Create PDF Documents with Shapes
The library exposes a dedicated element for each common geometric primitive. Call sites are short. The rendering pipeline is more efficient than building the same shapes with arbitrary paths.
The available shape elements are PdfRectangleElement, PdfRoundedRectangleElement, PdfLineElement, PdfCircleElement, PdfEllipseElement and PdfArcElement. Each shape is added with a matching method on PdfDocument: AddRectangle, AddRoundedRectangle, AddLine, AddCircle, AddEllipse and AddArc.
All filled shapes (rectangle, rounded rectangle, circle, ellipse and closed arc) accept the same fill and stroke model. FillColor and FillOpacity configure the interior. BorderColor, BorderOpacity and Border configure the outline. Set FillColor to null for a stroke-only shape. Set BorderColor to null for a fill-only shape.
PdfLineElement and the stroke part of every other shape share the PdfLineStyle configuration object. The properties are LineWidth, LineCap (Butt, Round or ProjectingSquare), LineJoin (Miter, Round or Bevel with a MiterLimit value) and DashStyle (Solid, Dashed or Dotted). For fully explicit dash arrays set the CustomDashPattern array and the DashPhase offset.
Every shape can be rotated by setting RotationDegrees and RotationPivot. Positive values rotate counter-clockwise. Negative values rotate clockwise. After rendering the Add call returns information that exposes both an axis-aligned Bounds and rotated QuadPoints. Use them to draw a rectangle around the axis-aligned extent of a rotated ellipse or a polygon through the four corners of a rotated quad.
Arcs are a special case. PdfArcElement is configured with a start angle, a sweep angle and a Closure of type EvoPdf.NextPdfArcClosureType. The closure value controls whether the arc is left open (stroke only), connected back to the start point with a straight chord (Chord) or connected through the ellipse center to form a pie slice (Pie). FillColor is honoured only for Chord and Pie closures.
Rectangles and Rounded Rectangles
PdfRectangleElement takes an (x, y, width, height) tuple. It supports rotation, opacity and a dashed border. PdfRoundedRectangleElement adds a corner radius parameter. The same radius is applied to all four corners. The radius is clipped automatically so it never exceeds half the smaller side of the rectangle.
Lines and Custom Dash Patterns
A PdfLineElement is configured with the two endpoints and the line style. The LineCap property determines how endpoints are rendered (visible only at large line widths). PdfLineCapStyleButt ends exactly at the endpoint. PdfLineCapStyleRound adds a semicircular cap. PdfLineCapStyleProjectingSquare adds a square cap that extends half the line width past the endpoint.
For complex dash patterns beyond Solid, Dashed and Dotted, set CustomDashPattern to a float array of alternating on and off segment lengths. Set DashPhase to the offset at which the pattern begins.
Circles, Ellipses and Rotation
PdfCircleElement is configured with a center point and a radius. PdfEllipseElement is configured with a bounding rectangle. Both shapes support rotation. For rotated ellipses the LastPageRectangle returned by AddEllipse exposes both an axis-aligned bounding box and a rotated quad.
Arcs and Closure Types
PdfArcElement accepts a bounding rectangle, a start angle (in degrees) and a sweep angle. The Closure property selects one of three behaviours.
PdfArcClosureTypeOpen. The arc is stroked only. FillColor is ignored.
PdfArcClosureTypeChord. The endpoints are connected by a straight chord. The resulting closed segment can be filled.
PdfArcClosureTypePie. The endpoints are connected through the center of the ellipse. The resulting pie slice can be filled.
