After a PDF document has been loaded, document contents and their properties can be read and modified using the properties and methods of TgtPDFDocument object.

In the next code snippet, we first specify the measurement unit that will be used when rendering elements on a PDF page. Next, a HTML-formatted string is written on the last page. The number of the last page is obtained from the property TgtPDFDocument.PageCount().

...     // Set document measurement units to pixelsgtPDFDocument1.MeasurementUnit := muPixels;     // Write formatted text at the center of the last pagegtPDFDocument1.TextOut(      '<i>Hello, <b>World!</b></i>',         // HTML-formatted string      IntToStr(gtPDFDocument1.PageCount),    // Page range      gtPDFDocument1.                        // X-coordinateGetPageSize(gtPDFDocument1.PageCount, muPixels).Width/2,      gtPDFDocument1.                        // Y-coordinateGetPagesize(gtPDFDocument1.PageCount, muPixels).Height/2);     // Save the modified document    gtPDFDocument1.SaveToFile('modified_doc.pdf'); ...             

The formatted string is written at the center of the last page. To obtain the location of the center of the page, we first call TgtPDFDocument.GetPageSize().

functionGetPageSize(PageNo: Integer; MMUnit: TgtMeasurementUnit): TgtPageSize; TgtMeasurementUnit = (muPixels, muPoints, muInches, muMM, muTwips); TgtPageSize = recordWidth,  Height: Double;end;             

This method returns a TgtPageSize record, whose fields TgtPageSize.Width and TgtPageSize.Height provide the dimensions of the specified page. From this information, it is easy to calculate the location of the center of the page.

As you can see, PDFtoolkit provides an elegant interface that hides the complexities imposed by the format specification.

The TgtPDFDocument.GetPageElements() is another example of a very capable PDFtoolkit method.

functionGetPageElements(APageNo: Integer; ElementTypes: TgtElementTypes; MMUnit: TgtMeasurementUnit): TgtPDFPageElementList; TgtPDFElementType=(etText, etImage, etPath, etFormField);             

This method returns a list of PDF page elements from a specified page. If the page element returned by the method is a text element, then its properties expose details such as location, font, and color. If it were an image, then you can get hold of its coordinates, scaling factor, and the actual image in the form of a TGraphic object. That’s the level of control you get with PDFtoolkit.

PDFtoolkit offers more than one way of doing the same thing, each one more useful in a special situation. The TgtPDFDocument.SearchAll() method can perform a variety of text searches for a given search string.

FunctionSearchAll(    Const SearchText: String; AOptions: TgtSearchTypes; SearchList: TStringList):Integer; TgtPDFSearchTypes = (stCaseSensitive, stWholeWord, stNone);             

You can also extract all text in one go.

// Returns a list of text extracted from a specified pagefunction ExtractText(APageNo: Integer): TStringList;// Returns formatted text extracted from a specified pagefunctionExtractTextFormatted(APageNo: Integer): TStringList;              

PDFtoolkit makes merging and splitting files a breeze. Here is a code snippet that shows how to merge several documents into one.

... vargtPDFDocument1: TgtPDFDocument;    StringList1: TStringList;begin// Create a document object  gtPDFDocument1 := TgtPDFDocument.Create(Nil);  // Load a list with names of the// documents that need to be mergedStringList1 := TStringList.Create();  StringList1.Add('sample_doc1.pdf');  StringList1.Add('sample_doc2.pdf');  StringList1.Add('sample_doc3.pdf');   try// Merge the documentsgtPDFDocument1.MergeDocs(StringList1);    // Save the merged document to file    gtPDFDocument1.SaveToFile('merged_doc.pdf'); ...             

PDFtoolkit can enhance a PDF document in a number of useful ways, such as

• Marking up text
• Hyperlinking images and text
• Adding bookmarks, stamps, and watermarks
• Embedding files as attachments

In this code snippet, we see how to add bookmarks for all pages in a document.

