Generate iTextSharp PDF and download using AJAX in ASP.Net C#

Hi smile,

You need to make AJAX call and generate the PDF using iTextSharp, then download the file.

Please refer below sample.

Database

For this example I have used of Northwind database that you can download using the link given below.

Download Northwind Database

HTML

<input type="button" value="Download PDF File" onclick="DownloadFile()" />
<script type="text/javascript" src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.0.0/jquery.min.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
    function Base64ToBytes(base64) {
        var s = window.atob(base64);
        var bytes = new Uint8Array(s.length);
        for (var i = 0; i < s.length; i++) {
            bytes[i] = s.charCodeAt(i);
        }
        return bytes;
    };

    function DownloadFile() {
        $.ajax({
            type: "POST",
            url: "Default.aspx/DownloadPDF",
            data: {},
            contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8",
            dataType: "json",
            success: function (r) {
                var bytes = Base64ToBytes(r.d);
                var fileName = "Sample.pdf";
                //Convert the Byte Data to BLOB object.
                var blob = new Blob([bytes], { type: "application/octetstream" });

                //Check the Browser type and download the File.
                var isIE = false || !!document.documentMode;
                if (isIE) {
                    window.navigator.msSaveBlob(blob, fileName);
                } else {
                    var url = window.URL || window.webkitURL;
                    link = url.createObjectURL(blob);
                    var a = $("<a />");
                    a.attr("download", fileName);
                    a.attr("href", link);
                    $("body").append(a);
                    a[0].click();
                    $("body").remove(a);
                }
            },
            error: function (r) {
                alert(r.responseText);
            }
        });
    };
</script>

Namespaces

using System.Configuration;
using System.Data;
using System.Data.SqlClient;
using System.Web.Services;
using iTextSharp.text;
using iTextSharp.text.pdf;

Code

private static DataTable GetData(string query)
{
    string conString = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["constr"].ConnectionString;
    SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand(query);
    using (SqlConnection con = new SqlConnection(conString))
    {
        using (SqlDataAdapter sda = new SqlDataAdapter())
        {
            cmd.Connection = con;

            sda.SelectCommand = cmd;
            using (DataTable dt = new DataTable())
            {
                sda.Fill(dt);
                return dt;
            }
        }
    }
}

[WebMethod]
public static string DownloadPDF()
{
    DataRow dr = GetData("SELECT * FROM Employees where EmployeeId = 1").Rows[0];
    Document document = new Document(PageSize.A4, 88f, 88f, 10f, 10f);
    Font NormalFont = FontFactory.GetFont("Arial", 12, Font.NORMAL, Color.BLACK);
    using (System.IO.MemoryStream memoryStream = new System.IO.MemoryStream())
    {
        PdfWriter writer = PdfWriter.GetInstance(document, memoryStream);
        Phrase phrase = null;
        PdfPCell cell = null;
        PdfPTable table = null;
        Color color = null;

        document.Open();

        //Header Table
        table = new PdfPTable(2);
        table.TotalWidth = 500f;
        table.LockedWidth = true;
        table.SetWidths(new float[] { 0.3f, 0.7f });

        //Company Logo
        cell = ImageCell("~/images/northwindlogo.gif", 30f, PdfPCell.ALIGN_CENTER);
        table.AddCell(cell);

        //Company Name and Address
        phrase = new Phrase();
        phrase.Add(new Chunk("Microsoft Northwind Traders Company\n\n", FontFactory.GetFont("Arial", 16, Font.BOLD, Color.RED)));
        phrase.Add(new Chunk("107, Park site,\n", FontFactory.GetFont("Arial", 8, Font.NORMAL, Color.BLACK)));
        phrase.Add(new Chunk("Salt Lake Road,\n", FontFactory.GetFont("Arial", 8, Font.NORMAL, Color.BLACK)));
        phrase.Add(new Chunk("Seattle, USA", FontFactory.GetFont("Arial", 8, Font.NORMAL, Color.BLACK)));
        cell = PhraseCell(phrase, PdfPCell.ALIGN_LEFT);
        cell.VerticalAlignment = PdfCell.ALIGN_TOP;
        table.AddCell(cell);

