Question

I am creating an iPad application, in that i have to use different PDF forms. I got some methods to generate PDF files through code using Quartz2D. But I have to write entire forms through code. I may have to update the PDF forms in future, so again I have to write the code. So I heard that there is a component called iTextSharp for .net pdf creation – is there something similar for iOS? So that I can use some XML templates to create the PDF files.
Please help, thanks

Answer 1

I do this in my app using the iOS print subsystem and the UIMarkupTextPrintFormatter. The trick is to write your own custom UIPrintPageRenderer that overrides and returns correct values from paperRect and numberOfPages. You’ll add your UIMarkupTextPrintFormatter(s) to your custom UIPrintPageRenderer.

Then, you’ll need routines similar to this, in the context of your custom UIPrintPageRenderer:

- (CGRect) paperRect
{
    if (!_generatingPdf)
        return [super paperRect];

    return UIGraphicsGetPDFContextBounds();
}

- (CGRect) printableRect
{
    if (!_generatingPdf)
        return [super printableRect];

    return CGRectInset( self.paperRect, 20, 20 );
}

- (NSData*) printToPDF
{
    _generatingPdf = YES;

    NSMutableData *pdfData = [NSMutableData data];

    UIGraphicsBeginPDFContextToData( pdfData, CGRectMake(0, 0, 792, 612), nil );  // letter-size, landscape

    [self prepareForDrawingPages: NSMakeRange(0, 1)];

    CGRect bounds = UIGraphicsGetPDFContextBounds();

    for ( int i = 0 ; i < self.numberOfPages ; i++ )
    {
        UIGraphicsBeginPDFPage();

        [self drawPageAtIndex: i inRect: bounds];
    }

    UIGraphicsEndPDFContext();

    _generatingPdf = NO;

//    NSString* filename = @"/Volumes/Macintosh HD 2/test.pdf";
//    [pdfData writeToFile: filename  atomically: YES];

    return pdfData;
}