Add shapes to PDF files in C# and VB.NET

A PDF shape, also called path, is a geometric content consisting of one or more subpaths of lines and curves.

With PDF .Net, you can get, create, or edit shapes (paths) in your C# or VB.NET application. It supports commonly used shapes in PDF: Rectangle, Line, Circle, Ellipse, Arc, and Bezier curve.

When you draw a shape in PDF, an instance of the PdfPathContent class is created. You can then manipulate the subpaths,formats, and transformations of the created path.

In the code snippet example below, you can see how to add different shapes to a PDF page and how to format them.

Complete code

using System;
using System.IO;
using SautinSoft;
using SautinSoft.Pdf;
using SautinSoft.Pdf.Content;

namespace Sample
{
    class Sample
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// Add shapes to PDF files.
        /// </summary>
        /// <remarks>
        /// Details: http://sautinsoft/products/pdf/help/net/developer-guide/add-shapes-to-pdf.php
        /// </remarks>
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            
            using (var document = new PdfDocument())
            {
                // Add a page.
                var page = document.Pages.Add();

                // NOTE: In PDF, location (0, 0) is at the bottom-left corner of the page
                // and the positive y axis extends vertically upward.
                var pageBounds = page.CropBox;

                // Add a thick red line at the top of the page.
                var line = page.Content.Elements.AddPath();
                line.BeginSubpath(new PdfPoint(100, pageBounds.Top - 100)).
                    LineTo(new PdfPoint(pageBounds.Right - 100, pageBounds.Top - 200));
                var lineFormat = line.Format;
                lineFormat.Stroke.IsApplied = true;
                lineFormat.Stroke.Width = 5;
                lineFormat.Stroke.Color = PdfColor.FromRgb(1, 0, 0);

                // Add a filled and stroked rectangle in the middle of the page.
                var rectangle = page.Content.Elements.AddPath();
                // NOTE: The start point of the rectangle is the bottom left corner of the rectangle.
                rectangle.AddRectangle(new PdfPoint(100, pageBounds.Top - 400),
                    new PdfSize(pageBounds.Width - 200, 100));
                var rectangleFormat = rectangle.Format;
                rectangleFormat.Fill.IsApplied = true;
                rectangleFormat.Fill.Color = PdfColor.FromRgb(0, 1, 0);
                rectangleFormat.Stroke.IsApplied = true;
                rectangleFormat.Stroke.Width = 10;
                rectangleFormat.Stroke.Color = PdfColor.FromRgb(0, 0, 1);

                // Add a more complex semi-transparent filled and stroked path at the bottom of the page.
                var shape = page.Content.Elements.AddPath();
                shape.BeginSubpath(new PdfPoint(100, 100)).
                    BezierTo(new PdfPoint(100 + pageBounds.Width / 4, 200),
                        new PdfPoint(pageBounds.Right - 100 - pageBounds.Width / 4, 0),
                        new PdfPoint(pageBounds.Right - 100, 100)).
                    LineTo(new PdfPoint(pageBounds.Right - 100, 300)).
                    BezierTo(new PdfPoint(pageBounds.Right - 100 - pageBounds.Width / 4, 200),
                        new PdfPoint(100 + pageBounds.Width / 4, 400),
                        new PdfPoint(100, 300)).
                    CloseSubpath();
                var shapeFormat = shape.Format;
                shapeFormat.Fill.IsApplied = true;
                shapeFormat.Fill.Color = PdfColor.FromRgb(0, 1, 0);
                shapeFormat.Fill.Opacity = 0.5;
                shapeFormat.Stroke.IsApplied = true;
                shapeFormat.Stroke.Width = 4;
                shapeFormat.Stroke.Color = PdfColor.FromRgb(0, 0, 1);
                shapeFormat.Stroke.Opacity = 0.5;
                shapeFormat.Stroke.DashPattern = PdfLineDashPatterns.DashDot;

                // Add a grid to visualize the bounds of each drawn shape.
                var grid = page.Content.Elements.AddPath();
                grid.AddRectangle(new PdfPoint(100, 100),
                    new PdfSize(pageBounds.Width - 200, pageBounds.Height - 200));
                grid.BeginSubpath(new PdfPoint(100, pageBounds.Top - 200)).
                    LineTo(new PdfPoint(pageBounds.Right - 100, pageBounds.Top - 200)).
                    BeginSubpath(new PdfPoint(100, pageBounds.Top - 300)).
                    LineTo(new PdfPoint(pageBounds.Right - 100, pageBounds.Top - 300)).
                    BeginSubpath(new PdfPoint(100, pageBounds.Top - 400)).
                    LineTo(new PdfPoint(pageBounds.Right - 100, pageBounds.Top - 400)).
                    BeginSubpath(new PdfPoint(100, 300)).
                    LineTo(new PdfPoint(pageBounds.Right - 100, 300));
                grid.Format.Stroke.IsApplied = true;
                // A line width of 0 denotes the thinnest line that can be rendered at device resolution: 1 device pixel wide.
                grid.Format.Stroke.Width = 0;

                document.Save("Paths.pdf");
            }

        }
    }
}

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