How to Properly Pass an HTML String to iTextSharp for PDF Generation

Learn the step-by-step process to convert an HTML string to a PDF using iTextSharp in C#. Understand the intricacies of HTML to PDF conversion with iTextSharp.
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Converting HTML to PDF is a common requirement in many software development projects, and iTextSharp is a popular library used for this purpose in C. Here's a guide on how to properly pass an HTML string to iTextSharp for effective PDF generation.

Setting Up Your Environment

Before you begin, ensure you have iTextSharp installed in your project. You can add iTextSharp via NuGet Package Manager in Visual Studio.

Execute the following command in the NuGet Package Manager Console:

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Converting HTML to PDF

To convert an HTML string to a PDF, follow the steps outlined below:

Initialize the Document: Create an instance of the Document class.

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Create a Writer: Create a PdfWriter instance to write to a memory stream.

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Open the Document: Open the document for writing.

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Parse the HTML: Use the XMLWorkerHelper to parse the HTML string and write it to the document.

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Close the Document: Once the writing process is complete, close the document.

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Export the PDF: Retrieve the PDF byte array from the memory stream.

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Complete Example Code

Below is a complete example code snippet that encapsulates the entire process:

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Conclusion

Converting HTML to PDF using iTextSharp involves initializing and configuring the document, parsing the HTML content, and finally generating the PDF file. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can seamlessly integrate the HTML to PDF conversion functionality into your C applications.

For a robust and scalable implementation, handle exceptions and validate the HTML content properly before the conversion process. This ensures smoother and more reliable PDF generation.