdfPage page = document.Pages.Add();
//Create PDF graphics for a page
PdfGraphics graphics = page.Graphics;
//Set the standard font
PdfFont font = new PdfStandardFont(PdfFontFamily.Helvetica, 20);
//Draw the text
graphics.DrawString("Hello World!!!", font, PdfBrushes.Black, new PointF(0, 0));
//Save the document
document.Save("Output.pdf");
}
VB.NET
'Create a new PDF document
Using document As PdfDocument = New PdfDocument()
'Add a page to the document
Dim page As PdfPage = document.Pages.Add()
'Create PDF graphics for a page
Dim graphics As PdfGraphics = page.Graphics
'Set the standard font
Dim font As PdfFont = New PdfStandardFont(PdfFontFamily.Helvetica, 20)
'Draw the text
graphics.DrawString("Hello World!!!", font, PdfBrushes.Black, New PointF(0, 0))
'Save the document
document.Save("Output.pdf")
End Using
A complete working sample can be downloaded from Create-PDF-file.zip
By executing the program, you will get the PDF document as follows. 
Take a moment to peruse the documentation, where you will find other options like drawing right-to-left text and multi-column text, consuming TrueType fonts, Standards fonts, CJK fonts. Also, the features like PDF form filling, extract text or images from PDF, protect PDF documents with code examples.
Refer here to explore the rich set of Syncfusion Essential PDF features.
An online sample link to generate Hello world PDF document.
See Also:
Create a PDF file in ASP.NET Core
Create a PDF file in ASP.NET MVC
Starting with v16.2.0.x, if you reference Syncfusion assemblies from trial setup or from the NuGet feed, include a license key in your projects. Refer to link to learn about generating and registering Syncfusion license key in your application to use the components without trail message.
