Merging multiple PDFs using iTextSharp in c#.net

Question

Well i'm trying to merge multiple PDFs in to one.

I gives no errors while compiling. I tried to merge the docs first but that went wrong because I'm working with tables.

This is the asp.net code-behind

if (Button.Equals("PreviewWord")) {

        String eventTemplate = Server.MapPath("/ERAS/Badges/Template/EventTemp" + EventName + ".doc");

        String SinglePreview = Server.MapPath("/ERAS/Badges/Template/PreviewSingle" + EventName + ".doc");

        String PDFPreview = Server.MapPath("/ERAS/Badges/Template/PDFPreviewSingle" + EventName + ".pdf");

        String previewPDFs = Server.MapPath("/ERAS/Badges/Template/PreviewPDFs" + EventName + ".pdf");

        if (System.IO.File.Exists((String)eventTemplate))
        {

            if (vulGegevensIn == true)
            {
              //This creates a Worddocument and fills in names etc from database
                CreateWordDocument(vulGegevensIn, eventTemplate, SinglePreview, false);
                //This saves the SinglePreview.doc as a PDF @param place of PDFPreview
                CreatePDF(SinglePreview, PDFPreview);


                //Trying to merge
                String[] previewsSmall=new String[1];
                previewsSmall[0] = PDFPreview;
                PDFMergenITextSharp.MergeFiles(previewPDFs, previewsSmall);
            }


            // merge PDFs here...........................;
            //here
            //no here//
            //...


    } }

This is the PDFMergenITextSharpClass

public static class PDFMergenITextSharp {

public static void MergeFiles(string destinationFile, string[] sourceFiles)
{

    try
    {
        int f = 0;
        // we create a reader for a certain document
        PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(sourceFiles[f]);
        // we retrieve the total number of pages
        int n = reader.NumberOfPages;
        //Console.WriteLine("There are " + n + " pages in the original file.");
        // step 1: creation of a document-object
        Document document = new Document(reader.GetPageSizeWithRotation(1));
        // step 2: we create a writer that listens to the document
        PdfWriter writer = PdfWriter.GetInstance(document, new FileStream(destinationFile, FileMode.Create));
        // step 3: we open the document
        document.Open();
        PdfContentByte cb = writer.DirectContent;
        PdfImportedPage page;
        int rotation;
        // step 4: we add content
        while (f < sourceFiles.Length)
        {
            int i = 0;
            while (i < n)
            {
                i++;
                document.SetPageSize(reader.GetPageSizeWithRotation(i));
                document.NewPage();
                page = writer.GetImportedPage(reader, i);
                rotation = reader.GetPageRotation(i);
                if (rotation == 90 || rotation == 270)
                {
                    cb.AddTemplate(page, 0, -1f, 1f, 0, 0, reader.GetPageSizeWithRotation(i).Height);
                }
                else
                {
                    cb.AddTemplate(page, 1f, 0, 0, 1f, 0, 0);
                }
                //Console.WriteLine("Processed page " + i);
            }
            f++;
            if (f < sourceFiles.Length)
            {
                reader = new PdfReader(sourceFiles[f]);
                // we retrieve the total number of pages
                n = reader.NumberOfPages;
                //Console.WriteLine("There are " + n + " pages in the original file.");
            }
        }
        // step 5: we close the document
        document.Close();
    }
    catch (Exception e)
    {
        string strOb = e.Message;
    }
}

public static int CountPageNo(string strFileName)
{
    // we create a reader for a certain document
    PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(strFileName);
    // we retrieve the total number of pages
    return reader.NumberOfPages;
}
}

Use PdfCopy instead of PdfWriter. There should be several samples & related questions floating around. — Mark Storer
– Mark Storer, Commented May 17, 2011 at 21:31
@Liquid -- CreatePDF(SinglePreview, PDFPreview); Can you please share how you created a pdf from doc. It will be very helpful if you provide some details about how u converted. I hope you are using iTextSharp for doing the doc to pdf converstion. — kbvishnu
– kbvishnu, Commented Aug 23, 2014 at 14:00

Gh61 · Accepted Answer · 2021-10-20 07:48:10Z

74

I found the answer:

Instead of the 2nd Method, add more files to the first array of input files.

public static void CombineMultiplePDFs(string[] fileNames, string outFile)
{
    // step 1: creation of a document-object
    Document document = new Document();
    //create newFileStream object which will be disposed at the end
    using (FileStream newFileStream = new FileStream(outFile, FileMode.Create))
    {
       // step 2: we create a writer that listens to the document
       PdfCopy writer = new PdfCopy(document, newFileStream);

       // step 3: we open the document
       document.Open();

       foreach (string fileName in fileNames)
       {
           // we create a reader for a certain document
           PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(fileName);
           reader.ConsolidateNamedDestinations();

           // step 4: we add content
           for (int i = 1; i <= reader.NumberOfPages; i++)
           {
               PdfImportedPage page = writer.GetImportedPage(reader, i);
               writer.AddPage(page);
           }

           PRAcroForm form = reader.AcroForm;
           if (form != null)
           {
               writer.CopyAcroForm(reader);
           }

           reader.Close();
       }

       // step 5: we close the document and writer
       writer.Close();
       document.Close();
   }//disposes the newFileStream object
}

edited Oct 20, 2021 at 7:48

Gh61

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answered May 19, 2011 at 9:50

Liquid

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8 Comments

cgraham720 Over a year ago

@liquid - sorry, can you state what references you used for this to work?

