Syncfusion Essential PDF is a Xamarin PDF library used to create, read, and edit PDF documents. Using this library, you can create a PDF document in Xamarin.
Steps to create PDF programmatically:
- Create a new C# Xamarin.Forms application project.

- Select a project template and required platforms to deploy the application. In this application, the portable assemblies to be shared across multiple platforms, the .NET Standard code sharing strategy has been selected. For more details about code sharing, refer here.
Note:If .NET Standard is not available in the code sharing strategy, the Portable Class Library (PCL) can be selected.

- Install the Syncfusion.Xamarin.PDF NuGet package as a reference to your .NET Framework applications from NuGet.org.

- Add new Forms XAML page in portable project if there is no XAML page is defined in the App class. Otherwise, proceed to the next step.
- To add the new XAML page, right-click the project and select Add > New Item and add a Forms XAML Page from the list. Name it as MainXamlPage.
- In App class of portable project (App.cs), replace the existing constructor of App class with the following code snippet, which invokes the MainXamlPage.
public App()
{
// The root page of your application
MainPage = new MainXamlPage();
}
- In the MainXamlPage.xaml, add new button as follows.
<ContentPage xmlns="http://xamarin.com/schemas/2014/forms"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2009/xaml"
x:Class="GettingStarted. MainXamlPage">
<StackLayout VerticalOptions="Center">
<Button Text="Generate Document" Clicked="OnButtonClicked" HorizontalOptions="Center"/>
</StackLayout>
</ContentPage>
- Include the following namespace in the MainXamlPage.xaml.cs file.
using Syncfusion.Pdf;
using Syncfusion.Pdf.Graphics;
using Syncfusion.Drawing;
- Include the following code snippet in the click event of the button in MainXamlPage.xaml.cs, to create a PDF file and save it in a stream.
// Create a new PDF document
PdfDocument document = new PdfDocument();
//Add a page to the document
PdfPage page = document.Pages.Add();
//Create PDF graphics for the 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 to the stream
MemoryStream stream = new MemoryStream();
document.Save(stream);
//Close the document
document.Close(true);
//Save the stream as a file in the device and invoke it for viewing
Xamarin.Forms.DependencyService.Get<ISave>().SaveAndView("Output.pdf", "application / pdf", stream);
- Download the helper files from this link and add them into the mentioned project. These helper files allow you to save the stream as a physical file and open the file for viewing.
Project
| File Name
| Summary
|
Portable project
| ISave.cs
| Represent the base interface for save operation
|
iOS Project
| SaveIOS.cs
| Save implementation for iOS device
|
PreviewControllerDS.cs
| Helper class for viewing the PDF file in iOS device
|
Android project
| SaveAndroid.cs
| Save implementation for Android device
|
WinPhone project
| SaveWinPhone.cs
| Save implementation for Windows phone device
|
UWP project
| SaveWindows.cs
| Save implementation for UWP device.
|
Windows(8.1) project
| SaveWindows81.cs
| Save implementation for WinRT device.
|
Note:Introduced a new runtime permission model for the Android SDK version 23 and above. So, include the following code for enabling the Android file provider to save and view the generated PDF document.
- Create a new XML file with the name of provider_paths.xml under the Android project Resources folder and add the following code in it.
Eg: Resources/xml/provider_paths.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<paths xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<external-path name="external_files" path="."/>
</paths>
- Add the following code to the AndroidManifest.xml file located under Properties/AndroidManifest.xml.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" android:versionCode="1" android:versionName="1.0" package="com.companyname. GettingStarted ">
<uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="19" android:targetSdkVersion="27" />
<application android:label=" GettingStarted.Android">
<provider android:name="android.support.v4.content.FileProvider"
android:authorities="${applicationId}.provider"
android:exported="false"
android:grantUriPermissions="true">
<meta-data android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
android:resource="@xml/provider_paths" />
</provider>
</application>
</manifest>
- Compile and execute the application. This creates a simple PDF document.
By executing the program, you will get the PDF document as follows. 
Download the complete work sample from Create_PDF_file.zip.
Take a moment to peruse the documentation, where you can find other options like drawing right-to-left text and multi-column text, consuming TrueType fonts, Standards fonts, and CJK fonts. Also, the features like PDF form filling, extract text or images from PDF, and protect PDF documents with code examples.
Refer here to explore the rich set of Syncfusion Essential PDF features.
See Also:
Create a PDF file in ASP.NET Core
Create a PDF file in ASP.NET MVC
Create a PDF file in Windows Forms
Create a PDF file in WPF
Note: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.
this is not work.please help!
Hi Ibrahim ,
We suspect that you are facing the runtime permission issue in Android.
From Android version 6.0(Marshmallow) and above, we need to grant runtime permission to save the PDF in the device. More details about this can be found in this link.
We have modified this KB with the workable sample, could you please try the same and let us know if it works.
Link : http://www.syncfusion.com/downloads/support/directtrac/general/ze/GettingStarted-822055283
Regards,
Prakash V
the example does not work
Hi Francisco,
Please try using the sample from the main KB link. Link: http://www.syncfusion.com/downloads/support/directtrac/general/ze/GettingStarted-764544620
Regards, Surya Kumar
to upload an image to the pdf in xamarin ios, how is it done?
Hi Francisco,
Please try the below code snippet to add image in PDF document from UG documentation link, https://help.syncfusion.com/file-formats/pdf/working-with-images?cs-save-lang=1&cs-lang=xamarin
Regards, Sowmiya L
thanks for the helpful information! for the beginners and want to save time, I found zetpdf.com i heard a lot of this. I suggest it because it's the fastest pdf SKD for .NET applications.
but the image in the folder must be in the portable project or android project or ios project
Stream imageStream = typeof (App) .GetTypeInfo (). Assembly.GetManifestResourceStream ("Sample.Assets.Autumn Leaves.jpg");
Hi I'm using the example code but got a proble with this line: Xamarin.Forms.DependencyService.Get().SaveAndView("Output.pdf", "application / pdf", stream);I'm getting System.NullReferenceException
Any idea why?
Hi Luis,
Could you please try using the sample which is provided in this KB it can be downloaded from below link:
http://www.syncfusion.com/downloads/support/directtrac/general/ze/GettingStarted-764544620
This sample works fine without any issues. Kindly try the same and let us know if the issue still occurs.
Regards, Surya Kumar
Thanks Surya Kumar [Syncfusion]
The sample you give works fine but, when I try to replicate it in my app I'm still getting the same problem the exception says: System.NullReference Exception : Object reference not set to an instance of an object.(System.Object sender, System.EventArgs args) [0x00060] then it gives me the path of the app, but the path where i am working the app(i mean the desktop path, not the path of the phone app )
Already found the problem, cause is a helper file i guess it was just for help not obligatory, but it was i was missing de SaveAndroid.cs, by the way, thanks.