Code Sample - Create PDF Documents with Geometric Shapes
using System;
using System.IO;
using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;
using EvoPdf_Next_AspNetDemo.Models;
using EvoPdf_Next_AspNetDemo.Models.PDF_Creator;
// Use EVO PDF Namespace
using EvoPdf.Next;
namespace EvoPdf_Next_AspNetDemo.Controllers.PDF_Creator
{
public class Create_PDF_Documents_with_ShapesController : Controller
{
private readonly IWebHostEnvironment m_hostingEnvironment;
public Create_PDF_Documents_with_ShapesController(IWebHostEnvironment hostingEnvironment)
{
m_hostingEnvironment = hostingEnvironment;
}
public IActionResult Index()
{
var model = new Create_PDF_Documents_with_Shapes_ViewModel();
return View(model);
}
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult CreatePdf(Create_PDF_Documents_with_Shapes_ViewModel model)
{
if (!ModelState.IsValid)
{
var errorMessage = ModelStateHelper.GetModelErrors(ModelState);
throw new ValidationException(errorMessage);
}
// Set the license key received after purchase to use the library in licensed mode; leave it commented for demo mode
// Licensing.LicenseKey = "your-license-key";
PdfDocumentCreateSettings pdfCreateSettings = new PdfDocumentCreateSettings()
{
PageSize = PdfPageSize.A4,
PageOrientation = PdfPageOrientation.Portrait,
Margins = new PdfMargins(36, 36, 36, 36),
PdfStandard = model.PdfStandard,
Language = "en-US"
};
using PdfDocument pdfDocument = new PdfDocument(pdfCreateSettings);
pdfDocument.PdfDocumentInfo.Title = "PDF Geometric Shapes Demo";
string fontsPath = GetDemoFontsPath();
string fontFilePath = Path.Combine(fontsPath, "DejaVuSerif.ttf");
PdfBaseFont baseFont = PdfFontManager.CreateBaseFont(fontFilePath);
PdfFont titleFont = PdfFontManager.CreateFont(baseFont, 18f,
PdfFontStyle.Bold | PdfFontStyle.Underline, PdfColor.Black);
PdfFont sectionFont = PdfFontManager.CreateFont(baseFont, 14f,
PdfFontStyle.Bold, PdfColor.DarkBlue);
PdfFont labelFont = PdfFontManager.CreateFont(baseFont, 9f,
PdfFontStyle.Normal, PdfColor.DarkGray);
const int xLeft = 0;
const int ySeparator = 10;
int crtYPos = 0;
// ===== Title =====
PdfTextElement titleElement = new PdfTextElement(
"Geometric Shape Elements Demo", titleFont)
{
X = xLeft,
Y = crtYPos,
Alignment = PdfTextAlignment.Center,
Width = pdfDocument.ContentWidth
};
titleElement.Accessibility.StructureType = PdfStructureType.Heading1;
crtYPos = (int)pdfDocument.AddText(titleElement).LastPageRectangle.Bounds.Bottom + ySeparator * 2;
// ===== Section 1: PdfRectangleElement =====
crtYPos = AddSectionLabel(pdfDocument, sectionFont,
"1. PdfRectangleElement (basic, dashed, rotated)", xLeft, crtYPos, ySeparator);
// Filled basic
var basicInfo = pdfDocument.AddRectangle(new PdfRectangleElement(xLeft, crtYPos, 100, 60)
{
FillColor = PdfColor.LightSkyBlue,
BorderColor = PdfColor.SteelBlue,
Border = new PdfLineStyle { LineWidth = 1.5f }
});