        //Separater Line
        color = new Color(System.Drawing.ColorTranslator.FromHtml("#A9A9A9"));
        DrawLine(writer, 25f, document.Top - 79f, document.PageSize.Width - 25f, document.Top - 79f, color);
        DrawLine(writer, 25f, document.Top - 80f, document.PageSize.Width - 25f, document.Top - 80f, color);
        document.Add(table);

        table = new PdfPTable(2);
        table.HorizontalAlignment = Element.ALIGN_LEFT;
        table.SetWidths(new float[] { 0.3f, 1f });
        table.SpacingBefore = 20f;

        //Employee Details
        cell = PhraseCell(new Phrase("Employee Record", FontFactory.GetFont("Arial", 12, Font.UNDERLINE, Color.BLACK)), PdfPCell.ALIGN_CENTER);
        cell.Colspan = 2;
        table.AddCell(cell);
        cell = PhraseCell(new Phrase(), PdfPCell.ALIGN_CENTER);
        cell.Colspan = 2;
        cell.PaddingBottom = 30f;
        table.AddCell(cell);

        //Photo
        cell = ImageCell(string.Format("~/photos/{0}.jpg", dr["EmployeeId"]), 25f, PdfPCell.ALIGN_CENTER);
        table.AddCell(cell);

        //Name
        phrase = new Phrase();
        phrase.Add(new Chunk(dr["TitleOfCourtesy"] + " " + dr["FirstName"] + " " + dr["LastName"] + "\n", FontFactory.GetFont("Arial", 10, Font.BOLD, Color.BLACK)));
        phrase.Add(new Chunk("(" + dr["Title"].ToString() + ")", FontFactory.GetFont("Arial", 8, Font.BOLD, Color.BLACK)));
        cell = PhraseCell(phrase, PdfPCell.ALIGN_LEFT);
        cell.VerticalAlignment = PdfPCell.ALIGN_MIDDLE;
        table.AddCell(cell);
        document.Add(table);

        DrawLine(writer, 160f, 80f, 160f, 690f, Color.BLACK);
        DrawLine(writer, 115f, document.Top - 200f, document.PageSize.Width - 100f, document.Top - 200f, Color.BLACK);

        table = new PdfPTable(2);
        table.SetWidths(new float[] { 0.5f, 2f });
        table.TotalWidth = 340f;
        table.LockedWidth = true;
        table.SpacingBefore = 20f;
        table.HorizontalAlignment = Element.ALIGN_RIGHT;

        //Employee Id
        table.AddCell(PhraseCell(new Phrase("Employee code:", FontFactory.GetFont("Arial", 8, Font.BOLD, Color.BLACK)), PdfPCell.ALIGN_LEFT));
        table.AddCell(PhraseCell(new Phrase("000" + dr["EmployeeId"], FontFactory.GetFont("Arial", 8, Font.NORMAL, Color.BLACK)), PdfPCell.ALIGN_LEFT));
        cell = PhraseCell(new Phrase(), PdfPCell.ALIGN_CENTER);
        cell.Colspan = 2;
        cell.PaddingBottom = 10f;
        table.AddCell(cell);


