How to convert HTML to PDF in Azure App service Linux using .NET Core

The Syncfusion HTML to PDF converter is a .NET library for converting webpages, SVG, MHTML, and HTML to PDF using C#. It is reliable and accurate. The result preserves all graphics, images, text, fonts, and the layout of the original HTML document or webpage. Using this library, you can convert an HTML to PDF in Azure App Service on Linux.

Steps to convert HTML to PDF in Azure App service on Linux:

1. Create a new ASP.NET Core MVC application.

2. Install the Syncfusion.HtmlToPdfConverter.QtWebKit.Net.Core NuGet package as a reference to your .NET Core application from NuGet.org.

3. Copy the QtBinariesLinux folder from the HtmltoPdfConverter NuGet package installed location to project folder, which contains the .csproj file.

4. Set Copy to output directory as Copy if newer for all the files in QtBinariesLinux (All files including inner folders and files).

5. There are two ways to install the dependency packages to Azure server:

1. Using SSH from Azure portal.
2. By running the commands from C#.

5.1Using SSH command line:

1. After publishing the Web application, login to the Azure portal in a web interface and open the published app service.
2. Under Development Tools Menu, Open the SSH and Click the go link.

3. From the terminal window, you can install the dependency packages. Use the following single command to install all dependencies packages.

   apt-get update && apt-get -y install xvfb && apt-get -y install fontconfig && apt-get -y install libssl1.0-dev && apt-get -y install libx11-dev libx11-xcb-dev libxcb-icccm4-dev libxcb-image0-dev libxcb-keysyms1-dev libxcb-randr0-dev libxcb-render-util0-dev libxcb-render0-dev libxcb-shm0-dev libxcb-util0-dev libxcb-xfixes0-dev libxcb-xkb-dev libxcb1-dev libxfixes-dev libxrandr-dev libxrender-dev
    
   

5.2Running the commands from C#

1. Create a shell file with the above commands in the project and name it as dependenciesInstall.sh. In this article, these steps have been followedto install dependencies packages.

2. Set Copy to output directory as Copy if newer to the dependenciesInstall.sh file.

3. Include the following code snippet to install the dependencies code in Configure method in startup.cs file.

   //Install the dependencies packages for HTML to PDF conversion in Linux
   string shellFilePath = System.IO.Path.Combine(env.ContentRootPath, "dependenciesInstall.sh");
   InstallDependecies(shellFilePath);
   

// [C# Code]
private void InstallDependecies(string shellFilePath) 
{
      Process process = new Process
      {
            StartInfo = new ProcessStartInfo
            {
                  FileName = "/bin/bash",
                  Arguments = "-c " + shellFilePath,
                  CreateNoWindow = true,
                  UseShellExecute = false,
             }
      };
      process.Start();
      process.WaitForExit();
}

6. Add an Export To PDF button in index.cshtml.

   @{ Html.BeginForm("ExportToPDF", "Home", FormMethod.Post);
           {
               <input type="submit" value="Export To PDF" class=" btn" />
           }
   }
   

7. Include the following namespaces and code snippet in controller for converting HTML to PDF.

   // [C# Code]
   using Syncfusion.HtmlConverter;
   using Syncfusion.Pdf;
   using System.IO;
   using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting;
   

// [C# Code]
//To get content root path of the project
private readonly IHostingEnvironment _hostingEnvironment;
public HomeController(IHostingEnvironment hostingEnvironment)
{
      _hostingEnvironment = hostingEnvironment;
} 
//To Export HTML to PDF
public IActionResult ExportToPDF()
{
Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT", "Development");
//Initialize HTML to PDF converter 
HtmlToPdfConverter htmlConverter = new HtmlToPdfConverter();
 
WebKitConverterSettings settings = new WebKitConverterSettings();
 
//Set WebKit path
settings.WebKitPath = Path.Combine(_hostingEnvironment.ContentRootPath, "QtBinariesLinux");
 
//Assign WebKit settings to HTML converter
htmlConverter.ConverterSettings = settings;
 
//Convert HTML string to PDF
PdfDocument document = htmlConverter.Convert("http://www.google.com");
 
//Save the document into stream
MemoryStream stream = new MemoryStream();
 
document.Save(stream);
 
stream.Position = 0;
 
//Close the document
document.Close(true);
 
//Defining the ContentType for pdf file
string contentType = "application/pdf";
 
//Define the file name
string fileName = "Output.pdf";
 
//Creates a FileContentResult object by using the file contents, content type, and file name
return File(stream, contentType, fileName);

Refer to the following steps to publish as Azure App Linux:

8. Right-click the project and select Publish.

9. Create a new profile in publish target window.

10. Create App service using Azure subscription and select a hosting plan.

11. HTML to PDF conversion works from basic hosting plan (B1 to P3). So, select the hosting plan as required. HTML to PDF conversion will not work if the hosting plan is Free/Shared.

12. After creating a profile, click the publish button.

13. Now, the published webpage will open in the browser. Click Export to PDF to convert the Google webpage to a PDF.

A complete work sample for converting an HTML to PDF in Azure App service on Linux can be downloaded from AzureAppLinux_CoreSample.zip.

Take a moment to peruse the documentation, where you will find other WebKit, Blink, and IE rendering engines supported by Syncfusion .NET PDF library for converting HTML pages to PDF document along with respective customization options and features.

Click here to explore the rich set of Syncfusion Essential PDF features.

An online sample link to convert HTML to PDF.

HTML to PDF conversion in Linux docker container

HTML to PDF conversion in Azure Function

HTML to PDF conversion in ASP .Net Core Linux

HTML to PDF conversion in Azure App Service