iOS, Swift: Create a PDF file from an HTML string.

iOSCreatePDF.swift

// Thanks to http://www.labs.saachitech.com/2012/10/23/pdf-generation-using-uiprintpagerenderer
// Note: including images in the HTML won't work, see here:
// https://github.com/nyg/HTMLWithImagesToPDF

import UIKit

// 1. Create a print formatter

let html = "<b>Hello <i>World!</i></b>"
let fmt = UIMarkupTextPrintFormatter(markupText: html)

// 2. Assign print formatter to UIPrintPageRenderer

let render = UIPrintPageRenderer()
render.addPrintFormatter(fmt, startingAtPageAt: 0)

// 3. Assign paperRect and printableRect

let page = CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 595.2, height: 841.8) // A4, 72 dpi
render.setValue(page, forKey: "paperRect")
render.setValue(page, forKey: "printableRect")

// 4. Create PDF context and draw

let pdfData = NSMutableData()
UIGraphicsBeginPDFContextToData(pdfData, .zero, nil)

for i in 0..<render.numberOfPages {
    UIGraphicsBeginPDFPage();
    render.drawPage(at: i, in: UIGraphicsGetPDFContextBounds())
}

UIGraphicsEndPDFContext();

// 5. Save PDF file

guard let outputURL = try? FileManager.default.url(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask, appropriateFor: nil, create: false).appendingPathComponent("output").appendingPathExtension("pdf")
    else { fatalError("Destination URL not created") }

pdfData.write(to: outputURL, atomically: true)
print("open \(outputURL.path)") // command to open the generated file

This is awesome. Thanks much.

A note for React Native folks: UIKit is not thread-safe, and React Native currently calls native module methods off main thread, so you'll want to request the main thread (as described or via DispatchQueue.main.async). Otherwise you'll get cryptic EXC_I386_BPT errors when instantiating your UIMarkupTextPrintFormatter.

Awesome, just one question... I'm setting page to 6 * 72 x 4 * 72 (6 inches wide by 4 inches tall). My content is cropped to that size, but the actual paper size in the PDF is 8.5x11. Do we know how to set the actual paper size?

Awesome, just one question... I'm setting page to 6 * 72 x 4 * 72 (6 inches wide by 4 inches tall). My content is cropped to that size, but the actual paper size in the PDF is 8.5x11. Do we know how to set the actual paper size?

Hi, how could you solve this?

Hi, do you know how to open a file after creating it? I tried this:
UIApplication.shared.open(outputURL, options: [:], completionHandler: { (success) in
Swift.print("Open url : (success)")
})
but I am getting false.

Hi, who know how to edit pdf/doc file?

Hi,

Actually my html content is cutting off on right?

Is there a way to set custom page for pdf...please see i dont require to print the pdf but just download it.

Thanks in advance.

Objective-C Version

+(NSData*)htmlToPdf:(NSString*)html{
    //Formatter
    UIMarkupTextPrintFormatter * fmt = [[UIMarkupTextPrintFormatter alloc] initWithMarkupText:html];
    
    //Renderer
    UIPrintPageRenderer * render = [[UIPrintPageRenderer alloc] init];
    [render addPrintFormatter:fmt startingAtPageAtIndex:0];
    
    //Assign Printable Rect
    CGRect pageSize = CGRectMake(0, 0, 595.2, 841.8);// A4, 72 dpi
    [render setValue:[NSValue valueWithCGRect:pageSize] forKey:@"paperRect"];
    [render setValue:[NSValue valueWithCGRect:pageSize] forKey:@"printableRect"];
    
    //Create PDF Context and Draw
    NSMutableData* data = [[NSMutableData alloc] init];
    UIGraphicsBeginPDFContextToData(data, CGRectZero, NULL);
    
    for (int i=0; i<render.numberOfPages; i++) {
        UIGraphicsBeginPDFPage();
        [render drawPageAtIndex:i inRect: UIGraphicsGetPDFContextBounds()];
    }

    UIGraphicsEndPDFContext();

    return data;
}

I also faced with image issue, just wonder if this resolved I've tried a few solutions but it still does not work for me. I tried to save image to the files and used base 64 image, but still with no luck

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/66251424/creating-pdf-file-with-uiimage-inserted-to-html-code

Hey,
I think you need to use javascript with your HTML code to load image in web view and then create a pdf
Use evaluateJavaScript() to run javascript in web view

Hey,
I think you need to use javascript with your HTML code to load image in web view and then create a pdf
Use evaluateJavaScript() to run javascript in web view

Now all works good! I used link above https://github.com/nyg/HTMLWithImagesToPDF in a wrong way. Image is in the PDF file now. thanks