... varI: Integer;gtPDFDocument1: TgtPDFDocument;    // Bookmark gtPDFOutline1: TgtPDFOutline;    // Destination linked by a bookmarkgtPDFDestination1: TgtPDFDestination;    // Display style of a bookmark in bookmark panel    gtBookmarkAttribute1: TgtBookmarkAttribute;begin  gtPDFDocument1 := TgtPDFDocument.Create(Nil);  try    gtPDFDocument1.LoadFromFile('sample_doc.pdf');    if gtPDFDocument1.IsLoaded thenbegin// For each page in the documentfor I := 1 to gtPDFDocument1.PageCount dobegin// Create a bookmark that links to the top-left// corner of the page in the current iterationgtPDFDestination1 :=TgtPDFDestination.Create(           I,      // Number of the page           dtXYZ,  // Destination type (use x-y coordinates and zoom)           0,      // X-coordinate of the destination           0,      // Y-coordinate of the destination           100);   // Zoom// Create bookmarks with maroon-colored, bold-italic textgtBookmarkAttribute1 :=TgtBookmarkAttribute.Create([fsBold, fsItalic], clMaroon);       if I = 1 thenbegin// If it's the first page, then create a new bookmarkgtPDFOutline1 := gtPDFDocument1.CreateNewBookmark(                     'Page #' + IntToStr(I),  // Bookmark title textgtPDFDestination1,gtBookmarkAttribute1);           endelsebegin// For other pages, add a bookmark next to the// previously created bookmarkgtPDFOutline1 := gtPDFOutline1.AddNext(                    'Page #' + IntToStr(I),  // Bookmark title textgtPDFDestination1,gtBookmarkAttribute1);      end;     end;    end;    // Save the modified document    gtPDFDocument1.SaveToFile('modified_doc.pdf'); ...             

Here is how to encrypt a PDF document.

...uses...gtPDFCrypt,gtPDFDoc; var    gtPDFDocument1: TgtPDFDocument;begin// Create a document object  gtPDFDocument1 := TgtPDFDocument.Create(Nil);   try// Load input document    gtPDFDocument1.LoadFromFile('unencrypted_doc.pdf');     if gtPDFDocument1.IsLoaded thenbegin// Modify documents encryption settings with// the TgtPDFEncryption object returned by// TgtPDFDocument.Encryption propertywith gtPDFDocument1.Encryption dobeginEnabled := True;        Level := el128bit;   // 128-bit encryption level        OwnerPassword := 'Owner';        UserPassword := 'User';UserPermissions:= [AllowAccessibility,AllowPrint,AllowHighResPrint];       end;    end;     // Save the encrypted document to file    gtPDFDocument1.SaveToFile('encrypted_doc.pdf'); ...             

This code snippet shows how to mark page numbers on all pages in a PDF document.

... varI: Integer;    gtPDFDocument1: TgtPDFDocument;begin  gtPDFDocument1 := TgtPDFDocument.Create(Nil);  try    gtPDFDocument1.LoadFromFile('sample_doc.pdf');    if gtPDFDocument1.IsLoaded thenbegingtPDFDocument1.MeasurementUnit := muPixels;     // Write formatted string on all pages// at specified locationgtPDFDocument1.TextOut(        'Page <%PageNo%> of <%TotPage%>', // page number        gtPDFDocument1.                   // x-coordinateGetPageSize(I, muPixels).Width - 150,        100);                             // y-coordinateend;    // Save the modified document    gtPDFDocument1.SaveToFile('numbered_pages_doc.pdf'); ...             

The text string is written by an overloaded TgtPDFDocument.TextOut() method. The string contains two built-in placeholders for the current page number and the total page number. PDFtoolkit substitutes built-in placeholders with their values at run time.

You can use placeholders with any TgtPDFDocument method that writes text to a document. You can create your own placeholders and have them substituted at run time by writing a handler for the TgtPDFDocument OnCalcVariables() event.

property OnCalcVariables: TgtOnCalcVariablesEvent read FOnCalcVariables writeSetOnCalcVariables;             

PDFtoolkit can add, edit, fill, and flatten PDF form fields. Editing a PDF form field involves changing its properties such as its looks, position, or interactivity. Filling a PDF form field involves specifying a particular value for the form field and saving the modified form field to the document. Flattening a form field removes all interactivity from the form field but ensures that the form field still looks its original self.

In this code snippet, we see how to add form fields to a document.