int basicCaptionBottom = AddCaption(pdfDocument, labelFont,
"filled + border", xLeft,
(int)basicInfo.LastPageRectangle.Bounds.Bottom + 5, 100);
// Dashed
var dashedInfo = pdfDocument.AddRectangle(new PdfRectangleElement(xLeft + 120, crtYPos, 100, 60)
{
FillColor = null,
BorderColor = PdfColor.DarkOrange,
Border = new PdfLineStyle
{
LineWidth = 1.5f,
DashStyle = PdfLineDashStyle.Dashed
}
});
int dashedCaptionBottom = AddCaption(pdfDocument, labelFont,
"dashed outline", xLeft + 120,
(int)dashedInfo.LastPageRectangle.Bounds.Bottom + 5, 100);
// Rotated 30 degrees
var rotatedInfo = pdfDocument.AddRectangle(new PdfRectangleElement(xLeft + 320, crtYPos + 5, 100, 60)
{
FillColor = PdfColor.LightPink,
FillOpacity = 0.6f,
BorderColor = PdfColor.Crimson,
Border = new PdfLineStyle { LineWidth = 1.2f },
RotationDegrees = 30,
RotationPivot = PdfRotationPivot.TopLeft
});
int rotatedCaptionBottom = AddCaption(pdfDocument, labelFont,
"rotated 30 deg (TopLeft pivot)", xLeft + 320,
(int)rotatedInfo.LastPageRectangle.Bounds.Bottom + 5, 150);
// Advance past the deepest caption in this row
crtYPos = Math.Max(
Math.Max(basicCaptionBottom, dashedCaptionBottom),
rotatedCaptionBottom) + ySeparator;
// ===== Section 2: PdfRoundedRectangleElement =====
crtYPos = AddSectionLabel(pdfDocument, sectionFont,
"2. PdfRoundedRectangleElement (varying corner radius)", xLeft, crtYPos, ySeparator);
float[] radii = { 4f, 12f, 24f, 30f };
int section2MaxBottom = crtYPos;
for (int i = 0; i < radii.Length; i++)
{
int boxX = xLeft + i * 130;
var rrInfo = pdfDocument.AddRoundedRectangle(new PdfRoundedRectangleElement(boxX, crtYPos, 110, 60, radii[i])
{
FillColor = PdfColor.LightGreen,
FillOpacity = 0.5f,
BorderColor = PdfColor.DarkGreen,
Border = new PdfLineStyle { LineWidth = 1f }
});
int capBottom = AddCaption(pdfDocument, labelFont, $"radius={radii[i]}", boxX,
(int)rrInfo.LastPageRectangle.Bounds.Bottom + 5, 110);
section2MaxBottom = Math.Max(section2MaxBottom, capBottom);
}
crtYPos = section2MaxBottom + ySeparator;
// ===== Section 3: PdfLineElement (LineCap variations) =====
crtYPos = AddSectionLabel(pdfDocument, sectionFont,
"3. PdfLineElement (LineCap: Butt, Round, ProjectingSquare)", xLeft, crtYPos, ySeparator);
PdfLineCapStyle[] caps = { PdfLineCapStyle.Butt, PdfLineCapStyle.Round, PdfLineCapStyle.ProjectingSquare };
string[] capLabels = { "Butt", "Round", "ProjectingSquare" };
int section3RowTop = crtYPos;
for (int i = 0; i < caps.Length; i++)
{
int lineY = section3RowTop + 8;
var lineInfo = pdfDocument.AddLine(new PdfLineElement(xLeft + 60, lineY, xLeft + 260, lineY)
{
LineColor = PdfColor.DarkBlue,
LineStyle = new PdfLineStyle
{
LineWidth = 8f,
LineCap = caps[i]
}
});
// Thin reference line to highlight the cap extension past the endpoints
pdfDocument.AddLine(new PdfLineElement(xLeft + 60, lineY, xLeft + 260, lineY)
{
LineColor = PdfColor.White,
LineStyle = new PdfLineStyle { LineWidth = 0.5f }
});