Christine Over a year ago

"PdfCopy does not contain a definition for CopyAcroForm"

misanthrop Over a year ago

Had to change the line PRAcroForm form = reader.AcroForm; to PrAcroForm form = reader.AcroForm; (small 'r' instead of capital, otherwise I got an error - however the edit was not taken into consideration for this part...)

Liquid Over a year ago

@misanthrop the edit wasn't taken into consideration because the class name of that object is with a capital R "PRAcroForm". But I don't know which iTextsharp version you are using. But I'm still glad that this helped you on your way

misanthrop Over a year ago

We are using iTextSharp.LGPLv2.Core which indeed is an unofficial port of iTextSharp(v4.1.6), maybe it has something to do with this... maybe this comment helps also someone else as well =)

|

Alexei Bondarev · Accepted Answer · 2024-05-15 10:32:13Z

48

I found a very nice solution on this site : http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/mladenp/archive/2014/01/10/simple-merging-of-pdf-documents-with-itextsharp-5-4-5.aspx

I update the method in this mode :

    public static bool MergePDFs(IEnumerable<string> fileNames, string targetPdf)
    {
        bool merged = true;
        using (FileStream stream = new FileStream(targetPdf, FileMode.Create))
        {
            Document document = new Document();
            PdfCopy pdf = new PdfCopy(document, stream);
            PdfReader reader = null;
            try
            {
                document.Open();
                foreach (string file in fileNames)
                {
                    reader = new PdfReader(file);
                    pdf.AddDocument(reader);
                    reader.Close();
                }
            }
            catch (Exception)
            {
                merged = false;
                if (reader != null)
                {
                    reader.Close();
                }
            }
            finally
            {
                if (document != null)
                {
                    document.Close();
                }
            }
        }
        return merged;
    }

edited May 15, 2024 at 10:32

answered Nov 12, 2014 at 9:25

Alexei Bondarev

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3 Comments

Matze Over a year ago

I prefer this solution, since it does not involve the deprecated CopyAcroForm functionality, that is no longer available in the latest version of itextsharp.

AFract Over a year ago

Works perfectly for me with a few documents and last version of itextsharp available on nuget :)

Bacon Bits Over a year ago

As far as I can tell, there's virtually no reason not to use PdfSmartCopy over PdfCopy. At least for me, the size saving on the PDF was very significant.

Jim G. · Accepted Answer · 2021-03-02 19:54:18Z

16

Code For Merging PDF's in Itextsharp

public static void Merge(List<String> InFiles, String OutFile)
{
    using (FileStream stream = new FileStream(OutFile, FileMode.Create))
    using (Document doc = new Document())
    using (PdfCopy pdf = new PdfCopy(doc, stream))
    {
        doc.Open();

        PdfReader reader = null;
        PdfImportedPage page = null;

        //fixed typo
        InFiles.ForEach(file =>
        {
            reader = new PdfReader(file);

            for (int i = 0; i < reader.NumberOfPages; i++)
            {
                page = pdf.GetImportedPage(reader, i + 1);
                pdf.AddPage(page);
            }

            pdf.FreeReader(reader);
            reader.Close();
            File.Delete(file);
        });
    }
}

edited Mar 2, 2021 at 19:54

Jim G.

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answered Aug 18, 2016 at 18:19

vivekBhardwaj

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2 Comments

mkl Over a year ago

A person copying&pasting your code without seriously reading it might get into quite some trouble: Not in every merging use case the source files are to be deleted!

Fernando Garcia - Nandostyle Over a year ago

This still worked. Make sure you understand what File.Delete(file); do.

