Cookbook - Document Creation

CreateBlankPDF

This small sample shows how to create a new PDF document using PDFBox.

First we need a new empty document:

		document = new PDDocument();

As every document needs at least one page we have to add a blank page to the newly created document:

		PDPage blankPage = new PDPage();
		document.addPage( blankPage );

we can save the newly created document:

		document.save("BlankPage.pdf");

finally we have to ensure that the document is properly closed:

		document.close();

Full source code at CreateBlankPDF

HelloWorld

This small sample shows how to create a new document and print the text "Hello World" using one of the PDF base fonts.

First we need a new empty document and add a page to it:

		document = new PDDocument();
		PDPage page = new PDPage();
		document.addPage( page );

Next we have to create a new font object selecting one of the PDF base fonts:

		PDFont font = PDType1Font.HELVETICA_BOLD;

Next we start a new content stream which will "hold" the to be created content:

		PDPageContentStream contentStream = new PDPageContentStream(document, page);

Next we define a text content stream using the selected font, moving the cursor and drawing the text "Hello World":

		contentStream.beginText();
		contentStream.setFont( font, 12 );
		contentStream.moveTextPositionByAmount( 100, 700 );
		contentStream.drawString( "Hello World" );
		contentStream.endText();

We have to make sure that the content stream is closed:

		contentStream.close();

Finally we save the results and ensure that the document is properly closed:

		document.save( "Hello World.pdf");
		document.close();

Full source code at HelloWorld

HelloWorldTTF

This small sample shows how to create a new document and print the text "Hello World" using using a TrueType Font.

First we need a new empty document and add a page to it:

		document = new PDDocument();
		PDPage page = new PDPage();
		document.addPage( page );

Next we have to create a new font object loading a TrueType font into the document:

		PDFont font = PDTrueTypeFont.loadTTF(document, "Arial.ttf");

Next we start a new content stream which will "hold" the to be created content:

		PDPageContentStream contentStream = new PDPageContentStream(document, page);

Next we define a text content stream using the selected font, moving the cursor and drawing the text "Hello World":

		contentStream.beginText();
		contentStream.setFont( font, 12 );
		contentStream.moveTextPositionByAmount( 100, 700 );
		contentStream.drawString( "Hello World" );
		contentStream.endText();

We have to make sure that the content stream is closed:

		contentStream.close();

Finally we save the results and ensure that the document is properly closed:

		document.save( "Hello World.pdf");
		document.close();

Full source code at HelloWorldTTF