int capBottom = AddCaption(pdfDocument, labelFont, capLabels[i], xLeft + 270, lineY - 5, 150);
int lineBottom = (int)lineInfo.LastPageRectangle.Bounds.Bottom;
section3RowTop = Math.Max(lineBottom, capBottom) + 5;
}
crtYPos = section3RowTop + ySeparator;
// Dashed line using CustomDashPattern
var dashLineInfo = pdfDocument.AddLine(new PdfLineElement(xLeft, crtYPos, xLeft + 380, crtYPos)
{
LineColor = PdfColor.DarkRed,
LineStyle = new PdfLineStyle
{
LineWidth = 2f,
CustomDashPattern = new float[] { 10f, 4f, 2f, 4f },
DashPhase = 0f
}
});
int dashCapBottom = AddCaption(pdfDocument, labelFont, "CustomDashPattern [10, 4, 2, 4]",
xLeft, (int)dashLineInfo.LastPageRectangle.Bounds.Bottom + 5, 250);
crtYPos = dashCapBottom + ySeparator;
// ===== Section 4: PdfCircleElement =====
EnsureSpaceOnPage(ref crtYPos, 160, pdfDocument);
crtYPos = AddSectionLabel(pdfDocument, sectionFont,
"4. PdfCircleElement (filled, stroked, opacity)", xLeft, crtYPos, ySeparator);
var circle1Info = pdfDocument.AddCircle(new PdfCircleElement(xLeft + 40, crtYPos + 40, 30)
{
FillColor = PdfColor.Tomato,
BorderColor = PdfColor.DarkRed,
Border = new PdfLineStyle { LineWidth = 1.5f }
});
int circle1CapBottom = AddCaption(pdfDocument, labelFont, "filled + border", xLeft + 10,
(int)circle1Info.LastPageRectangle.Bounds.Bottom + 5, 90);
var circle2Info = pdfDocument.AddCircle(new PdfCircleElement(xLeft + 140, crtYPos + 40, 30)
{
FillColor = null,
BorderColor = PdfColor.DarkBlue,
Border = new PdfLineStyle { LineWidth = 2f }
});
int circle2CapBottom = AddCaption(pdfDocument, labelFont, "stroke only", xLeft + 110,
(int)circle2Info.LastPageRectangle.Bounds.Bottom + 5, 90);
var circle3Info = pdfDocument.AddCircle(new PdfCircleElement(xLeft + 240, crtYPos + 40, 30)
{
FillColor = PdfColor.Purple,
FillOpacity = 0.4f,
BorderColor = PdfColor.Purple,
BorderOpacity = 0.7f,
Border = new PdfLineStyle { LineWidth = 1f }
});
int circle3CapBottom = AddCaption(pdfDocument, labelFont, "translucent", xLeft + 210,
(int)circle3Info.LastPageRectangle.Bounds.Bottom + 5, 90);
crtYPos = Math.Max(Math.Max(circle1CapBottom, circle2CapBottom), circle3CapBottom) + ySeparator;
// ===== Section 5: PdfEllipseElement (rotation, axis-aligned vs QuadPoints) =====
EnsureSpaceOnPage(ref crtYPos, 180, pdfDocument);
crtYPos = AddSectionLabel(pdfDocument, sectionFont,
"5. PdfEllipseElement rotation - Bounds (axis-aligned) vs QuadPoints (rotated)", xLeft, crtYPos, ySeparator);
// Axis-aligned ellipse
var axisEllipseInfo = pdfDocument.AddEllipse(new PdfEllipseElement(xLeft, crtYPos + 10, 120, 70)
{
FillColor = PdfColor.LightYellow,
BorderColor = PdfColor.GoldenRod,
Border = new PdfLineStyle { LineWidth = 1f }
});
int axisCapBottom = AddCaption(pdfDocument, labelFont, "axis-aligned", xLeft,
(int)axisEllipseInfo.LastPageRectangle.Bounds.Bottom + 5, 120);
// Rotated ellipse + outline its tight Bounds (red) and its QuadPoints (blue).