Syed Mohamed · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-04 14:23:52Z

Using iTextSharp.dll

protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    String[] files = @"C:\ENROLLDOCS\A1.pdf,C:\ENROLLDOCS\A2.pdf".Split(',');
    MergeFiles(@"C:\ENROLLDOCS\New1.pdf", files);
}
public void MergeFiles(string destinationFile, string[] sourceFiles)
{
    if (System.IO.File.Exists(destinationFile))
        System.IO.File.Delete(destinationFile);

    string[] sSrcFile;
    sSrcFile = new string[2];

    string[] arr = new string[2];
    for (int i = 0; i <= sourceFiles.Length - 1; i++)
    {
        if (sourceFiles[i] != null)
        {
            if (sourceFiles[i].Trim() != "")
                arr[i] = sourceFiles[i].ToString();
        }
    }

    if (arr != null)
    {
        sSrcFile = new string[2];

        for (int ic = 0; ic <= arr.Length - 1; ic++)
        {
            sSrcFile[ic] = arr[ic].ToString();
        }
    }
    try
    {
        int f = 0;

        PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(sSrcFile[f]);
        int n = reader.NumberOfPages;
        Response.Write("There are " + n + " pages in the original file.");
        Document document = new Document(PageSize.A4);

        PdfWriter writer = PdfWriter.GetInstance(document, new FileStream(destinationFile, FileMode.Create));

        document.Open();
        PdfContentByte cb = writer.DirectContent;
        PdfImportedPage page;

        int rotation;
        while (f < sSrcFile.Length)
        {
            int i = 0;
            while (i < n)
            {
                i++;

                document.SetPageSize(PageSize.A4);
                document.NewPage();
                page = writer.GetImportedPage(reader, i);

                rotation = reader.GetPageRotation(i);
                if (rotation == 90 || rotation == 270)
                {
                    cb.AddTemplate(page, 0, -1f, 1f, 0, 0, reader.GetPageSizeWithRotation(i).Height);
                }
                else
                {
                    cb.AddTemplate(page, 1f, 0, 0, 1f, 0, 0);
                }
                Response.Write("\n Processed page " + i);
            }

            f++;
            if (f < sSrcFile.Length)
            {
                reader = new PdfReader(sSrcFile[f]);
                n = reader.NumberOfPages;
                Response.Write("There are " + n + " pages in the original file.");
            }
        }
        Response.Write("Success");
        document.Close();
    }
    catch (Exception e)
    {
        Response.Write(e.Message);
    }


}

am getting issue while using this my content getting cut off?

emert117 · Accepted Answer · 2019-01-02 10:05:22Z

Merge byte arrays of multiple PDF files:

    public static byte[] MergePDFs(List<byte[]> pdfFiles)
    {  
        if (pdfFiles.Count > 1)
        {
            PdfReader finalPdf;
            Document pdfContainer;
            PdfWriter pdfCopy;
            MemoryStream msFinalPdf = new MemoryStream();

            finalPdf = new PdfReader(pdfFiles[0]);
            pdfContainer = new Document();
            pdfCopy = new PdfSmartCopy(pdfContainer, msFinalPdf);

            pdfContainer.Open();

            for (int k = 0; k < pdfFiles.Count; k++)
            {
                finalPdf = new PdfReader(pdfFiles[k]);
                for (int i = 1; i < finalPdf.NumberOfPages + 1; i++)
                {
                    ((PdfSmartCopy)pdfCopy).AddPage(pdfCopy.GetImportedPage(finalPdf, i));
                }
                pdfCopy.FreeReader(finalPdf);

            }
            finalPdf.Close();
            pdfCopy.Close();
            pdfContainer.Close();

            return msFinalPdf.ToArray();
        }
        else if (pdfFiles.Count == 1)
        {
            return pdfFiles[0];
        }
        return null;
    }

Miguelito · Accepted Answer · 2020-07-20 11:38:59Z

1

I don't see this solution anywhere and supposedly ... according to one person, the proper way to do it is with copyPagesTo(). This does work I tested it. Your mileage may vary between city and open road driving. Goo luck.

    public static bool MergePDFs(List<string> lststrInputFiles, string OutputFile, out int iPageCount, out string strError)
    {
        strError = string.Empty;

        PdfWriter pdfWriter = new PdfWriter(OutputFile);
        PdfDocument pdfDocumentOut = new PdfDocument(pdfWriter);

        PdfReader pdfReader0 = new PdfReader(lststrInputFiles[0]);
        PdfDocument pdfDocument0 = new PdfDocument(pdfReader0);
        int iFirstPdfPageCount0 = pdfDocument0.GetNumberOfPages();
        pdfDocument0.CopyPagesTo(1, iFirstPdfPageCount0, pdfDocumentOut);
        iPageCount = pdfDocumentOut.GetNumberOfPages();

        for (int ii = 1; ii < lststrInputFiles.Count; ii++)
        {
            PdfReader pdfReader1 = new PdfReader(lststrInputFiles[ii]);
            PdfDocument pdfDocument1 = new PdfDocument(pdfReader1);
            int iFirstPdfPageCount1 = pdfDocument1.GetNumberOfPages();
            iPageCount += iFirstPdfPageCount1;
            pdfDocument1.CopyPagesTo(1, iFirstPdfPageCount1, pdfDocumentOut);
            int iFirstPdfPageCount00 = pdfDocumentOut.GetNumberOfPages();
        }

        pdfDocumentOut.Close();

        return true;
    }

answered Jul 20, 2020 at 11:38

Miguelito

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2 Comments

mkl Over a year ago

Your solution is appropriate for iText 7 while the question and the other answers focus on iText 5.