        //Address
        table.AddCell(PhraseCell(new Phrase("Address:", FontFactory.GetFont("Arial", 8, Font.BOLD, Color.BLACK)), PdfPCell.ALIGN_LEFT));
        phrase = new Phrase(new Chunk(dr["Address"] + "\n", FontFactory.GetFont("Arial", 8, Font.NORMAL, Color.BLACK)));
        phrase.Add(new Chunk(dr["City"] + "\n", FontFactory.GetFont("Arial", 8, Font.NORMAL, Color.BLACK)));
        phrase.Add(new Chunk(dr["Region"] + " " + dr["Country"] + " " + dr["PostalCode"], FontFactory.GetFont("Arial", 8, Font.NORMAL, Color.BLACK)));
        table.AddCell(PhraseCell(phrase, PdfPCell.ALIGN_LEFT));
        cell = PhraseCell(new Phrase(), PdfPCell.ALIGN_CENTER);
        cell.Colspan = 2;
        cell.PaddingBottom = 10f;
        table.AddCell(cell);

        //Date of Birth
        table.AddCell(PhraseCell(new Phrase("Date of Birth:", FontFactory.GetFont("Arial", 8, Font.BOLD, Color.BLACK)), PdfPCell.ALIGN_LEFT));
        table.AddCell(PhraseCell(new Phrase(Convert.ToDateTime(dr["BirthDate"]).ToString("dd MMMM, yyyy"), FontFactory.GetFont("Arial", 8, Font.NORMAL, Color.BLACK)), PdfPCell.ALIGN_LEFT));
        cell = PhraseCell(new Phrase(), PdfPCell.ALIGN_CENTER);
        cell.Colspan = 2;
        cell.PaddingBottom = 10f;
        table.AddCell(cell);

        //Phone
        table.AddCell(PhraseCell(new Phrase("Phone Number:", FontFactory.GetFont("Arial", 8, Font.BOLD, Color.BLACK)), PdfPCell.ALIGN_LEFT));
        table.AddCell(PhraseCell(new Phrase(dr["HomePhone"] + " Ext: " + dr["Extension"], FontFactory.GetFont("Arial", 8, Font.NORMAL, Color.BLACK)), PdfPCell.ALIGN_LEFT));
        cell = PhraseCell(new Phrase(), PdfPCell.ALIGN_CENTER);
        cell.Colspan = 2;
        cell.PaddingBottom = 10f;
        table.AddCell(cell);

        //Addtional Information
        table.AddCell(PhraseCell(new Phrase("Addtional Information:", FontFactory.GetFont("Arial", 8, Font.BOLD, Color.BLACK)), PdfPCell.ALIGN_LEFT));
        table.AddCell(PhraseCell(new Phrase(dr["Notes"].ToString(), FontFactory.GetFont("Arial", 8, Font.NORMAL, Color.BLACK)), PdfPCell.ALIGN_JUSTIFIED));
        document.Add(table);
        document.Close();
        byte[] bytes = memoryStream.ToArray();
        memoryStream.Close();

        return Convert.ToBase64String(bytes, 0, bytes.Length); ;
    }
}

private static void DrawLine(PdfWriter writer, float x1, float y1, float x2, float y2, Color color)
{
    PdfContentByte contentByte = writer.DirectContent;
    contentByte.SetColorStroke(color);
    contentByte.MoveTo(x1, y1);
    contentByte.LineTo(x2, y2);
    contentByte.Stroke();
}
private static PdfPCell PhraseCell(Phrase phrase, int align)
{
    PdfPCell cell = new PdfPCell(phrase);
    cell.BorderColor = Color.WHITE;
    cell.VerticalAlignment = PdfCell.ALIGN_TOP;
    cell.HorizontalAlignment = align;
    cell.PaddingBottom = 2f;
    cell.PaddingTop = 0f;
    return cell;
}
private static PdfPCell ImageCell(string path, float scale, int align)
{
    iTextSharp.text.Image image = iTextSharp.text.Image.GetInstance(HttpContext.Current.Server.MapPath(path));
    image.ScalePercent(scale);
    PdfPCell cell = new PdfPCell(image);
    cell.BorderColor = Color.WHITE;
    cell.VerticalAlignment = PdfCell.ALIGN_TOP;
    cell.HorizontalAlignment = align;
    cell.PaddingBottom = 0f;
    cell.PaddingTop = 0f;
    return cell;
}

Screenshot