var rotEllipse = new PdfEllipseElement(xLeft + 180, crtYPos + 25, 120, 70)
{
FillColor = PdfColor.LightCyan,
BorderColor = PdfColor.Teal,
Border = new PdfLineStyle { LineWidth = 1f },
RotationDegrees = 35,
RotationPivot = PdfRotationPivot.Center
};
var rotEllipseInfo = pdfDocument.AddEllipse(rotEllipse);
// axis-aligned bounding box of the rotated ellipse (red dashed)
var eb = rotEllipseInfo.LastPageRectangle.Bounds;
pdfDocument.AddRectangle(new PdfRectangleElement(eb.X, eb.Y, eb.Width, eb.Height)
{
FillColor = null,
BorderColor = PdfColor.Red,
Border = new PdfLineStyle { LineWidth = 0.5f, DashStyle = PdfLineDashStyle.Dotted }
});
int rotCapBottom = AddCaption(pdfDocument, labelFont, "rotated 35 deg (red axis-aligned bounding box)",
xLeft + 150, (int)eb.Bottom + 5, 250);
crtYPos = Math.Max(axisCapBottom, rotCapBottom) + ySeparator;
// ===== Section 6: PdfArcElement (3 closure types) =====
EnsureSpaceOnPage(ref crtYPos, 180, pdfDocument);
crtYPos = AddSectionLabel(pdfDocument, sectionFont,
"6. PdfArcElement (Open, Chord, Pie closures)", xLeft, crtYPos, ySeparator);
PdfArcClosureType[] closures = { PdfArcClosureType.Open, PdfArcClosureType.Chord, PdfArcClosureType.Pie };
string[] closureLabels = { "Open (stroke only)", "Chord", "Pie" };
int arcMaxBottom = crtYPos;
for (int i = 0; i < closures.Length; i++)
{
int arcX = xLeft + i * 170;
var arcInfo = pdfDocument.AddArc(new PdfArcElement(arcX, crtYPos, 130, 90,
startAngleDegrees: 20,
sweepAngleDegrees: 200)
{
Closure = closures[i],
FillColor = PdfColor.LightSkyBlue,
FillOpacity = 0.4f,
LineColor = PdfColor.MediumBlue,
LineStyle = new PdfLineStyle { LineWidth = 1.5f }
});
int capBottom = AddCaption(pdfDocument, labelFont, closureLabels[i], arcX,
(int)arcInfo.LastPageRectangle.Bounds.Bottom + 5, 140);
arcMaxBottom = Math.Max(arcMaxBottom, capBottom);
}
crtYPos = arcMaxBottom + ySeparator;
byte[] outPdfBuffer = pdfDocument.Save();
FileResult fileResult = new FileContentResult(outPdfBuffer, "application/pdf");
fileResult.FileDownloadName = "PdfShapesDemo.pdf";
return fileResult;
}
private int AddSectionLabel(PdfDocument doc, PdfFont sectionFont,
string label, int x, int y, int separator)
{
PdfTextElement section = new PdfTextElement(label, sectionFont)
{ X = x, Y = y };
section.Accessibility.StructureType = PdfStructureType.Heading2;
var info = doc.AddText(section);
return (int)info.LastPageRectangle.Bounds.Bottom + separator;
}
private int AddCaption(PdfDocument doc, PdfFont labelFont,
string caption, int x, int y, int width)
{
PdfTextElement t = new PdfTextElement(caption, labelFont)
{ X = x, Y = y, Width = width };
t.Accessibility.StructureType = PdfStructureType.Artifact;
var info = doc.AddText(t);
return (int)info.LastPageRectangle.Bounds.Bottom;
}
private void EnsureSpaceOnPage(ref int crtYPos, int requestedHeight, PdfDocument pdfDocument)
{
if (crtYPos + requestedHeight > pdfDocument.ContentHeight)
{
pdfDocument.AddPage();
crtYPos = 0;
}
}
private string GetDemoFilesPath() => m_hostingEnvironment.ContentRootPath + "/wwwroot" + "/DemoAppFiles/Input/";
private string GetDemoImagesPath() => Path.Combine(GetDemoFilesPath(), "Image_Files");
private string GetDemoFontsPath() => Path.Combine(GetDemoFilesPath(), "Font_Files");
private string GetDemoTextsPath() => Path.Combine(GetDemoFilesPath(), "Text_Files");
}
}