Miguelito Over a year ago

That is correct and why I posted it. Pretty much all other answers I found were obsolete but I should have pointed out the difference. Every answer I found was for iText 5 so I figured posting one for the current iText 7 was a good idea.

Nikunj Satasiya · Accepted Answer · 2021-12-06 12:34:42Z

Please also visit and read this article where I explained everything in detail about How to Merge Multiple PDF Files Into Single PDF Using Itextsharp in C#

Implementation:

try
{
    string FPath = "";
    // Create For loop for get/create muliple report on single click based on row of gridview control
    for (int j = 0; j < Gridview1.Rows.Count; j++)
    {
        // Return datatable for data
        DataTable dtDetail = new My_GlobalClass().GetDataTable(Convert.ToInt32(Gridview1.Rows[0]["JobId"]));
 
        int i = Convert.ToInt32(Gridview1.Rows[0]["JobId"]);
        if (dtDetail.Rows.Count > 0)
        {
            // Create Object of ReportDocument
            ReportDocument cryRpt = new ReportDocument();
            //Store path of .rpt file
            string StrPath = Application.StartupPath + "\\RPT";
            StrPath = StrPath + "\\";
            StrPath = StrPath + "rptCodingvila_Articles_Report.rpt";
            cryRpt.Load(StrPath);
            // Assign Report Datasource
            cryRpt.SetDataSource(dtDetail);
            // Assign Reportsource to Report viewer
            CryViewer.ReportSource = cryRpt;
            CryViewer.Refresh();
            // Store path/name of pdf file one by one 
            string StrPathN = Application.StartupPath + "\\Temp" + "\\Codingvila_Articles_Report" + i.ToString() + ".Pdf";
            FPath = FPath == "" ? StrPathN : FPath + "," + StrPathN;
            // Export Report in PDF
            cryRpt.ExportToDisk(CrystalDecisions.Shared.ExportFormatType.PortableDocFormat, StrPathN);
        }
    }
    if (FPath != "")
    {
        // Check for File Existing or Not
        if (System.IO.File.Exists(Application.StartupPath + "\\Temp" + "\\Codingvila_Articles_Report.pdf"))
            System.IO.File.Delete(Application.StartupPath + "\\Temp" + "\\Codingvila_Articles_Report.pdf");
        // Split and store pdf input file
        string[] files = FPath.Split(',');
        //  Marge Multiple PDF File
        MargeMultiplePDF(files, Application.StartupPath + "\\Temp" + "\\Codingvila_Articles_Report.pdf");
        // Open Created/Marged PDF Output File
        Process.Start(Application.StartupPath + "\\Temp" + "\\Codingvila_Articles_Report.pdf");
        // Check and Delete Input file
        foreach (string item in files)
        {
            if (System.IO.File.Exists(item.ToString()))
                System.IO.File.Delete(item.ToString());
        }
 
    }
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
    XtraMessageBox.Show(ex.Message, "Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error);
}

Create Function for Marge PDF

public static void MargeMultiplePDF(string[] PDFfileNames, string OutputFile)
{
    iTextSharp.text.Document PDFdoc = new iTextSharp.text.Document();
    using (System.IO.FileStream MyFileStream = new System.IO.FileStream(OutputFile, System.IO.FileMode.Create))
    {
        iTextSharp.text.pdf.PdfCopy PDFwriter = new iTextSharp.text.pdf.PdfCopy(PDFdoc, MyFileStream);
        if (PDFwriter == null)
        {
            return;
        }
        PDFdoc.Open();
        foreach (string fileName in PDFfileNames)
        {
            iTextSharp.text.pdf.PdfReader PDFreader = new iTextSharp.text.pdf.PdfReader(fileName);
            PDFreader.ConsolidateNamedDestinations();
            for (int i = 1; i <= PDFreader.NumberOfPages; i++)
            {
                iTextSharp.text.pdf.PdfImportedPage page = PDFwriter.GetImportedPage(PDFreader, i);
                PDFwriter.AddPage(page);
            }
            iTextSharp.text.pdf.PRAcroForm form = PDFreader.AcroForm;
            if (form != null)
            {
                PDFwriter.CopyAcroForm(PDFreader);
            }
            PDFreader.Close();
        }
        PDFwriter.Close();
        PDFdoc.Close();
    }
}

For merging with iText(Sharp) 2.x, 4.x and 5.x using PdfCopy based solutions usually is better than using PdfWriter based ones like yours.

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