... vargtPDFDocument1: TgtPDFDocument;  // List box form fieldgtPDFFormListBox1: TgtPDFFormListBox;  // Push button form fieldgtPDFFormPushButton1: TgtPDFFormPushButton;  // RectanglesgtRect1: TgtRect;  gtRect2: TgtRect;  begin  gtPDFDocument1 := TgtPDFDocument.Create(Nil);  try    gtPDFDocument1.LoadFromFile('sample_doc.pdf');    if gtPDFDocument1.IsLoaded thenbegin// Set document measurement unitgtPDFDocument1.MeasurementUnit := muInches;       // Specify rectangle position for list boxgtRect1.Left := 1;gtRect1.Right := 2;gtRect1.Top := 1;gtRect1.Bottom := 2;       // Create a list box form fieldgtPDFFormListBox1 := TgtPDFFormListBox.Create();      // Specify name for the list box in the document      gtPDFFormListBox1.FieldName := 'lstCountry';      // Add options to the list box      gtPDFFormListBox1.AddItem('India');      gtPDFFormListBox1.AddItem('USA');      gtPDFFormListBox1.AddItem('Russia');      gtPDFFormListBox1.AddItem('Germany');      gtPDFFormListBox1.AddItem('Japan');      gtPDFFormListBox1.AddItem('China');      // Specify background color for the list boxgtPDFFormListBox1.BackgroundColor := clWindow;gtPDFFormListBox1.BorderColor := clWindowFrame;      gtPDFFormListBox1.DefaultValue := 'Select a country';       // Specify location of the list boxgtPDFFormListBox1.Rect := gtRect1;       // Add the list box to the last pagegtPDFDocument1.AddFormField(gtPDFFormListBox1,         gtPDFDocument1.PageCount); // page number// Specify rectangle position for submit buttongtRect2.Left := 1;gtRect2.Right := 2;gtRect2.Top := 3;gtRect2.Bottom := 3.25;       // Create a push buttongtPDFFormPushButton1 := TgtPDFFormPushButton.Create();      gtPDFFormPushButton1.FieldName := 'btnSubmit';      gtPDFFormPushButton1.NormalCaption := 'Submit';gtPDFFormPushButton1.Rect := gtRect2;      // Set button to submit form contents when// it is clicked inside a viewer applicationgtPDFFormPushButton1.Action := pbaSubmit;      // Specify URL where form contents should be// submittedgtPDFFormPushButton1.SubmitURL         := 'http://www.gnostice.com/newsletters'+            '/demos/200804/forms_test.asp';       // Add push button to documentgtPDFDocument1.AddFormField(gtPDFFormPushButton1,gtPDFDocument1.PageCount);       // Save the modified document to file      gtPDFDocument1.SaveToFile('forms_doc.pdf');    end; ...             

PDFtoolkit’s viewer is a visual component that can be used to display PDF documents on a VCL forms application. It does not require Adobe® Readerto be installed on the client machine. The viewer’s API provides methods to implement navigation, zooming, and other toolbar-driven functionality.

... gtPDFDocument1: TgtPDFDocument;gtPDFViewer1: TgtPDFViewer;OpenDialog1: TOpenDialog;edFilePath: TEdit;edNumberOfPages: TEdit; ... // Select a PDF documentifnot OpenDialog1.Execute thenexit;  // Update text fieldedFilePath.Text := OpenDialog1.FileName;  // Unload any previously loaded documentif gtPDFDocument1.IsLoaded thengtPDFDocument1.Reset;  try// Load the selected PDF documentgtPDFDocument1.LoadFromFile(edFilePath.Text);    // Check if document has been successfully loadedif gtPDFDocument1.IsLoaded thenbegin// Display number of pagesedNumberOfPages.Text := IntToStr(gtPDFDocument1.PageCount);     // Specify document that needs to be// displayed by the viewergtPDFViewer1.PDFDocument :=  gtPDFDocument1;     // Activate viewergtPDFViewer1.Active := True; ...             

PDFtoolkit’s PDF printer is a non-visual component. It has methods and properties that allow a VCL application to query available printers, select a printer, specify print settings, and print a specified set of pages to the selected printer. The most attractive thing about the printer component is that it can print PDF documents without requiring external components such as GhostScript or Adobe® Reader.

PDFtoolkit includes a visual component meant for providing interactive text search capabilities to VCL forms applications. It needs to be used in conjunction with the PDFtoolkit’s viewer component. The functionality of the search panel is similar to the one found in Adobe Reader. See screenshot.

PDFtoolkit has several other components such as the PDFOutlineViewer, which can be used to display a bookmark panel for a PDF document.

In summary, Gnostice PDFtoolkit is a component suite that has well-rounded capabilities in PDF processing.